The Market Common ~ Developers, MB pool planning for city in city

Several major developers are collaborating in a way never before seen in Myrtle Beach to bring new life to more than 1,000 acres on the former Air Force Base, which has sat mostly undeveloped since the base closed nearly 15 years ago.

Now, workers are busy connecting the pieces of the massive developments - thousands of single-family houses, townhouses and condominiums; nearly 400,000 square feet of stores and amenities such as foot paths and recreation fields that developers have worked with Myrtle Beach officials to plan.

Portions of the base are set to open at different times, though development will continue for years to come.

• The retail portion of the site, on The Market Common, will open in April and the residential in June.

Developers and builders on the air base have worked together - thanks to city help - and met regularly to coordinate development.

• Competing developers working together is unusual, but will help provide a sense of a linked community, instead of separate neighborhoods, builders say.

• The group talked about foot paths connected to the retail center of the community, developed-shared amenity centers and home styles.

• All the builders have made sure the design of all the details, like the signs, are consistent.

• They have also met bi-weekly with the city to make sure all permits are in place and all infrastructure is being put in place as efficiently as possible.

Several developers are talking about creating a master homeowners association to govern all of their various parcels, with a shared clubhouse and fitness center.

• The neighborhoods likely would also have smaller homeowners associations that would report to the master association.

Source: Lisa Fleisher and Jenny Burns, The Sun News, Myrtle Beach