UP|South Carolina

Economic developments in the Midlands

krazeeboi — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:31:47 +0000

Unfortunately, there's some not-so-good news: Bose Corp. is laying off 200 workers from its speaker plant near Blythewood as it transitions jobs to Malaysia.

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Main Street Developments

krazeeboi — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:22:34 +0000

Chick-fil-A on Main Street will shut down at the end of the month after more than 17 years as lease negotiations with the building’s owner have failed. The 4,000-square-foot restaurant space is for lease for $19.95 a square foot per year – or roughly $80,000, according to the Arnold Cos. website. The development-and-property -management company is in the midst of redeveloping the entire property, renamed The Palms on Main.

The company is looking for another restaurant to lease out the ground-level space at 1301 Main St., according to its website, which also lists a 470-square-foot second-floor patio as available at no extra charge.

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The West End

citylife — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:35:47 +0000

Skyliner, on 03 February 2012 - 07:00 PM, said:

I agree that Chipotle and Moe's are affordable, but how much do you typically pay to eat there? "Name a restaurant..." Handi has a hot lunch buffet that you can start eating immediately.

Around $9-$10 with a drink and chips/salsa. Handi sounds good.

Just another reason why we need more Chick-Fil-A's in this area: http://www.wyff4.com...il.html#comment

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The West End

Skyliner — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:00:03 +0000

I agree that Chipotle and Moe's are affordable, but how much do you typically pay to eat there? "Name a restaurant..." Handi has a hot lunch buffet that you can start eating immediately.

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The West End

citylife — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:20:49 +0000

Skyliner, on 03 February 2012 - 04:21 PM, said:

You don't "have to" drive away from downtown to eat lunch. You choose to drive instead of walking to one of several decent (and affordable) options nearby. If money is the primary issue, then you probably shouldn't be purchasing food at any restaurant—especially cheap/unhealthy fast food.

Find me a restaurant downtown where I can something to eat that's not a pizza or deli sandwich for under $10 within 10 minutes of placing my order.

I agree with StrangeCock. More quick affordable eating options are sorely needed downtown. Pita Pit, Cosi, Back Yard Burgers, Fazoli's, Boston Market, Chipotle, Five Guys, Moe's, Chick-Fil-A, etc. would be awesome.

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The West End

StrangeCock — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:07:41 +0000

I did not say restaurants should be forced to sell cheap food. And I did not say every restaurant downtown should close and turn into Cook Out. I just want more OPTIONS. Not sure how many different ways I can say that.

I absolutely love The Trappe Door, Lemongrass, Sassafras, Pomegranate, and restaurants of that sort. Downtown is overflowing with options like those. And if a more affordable place can also serve great food...even better. Bao? Sure, I love Wow Bao in Chicago. They are both delicious and mind-bogglingly cheap. Unfortunately, we don't have much like that here.

Even the more affordable restaurants downtown operate with a "downtown premium" tacked on. So can't we just have a few more options? A new Chick-fil-a isn't going to turn Main Street into 8 Mile. Have you ever even been in a Chick-fil-a? They're almost nauseatingly polite, clean, and upscale (for a fast food joint).

We have approximately 9 galleries and "pink and green" boutiques for every 1 Augusta Road woman in town. Can't we get just 1 Chick-fil-a for the other 50,000 of us?

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New Greenville developments

GvilleSC — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:39:52 +0000

I wish they were going to be taking up more office space. Being a distance learning operation, this is a lot less exciting than I anticipated it to be...

I guess we'll take every square foot of leased office space we can get.

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The West End

Skyliner — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:21:10 +0000

StrangeCock, on 03 February 2012 - 03:39 PM, said:

I work downtown and am constantly having to drive to Cherrdrydale to eat lunch.

The West End

gsupstate — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:11:14 +0000

Just wondering out loud here.....

