Greenville 2020-2030: New Decade Wishlist

[distortedlogic]

We are here at the onset of a new decade for Greenville. As we leave the 2010s, we look back on a decade of growth and advancment in many areas. Downtown has seen (maybe) the most development in it's history (One, Camperdown, hotels, apts, condos, etc), the city reversed decades of population decline, the Swamp Rabbit has leaped and bounded it's way across the city, the 385/85 Gateway has finally been modernized, the Cancer Survivor's Park was opened, the Roper Mtn Christmas Lights came to an end, GSP has grown respectably, Mauldin has two massive developments planned to make it a true city, Five Forks and Verdae have become part of the urban fabric, and countless other projects are underway and or planned. What are some new projects, developments, milestones, or announcements, etc,  you would most like to see happen? A year is a blink of an eye, so think about what you would like to see happen over the next decade, which may or may not include a recession. Think at least semi-realistic, but thinking big is ok too. I'm not including some things we know are happening, like the new courthouse opening or 85 being widened to 8 lanes, in my list but you certainly may. 

Here is my (first draft )wishlist for the upcoming decade:

-A beautiful and  ambitious vision for County Square to have been presented with at least a couple of solid projects having been completed, with others on the way. 

- For most or all of Unity Park to have been completed with a true signature observation tower yeilding a unique experience for Greenville. 

- For the downtown conference center/museum complex to be a reality (or close to)  in any form that is visionary and first class. 

- For a downtown developer to have the vision to FINALLY construct an attractive new tallest, regardless of it being office or mixed use or whatever!

- A developer will have at least started the process of giving the Landmark Building a total makeover. 

- The city will have successfully recruited a new HQ to downtown. 

- The gateway site will FINALLY have a viable and respectable project completed or underway! 

- GSP will have added at least one international destination (Toronto or somewhere in Mexico for example) and have a non-stopped flight to the West Coast, as well as some other new destinations such as Boston. 

- A good vision will have been presented and started for more corridors into the city; 276 (Poinsett) , 183 (Farr's Bridge), 123 (Easley Bridge) are good places to start. 

- Some positive plans will be in place on how to effectively and realistically connect different nodes of the city (DT, Haywood, Pleasantburg, Augusta, ICAR, Woodruff, GSP, Mauldin, etc) by some method of mass transit; ie a better bus/trolley system or something. 

- Greenville can find something meaningful to annex to help continue growing the city beyond it's currently stagnant borders. 

- A new downtown attraction/entertainment district is starting to emerge as a new cenima and bowling alley (or similar family options) have been opened.  

- A major mixed-use announcement for the West side of town (Berea/White Horse Rd area) to help provide some balance of development for that side of town and nearby areas. 

Edited December 23, 2019 by distortedlogic

[gman430]

Regarding the vision for more corridors in the city here is one that just came out: 

https://www.greenvillesc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/14966/20-3709-Cultural-Corridor-Improvements?bidId=220

Edited December 23, 2019 by gman430

[Theurbandeveloper]

Greenville really do need some new and nicer corridors. A Lot of  blank and empty lots in the downtown area for sale, really needs something there.

[apaladin]

I think everything on your list is possible except the County Square Develpement and the Gateway site. Don't see either of these happening but in 10 years the "no developement for 10 years" at county square will be up and city and county government peeps may have some new plans to vote on/change/debate/design etc. for several years.   

[johnpro318]

1. Conference Center/New Museum under construction or completed.

2. Unity Park completed with a signature tower lauded as the new Falls Park/Liberty Bridge type destination. 

3. Mass transit is expanded, both bus routes and some form of fixed transit. Preferably either down the Swamp Rabbit trail or towards Greer along Wade Hampton Blvd.

4. City continues annexing donut holes and towards the West and South.

5. County Square redevelopment is under way with infrastructure complete and multiple projects moving forward.

6. Haywood Mall is redeveloped into a mixed use destination with additional housing and offices planned or under construction. 

7. Stone Avenue has a streetscape completed to add turn lanes, better crosswalks and bike lanes. 

8. Landmark building and garage are purchased with a redevelopment planned (major renovation and exterior reclad. Garage torn down for new garage and building on top and wrapping the garage).

9. Entertainment district planned (possibly started) for the Gateway site and the lots surrounding Bon Secours Wellness Arena. 

10. Laurens Road around University Square is rebranded and development is guided properly to make highest use of location to major roads and the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

11. Greenville Police/Detention Center announce move and sale of property on McGee Street to open up for development (towards the end of the 2020s, ready for the next big wave of development).

12. Local push to have a downtown stop on the future high speed rail from Atlanta to Charlotte, preferably at or very near the current Amtrak station. 

Edited December 24, 2019 by johnpro318
Spelling

[distortedlogic]

5 hours ago, johnpro318 said:

 

6. Haywood Mall is redeveloped into a mixed use destination with additional housing and offices planned or under construction. 

