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Greenville Highrise Index


goodbye

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  • 4 weeks later...

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Actually, this reminds me, I'm working on a new format for this. Its been slow to come due to personal time constraints, but it will be much better than this list. Best of all, it will allow all Members+ and above to help maintain it. Basically I want to set up a format using the UP Wiki to keep track of it all. I have started this with Spartanburg as a test, but I haven't decided on a format that I like (its still a work in progress). You can see the direction I want to go. My plan is to do one for Greenville and Columbia in the near term.

If anyone here would like to take a stab at it please let me know. I'll be glad to set it up if y'all are excited about the idea. I think it would add another dimension to this forum that would be truly beneficial to all.

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  • 3 weeks later...

BUMP! Update with what you know...

Pinnacle on Main - Any new info? I really want to see this one built...

City Hall Plaza - Demo and construction underway! Yay! :thumbsup:

Peacock Hotel and Spa - On hold...

Bob Ellis second tower - Anyone know?

Court Street tower - ???

Rhett Street condos - Sales office supposedly opening, hope that this gets built!

Keystone Properties, LLC building - This was supposed to go behind the Kimbrell's building (I assume where The Peacock is now), but was refused because the DPC was concerned about the preservation of the Kimbrell's building. This was supposedly going to be built regardless of presales. I wonder if they changed their minds and sold to The Peacock or are planning something else in another part of the city?

Riverplace Phase III building - With Phase 2 finishing soon, I'm hoping that we'd see something soon!

Gateway tower - I see the green fence as an icon of Greenville know! 30 days has turned into FOREVER! Any updates?

Federal courthouse - Will probably be built on the Church and North Street site next to Palmetto Bank headquarters. It will be 11 stories per a recent Greenville News article. Construction will begin in 2010 (funds have to be raised between now and then) with a completion date of 2013.

Main at McBee - Any updates? I love the art, but would rather see a tower!

Proposed tower at 211 South Main Street next to Hot Dog King (currently a surface parking lot) - This one died due to some sort of land dispute, and the developers were supposedly going to try to find another site downtown. I wonder if they are still looking? MCA Architecture was originally designing this.

Tower at Falls and Broad - Dead. Wish someone would take the design and build!

The Camperdown - Dead. Wish it was built...

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I don't really consider the new Courtyard by Marriott a highrise. If you're going to be negative, you might as well exclude it and paint a worse picture. At the same time, if it is to be included for the sake of this being more of a general downtown projects list, then list ALL downtown projects (upfits, renovations, new construction, etc).

Also, when do projects need no more mentioning? The Tower at Falls and Broad, and the Camperdown Condominiums have been gone for about 2 years, but it's still mentioned. In 20 years will we still be seeing them on this list? If so, I have news for you: the failed projects list is going to become much larger and continue to overshadow the completed projects that are actually adding to the quality and experience downtown.

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I personally think it is really annoying to keep a thread going for the sake of keeping it going when there has been nothing new to report for eons and eons.

The point of the thread is primarily to act as a resource for those who are interested in what the latest is. But like I said before, I think the new format will be much more useful to everyone once its working correctly.

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  • 9 months later...

bump :P nothing new to report? :cry:

According to today's Greenville Journal the Washington Square project ain't happening. Using the "no tenants", "time not right" excuses the deveoloper is not very positive. Saying they have the money for the project. Somebody explain to me how these "developers" expect to find "tenants" who will commit to long term leases in a building that would be at least 2 years away? Just seems impossible to me to find a company even if they needed to move or wanted to move to sit and wait while a building gets built. If they would build the building, or at least get it under construction wouldn't it become like 1000 percent easier to find a suitable tenant?

Edited by apaladin
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I'm not ready to put this one in the "dead" catagory yet, but I agree that it sounds as if it would be at least a few years out. As I have said many times, I just don't think we are at a point where these highrises are realistic. If even one or two of the highrises proposed over the past 8 years had worked out then we would be looking at a totally different scenario, but the mere fact that none of them have materialized is overwhelming evidence that DT is just not at that point yet (as much as we would like it to be). Heck, the green monster has been through 12 years and 5 proposals with no fruit. I think that Riverplace I and II and McBee station have satisfied most of the current demand for new office space DT, and most of the proposals we have seen have been well intended, but just too large for where DT is right now. Maybe in another 10 years or so we will start to see some of these type projects get out of the ground.

