Beaumont Mill

[westsider28]

And...Spartanburg Regional Hospital may be purchasing Beaumont Mill.  Not many details yet, as the deal isn't finalized.

 

Very interesting.  Wouldn't be my first choice for the building, but SRHS being there would be much better than its current, largely vacant state.  Hopefully this would help revitalize the mill village, too.

[westsider28]

This deal looks to be finalized.  Spartanburg Regional will use the 186,000 sq ft Beaumont Mill for its administrative offices.  Beginning in spring 2016, they will move approximately 400 nonclinical employees as part of the first phase of its 10-year $500 million Master Facilities Plan aimed at modernizing the hospital’s facilities.  That will vacate the original hospital building which will allow them to demolish it, and build a new building (8-10 stories, last I heard) and improve visitor and patient circulation.  They looked into new construction, but found it would be cheaper to purchase an existing building.  Beaumont was the only building big enough for their needs.

 

Again, maybe not the ideal use for the mill, but I'm hopeful that this will have a positive impact on the Beaumont neighborhood.

Edited March 7, 2015 by westsider28

[Spartan]

I think it's a great use for the mill. It's just a big office building that's kind of isolated from everything else. What would be truly awesome is if it started triggering more reinvestment in Beaumont. I doubt that will happen... but one can dream!

[Sparkleman]

Oh I think it will happen. One of the candidates running for the city council district 4 seat has met numerous times with the head of the neighborhood association (most of Beaumont is in the same city district as Converse Heights, Duncan Park, and Andrews Farms) about upgrades to the parks and the need for a new park much like Stewart Park over in Park Hills if they get elected.

[westsider28]

I went past Beaumont Mill today and noticed that work is being done on the smokestack.  I assume this is part of the up-fit to accommodate the Spartanburg Regional admin offices.

[westsider28]

The Herald-Journal recently had an article about the Beaumont Mill renovation.  Not much new info.  The mill will be home to 400 nonclinical employees when the restoration is complete.  Here are some photos of the interior.

[westsider28]

Scaffolding is coming down from the smokestack at Beaumont Mill.  It looks like they're also opening up the bricked-up windows on the Orchard Street side.  They're adding an entrance off Beaumont Ave across from Southern St (near the RR tracks) for additional access.  I wish they would've just extended Orchard through to Beaumont Ave like it used to...

A few other random things.  The McDonald's at Camelot Drive is being demolished and rebuilt.  It was the last holdout that hadn't yet upgraded to McD's new look.

That whole shopping center (Camelot Center) was recently bought, so hopefully it will be livened up a bit with some new businesses.

The concrete slab has been poured for the Founders Credit Union building next to Outback Steakhouse (whose exterior was recently updated).

The Texas Roadhouse opened a few weeks ago and has been slam packed.  People around here can't seem to get enough of chain steak restaurants.

Also, the new Captain D's just up the road is coming along quickly.

[Sparkleman]

Scaffolding is coming down from the smokestack at Beaumont Mill.  It looks like they're also opening up the bricked-up windows on the Orchard Street side.  They're adding an entrance off Beaumont Ave across from Southern St (near the RR tracks) for additional access.  I wish they would've just extended Orchard through to Beaumont Ave like it used to...

A few other random things.  The McDonald's at Camelot Drive is being demolished and rebuilt.  It was the last holdout that hadn't yet upgraded to McD's new look.

That whole shopping center (Camelot Center) was recently bought, so hopefully it will be livened up a bit with some new businesses.

The concrete slab has been poured for the Founders Credit Union building next to Outback Steakhouse (whose exterior was recently updated).

The Texas Roadhouse opened a few weeks ago and has been slam packed.  People around here can't seem to get enough of chain steak restaurants.

Also, the new Captain D's just up the road is coming along quickly.

Is it just me or does it seem like the folks on the west side never come downtown? I work on the west side so I have to drive through/around it almost every day. Every day the Olive Garden, Long Horn, Golden Corral, Outback, & now Texas Roadhouse are packed out between 4:30 and I assume up until 8 or so. I do not think I am a snob, but it never occurs to me to go to any of those for a meal. In fact I still have not been in the Olive Garden or Golden Corral (Ugh on the Corral).

I guess it must be a name thing or if you are staying in one of those hotels over there.

[Spartan]

I feel like there are two schools of thought on restaurants centered around chains or local businesses. I personally can't stand national chain restaurants, and I don't really know anyone that does. I will, however,  make exceptions for local/regional chains.

[roads-scholar]

I do. 

