Here are some pics of the FMU performing arts center under construction. The building site is huge, forming an L-shape around the bank at Irby & Palmetto. I believe the building will face Dargan, with side entrances on Palmetto and Cheves.
Dargan St at Cheves looking north. Notice the new Thai restaurant on the right, which actually does decent business in the evening (at least on weekends)
The restaurant and antique shop next to it are a big improvement over what was there.
There's an art gallery in the old Kimbrells building, which is great. The exterior still needs a lot of work, but it's an improvement
Finally, here is St Johns Episcopal church grounds, directly across from the arts center construction site on Dargan. Possibly Florence's finest aesthetic treasure.
So things are coming along on the southern end of Dargan. Past the restaurant & the art gallery, however, things have changed little up Dargan & on the 100 block of Evans St. Uninviting slum is doing it justice. Plenty of boarded up and run down buildings, as well as loud, sloppy street characters hanging around the social club on Dargan, and thumping music blaring from parked cars.