9. Entertainment district planned (possibly started) for the Gateway site and the lots surrounding Bon Secours Wellness Arena. 

10. Laurens Road around University Square is rebranded and development is guided properly to make highest use of location to major roads and the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

11. Greenville Police/Detention Center announce move and sale of property on McGee Street to open up for development (towards the end of the 2020s, ready for the next big wave of development).

12. Local push to have a downtown stop on the future high speed rail from Atlanta to Charlotte, preferably at or very near the current Amtrak station. 

Great list, especially these I hadn't thought of. One question about number 6, do you mean doing away with the mall, or redesigning the corridor as such while retaining and updating it?

[johnpro318]

2 hours ago, distortedlogic said:

Great list, especially these I hadn't thought of. One question about number 6, do you mean doing away with the mall, or redesigning the corridor as such while retaining and updating it?

I think the mall should stay, it does have a purpose to many people and retailers. I would hope when Sears leaves eventually, Simon would tear the Sears building down and build a lifestyle component with more restaurants, perhaps a gym, on the ground floor and office space above. More structured parking and housing would help fill in the giant parking lots and make the area more of a cohesive district. Kind of like how Phipps Plaza and Lenox Mall are slowly evolving in Atlanta (and many other malls across the country). 

Haywood Road is a great location with good visibility, it just needs some love. The interstate interchange also needs some love and a redesign since it often backs up onto 385. 

[Greenville Paladin]

CSX adds a connection line between Greenville and Piedmont and between Fountain Inn and Laurens.  The connection line will help industrial development with rail options across southern Greenville County.

11 hours ago, johnpro318 said:

I think the mall should stay, it does have a purpose to many people and retailers. I would hope when Sears leaves eventually, Simon would tear the Sears building down and build a lifestyle component with more restaurants, perhaps a gym, on the ground floor and office space above. More structured parking and housing would help fill in the giant parking lots and make the area more of a cohesive district. Kind of like how Phipps Plaza and Lenox Mall are slowly evolving in Atlanta (and many other malls across the country). 

Haywood Road is a great location with good visibility, it just needs some love. The interstate interchange also needs some love and a redesign since it often backs up onto 385. 

Is Interstate 385 exit 39 a candidate to become a diverging diamond interchange?

Edited December 24, 2019 by Greenville Paladin

[gvegascple]

Great topic and great milestones/projects for the future.  The ones that stand out for me with a few of my own added are:

• Unity Park Completed 
• New corporate HQ or two or three or FIVE companies recruited from out of town to Greenville, at least 2 to the the CBD.
• County Square project completed without too many changes to the main site (that design is gorgeous)
• Downtown conference center / art museum completed in a way that is truly an eye catching visionary destination
• Detention center moved with new exciting project in the works 
• Resurrect the project to connect downtown to the mountains and downtown tourism to all of the hiking and outdoor mountain tourism nearby (was it called the go center?)
• Bring back some of the original trolley lines (with real trolley cars with expanded routes linked to other mass transit expansion including limited scale light rail some aligned with swamp rabbit trail).   Possibly making downtown main street pedestrian only with a two way trolley track.
• An entertainment district  with mid-size music venue downtown or very close to down town on mass transit line.  It doesnt have to be gateway site, I think that will probably stay dirt for another 20 years :-) 
• A movie theater in the Camperdown project
• The Bowater garage on the falls has got to go or be redone to include office/retail/housing/public space
• A downtown Trader Joes
• A grocery store serving the West Greenville community that is walkable or on trolley/bus route for those in that community without cars
• One or more 20 plus story buildings in the CBD on some existing empty/parking lots or where the current bus station is
• Adding infill office, retail, and housing to the Haywood Mall adding more density and a town center element to the location.   We might be able to support a Nordstrom or  Crate and Barrel here by then who knows.
• Designate as historic/preserved the Swamp Rabbit Grocery and tie it and Hampton Station into the surrounding areas better
• Re-clad the exterior of the Landmark Building along with tearing out and redesigning the garage and building above
• Continued focus on preservation of our older historic buildings, bridges, and architecture
• Continued focus on keeping downtown walkable, weaving pocket parks/public spaces into development projects
• Continued focus on parking downtown and times that are free/discounted
• Continued work on restoring and re-purposing our old mill buildings
• Continued work making our school system in all areas top-tier
• Continued work on  cleaning up the reedy and the wetlands around it and getting the bacteria and silt levels improved
• Better lighting/safety features along the swamp rabbit trail
• A world class culinary school supported by our local restaurateurs and famous chefs
• Create more over/underpasses to make the train tracks less divisive 
• Another big park idea for the decade to follow
• and finally maybe something connecting Greenville to Paris mountain with updates and expansion to the park there including an observation area of downtown.  Improve the zoning and development along the corridor in between and I dont know, how about a big Greenville sign similar to the one in Hollywood? :-)  That would really go along way towards cementing that we are truly #THATGREENVILLE

Edited December 27, 2019 by gvegascple