Should the builders in Thornblade be forced to build homes for under 150,000? Should Neiman Marcus be forced to sell affordable clothing? Hmmmmm....... So why, should downtown private business offer cheap lunch places? If downotown has those places great, if not great. If I worked downtown, and couldn't afford the lunches, then I would pack my lunch, take it with me and spend an hour having lunch in one of the many beautiful spots in Falls Park or along the river....have my lunch on a bench along beautiful Main Street....any of a number of places that taxpayer dollars provide that make Greenville's downtown unique and exceptional. Cheap lunches are available downtown....anywhere....anytime.

I'm also curious why this "gated community" talk. Greenville's downtown is unique and exceptional....why muck it up with bland, common, suburban, Camry driving stuff like Chick-Fil-A, McDonald's, etc, etc for the sake of cheap? It certainly wasn't Dollar General and Chick-Fil-A that made downtown Greenville unique and cool. It was Soby's and High Cotton and Trio and Blueberry Frog and Nantucket, etc, etc, etc.

If we need cheap, why not have places that are both unique and cheap, since unique and cheap can coexist in the same business (Trader Joe's and H&M are proof of that). How about cheap lunch places that are cool....a place that sells Hong Kong Pork Buns or Bao....a place like a Soup "Nazi" place....salad creations.....cool, unique and cheap, all in one. Heck, for those of us that didn't grow up around here, we find Duke's Sandwich Shops unique and cool....I mean a place that makes sandwiches on loaf bread? The first time I went in, I thought how cool. With a bit of marketing help, Duke's could be a incredibly cool downtown place, filled with the the history of Greenville and selling cheap lunches.

Given the choice of cool and unique OR cheap, humans tend to clamor toward cool and unique, but many times must accept cheap. I want a downtown that people clamor to be in, not a downtown that people must accept.

My 2 cents.

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The West End

StrangeCock — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:39:39 +0000

I work downtown and am constantly having to drive to Cherrydale to eat lunch.

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The Rumor Mill

citylife — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:24:20 +0000

JHM is just going to hold onto the site for now. There's enough hotel supply in the market at present and they have their hands full with the Hyatt.

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Greenville Annexations

vicupstate — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:23:56 +0000

Excellent news.

Between Property taxes, Business License fees, Sunday Liquor sales licenses, and Prepared Food taxes, it will be a nice payday for the city. Additional expenses to the city should be minimal.

It also brings the city limits contiguous to Montebello, in case the city were to pursue that option.

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Greenville Annexations

citylife — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:07:10 +0000

Looks like the Cherrydale Crossings shopping center is going to be annexed into the city: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/PlanningZoning/PlanningApplications/Applications/2012/MARCH/PlanningCommission/03-8-2012/AX-03-2012-2541NorthPleasantburgDrive.pdf If nothing else, this should give the city additional tax revenue.

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The Rumor Mill

gsupstate — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:43:30 +0000

Urban Infill, on 03 February 2012 - 08:45 AM, said:

I have confirmed that JHM in the developer who has the site under contract. I'm not sure how I feel about the Hilton Doubletree.

I'd be quite shocked if it were the Doubletree brand as Hilton is doing almost zero new builds with that brand. 95% of the growth in the Doubletree brand is taking existing hotel properties (with an affection toward mid century 50's, 60's and some early 70"s properties) and remodeling them. Hilton is using Doubletree as a brand to target much of the same demographic that currently prefers Starwood properties.
JHM's tighest relationship is with Marriott Corp.

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Clemson Area Updates

citylife — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:36:40 +0000

Clemson University is building high-end apartments as part of a $123.5 million student village that will accommodate students studying at a nearby technical college planning to transfer to Clemson.

Upperclassmen and graduate students will fill 700 beds at the apartments. Students participating in the Bridge to Clemson program will fill an additional 700 beds, said Gerald Vander Mey, director of university planning and design.

More info: http://www.independe...ds-campus-2015/

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The Rumor Mill

citylife — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:10:52 +0000

Didn't realize the federal government closed on the site for the courthouse in December. Great news.

Also great news that it's JHM as the developer of the hotel. Don't have to worry about it stalling then like some other hotel project just one block away. While I love the Courtyard by Marriott and Hampton Inn downtown, i'm really hoping to see more height with this project than what those have. Something 15-20 stories tall would be perfect in my opinion.

