UP|Spartanburg

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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Greater Spartanburg Projects & Developments

westsider28 — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:39:13 +0000

BMW has completed installation of 400 solar panels that will completely power the Zentrum Museum as well as power 3 electric vehicle chargers. I've seen the solar panels when driving by on I-85 and wondered when there'd be a news report on it. Cool stuff.

Herald-Journal article

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Downtown Projects & Developments

drexel — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:30:22 +0000

spartanburgh, on 01 February 2012 - 11:21 AM, said:

A small hotel such as a Holiday Express, LaQuinta, Fairfield Inn etc would have been awsome on this site as well as a nice office building. Even an interesting restaraunt would have been much better!

Amen!!! Even a chain restaraunt like Chili's would be better. Sent Cate Ryba (city council person) an email asking if city could require (or pressure) QT to limit signage. As in 8 feet high and more attractive than the normal gas station. Why couldn't traffic engineering deny this project when it first came up?

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Mary Black Rail Trail

Spartan — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:06:00 +0000

Ok, that makes sense. Will they plant new ones?

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Downtown Projects & Developments

spartanburgh — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:21:55 +0000

A small hotel such as a Holiday Express, LaQuinta, Fairfield Inn etc would have been awsome on this site as well as a nice office building. Even an interesting restaraunt would have been much better!

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Downtown Projects & Developments

Spartan — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:10:15 +0000

westsider28, on 30 January 2012 - 09:56 PM, said:

But it seems that the City won't be able to make QT do that since their plans were approved prior to the Urban Code taking effect.

Aha, there it is. I guess we're SOL yet again. Does the planning department make development plans available online anywhere? I've tried to look in the past but with no luck.

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VCOM Campus

Spartan — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:07:06 +0000

The VCOM campus looks very nice. I hope that college continues to grow it's campus.

I'm also glad to hear that work on the DuPre house is finally moving forward. That will be a huge releif to a lot of poeple.

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Westgate Watcher

citylife — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:59:36 +0000

According to CoStar, a (i'm guessing retailer) by the name of Country at Heart has signed a lease for 50,000 square feet at WestGate Mall.

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Downtown Projects & Developments

westsider28 — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:56:31 +0000

I agree that gas stations can be made to work in an urban area, as Spartan describes. But it seems that the City won't be able to make QT do that since their plans were approved prior to the Urban Code taking effect. I've stated my opinion of what I'd rather see on that parcel earlier in this thread.

I agree that the QT at Hearon Circle is a good location and has definitely helped improve that area. That's where a gas station like QT should be built. While not ideal, I also don't mind the QT being built on West Main as much. But this location being closer to downtown, at a very busy intersection, and being a site with drastic elevation changes makes it not good for this use, in my opinion.

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Mary Black Rail Trail

westsider28 — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:26:01 +0000

The 2 large trees they removed were dying, likely due to the vehicles the city parked under them.

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Downtown Projects & Developments

Evan Carr — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:12:02 +0000

I will say for sure that QT's Hearon Circle location (combined with the renovated McDonald's) makes that area look newer and cleaner. Though I do miss the old Dairy Dream. Hopefully they will make QT fit into the urban code, but it should also help the area some (maybe the hotels will actually be gone as a result).

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Sparkle City Eateries

Spartan — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:10:14 +0000

I don't know how they can't be doing well. I enjoy their pizza. I was a little miffed that they charge import prices on RJ Rockers beer though, considering you throw a rock at the brewery from there

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Mary Black Rail Trail

Spartan — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:08:50 +0000

That's a good location. But why would they remove the trees from that site?

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Extended Stay Hotels Relocation

Spartan — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:07:38 +0000

Ah, thanks for the clarification!

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Downtown Projects & Developments

Spartan — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:58:43 +0000

You are correct. Gas stations are totally compatible. The question is whether the City will actually make them do it. If you locate the building mass at the intersection and have the pumps behind it and a pedestrian entrance on the street, then it would work great. The key is creating the so-called "street wall." I've seen them done this way before, though I can't recall where. It works quite well.

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Downtown Projects & Developments

roads-scholar — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:05:13 +0000

spartanburgh, on 26 January 2012 - 06:50 PM, said:

This project stinks!!! Its a shame that the City will allow this development to happen. Now the outstanding clientiel at the 4 nearby motels will only have to walk accross the street for their booze and cigarettes while they await their drug deliveries.

I realize my opinion probably differs significantly from everyone else on this forum but perhaps the new QT could be constructed to be compatible with the code. Also, if constructed, would it not improve the appearance of this lot and the surrounding area? Finally, what other business is compatible with this location?

