Camperdown (Greenville News Building Site)

[Gville2012]

I actually like it better than how it looked on the site plan. Still wish there was more going on down broad. I just feel like there is so much opportunity there with the old post office corner that could add a lot to that side of broad and the current empty lot on the other side of broad that, if redeveloped, could have retail down broad which would really wake that area up. Who knows, maybe what they have planned would be enough.

[goodbye]

I hope this is only a very preliminary drawing. The architecture seems mediocre and the plaza atmosphere is not clear yet. Must every new building in downtown have a flat roof? Even an occasional mansard element would add variety.

[johnpro318]

I actually like it better than how it looked on the site plan. Still wish there was more going on down broad. I just feel like there is so much opportunity there with the old post office corner that could add a lot to that side of broad and the current empty lot on the other side of broad that, if redeveloped, could have retail down broad which would really wake that area up. Who knows, maybe what they have planned would be enough.

 

I think they are doing a disservice to the Main and Broad intersection. They should get rid of the little building and have an 8-10 story building. Something unique for the corner. The rest of the massing looks okay. The traffic circle looks a little odd too...

[MAJIKMAN]

In reading the article. This project could and probably will be changing. Maybe not by much though. Especially with the fact that the owners of the building on main want to sale. So I see this as a work in progress.

[MAJIKMAN]

I think they are doing a disservice to the Main and Broad intersection. They should get rid of the little building and have an 8-10 story building. Something unique for the corner. The rest of the massing looks okay. The traffic circle looks a little odd too...[/quote

I do see what you are talking about with the building. The circle in my eyes is totally not necessary. That can be used for something else.

[motonenterprises]

Nice!

[goodbye]

The driveway will be used at least partially as a loading/unloading area for hotel customers. With retail lining the Main Street sidewalk below the hotel, there is simply no room on that side of the building.

[gman430]

I like it. The buildings look much better than the saucer ones you see all over town sending messages to aliens that we come in peace. I have to say the office/condo building in the background looks bigger tha I expected it to.

Edited January 9, 2015 by gman430

[gman]

I like it too. Well done. Look forward to the finished product. 

[B&R]

I like that all of the buildings have a unique look.  They also appear to hint at other downtown buildings.  I don't know if that is the quick and lazy way to make a first rendering or if it is part of the final design intentions.

 

The traffic circle makes sense as the drop off for hotel patrons.  They should put a covered walkway there to lead to the hotel.

 

There are some reasons to put the hotel at the Main Street and Broad Street corner but by offsetting it further down the street and putting the smaller building there it makes the plaza more visually open and inviting.  I am OK with it either way.

[mallguy]

I like how large the development seems.  Like other new developments downtown, I'd prefer that the architecture be more traditional so that we avoid having lots of horribly dated-looking buildings, and a dated-looking downtown, in 20 years.

[apaladin]

I like it. The buildings look much better than the saucer ones you see all over town sending messages to aliens that we come in peace. I have to say the office/condo building in the background looks bigger tha I expected it to.

 

Does the 10 story tower with offices topped by 4 stories of condos mean that building on just the condo part will be 14 stories?

[vicupstate]

Does the 10 story tower with offices topped by 4 stories of condos mean that building on just the condo part will be 14 stories?

Yes, the rendering shows that. I wonder if the roof of the 10 story office building will be an amenities deck for the condos? 

[goodbye]

Actually the office is designed to be 6 levels over one level of restaurant/retail space with 4 levels of condo space above. That equals 11 total levels from Main Street. Considering that is a low spot near the river, it likely will not significantly impact the skyline, except the view from Falls Park.

And this brings us back to the earlier discussion about the fact that the development will be highly visible in images representing the city (Falls Park on the Reedy, the waterfalls, Liberty Bridge, Downtown, etc.) to countless potential visitors around the world. A simple box tower would waste this prime opportunity to add an attractive iconic structure to the scene.

Edited January 10, 2015 by Skyliner

[Greenville]

And this brings us back to the earlier discussion about the fact that the development will be highly visible in images representing the city (Falls Park on the Reedy, the waterfalls, Liberty Bridge, Downtown, etc.) to countless potential visitors around the world. A simple box tower would waste this prime opportunity to add an attractive iconic structure to the scene.

