By Elisabeth Strillacci

EAST SPENCER — The town has been working on updates and new businesses along what is referred to as the Andrews Corridor, which is the road that crosses over I-85 at exit 79 and which holds one entrance to Royal Giants Park.

The town has now rezoned most of the property from Long Street to the highway overpass as commercial, according to Town Manager Michael Douglas.

“Going down Andrews toward the overpass, all the property on the left is now zoned commercial,” he said. And the town is looking to residents for feedback on what types of business they think will benefit East Spencer.

The Andrews Corridor already has two new large commercial structures in the Rusher Farms Commerce Center and the new Sheetz is going up quickly, with an expectation of opening by September, and there is plenty of additional land for development, said Douglas, but town leaders want the residents invested and involved in future plans.

There is an online survey residents are invited to take where they can share their hopes and ideas, here and a meeting scheduled for June 30 will provide an additional opportunity to be heard.

At that meeting, Douglas said the town will also be looking for volunteers to serve on a new Andrews Corridor Advisory Committee.

“I’d love to see two residents, two town employees, two business leaders, but in truth, I just want East Spencer people to step up and serve,” he said. “They will be responsible for bringing plans, ideas, suggestions to the Board of Aldermen for consideration, and the more involvement we get the better.”

“We are in the midst of economic prosperity for the first time in more than 70 years,” the call for participation on the town’s website says. “Please take the short survey and let us know what businesses (commercial/retail) you would like to see along the Andrews Corridor and in the town of East Spencer. Help us reinvent the Andrews Corridor, the gateway into East Spencer.”

Douglas also said the board’s meeting in July is expected to be a busy one and he hopes residents will consider attending to stay up to date on what’s coming for the town.

East Spencer and Spencer are also hoping to reach an agreement on their Extraterritorial Jurisdictions or ETJ during July. Each of the towns are in growth phases and each is hoping they can agree not to tread on the other’s space, while still allowing for growth.