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I'm not ready to put this one in the "dead" catagory yet, but I agree that it sounds as if it would be at least a few years out. As I have said many times, I just don't think we are at a point where these highrises are realistic. If even one or two of the highrises proposed over the past 8 years had worked out then we would be looking at a totally different scenario, but the mere fact that none of them have materialized is overwhelming evidence that DT is just not at that point yet (as much as we would like it to be). Heck, the green monster has been through 12 years and 5 proposals with no fruit. I think that Riverplace I and II and McBee station have satisfied most of the current demand for new office space DT, and most of the proposals we have seen have been well intended, but just too large for where DT is right now. Maybe in another 10 years or so we will start to see some of these type projects get out of the ground.

Very well said. While Gville has much to be proud of DT, we seem to be unable to reach the next level. I don't know how, but there needs to be something to create more demand for office space DT and more residential too. Building the new visitor center would help the restaurants and retail at least. However, we have to find the 'carrot' that makes an office tenant locate DT rather than out on the 385 corridor. We also have to crack the nut that enables more affordable housing DT. The twentysomethings want to live DT, but just don't have the income to support that lifestyle.

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Agreed. And it seems many of our leaders and planners decisons have continued to make it easier for companies to locate on 385 as opposed to DT, even though DT has so many amenities that shuold be attractive to major companies. Again, south financial is an excellent example. It would have been a great opportunity for a signiture DT building. Heck, even the Charter building could have made an impact DT, especially with a smaller footprint. Somehow, we need to make it easier for the companies to locate DT instead of sprawling down 385. And I agree that there is a huge market for affordable appts and condos DT. But they have to reasonable for college grads and 20-30 somethings who don't earn 6 figures.

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The companies want interstate frontage and it's cheaper to build out in the suburbs I believe. However, the CBD area of Greenville is a TIF district so...

I wonder if the reason the interstate land is cheaper is that the true cost of infrastructure (drainage, water, sewer, roads) is not paid by the owners/developers in those far-out locations.

Maybe we should charge less to tap the water and sewer systems in areas that have been served for decades as more in the areas that were previously fields and forest.

The TIF funds are largely spoken for and TIFs expire too.

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I wonder if the reason the interstate land is cheaper is that the true cost of infrastructure (drainage, water, sewer, roads) is not paid by the owners/developers in those far-out locations.

Maybe we should charge less to tap the water and sewer systems in areas that have been served for decades as more in the areas that were previously fields and forest.

The TIF funds are largely spoken for and TIFs expire too.

In some cases it is the city's business licensing fees that cause of businesses the need to remain outside the city limits.

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I am rather firmly convinced that we need to scrap the idea of building highrises right now and really focus on developing more urbanity throughout the entire CBD, deep into the West End and North End. By improved urbanity, I am intending to convey a desire for more high density development on the scale of RiverPlace, although much more extensive than just along the riverfront. I would love to see varation in architectural design, including a dynamic array of rooftop heights and shapes. The main goal, however, should always be to enhance the pedestrian experience and attract people of all ages who are interested in such a rich and rewarding lifestyle. With such an overall goal in place, all new construction would obviously be forced to consider pedestrian activity on the sidewalks a top priority. Currently, I see this as a much better way to attack the rampant growth in the suburbs instead of waiting years (even decades) for the next wave of large office space to arrive downtown. Undoubtedly, the rise in population and structure density would eventually lead to the necessity for even greater density, ultimately resulting in taller buildings. :shades:

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When the figures line up right, highrises will come naturally. You can't force them to be built when the numbers don't look right or prevent them from being built when the numbers line up (unless there are height restrictions in place). It's really pretty simple. Just take them as they come.

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The main goal, however, should always be to enhance the pedestrian experience and attract people of all ages who are interested in such a rich and rewarding lifestyle. With such an overall goal in place, all new construction would obviously be forced to consider pedestrian activity on the sidewalks a top priority.

Well said Skyliner :thumbsup: Greenville may not have an over abundance of skyscrapers, but it's living proof that having and expending a great pedestrian realm is the way to a successful urban environment.

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  • 2 months later...

Has anyone heard anything about the Gateway site? I am assuming that the developers are still planning to build their two highrises there, with a mix of hotel, condos, and apartments, but are just waiting on the right time to announce their plan to the public. Anyone more involved with the project than I know anything?

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