What will Greenville be like in 10 years?

[motonenterprises]

What do you folks think? How big will it be? How will downtown look? An associate and myself were talking about this after work tonight.

[krazeeboi]

A bigger version of itself. LOL

[motonenterprises]

A bigger version of itself. LOL

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I guess what I really mean is, will it take the shape of another city? In example Charlotte or Atlanta on smaller scales. With so many towers planned I wonder what its all going to look like when finished. I wonder what going to happen to places like Simpsonville, Greer, etc.

[Greenville]

Interesting thread, motonenterprises. It is interesting to think about Greenville in 10 years. Let's start by thinking about where Greenville was 10 years ago, in 1995. Back then, we did not have:

-Bi-Lo Center

-Westin Poinsett

-Falls Park/Reedy River development

-ICAR

-Verdae development

-widening of I-385 into downtown

-BMW plant

-Carolina First Bank building

-Broadway shows at the Peace Center

Pretty amazing when we think about it! Interestingly, several of these big projects are happening right now. With our current momentum, we are headed for an unprecedented run of buildings and developments.

In 10 years, I think we will see the 9 highrises built that have been mentioned in the Greenville highrises thread plus hopefully 4-5 others that are 15+ stories tall. I am hoping that a few of those will be 20+ stories tall, and one 30+ stories tall. Our skyline will be a very nice one after the 9 highrises we have planned, and will be especially great if the 4-5 more happen I would like to see. I think some of the new ones will be residential, but I also think several nice ones (the taller ones) will be strictly corporate. We really need more corporate involvement downtown.

I think the GSP area will continue to grow, with Greenville county itself having a population over 600,000. Could the Greenville metro possibly be pushing 1 million people on its own by then? If so, that would be great. Verdae will be the next popular area of town, offering a town center with shops, restaurants, and hotels nearby that offer an alternative to downtown. Having a popular, defined area of the city besides downtown for people to hang out in will be big for our city. I also think we will see continued development at Cherrydale. Woodruff Road will surely continue to blossom. I am also interested in seeing whether ICAR has the impact they say it will. They are calling for 20,000 jobs total, and I think that will bring a lot of people and industries to the city.

In terms of transportation, I look for GSP International to continue to grow. Hopefully we will be well over 2 million passengers a year by then, and will have added new airlines (Southwest, JetBlue, and/or AirTran). I hope that Greenville will be part of the regional rail system connecting Atlanta, Greenville, Charlotte, Raleigh, Richmond, and Washington, DC. A stop in Greenville would potentially have a big effect on our city, opening it up to others who haven't been and possibly wouldn't visit otherwise. That will hopefully cause Greenville to begin examining the feasibility of light rail throughout the city, even if it is not implemented until 2020 or later. This will be important for the future of Greenville, not only because of the growing population, but for the environment. I want for our air to stay as clean as possible, even as the area grows. I also think we will continue to have international investment in the city, which will continue to create the varied and diverse population we all enjoy and appreciate.

As far as a model to emulate, Cleveland seems like a good one (someone else here mentioned Cleveland and Greenville being similar in terms of reinventing itself - sorry I don't remember who it was). Cleveland has a revitalized downtown with tourist attractions like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They have a blossoming arts scene, and development along the water's edge. They are no longer an old mill/manufacturing town with a shaky future, but a place people want to call home. Hopefully, other cities will be trying to emulate us 10 years down the road - due to our development, our growing population, our activities, our tourist attractions, and yes, our quality of life.

All of these things might sound far fetched, but when you look at how far we have come in 10 years, plus the momentum we have right now with all of the nice projects mentioned, it seems very realistic.

[krazeeboi]

All of that doesn't sound far-fetched at all.

Regarding the metro population pushing/surpassing 1 million, it's likely that Greenville and Spartanburg will be one metro again by the time of the next census in five years, so it's definitely within the realm of possibility.

I'm definitely with you on the light rail. Even at present, I don't think it's too early to at least get some preliminary plans in place.

[Greenville]

I would also like to see more development along Pleasantburg near the Palmetto Expo Center. As several of us discussed in a thread recently, Greenville needs to tap into the convention market. Since the renovations to the Expo Center prevent us from building a new convention center downtown, we should focus on improving the area around the Expo Center. We need to tear down junk like the Comfort Inn and other old buildings, and add a few decent hotels for convention-goers. What about a decent shopping center near there as well? The Expo Center can become a nice little cluster of hotels and restaurants within the next 10 years if it wants to be.

Speaking of hotels, I hope to see a few more hotels added to the CBD in the next 10 years (and that will only happen if we have more businesses there). I would love for us to get something really nice like a Loews or Omni, but I would certainly settle for more hotels along the lines of Sheraton, Wyndham, or Hilton. Basically more hotels like Hyatt and Westin, and less like the Holiday Inn Express.

[RestedTraveler]

As far as a model to emulate, Cleveland seems like a good one (someone else here mentioned Cleveland and Greenville being similar in terms of reinventing itself - sorry I don't remember who it was).  Cleveland has a revitalized downtown with tourist attractions like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  They have a blossoming arts scene, and development along the water's edge.  They are no longer an old mill/manufacturing town with a shaky future, but a place people want to call home.

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B)

[jarvismj]

Today I flew in from Atlanta into GSP, and we flew right over downtown. Needless to say, even from 12,000 feet, the density is just really mind boggling. We pretty much flew over 29, and over downtown. A lot of people on the plane commented that Greenville just wasn't what they were expecting. A lot of business travelers, and people visiting family. Not too many residents such as myself.

[krazeeboi]

^Seems like Greenville keeps pleasantly surprising folks these days.

[motonenterprises]

Those are some great ideas of what it will look like in 10 years. The reason people continue to be surprised is because the city population is so low.