 

I absolutely agree.

[mallguy]

Actually the office is designed to be 6 levels over one level of restaurant/retail space with 4 levels of condo space above. That equals 11 total levels from Main Street. Considering that is a low spot near the river, it likely will not significantly impact the skyline, except the view from Falls Park.

And this brings us back to the earlier discussion about the fact that the development will be highly visible in images representing the city (Falls Park on the Reedy, the waterfalls, Liberty Bridge, Downtown, etc.) to countless potential visitors around the world. A simple box tower would waste this prime opportunity to add an attractive iconic structure to the scene.

You're exactly right.  I like the layout and size of the buildings, but what if downtown Greenville also had consistently great and timeless architecture?

 

The 2000s-era modernistic style won't last forever.  At least many of the new buildings downtown that have that style also are brick and otherwise blend in well to downtown's existing buildings. The Greenville News-site buildings don't.

 

I don't want a contemporary style that will look awfully dated in a few years.  Surely people at the time when the Daniel Building and Greenville News buildings were built thought that their styles were great and contemporary--now, at least to me, they're hideously ugly.

[gman430]

Just like with what Hughes did with Riverplace and ONE, Trammell Crow is seeking out sub-developers for this project which is why you are likely to see the buildings change in scope and size. For example, the hotel could easily change height depending on how many rooms the selected company building it wants. 

[vicupstate]

An all-glass building at the corner of Main and Broad streets is part of the plans to redevelop The Greenville News site, developers disclosed today.

The proposed rectangular structure would have glass walls and a glass ceiling, resembling the Apple store in New York City, they said.

It would rise about two stories high over the level of a plaza on which it would sit.

Developers said people entering the building would walk down a staircase to about 2,000 square feet of underground space that would be used by a restaurant or retailer of some kind, possibly a coffee shop or wine bar.

The unusual building would serve to draw attention to the development without obscuring the view of a large plaza planned in its center, said Brody Glenn, president of Greenville's Centennial American Properties, which plans to redevelop The Newsproperty along with Trammell Crow Co. of Dallas.

Glenn and Larry Pantlin, managing director in Trammell Crow's Atlanta office, said the development would be named Camperdown in recognition of the historic textile mill and mill village that used to be on the property.

The developers previously disclosed plans for four high-rise buildings around a large plaza in the center of the prominent property of nearly four acres.

The plans call for a hotel, apartments, condominiums, dine-in movie theater, fitness center and other shops and restaurants arrayed around the plaza.

The developers are scheduled to present the latest rendition of their plans at City Hall today. The meeting of the city's Design Review Board begins at 4:30 p.m.

[gman430]

Check out some renderings we haven't seen before of this project: http://www.wyff4.com/news/Take-first-look-at-plans-for-Greenville-News-building-site/30972450

[GvilleSC]

I like the idea of the corner building. Hope to find out more details on this soon.

[vicupstate]

It seems there is now a fifth floor of condos. 

[goodbye]

Check out some renderings we haven't seen before of this project: http://www.wyff4.com/news/Take-first-look-at-plans-for-Greenville-News-building-site/30972450

If this is the final design, then it will be one of the most unattractive "highrise" buildings in the city — and an extremely poor architectural representative, in my opinion.

[gman430]

If this is the final design, then it will be one of the most unattractive "highrise" buildings in the city — and an extremely poor architectural representative, in my opinion.

I disagree. It's great to see a project not having those round UFO's on the end of the buildings for once. I think the architecture looks great and will look even better in person upon completion. Wakefield Beasley doesn't mess around.

Edited January 29, 2015 by gman430

[apaladin]

The article states they are to close on the building early next year. I thought they were supposed to close early this year? I like the overall look of the project but another 5-10 stories on each building and it would have been awesome.

[gman430]

The article states they are to close on the building early next year. I thought they were supposed to close early this year? I like the overall look of the project but another 5-10 stories on each building and it would have been awesome.

I think that's a mistake on WYFF's part. At least I hope it is.