WELLFORD — A faith-based nonprofit helping men recover from addiction is expanding with a new facility off U.S. Highway 29.
The 10,000-square-foot building will allow Evans Training Center to more than double its capacity.
“We take a long-term, slow-motion approach to ‘why do you keep doing this’ and ‘how are we going to stop this once and for all,’” said Dave Crooks, executive director of Evans Training Center.
Site work has already began at 601 Spartanburg Highway, but there will be an official groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 25. Crooks hopes to move into the new space by July or August 2023.
Evans Training Center is based in Spartanburg County and helps up to 12 people at a time. Once the new facility opens, the organization will be able to help an additional 27 people.
The new space will have classrooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, a dining hall, a commercial kitchen, offices, a laundry room, a reception area and recreational space. A chapel is in the middle of the facility.
The nonprofit offers a 40-week residential program for men who are struggling with chemical addictions.
“A lot of times, we’ll end up with guys in our program who have went the medical route and tried psychiatrists, psychologists and medications but still find themselves stuck,” Crooks said.
While in the 40-week program, participants live at the nonprofit’s dormitory. There are classes in the morning. Afternoons are filled with job site training related to residential and commercial painting and landscaping. The program is free but participants have to agree to work around five hours a week.
Evans Training Center was established in 2010 by Robby and Vida Dismukes. Their son Ben went to get help for an addiction at a facility in Florida called Dunklin Memorial Church. The family decided to name the nonprofit in honor of Dunklin founder Mickey Evans.
One year after graduation, 88 percent of Evans Training Center’s graduates are still sober, have a stable living situation and a job, according to Crooks. He said much of the program’s success is due to the organization heavily focusing on character development.
SPARTANBURG — Morgan Square’s proposed redesign aims to accentuate the city’s evolving downtown business district while making the space more attractive for programs and events.
As the city continues to grow with new housing, business and office space, the square will continue to be a popular destination. With the redesign expected for final review this spring by City Council, the square’s redesign could be completed by early 2025.
“For the most part, I like everything about the redesign,” Spartanburg Mayor Jerome Rice said. “We are waiting to see the final draft and get ready for it. People are looking for all this to finish up. The work will likely interrupt traffic and business flow. We will work through it to make sure businesses are still accessible to everyone.”
The project would be conducted in phases, city spokesman Christopher George said.
The first phase would include areas along West Main Street from North Church Street to Magnolia Street. The projected cost to complete the first phase is $15 million.
For the past 21 years, Delaney’s Irish Pub on West Main Street near the square has been a popular place to dine and enjoy live music.
Owner Brian Greene is hopeful the square’s redesign will draw more people downtown.
The outdoor dining area on the street closed to vehicle traffic since May 2020 will be moved to the sidewalk. Greene said he expects the outdoor dining area to be smaller with fewer tables. While he supports some of the redesign’s features, he would rather see the square maintain a larger green space for outdoor events.
“I don’t see a great spot out there for a band to play,” Greene said about the proposed redesign. “There is a natural stage there now, but it looks like that is going to be taken out.”
Greene also questioned the plan for public restrooms and how they might be staffed by the city. He expressed concern that restrooms could potentially be a gathering spot for the homeless if left unattended.
It’s been nearly 20 years since the last redesign was completed. City Councilman Jamie Fulmer said change is needed.
“We want to see the square active and vibrant,” Fulmer said. “I think we would miss an opportunity if we didn’t try and create a city center that would be more engaging and more complementary to all the development around it.”
Three redesign options were presented to the public in April. The latest redesign presented to the city in December combines some elements from all three options. Preparation has already started at the site.
“We have some preliminary sitework that will begin taking place on the square over the coming weeks,” George said. “That includes some basic surveying and ground-penetrating radar to assess conditions under the surface.”
The city is also working with New York-based Bierdman Redevelopment Ventures to develop a programming plan for the square to attract more visitors with new events and activities.
OneSpartanburg CEO and President Allen Smith said the square’s redesign should maximize space and work to benefit small businesses while creating a more welcoming place for community events.
“Whatever we do in the city of Spartanburg, we have to think about economic impact,” Smith said. “Small businesses rise and fall on activities at Morgan Square. Six years ago, we were having conversations that Morgan Square wasn’t what it could be for driving pedestrian traffic.”
Spartanburg City Councilwoman Erica Brown said she doesn’t want to see the clock tower moved. The plan calls for moving the clock tower near West Main and South Spring streets in the plan’s second phase.
“The clock tower had sentimental value to folks,” Brown said. “I am not sold on moving the clock tower.”
The redesign project’s first phase would be funded by the city’s hospitality tax revenue initially, with private funding used to complete additional phases.
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