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Wish List for Spartanburg - 2012

Spartan — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:33:34 +0000

My 2011 list. 3/10 isn't bad I guess. THE biggest thing that happened in 2011 is the adoption of the urban code. Eventually this will be a true transformative force for Spartanburg as it will impact all new projects that come into the city.

Spartan, on 05 January 2011 - 11:50 AM, said:

East Main St Road Diet
Urban Code & Downtown Master Plan adopted by City Council
Spartanburg County Comprehensive Plan starts up again
Spartanburg County adopts zoning ordinance
More shops and restaurants downtown (especially Main St, east of the Square)
Progress with building the "Grain District" concept
Revival of the "Eastern Gateway" project
Noteworthy progress on the Renaissance Park Urban Village
Annexation of Hillbrook properties (and any other significant annexations)
New employers to fill up the empty office buildings in downtown

My 2012 list:

Spartanburg County Comprehensive Plan starts up again
Spartanburg County moves towards a zoning ordinance
East Main St Road Diet
Noteworthy progress on the Renaissance Park Urban Village
New employers to fill up the empty office buildings in downtown
Revival of the "Eastern Gateway" project
Discussion of city's park system and how to improve it
Initiation of a new development that will illustrate how the urban code works
Resolution of the annexation issues from the past year
Growth of middle class in the city

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The Rumor Mill

scgubers — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:30:07 +0000

I think it would be fair to expect something like the one in Charleston . . . Nothing should be bland.

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The Rumor Mill

Urban Infill — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:45:17 +0000

I have confirmed that JHM in the developer who has the site under contract. I'm not sure how I feel about the Hilton Doubletree. Their hotels in smaller markets are pretty bland, yet the ones in the city centers of larger markets are outstanding. Then again, the Hampton Inn and Courtyard Marriott in our downtown are outstanding for those brands. It will be interesting to follow this project. I would love for them to go a step up and build a Marriott. The one they renovated on Lockwood Drive in Charleston is very nice.

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CONSTRUCTION THREAD: TD Bank Regional Headquarters Campus

GvilleSC — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:19:52 +0000

I do not doubt that they were, but I must have looked at it too soon after they posted them. This isn't the first time applications have changed after being posted.

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The West End

dwfrp2010 — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:44:13 +0000

$5 dollar foot long at Subway all of Feb... just sayin.

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The Rumor Mill

vicupstate — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:09:09 +0000

The Feds just closed on the property in December '11. The cancellation was back in August. Maybe the local media can update this story?

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The West End

Skyliner — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:06:49 +0000

RiverWalker, on 02 February 2012 - 05:21 PM, said:

There are always exceptions if that's all you look for, but there also are a number of real options. For instance, I visited Bellacino's today, where I had a quarter-size chicken-bacon-ranch grinder - about the same size as a burger or a Chick-Fil-A sandwich but way tastier, maybe even healthier - that cost $4.15. With chips, 22 oz. tea and (optional) tip, my total still came to well under $8. Had I chosen not to tip it would have been under $7, close to what a similar meal of deli meat would have cost at a Subway. Beyond that, Bellacino's has 18 sandwich choices that are less than $4.00. I'm not promoting Bellacino's; just trying to show that a good lunch can be had in downtown Greenville for much less than $10. Rainer's is another example.

Precisely my point. How many people even eat a $5 meal at Chick-Fil-A? What are their combo prices? I have nothing against the restaurant or anyone who eats there, but the comment about no affordable options was completely false.

Just look at the menus from each of the places I mentioned. A couple of people discussing this topic should be enlightened.

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New Greenville developments

vicupstate — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:52:54 +0000

From the Gville News:

The University of South Carolina will follow Clemson University in establishing a presence for its business school in downtown Greenville.

But don’t expect a big Tiger versus Gamecock rivalry because USC’s footprint will be much smaller than Clemson’s, and the deans of the two business schools say they will cooperate.

Hildy Teegen, dean of USC’s Moore School of Business, said the school plans to open an office with two classrooms at a central downtown location by the end of the month.

