Vanna White’s childhood home threatened by 1-block road extension

Twenty-three-year-old Johnny White is already a proud homeowner in North Myrtle Beach.

He planned to keep the home forever when he purchased it about two years ago.

But the investment he hoped to keep for his whole life — and Vanna White’s childhood home — may be threatened by a RIDE 4 project on the horizon.

The humble two-bedroom bungalow on Madison Drive could be in the direct path of a road extension, meaning its potential demolition.

The Possum Trot Road extension is a one-block road extension which is on the RIDE 4 project list approved by voters in November. The extension of the road across Highway 17 could lead to right-of-way acquisition and the demolition of two small businesses and two small homes.

White didn’t learn that his home was threatened until after RIDE 4 was approved by voters and he saw a news article on Facebook mentioning the project.

Vanna White, the nationally recognized and longtime co-host of the gameshow Wheel of Fortune, lived in the house Johnny now lives in when she was young.

Vanna (no relation to Johnny), visited North Myrtle Beach last year when she took fans to various locations in the city she grew up in, including Hoskin’s restaurant on Main Street and her elementary school on a tour in a double-decker bus. She also visited the house on Madison Drive.

“Vanna was on the top of it with like 50 of her fans on the tour bus waving as they drove by. They stopped in front and camera crews came out and Vanna came and talked with me for a little bit. They asked me a few questions on camera. Then she came inside without any cameras and looked around,” Johnny said. “She remembered the wood beams and everything about it. She has a picture of her when she was probably two or three years old in front of the house. I helped her recreate that picture.”

A tentative drawing of the project on the RIDE 4 website shows Possum Trot Road extending straight across Highway 17 and connecting to Madison Drive. An aerial view of the intersection shows that two houses and two businesses – Noah’s Ark Baby Shop and No Nuts Ice Cream – would be in the path of the project.

The one-block road extension is estimated to cost $23 million, according to an estimate made by SCDOT.

One-block road extension could displace North Myrtle Beach business

Though the exact route has not been finalized and there are still many steps to take until the project breaks ground, North Myrtle Beach Public Works Director Kevin Blayton said the Possum Trot Road extension would “be done in one form or another.”

The Possum Trot project was listed on the “year 6-10” timeframe on the November ballot.

Blayton said the decision on which entity will manage the project is yet to be made and that during the project evaluation, alternative routes will be considered.

Johnny and his parents, John White and Lorrie White, say they feel trapped while they stand in limbo not knowing the future of the house.

“We were told it could be four to five years [before we know],” John said. “But that doesn’t help, because what does that do to Johnny and his house? It’s like holding him hostage in his house. He can’t do anything. If you think it’s going to be torn down in four years, you can’t add on to your house, you don’t want to repaint or make improvements because what’s the point if they just tear it down?”

John and Lorrie said they are proud of their son, who makes a living playing music at local venues and was able to purchase a house at the age of 21 with his parents being cosigners.

For his mother who has seen her son succeed as a young adult, it’s especially frustrating to think of the possibility of Johnny’s house being taken by eminent domain.

“He’s done everything right,” Lorrie said. “He’s entrepreneurial. He saved up. He bought a house, paid cash for his truck. He’s got this lucrative music business and a great setup for his house, not only as a living space but as a business spot with a studio. So he set it up just right, and to not even be notified is just beyond infuriating. I just can’t get over it.”

Johnny said he felt “kind of insulted” when he found out.

He’d planned to keep his house on Madison Drive for his whole life, eventually planning to rent it out when he decided to upsize or if he wanted to move somewhere else to further pursue music.

But now, his main worry is not losing money on his first big purchase, which was made using a 30-year mortgage.

“I’m paying majority interest right now on my loan. So in the last two years, I’ve paid probably 70 grand in mortgage and I’ve put maybe $10,000 into principal. The rest is interest,” Johnny said.

The Possum Trot Road Extension is one of many items on the RIDE 4 project list, which is funded by a 1% transportation tax that will continue for 25 years.

RIDE 4 projects are expected to cost more than $6.5 billion combined. The list of projects was determined by a sales tax commission made up of three Horry County appointees and one appointee each from Conway, Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach.

City Councilman Jay Baldwin, the North Myrtle Beach representative on the commission, said the main intention of the project was for golf cart travel.

“The Possum Trot Road extension was one of the many projects in the city limits that were included in the Ride IV project list and is intended primarily to facilitate golf cart crossings in the area,” Baldwin said.

“Many residents prefer to travel by golf cart when making short trips and we want to do everything we can to ensure safety and smooth traffic flow for all motorists. After much discussion with engineers and members of the SCDOT it was determined that a full four-way stop is the best way to enhance safety, help with connectivity and reduce traffic on crowded streets like Anne Street, 6th Avenue North and Highway 17.”

Those potentially affected by the project say increasing golf cart access is not worth the destruction of homes and businesses – and the history.

“The main significance of this is when you drive into the city, it says hometown of Vanna White, and this is the home they’re referring to,” Johnny said. “So I think it’s ironic that they would consider tearing it down when that’s on their welcome sign.”