Rhett Street mixed use development with hotel.

[gman430]

Documents received by staff. Going to the DRB for approval on April 6th. Curious to see what changes were made. 

[gman430]

DRB signage now up on site. 

[gman430]

This is the best looking proposal for this site so far in my opinion. The elevator shaft looks complete now and the step-backs really help break up the massing. 120 feet tall: 

https://www.greenvillesc.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/10378?fileID=58972

Edited March 22, 2023 by gman430

[vicupstate]

12 minutes ago, gman430 said:

https://www.greenvillesc.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/10378?fileID=58972

This looks very good to me. I hope they approve it as is, or with no substantial delays or changes. 

[distortedlogic]

Agree guys; let's pull a Captain Picard and "Make it so!" Definitely one of the better looking of these type buildings, plus should draw some attention away from the McLaren.

Rooftop height of108 but then there is another section on one end of the building; total about 116 or 118?

[gman430]

4 hours ago, distortedlogic said:

Agree guys; let's pull a Captain Picard and "Make it so!" Definitely one of the better looking of these type buildings, plus should draw some attention away from the McLaren.

Rooftop height of108 but then there is another section on one end of the building; total about 116 or 118?

Yeah, I would say 117 feet from the back of the white Main Street facade to the top of the apartment building. Right hand side of this image shows it pretty well: 

Edited March 23, 2023 by gman430

[gman430]

Summary:
Staff recommends approval with the following conditions:

1. Building height shall be reduced to 10 floors maximum, noting the current design of 11-stories over a portion of Oneal.

2. The applicant shall provide a scaled mockup to showcase how the materials and colors will relate to one another to be reviewed and approved by staff and two DRB members prior to final approval of the CA.

3. The main street façade shall require a separate CA once future tenant is determined if any façade changes are introduced.

4. Detailed drawings shall be submitted for a separate CA for outdoor dining areas and other elements planned within the hotel’s transition zone.
 
5. Trash and recycling receptacles shall be installed near areas of high pedestrian traffic.

6. The applicant shall work with Planning and Engineering staff for final streetscape and right-of-way improvements, prior to permit issuance, to include the installation of pedestrian lighting and bulb-outs for enhanced pedestrian safety on all streets surrounding the development.

7. While this application shall serve for general signage size and location approval, individual CAs shall be submitted to staff for review and approval for individual sign permits.

8. Applicant shall work with the Arts in Public Places Commission for approval of any public art or mural prior to installation, should there be any.

9. Applicant shall maintain a safe and designated pedestrian connection along rights- of-way during the construction process.

10. Per the recent Section 19-1.11 LMO Text Amendment, an Affidavit of Substantial Compliance must be signed and notarized by the property owner prior to the issuance of the Certificate of Conformity.

11. This CA is considered part of a specific site development plan. As such, the CA issued for this project shall be subject to Land Management Ordinance Section 19-2.2.14 Lapse of approval/vested rights and the Vested Rights Act, Article 11, of Chapter 29, Title 6, of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976 (S.C. Code §§ 6-29-1510 et seq.). The CA shall be valid for a period of two years from the date of approval by the Board. The Vested Right shall be granted up to five annual extensions upon a written request for an extension that must be received from the applicant at least sixty (60) days before expiration, unless any change or amendment to the land development ordinance or regulations of the City of Greenville’s Code of Ordinances were to be amended that would no longer allow execution of the site-specific development plan. At any time during the two-year period or any subsequent Vested Rights extensions, the applicant may be granted a building permit from the City Building Official. Should the CA expire at any time prior to the application for a building permit, such permit shall not be issued until a current CA is provided.

[distortedlogic]

22 minutes ago, gman430 said:

Summary:
Staff recommends approval with the following conditions:

1. Building height shall be reduced to 10 floors maximum, noting the current design of 11-stories over a portion of Oneal.

 

 

That is just plain stupid, like an 11 foot reduction is going to matter. All that does is cause more money and delay for the developer. If you're going to ask for better materials or a different color or type of architecture that is one thing, but that is just dumb.

[gman430]

2 minutes ago, distortedlogic said:

That is just plain stupid, like an 11 foot reduction is going to matter. All that does is cause more money and delay for the developer. If you're going to ask for better materials or a different color or type of architecture that is one thing, but that is just dumb.

I wouldn’t worry about it. It’s just a staff recommendation. The board itself has not had an issue with the height at previous meetings in regards to the project where the same staff recommended lowering the height by one floor. The issues have revolved mostly around design, pedestrian realm, and step-backs. The new proposal in my opinion does a good job addressing all of those.

Edited March 31, 2023 by gman430

[vicupstate]

30 minutes ago, gman430 said:

I wouldn’t worry about it. It’s just a staff recommendation. The board itself has not had an issue with the height at previous meetings in regards to the project where the same staff recommended lowering the height by one floor. The issues have revolved mostly around design, pedestrian realm, and step-backs. The new proposal in my opinion does a good job addressing all of those.

Hopefully, you are right.  The whole idea of limiting height across the entire depth and breadth of a building in a C4 zone is crazy, IMO.   Setbacks from the street are one thing, but they just approved a 19 story building where the same zoning exists a mile away.   