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Sparkle City Eateries

westsider28 — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:03:19 +0000

Brickhouse Pizzeria is under new ownership for the second time in 2 years. I do hope these guys improve the food. It was very lackluster under the recent ownership (The pizza was good years ago with the original owners at Sonny's).

Herald-Journal article

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Spartanburg Area Economic Developments

citylife — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:29:23 +0000

Highland Baking Co. has purchased the former Mrs. Smith’s bakery at Hearon Circle for $4 million. The company will use the facility for its new baked goods distribution center.

County Councilman David Britt said the company’s proposed capital investment in the plant is for $11 million and he expects the project will create about 200 jobs.

More info: http://www.goupstate.com/article/20120126/ARTICLES/120129705/1083/ARTICLES?Title=Highland-Baking-Co-buys-facility-in-Spartanburg-County-project-could-create-200-jobs

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Downtown Projects & Developments

spartanburgh — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:50:00 +0000

Mary Black Rail Trail

westsider28 — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:35:10 +0000

A dog park is coming to the Rail Trail. I was told about it at a meeting for the Friends of the MBF Rail Trail (organized by Partners for Active Living). It's going on some land where the City maintenance department parked some vehicles (near the entrance to Duncan Park). It should be open sometime this spring. Here's a picture of the site:

I think dog-owners will be happy with this. It's near downtown without being in the central business district, it's a reasonable size (bigger than one DT would be), it's convenient (on the Rail Trail), and has the potential for expansion.

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Downtown Projects & Developments

westsider28 — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:33:36 +0000

Here we go folks. QT is going to build a gas station at the corner of Pine and St. John.

Herald-Journal article

And get this, they submitted site plans (and got them approved) in May of last year, which is before the Urban Code took effect on July 1. They didn't even own the property yet at that point, oddly. So basically, QT can do whatever they please there. So, in addition to the inevitable traffic nightmare, the gas station will be typical suburban fare (oh yeah, but with nicer landscaping).

Why do they want to build so close to downtown anyway? Are there any other cities that have a QT right downtown? Is there anyway for the City to stop them from building here? I can't say I'm too fond of QT. I feel like they're oversaturating the market here, as well.

Well, that's enough venting for now. Words cannot express my displeasure with this development.

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Extended Stay Hotels Relocation

drexel — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:22:34 +0000

I guessed this could happen (see my August post above) Weird that have not seen this in the media.

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Extended Stay Hotels Relocation

spartanburgh — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:36:18 +0000

Sorry, George Dean Johnson's Company has bought the building that Extended Stay used to own on Morgan Square. The two office buildings on E. Main are now full and I anticipate that additional workers for the new American Credit Acceptance Company will go there.
The good news is a mostly empty building will fill up, the bad news is, building another office building downtown will not be necessary because this one was available.

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Extended Stay Hotels Relocation

hub-city — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:58:56 +0000

I believe they bought the building back, but I'm not sure.

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Sparkle City Eateries

hub-city — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:56:33 +0000

I'm so excited about Monsoon coming back. It's great that the Lime Leaf owners are partnering with them to open back up.

Also, I had dinner at Zarza the other day and loved the food and service. I had a steak while my wife had grilled pork chops and both were very good.

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Extended Stay Hotels Relocation

Spartan — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:55:09 +0000

I'm confused, I thought ESA moved to Charlotte? GDJ bought the company back?

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Sparkle City Eateries

Spartan — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:36:54 +0000

Wow I must be going blind. When I'm in town I almost always drive down Pine St. Not sure how I missed it!

The HJ reports that Monsoon Noodle House will reopen this spring. That's great news for downtown. Now if we can just get some of those other vacant buildings filled up...

http://www.goupstate.com/article/20120121/ARTICLES/201211004

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VCOM Campus

westsider28 — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:42:23 +0000

Work on the DuPre House is ramping up. Contractors are currently securing the exterior (roof, foundation, etc) to make it waterproof, so they can then start working on the interior. They also sent the original doors and windows to a restoration company. Good to hear!

Herald-Journal article

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Extended Stay Hotels Relocation

spartanburgh — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:27:13 +0000

The Extended Stay America has been sold to GDJ. The deal was for 9 million dollars, we'll see what happens with the occupance!!! Likely the new space for the finance Co?

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Sparkle City Eateries

spartanburgh — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:32:53 +0000

Bull Hogs has been open a doing very well on S. Pine St. They are located just before Billy D's.
Work has begun on Monsoon Noodle House. I went by today and the walls are all studded up and appear to be in the exacr location as before. I hope they push this ohe through quickly, we used to eat there at least twice a month.

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