W Main Street & Daniel Morgan Ave (Royce Camp Mixed-use building)

[gman430]

[westsider28]

Quick update article in the H-J today.  This project is on-track for completion in April 2018.  That would basically shoot the gap between Aug Smith (Jan '18) and MB (Fall '18) as far as apartments coming online goes, which is probably good for absorption.  No retail tenants yet (I wouldn't expect them this early), but they mention the possibility of a nice restaurant.  Royce Camp also spoke of the need for more white collar jobs to keep momentum going. (Agreed...)

[Sparkleman]

Do we have a medium to large size white collar employer that is currently residing outside the city limits? Someone like CH2M Hill that might welcome a downtown location. It would be much easier to approach someone like this than to try and poach someone from another city.

[roads-scholar]

I've always felt Milliken should relocate its sales and administration functions to downtown Spartanburg.  Yes, they have plenty of land available for expansion but a downtown presence would reaffirm their commitment to Spartanburg. 

Another growing firm is Contec Healthcare on I-85. 

Finally, I think its time for WSPA to return to the city.  They've been out on I-85 business for 37 years.

[Spartan]

1 hour ago, roads-scholar said:

I've always felt Milliken should relocate its sales and administration functions to downtown Spartanburg.  Yes, they have plenty of land available for expansion but a downtown presence would reaffirm their commitment to Spartanburg. 

Another growing firm is Contec Healthcare on I-85. 

Finally, I think its time for WSPA to return to the city.  They've been out on I-85 business for 37 years.

All of this.

[djh1963]

I wish WSPA would invest the kind of money downtown Spartanburg that they invested in their new studio downtown Greenville.

 

Edited May 31, 2017 by djh1963

[spartanburgh]

The one big one that stands out to me, but will not likely return is Security Finance. Cafe' Enterprises, The Capital Corporation,

First Piedmont Federal, Gibbs International are smaller, but could have an impact on Downtown.

 

[westsider28]

Consolidating American Credit Acceptance employees into a new building downtown would be nice, too.  They seem to be spread between 320 & 340 E Main and Bell Hill.

Looks like framing for the first floor is complete. (pic from City of Spartanburg Twitter)

[Sparkleman]

Contec is a manufacturer and customer of mine. There is no way they could move downtown as big as their operation is.

WSPA would be nice as well but they are more interested in the Greenville market than us.

Milliken is the key piece of the puzzle as those all high paying white collar jobs that would be entertaining other high paying white collar jobs.

[roads-scholar]

I forgot about Gibbs International.  But isn't Jimmy Gibbs soured on the city?

ACA might be a good candidate too. 

[Spartan]

One thing to consider about WSPA, and WHNS, and WYFF for that matter, is that the Upstate media market is HUGE since it also includes western NC. It's to their advantage to be located near the interstate to be able to send out reporters to the far flung reaches of the market.

[roads-scholar]

But they also have "bureaus" with remote correspondents.  WSPA could easily serve its market with a downtown headquarters. 

[westsider28]

They're working on the second floor now.

[westsider28]

From Friday.  With 2 floors still to go, I'm thinking this building will have a more significant presence than I expected.  The transformation of the West Main & Daniel Morgan intersection is pretty amazing. From a downtown-ends-here feeling a few years ago, to a truly vibrant urban node once things are completed next year.

Edited July 10, 2017 by westsider28

[roads-scholar]

Now its time for the Herald-Journal corner to be redeveloped. 

[Sparkleman]

15 minutes ago, roads-scholar said:

Now its time for the Herald-Journal corner to be redeveloped. 

Are there any ideas out there for what should go there?

[roads-scholar]

I guess OTO / Johnson Development owns the H-J property.  A few months there was some mention of them redeveloping the property with a corporate tenant (if a corporate tenant was found). 

[Historyguy]

On 7/10/2017 at 1:04 PM, roads-scholar said:

I guess OTO / Johnson Development owns the H-J property.  A few months there was some mention of them redeveloping the property with a corporate tenant (if a corporate tenant was found). 

My understanding is that Johnson Development does own the HJ building - and they also have an option on the city-owned portion of that block - which goes all the way to Spring Street.  So JDA controls the entire south side of West Main from Spring Street to the railroad tracks.  I presume that when the time is right, and they have a plan, we'll see some announcement of a project on the HJ site.  Office, mixed use, I'm sure it's all idle speculation right now...  but idle speculation and dream spinning is always fun!  

[gman430]

Wouldn't the GIS for Spartanburg show who owns the site? 

[westsider28]

Yes, it's owned by Main & Morgan LLC, which is Johnson Development (they owned the AC Hotel site under that LLC originally too).  There's actually a thread about the H-J site.  Office would be ideal there, maybe a consolidation of ACA employees?  Though I think the site is large enough for office & residential, potentially.

On topic, here's another progress pic:

Edited July 13, 2017 by westsider28

[Sparkleman]

Any white collar jobs that you can stick in the current HJ building or a redesigned one would be a huge plus. It would be great if GDJ & Co. just leveled the building and put up an even bigger one of the hopes of bringing a big white collar outfit to the Burg.

Edited July 13, 2017 by Sparkleman

[mainonmain]

3 hours ago, Sparkleman said:

Any white collar jobs that you can stick in the current HJ building or a redesigned one would be a huge plus. It would be great if GDJ & Co. just leveled the building and put up an even bigger one of the hopes of bringing a big white collar outfit to the Burg.

I believe demo and new construction on that parcel is the preferred long-term plan. 

[Spartanburg Guy]

Is it just me, or is the progress coming along kind of slow on this building?  At least in comparison with the Montgomery Building and AC Hotel.

I took this sitting at the red light at the Main/Daniel Morgan intersection.

 

[roads-scholar]

1 hour ago, Spartanburg Guy said:

Is it just me, or is the progress coming along kind of slow on this building?  At least in comparison with the Montgomery Building and AC Hotel.

I took this sitting at the red light at the Main/Daniel Morgan intersection.

 

About six weeks ago construction appeared to have stalled but things have picked up significantly of late.  

[westsider28]

Awesome aerial picture of this project from Hub City Bees: