Port Royal renovating Paris Avenue: $16M project aims to boost visitors, business

by Aaron Dixon

PORT ROYAL, S.C. (WTOC) - One of the biggest projects in the Town of Port Royal’s history is underway

Paris Avenue in Port Royal is undergoing a major facelift as part of a project that, town leaders say, will help attract more visitors and create new opportunities for local businesses.

For the past week, drivers and pedestrians have seen construction signs, lane shifts, and crews working in the roadway and along sidewalks.

Town officials emphasized that businesses along Paris Avenue remain open during construction.

“I ate at Frank’s Bistro last night, and it was fantastic,” Port Royal Town Manager Van Willis said. “The tables were full, and we want that to continue to happen.”

What’s included in the first phase

The work currently underway is Phase 1, which town leaders estimate at about $1.6 million.

Willis said the overall project is among the largest the town has taken on.

“It’s probably one of the largest projects we have ever undertaken,” Willis said.

Phase 1 includes:

Wider sidewalks
New landscaping
Streetlights
Infrastructure improvements

Town leaders say the changes are designed to make the area more welcoming for pedestrians and to support potential business growth.

“So narrowing it down, making it more user-friendly, more pedestrian-friendly, which will be a little more accommodating to the restaurants and stores that can do some outdoor things,” Willis said.

New public art highlighting Cypress Wetlands

Another centerpiece of the first phase will be new public art paying tribute to the Cypress Wetlands, a nearby attraction that draws thousands of visitors each year.

“There’s actually going to be a mosaic in the middle of the road adjacent to the Cypress Wetlands that will kind of incorporate all the species of birds and animals that you can see there,” Willis said.

Timeline: when will it be finished?

Town leaders expect Phase 1 to be completed in the fall.

It is unclear when later phases will begin, as the town is still working to secure necessary funding. Willis said he hopes the full Paris Avenue renovation can be completed in the next three to four years.