She said the office will be linked to Columbia and other Moore School locations around the state via advanced telecommunications technology and will be used to deliver instruction from Columbia for the school’s professional MBA program.

Greenville-area students in that program now meet for classes at the University Center on Pleasantburg Drive, but they will gather downtown once the new office opens, Teegen said.

She said the Moore School needed to control its own space in Greenville and sees benefit in being close to restaurants and hotels downtown.

Teegen said she wasn’t at liberty to disclose the exact location of the office because details are still being arranged. She said the Moore School has already signed a lease to occupy about 1,600 square feet of office space.

In addition to MBA classes, the downtown office could also be used for alumni events and special programs, Teegen said.
For example, she said, Greenville-area residents might use the telecommunications network to take part in the Moore School’s annual Economic Outlook Conference in Columbia.

Or BMW executives in Greer might join colleagues in Munich over the network for real-time executive training by the Moore School, Teegen said.

She said the Moore School recently opened a similar office in Charleston’s historic district with the help of Charleston businessman Charlie Way, one of its board members.

Teegen said the telecommunications network uses high-definition “telepresence” technology and was developed over the past two years with the help of AT&T, Cisco Systems, and Polycom.

Moore school sites in Aiken, Spartanburg, Bluffton, Columbia and Charleston are already connected, she said.
“We can now have true interactivity between and among actors at each of these sites,” Teegen said.

“So you could be sitting in Spartanburg, I could be sitting in Aiken and we could have some other students sitting in Bluffton, and it looks as though they’re in the same classroom and they can talk and work with each other simultaneously.”

Clemson moved its master’s of business administration program and other programs downtown in 2010, taking more than 30,000 square feet in the former Bowater Inc. headquarters next to Liberty Bridge and Falls Park.
About 300 graduate students study at the site, called Clemson by the Falls.

Claude Lilly, dean of Clemson’s College of Business and Behavioral Science, said he welcomes the Moore School to downtown.
“I don’t see this as a battle,” he said. “I see this as a win for the Upstate.”

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CONSTRUCTION THREAD: TD Bank Regional Headquarters Campus

Skyliner — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:41:09 +0000

The renderings were there when I downloaded the file months ago.

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New Greenville developments

Skyliner — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:33:18 +0000

Ben Rook also designed the original (abandoned) plans for the Cancer Survivors Park, which was to be built along the creek behind the West End Market. The dramatic gazebo structure in thatthe design is apparently still planned at the new site.

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The Rumor Mill

citylife — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:03:44 +0000

You all probably remember my rumor regarding the USC Moore School of Business. Expect a Greenville News story on it coming downtown tomorrow (2-3-12). It will be much smaller than the Clemson business school in terms of size and number of students enrolled but should grow over time.

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CONSTRUCTION THREAD: TD Bank Regional Headquarters Campus

GvilleSC — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:31:58 +0000

citylife, on 02 February 2012 - 10:28 PM, said:

http://www.greenvill...naPointPkwy.pdf

THANKS! I swear the last and only time I looked at that application it was only the text application. Should be a good addition!

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CONSTRUCTION THREAD: TD Bank Regional Headquarters Campus

citylife — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:28:16 +0000

GvilleSC, on 02 February 2012 - 10:20 PM, said:

Does anyone know what the interstate sign is going to look like when complete? I passed it today with a real quick glance and was expecting a typical sign like some of the others on the campus. It's hard to describe what I saw, other than it is like a big rectangular box...?

http://www.greenvillesc.gov/PlanningZoning/PlanningApplications/Applications/2011/MAY/BoardofZoningAppeals/05-19-2011/V-11-97-200CarolinaPointPkwy.pdf

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The Rumor Mill

GvilleSC — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:28:02 +0000

citylife, on 02 February 2012 - 10:22 PM, said:

Speaking of that, the federal courthouse project has been cancelled for the time being: https://www.fbo.gov/...b=core&_cview=1 Bids for architectural design went out last year but then were rejected for some odd unknown reason. Maybe funding issues???

It'll be 2020 before Greenville gets an adequate Federal Courthouse. I hope the City doesn't plan on saving them a site if a better opportunity for development comes along.

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