[gs3]

One thing for sure, in 10 years Greenville will still be growing rapidly, and the growth will be focused on continuing to create a quality life for it's citizens as it does today.

Some southern cities seem to be reactionary and plan their growth based on what other cities do...."Atlanta has a dome, so we need a dome", "Charlotte has international flights so we need international flights", "Atlanta and Charlotte have tall buildings so we need tall buildings", etc. Greenville doesn't play this competitive game and I think thats what sets it's growth apart. Greenville plans it's growth to benefit it's citizens and doesn't seem to worry much what others think. It controls it's own destiny. I like that!

[NYTransplant]

One thing for sure, in 10 years Greenville will still be growing rapidly, and the growth will be focused on continuing to create a quality life for it's citizens as it does today.

Some southern cities seem to be reactionary and plan their growth based on what other cities do...."Atlanta has a dome, so we need a dome", "Charlotte has international flights so we need international flights", "Atlanta and Charlotte have tall buildings so we need tall buildings", etc.  Greenville doesn't play this competitive game and I think thats what sets it's growth apart.  Greenville plans it's growth to benefit it's citizens and doesn't seem to worry much what others think.  It controls it's own destiny.  I like that! 

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I think the key here is "quality of life". It seems that the decisions made regarding Greenville are based on their effect on QOL. You've got to hand it to Greenville for that.

[gs3]

I think the key here is "quality of life".  It seems that the decisions made regarding Greenville are based on their effect on QOL.  You've got to hand it to Greenville for that.

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Totally agree with you NYT! My fav photo.............

[NYTransplant]

I've never seen that one. Where is it?

[gs3]

Can't remember where I took this one. There are several along 85, one on 385, a couple on 123 and one or two on Wade Hampton. The sign featuring downtown Greenville at night with the mountains in the background is another fav. Don't think I have a photo of it though.

[GvilleSC]

Totally agree with you NYT!  My fav photo.............

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I love those signs. I want to just stand on the side of the road and point it out to people passing by. It always makes me wonder just who IS seeing those. because I want everyone to see them, especially out of towners or people just passing through.

[RestedTraveler]

There are/were smaller versions of these signs strewn throughout the concourse at GSP as well.

It sure would be nice to see a couple of additional images added to this campaign: Liberty Bridge and Falls Park, a nice photo looking down Main Street, and a photo taken along River Place (once it's finished).

[goodbye]

On I-85 North, just off of the hwy 14 exit ramp, there is a billboard with a twilight shot of downtown and the same words written below. No traveler can miss it, unless they're not paying attention to the surroundings. So far, that one is my favorite. B)

[jfl25]

No one knows what Greenville will be like in 10 years But if the good Lord is willing I plan to be here to witness it first hand,because ive traveled to alot of different places but none of them was like Greenville. I guess Greenville will always be the place for me its just home.

[gvillenative]

I beleive the billboard sign on 14 off I-85 is another quality life one with a picture of downtown greenville.

[gvillenative]

Sorry didnt realize that was cleared up by Skyliner. My appologies.

[hub-city]

I believe that Greenville will be a model for other cities to come look at and see what makes a vibrant pedestrian friendly downtown. We took our little girl to Veggie Tales at the Bi-lo center and tok some time to go downtown and check construction etc.. I'm so struck by the number of families pushing strollers or just walking and enjoying the day.

There is a good balance of car/pedestrian traffic. Other cities should take note and emulate. Keep up the good work.

[NYTransplant]

No one knows what Greenville will be like in 10 years But if the good Lord is willing I plan to be here to witness it first hand,because ive traveled to alot of different places but none of them was like Greenville. I guess Greenville will always be the place for me its just home.

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I agree I've only been here two years, but I'm here to stay

[gs3]

I believe that Greenville will be a model for other cities to come look at and see what makes a vibrant pedestrian friendly downtown. 

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Great point Hub City!

[gs3]

I thought it would be interesting to bump this thread. "What will Greenville be like in 10 years"? This was started in July in 2005 less than a year ago, and look at everything that has happened. The one thing everyone agreed on was maintaining and improving that famous Greenville quality of life....looks like that's the path the city is on.

Within a year we've (actually within 8 months since this thread started):

- Had an announcement that GHS is adding a fully accredited medical school.

- An EXPLOSION of restaurants, offices and shopping at The Point (remember when we would all write "is anything going on with this land")

- Seen the completion of rebuild of 385 into downtown, and the start of widening and rebuild in the suburbs.

- Multiple announcements at CU-ICAR and multiple projects underway.

- A new 85 mini skyline forming.

- South Financial Group announcement

- Completion of phase one of Riverplace and a fast track of construction starting on phase two.

- Completion of West End Field.

- A boom of retail, restaurants, building remodels in West End.

- The start of McBee Station and the spreading of the downtown core.

- Remodel of Haywood Mall and the introduction of many new upscale stores.

- GHS Patewood campus changing the face of 385.

- Completion of Greenridge and it's highly successful first year.

- Start of construction on the initial phase of Verdae.

- US Pro Cycling Championship moved to Greenville

- Start of the reconstruction / expansion of Palmetto Expo

- Start of Cherrydale phase two

- Numerous condo and infill projects

- A year that caught the eye of national retailers (Greenville got on the map so to speak).....Coach, Pottery Barn, P.F.Changs, Ruths Chris, Cheesecake Factory, Flemings, Whole Foods, Costco, etc, etc.

- Extension of Main Street green up North Main

- Completion of the Western Connector

This is only a small list of the things that have happened since this thread started 8 months ago. Not even a full year yet, plus 9 more years. There are so many more projects happening that I left off.

In 10 years, the look of Greenville will be astonishingly different, but that one ingredient, that one vibe, that makes GV so special will still be the same....the "drive" for quality of life by it's citizens.