The chains, for the most part, provide consumers with an expectation of consistency and reliability.  They are also are open every day of the week which is comforting to families and working people.  They tend to locate near highway exits, shopping nodes, and business centers.  As a frequent business traveler I prefer the local places but can't always rely on them. 

I'm glad to see Texas Roadhouse and the other chains doing well.  Anything to keep people in Spartanburg rather than having to drive to "other places" is a plus. 

Our locally-owned restaurant scene appears to be doing well.  I hear McClellan's on Magnolia is the new hot spot.  I hope to eat there soon.  II Samuels is another good spot but with they were on Main Street.

 

Edited September 25, 2015 by roads-scholar

[westsider28]

H-J had an article today about SRHS officials meeting with Beaumont residents to talk about the mill redevelopment.  A few points of interest: SRHS will fill 85% with 400 employees, with the remaining space saved for additional office space and future growth.  Site work should finish in early January, with staff move-in in April.  Residents worried about traffic, but officials said staff should mostly use Pine and Beaumont Ave.  They mentioned reviewing turning lanes on Pine.  I'm afraid they'll probably have to lengthen the turn lane at Orchard, which will take out several trees in the median.  The turn lane at Isom can't really be lengthened due to the RR bridge, and it's already overburdened at times.

In unrelated but welcome news, demolition has finally begun on the old Cammie Claggett public housing in Highland.

[westsider28]

Here are a few photos from this weekend of the progress at Beaumont:

[Spartan]

I moved this to a new topic. Just updating this thread so y'all will know it's here instead of the old thread.

[westsider28]

I believe that employees have now moved into the mill, but some final touches are still being added to the property.

[Spartan]

Nice. Did they reconnect Liberty St or is that just a driveway?

[westsider28]

Unfortunately they didn't reconnect Liberty directly, but you can go through the parking lot to an entrance/exit driveway at Beaumont Ave across from N Liberty (there's also a driveway at Beaumont & Southern).  So you could definitely walk or bike through there (or drive, though they probably don't want it to be a thru route), and there's still potential to reconnect in the future, IMO.

Edited July 19, 2016 by westsider28

[westsider28]

Spartanburg Regional’s administrative offices have completed their move to Beaumont.  There are now 600 employees working there.  I was surprised to read that it was a $34 million renovation, but I guess the site work (parking, creek restoration / drainage, new bridge) added to the cost.  It looks really good, though.  Anyway, I hope this helps spur investment in and brings new residents to the mill village.  It has the potential to be a great little neighborhood (again).  I'd love to see some commercial / mixed-use development on the remaining land, too (long term).

[westsider28]

I noticed this new sign at Beaumont Mill today:

So I looked on Colliers' website and found this listing that shows a planned retail strip, 2 restaurants, and a 2-story medical office building on the vacant land between the mill and the ambulatory surgery center.  Check out the site plan below.  Ideally, I'd prefer a higher density development, but this would still be positive. (I think this property is a brownfield, which might limit uses.)  The retail & restaurants in particular could help the mill village become a more desirable place to live.  And of course, SRHS employees are a huge built-in customer base.

[Spartan]

That's interesting, but not exciting. A strip mall and a two story office building? Meh.

[westsider28]

Reviving this thread because there's a rezoning notice in the paper for the property next to Beaumont Mill.   Gibbs is requesting a change from I-1 Light Industrial to B-3 General Business to support "multifamily development and retail trade and services".  The Planning Commission meeting is Thurs, April 15 at 5:30 pm.  Below is a photo of the parcels from Gibbs' website.  I'm surprised the front parcel is considered build-able.  But generally, this rezoning seems promising.  Not sure if Gibbs plans to develop the land, or if they're just rezoning to facilitate a sale to another developer (the land appears to be for-sale, according to Gibbs' website).  Hopefully we'll learn more at the meeting.

Edited March 25, 2021 by westsider28

[Spartan]

That would be a great place for apartments

[Historyguy]

It always amuses me when I find out what's going to be on the upcoming Planning Commission agenda here before I ever get the meeting packet!  This looks interesting for sure.  

[westsider28]

According to this listing on LoopNet, the Gibbs parcels next to Beaumont Mill are under-contract.  I'll be interested to learn who's buying it and what the plan is, assuming the sale goes through.

[Spartan]

My money is on apartments.

 

Also, I'm bad a gambling.

[Spartanburg Dude]

12 hours ago, Spartan said:

My money is on apartments.

 

Also, I'm bad a gambling.

That would be a good thing! Some Mixed use residential commercial would do that area some good.