Greenville and Asheville

[jr7777]

I look at all these posts about Greenville, and it seems like its a nice place to visit and live. I live in Asheville and i don't get to visit Greenville alot. I go there at least once a year, but that's only when i go to the BiLo Center.

From what i read it seems like i'm missing alot. Has anyone here ever been to Asheville and Greenville, and could compare the two?

I can say i like Greenville's downtown ALOT better than Asheville's, and i like the vibe i get coming to Greenville.

[Greenville]

I grew up in Greenville, and have spent time in Asheville. To me, there is no comparison between the two cities (although both certainly have their strong points). They are very different environments.

To me, Asheville has more of a hippy/artsy feel to it than Greenville. History, an outdoorsy attitude, the mountains, and of course the Biltmore house dominate in Asheville.

Greenville feels more like a big city in comparison to Asheville. Not as much history, but more to do (restaurants, shopping, etc.) and a much larger metropolitan area with more development and growth occurring.

Others (who aren't from either place) have told me that Greenville feels like a city while Asheville feels like a town.

[RestedTraveler]

I've been to Asheville a number of times. Living in Travelers Rest, it's rather convenient for me. From my point of view, the two cities are very different.

I guess you could say that Greenville is more "trendy" or "hip" than is Asheville. It's definitely more mainstream and modern. Although Spartanburg is known as the "hub city," Greenville is really the economic, geographic, and media hub of Upstate South Carolina. Downtown Greenville is vivrant and thriving. New developments and exciting events are taking place all the time here. The crowd is rather diverse; however, diversity is one thing that Asheville definitely has over Greenville at this point in time, in my opinion. That's changing though

Asheville is, to sum it up in one word, very eclectic. There is a lot of neat Art Deco architecture there that should be preserved and revived. There is the hippie crowd, as was mentioned previously. There is the alternative/punk rock crowd (which seems rather out of place in such a setting as the Blue Ridge Mountains), but I still think it's cool. There is the outdoor (hiking, biking, fitness in general) crowd. All of these crowds seem to have one thing in common...a love of nature...so it all makes sense, when you really think about it.

That's my point of view. Both cities are great for their own unique reasons, yet both are very dissimilar.

[jr7777]

Thanks for your input.

To me, there is no comparison between the two cities (although both certainly have their strong points). They are very different environments.

The reason i've always wanted to compare the 2 cities is because Asheville is the biggest city of Western North Carolina and Greenville is the biggest city of the upstate.

..the Biltmore house dominate in Asheville.

BILTMORE dominates Asheville. Biltmore Park, Biltmore Forest, Biltmore Villiage, Biltmore Estate, Biltmore Farms, everything here has either BILTmore or VanderBILT on it.

I guess you could say that Greenville is more "trendy" or "hip" than is Asheville. It's definitely more mainstream and modern.

I knew that as soon as I entered downtown. I was blown away by how much more advanced it is than Asheville.

Asheville is, to sum it up in one word, very eclectic. There is a lot of neat Art Deco architecture there that should be preserved and revived. There is the hippy crowd. There is the alternative/punk crowd (which seems rather out of place in such a setting as the Blue Ridge Mountains). There is the outdoor (hiking, biking, fitness in general) crowd. All of these crowds seem to have one thing in common...a love of nature...so it all make sense, when you really think about it.

I never thought of it that way, but it does make sense. Very insightful.

Again, thanks for the input. I really need to see more of Greenville soon, especially with all the new developments coming. I'd probably go down there more if my cousin still lived there.

[RestedTraveler]

Asheville also has a couple of other things that I find very attractive:

The altitude (and the attitude, I guess, too), The Biltmore, and the Grove Park Inn

[RestedTraveler]

Here's looking at Asheville...a few photos of the Grove Park Inn and the Downtown Asheville Skyline taken during a jaunt up to Asheville to look at some Ginger Bread Houses back during the holidays:

[GvilleSC]

I've never actually been to Asheville, so I won't even try to compare...

So I can't really comment on it from seeing it in-person, but from when I've ever watched of the ABC-13 news I like the buildings in downtown Asheville, for the most part. They are unique and have a lot of character. I would like to see more buildings in Greenville take that route in design. I have only gathered this from their backdrop and seeing some of the stories that they have reported.

[MAJIKMAN]

They are unique and have a lot of character. I would like to see more buildings in Greenville take that route in design. I have only gathered this from their backdrop and seeing some of the stories that they have reported.

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[GvilleSC]

I'm not saying steal their style. I just think that their buildings are more unique. We have the poinsett plaza... wow, that's about it. I would like to see things with unique roofs and not just a box. I know I'm not alone in thinking this, I've heard many people say it before on these threads. All that I was saying was that I think that their buildings have more character, I would like to have the arhcitects designing the building that will grace our skyline with more unique features and details.

[Greenville]

I agree about being distinctive, but I don't want to be distinctive in the way Asheville is. Asheville is distinctive in the way it has a small courtyard around a five-story building - and that works well for them. Greenville, on the other hand, should be distinctive in the way a roof looks atop a 20+ story skyscraper. That, to me, is the difference between how a town approaches uniqueness versus how a city approaches uniqueness.

[Spartan]

I think that each city is very similar, with the exception of Greenville having a much higher rate of growth.

Downtown Asheville feels much larger to me. It exists on a pedestrian scale on more than a few streets. But Downtown Greenville is more fun to me. Maybe its the hippie thing in Asheville. I am not sure.

[jr7777]

Greenville is growing right now, with all the new developments and everything, while it seems like Asheville is just staying the same. That worries me, and it seems like city leaders don't seem to care. They want Asheville to keep that small town feeling, just like the leaders in Charleston want to keep a small town feeling. I think this will hurt Asheville in the long run. I think this is why Raleigh basically ignores Asheville and is not really supportive with our projects.

[JCT]

Greenville is growing right now, with all the new developments and everything, while it seems like Asheville is just staying the same. That worries me, and it seems like city leaders don't seem to care.

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It certainly seems like the current mayor of Asheville is pro-business when compared to former Mayor Sitnick. He is certainly more conservative. I really like Asheville's funky, vibrant feel, so I don't know if that is necessarily a good thing. A lot of great places have lost a lot of the character that made them desirable due to over commercialization (SoHo, venice beach, the SF mission district, etc.). I have to admit that the "don't move here" bumper stickers in Asheville make me smile. That sentiment is part of Asheville's character

Greenville's location between Charlotte and Atlanta is a big reason for its growth, not to mention the fact that this metro area consists of two different mid-sized municipalities. Asheville's location in the mountains makes it a little less accessible, but is why it has been a destination for the wealthy and lovers of the outdoors since the 1850's. At any rate, downtown Asheville is a great place, so any changes should at least be thought out carefully.

[MAJIKMAN]

Now don't get me wrong. I love it when I go up there. With them being almost

as the opposite from greenville makes it unique. That's the reason why some of

my friends from asheville like coming to greenville. It's the atmosphere, Baby. B)

[Miesian Corners]

I guess you could say that Greenville is more "trendy" or "hip" than is Asheville. 

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I'll have to disagree with you on that one. Asheville is WAY hip. It's hip without being trendy. Trends come and go, but hipness lingers. Asheville is like an island of liberalism surrounded by Buncombe County. Love it!