[gman430]

9 hours ago, vicupstate said:

Hopefully, you are right.  The whole idea of limiting height across the entire depth and breadth of a building in a C4 zone is crazy, IMO.   Setbacks from the street are one thing, but they just approved a 19 story building where the same zoning exists a mile away.   

Agreed. The argument from the developer at the previous DRB meeting in January was that the 11 stories should be allowed on Oneal Street due to the downward slope of that street from Rhett Street to Main Street. The DRB board agreed with them on that issue and said the current proposed height is fine. 

Edited April 1, 2023 by gman430

[vicupstate]

Approved 3-0 with all of the  staff conditions EXCEPT the first one (reduced height).   

 

This project has improved significantly  and  I can't wait to see it built.  

[gman430]

9 minutes ago, vicupstate said:

Approved 3-0 with all of the  staff conditions EXCEPT the first one (reduced height).   

 

This project has improved significantly  and  I can't wait to see it built.  

Excellent. Glad to see the height still wasn’t an issue with the board. Any word on when it is going to start construction? 

[vicupstate]

^^ No mention.

[gman430]

Thanks. Apparently there’s already a construction fence up around the site looking at the Post & Courier article.  Good to see a lot of the area residents came out in support of the project this time around also. 

https://www.postandcourier.com/greenville/business/10-story-development-approved-for-greenville-west-end-block/article_f728f952-d47a-11ed-bf61-e30211957c29.html

 

Edited April 6, 2023 by gman430

[GvilleSC]

They could start demo and site work if their ducks are in a row. It will probably take several months to complete drawings and get pricing. Following that, they submit for permit. At the earliest, I imagine it would be this fall for building construction to begin. 

[gman430]

1 hour ago, GvilleSC said:

They could start demo and site work if their ducks are in a row. It will probably take several months to complete drawings and get pricing. Following that, they submit for permit. At the earliest, I imagine it would be this fall for building construction to begin. 

Very true. I just drove by there a little while ago and there is definitely a construction fence going up on the Rhett and Wardlaw Street sides. I imagine the rest of it around the entire site will be put up tomorrow or next week. With the underground garage the site grading, digging, and drilling for that will take a while before the actual above grade floors go up. 

[gman430]

Construction fencing almost up around the entire site now. Black coverings starting to go over the openings also. I imagine we will see heavy equipment on site next week. 

Edited April 8, 2023 by gman430

[GVLer]

This project will be finished before the McLaren.

[gman430]

Heavy equipment starting to arrive on site. Stationed at Rhett and O Neal. Hopefully it’s for this project and not the sewer expansion project for Rhett Street. 

Edited April 7, 2023 by gman430

[gman430]

Odd site. The only piece of heavy equipment on site is a pavement roller and they have added parking spaces at Rhett and O Neal along with between Otto and Custom House. However, there’s construction fencing and barricades up around the site. Hopefully it’s just construction worker parking.  They do look like temporary parking spots. Knowing my luck, this is probably the staging site for the sewer expansion project.  
 

edit: the orange and white barricades are the City of Greenville’s which tells me this is definitely for the sewer expansion project and not the mixed use development. Bummer but not surprising. The timing didn’t seem right to begin with. 

Edited April 10, 2023 by gman430

[gman430]

Construction to start either Q4 2023 or Q1 2024 according to Gateway Ventures which makes more sense than it starting now. 

[apaladin]

42 minutes ago, gman430 said:

Construction to start either Q4 2023 or Q1 2024 according to Gateway Ventures which makes more sense than it starting now. 

Exactly, what’s another year or 2? 

[gman430]

So it’s not for the mixed use development or the sewer project. It’s basically going to be a temporary 73 spot parking lot for the general public attending Greenville Drive games this season to use due to the loss of spots at County Square. The spots will only be available for this season due to the mixed use development at the same site being under construction by this time next year: 

https://www.postandcourier.com/greenville/business/west-end-lot-will-be-greenville-drive-parking-before-high-rise-construction/article_06971e50-d7be-11ed-9930-23de85393b3b.html?fbclid=IwAR0x8FpPsG-yoXCGI5j6tpCzo9JxbhjVG0OK_1Y5ySf5zYAsStMYJ-FnO8U&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Edited April 11, 2023 by gman430

[Horatio Nelson]

12 hours ago, gman430 said:

So it’s not for the mixed use development or the sewer project. It’s basically going to be a temporary 73 spot parking lot for the general public attending Greenville Drive games this season to use due to the loss of spots at County Square. The spots will only be available for this season due to the mixed use development at the same site being under construction by this time next year: 

https://www.postandcourier.com/greenville/business/west-end-lot-will-be-greenville-drive-parking-before-high-rise-construction/article_06971e50-d7be-11ed-9930-23de85393b3b.html?fbclid=IwAR0x8FpPsG-yoXCGI5j6tpCzo9JxbhjVG0OK_1Y5ySf5zYAsStMYJ-FnO8U&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Makes sense I wondered what they were going to do about the temporary loss of parking for county square.