Camperdown (Greenville News Building Site)

[gman430]

I'm not exactly ecstatic about a fitness center and a dine-in movie theater at this location. I was thinking something higher-profile.

McAlister Square had a fitness center and a movie theater, and now-defunct Biltmore Square in Asheville had a dine-in movie theater, as does the Arboretum in Charlotte.

I was hoping for a nice high-end retailer or a major traffic generator.

Who said it's not going to have a high-end retailer? 100,000 square feet is being committed for retail and restaurant space. And since when is a movie theater not a major traffic generator? Seen Hollywood 20 on the weekends? It's always packed.

Edited October 21, 2014 by gman430

[GvilleSC]

NM.

Edited October 21, 2014 by GvilleSC

[NBNY2GRNVL]

Is it going to be like this?

https://www.amctheatres.com/food-and-drink/dine-in/cinema-suites

https://www.amctheatres.com/food-and-drink/dine-in/fork-and-screen

[gvegascple]

I like how this chain presents dine-in movies, pretty high end.  I can see it as destination retail.  When I think of downtown movies, I think of independent art films though, I hope somehow they find a place downtown too.

 

http://www.cinepolisusa.com/index.aspx

 

http://www.cinepolisusa.com/video-front.html

[RiverWalker]

The Westin Poinsett is 12 stories. City Hall and Old City Hall are 10 stories. Anything with less height than that would indeed be a major let-down. What I would like to see is at least a 10-story building ON TOP of a major retail and entertainment complex of at least two stories. The G-News site cries out for something majestic to help anchor that end of Main Street along with the Peace Center.

[btoy]

The 9 story building could certainly be one of multiple on that size site.  I wouldn't get too worried before the full site details are released.

[ausrutherford]

Providing that some of it will be a movie theater...that would possibly mean "1" story would be the equivalent height of 2-3 stories. 

[GvilleSC]

^^ good point. That's only the height indicated for the office building. The hotel could be of the same, less, or taller height. Two or three good midrises (with a strong base) would be a great addition and transition from the West End.

[MAJIKMAN]

Like btoy said we've only heard about the office building. We probably won't hear anything else about it for while now.

[mallguy]

Movie theaters have lower sales per square foot than other types of stores.  Downtown has enough restaurants, too, so I'd just have preferred a destination retailer. One may come, but a fitness center and movie theater aren't the "national retailers" that articles in the Greenville News had alluded to.

[vicupstate]

Movie theaters have lower sales per square foot than other types of stores.  Downtown has enough restaurants, too, so I'd just have preferred a destination retailer. One may come, but a fitness center and movie theater aren't the "national retailers" that articles in the Greenville News had alluded to.

Given that this theater will be selling alcohol and meals, that may not apply in this example. 

[Gville2012]

UBJ Article - http://upstatebusinessjournal.com/news/future-takes-shape-greenville-news-site/ . Says "...The development will likely reach 10 stories high, he said, but it won’t be a skyscraper, as the developers want to fit in with the downtown Greenville landscape. Parking will be “in a hole underneath the buildings.”

[gman430]

9-10 stories makes sense when you look at the surrounding landscape. 25+ stories would look very out of place.

[scgubers]

UBJ Article - http://upstatebusinessjournal.com/news/future-takes-shape-greenville-news-site/ . Says "...The development will likely reach 10 stories high, he said, but it won’t be a skyscraper, as the developers want to fit in with the downtown Greenville landscape. Parking will be “in a hole underneath the buildings.”

That's key. I'm glad they're doing that. 

[GvilleSC]

^^ that is going to be VERY expensive. There's a ton of rock essentially beneath all of downtown-- especially closer to the river. That's one thing that has slowed the construction on the River's Edge development and put it behind schedule.

Edited October 23, 2014 by GvilleSC

[StrangeCock]

I'm not sure it would have to be much of a "hole." There is already underground parking at the site, as it slopes downward. So while it would be "in a hole" from the corner of Main and Broad perspective, they wouldn't have to do much digging at all towards the back.

[GvilleSC]

I'm not sure it would have to be much of a "hole." There is already underground parking at the site, as it slopes downward. So while it would be "in a hole" from the corner of Main and Broad perspective, they wouldn't have to do much digging at all towards the back.

To me that quote indicates that they want a good portion underground. Right now they would get one floor without digging. That's not going to suffice.

[goodbye]

Anyone else wonder what "the downtown Greenville landscape" actually looks like and why is it apparently limiting development to a maximum of 10 stories on that prime CBD site? Could a developer build taller on the vacant lot across Broad? If so, then who would dictate that allowance?

[ausrutherford]

Anyone else wonder what "the downtown Greenville landscape" actually looks like and why is it apparently limiting development to a maximum of 10 stories on that prime CBD site? Could a developer build taller on the vacant lot across Broad? If so, then who would dictate that allowance?

 

There is nothing to my knowledge that says you can't. There is a guideline for only 3-4 stories on Main, however, it is easy to get around as ONE did. I think its the developer saying they wouldn't have enough tenants on for this development to justify building something 20+. 

[gman430]

There is nothing to my knowledge that says you can't. There is a guideline for only 3-4 stories on Main, however, it is easy to get around as ONE did. I think its the developer saying they wouldn't have enough tenants on for this development to justify building something 20+.

Yeah, ONE phase II is 11 stories right up against Main so it seems like they don't follow that guideline fully.

Edited October 23, 2014 by gman430

[ausrutherford]

10 to 1, the developer will have to go much deeper for the parking garage. 

 

Why?

 

The current parking garage has an entrance on Main...I highly doubt the city will want that there in the new development.

 

Also, on the lower side of the area is the side facing the river. The city and developer will most likely want to connect the development to the river...and a parking garage is not a good connection. So I assume, there will be storefront or the entrance to the movie theater, etc facing the river on the lower elevation side. 

[NBNY2GRNVL]

I really like the part about it getting built all at once. This way it won't be another river place 15 years to get built.

Edited October 24, 2014 by NBNY2GRNVL

[vicupstate]

I really like the part about it getting built all at once. This way it won't be another river place 15 years to get built.

Indeed. Right now this site has VERY little life, but once completed it will be the biggest 24 hour activity generator in the entire city.  

[Gville2012]

I would love for them to work with the city to incorporate the Bowater parking garage site. That would really incorporate this development with the river. Plus the few Main St. fronting buildings that aren't included could look a little strange if not included, although if they could incorporate them to make them fit in it could be pretty cool to leave these older buildings in place. Just thinking out loud.

[btoy]

The Bowater Garage is private, they would need to work with its owner.