Spartanburg Journal Discussion

[Spartan]

Cool... thanks for keeping us up to date on the Journal, hub-city!

[hub-city]

Finally got a copy of the Journal. Haven't had time to read the articles but here is a couple of TBA's:

The paving is down for the 2 mile Hub-City Connector portion of the Palmetto Trail. Now they are working on landscaping and putting in park benches etc...

Z-Place is set to open in Morgan Square. They will carry stuff from a lot of different stores in the area and will stay open until 9 PM each evening. It will also feature a specialty teahouse.

Home and Garden Classic is moving this weekend from Hillcrest to South Pine Street, half a block off of East Main.

This might be the last weekend for Pic-A-Book.

[hub-city]

Didn't get to get a journal this weekend and I'm headed out of town for a week. If anyone is downtown, go by Monsoon Noddle or somewhere else and give us an update.

[southernphilly]

Just moved to Spartanburg from Philly. Actually we moved back, as I grew up here and left in 88 for college. The downtown is really wonderful! We are "regulars" at Monsoon, and find their Pho and Thai soup comparable to anything we could get in Philly's Chinatown. Also ate at The Lime Leaf, and had a wonderful meal. With all the green space, fountains, and friendly people, we really live in a wonderful town.

[roads-scholar]

Just moved to Spartanburg from Philly. Actually we moved back, as I grew up here and left in 88 for college. The downtown is really wonderful! We are "regulars" at Monsoon, and find their Pho and Thai soup comparable to anything we could get in Philly's Chinatown. Also ate at The Lime Leaf, and had a wonderful meal. With all the green space, fountains, and friendly people, we really live in a wonderful town.

I'm glad you like downtown...its come a long way since '88 and will continue to improve.

I haven't been to the Lime Leaf yet but I'm hoping to get down there soon.

[goodbye]

Hopefully it will improve a whole lot more. I would consider it a nice place to live if there were more "to do" (options available) all week. The City of Spartanburg needs a solid long-term plan and the strength and fortitude to make it happen. Right now, it is growing, but at a much slower rate than its considerably larger neighbor to the west. If this trend continues, Spartanburg will become nothing more than an afterthought in Upstate visitors' minds. I don't think most of the residents would appreciate that, since many fear this is already the case. People need to put brains into action, get up off the couch, and then do everthying possible to bring the vision to real life. Talking does little good in the end, but doing can make a world of difference.

[Spartan]

Perhaps, but what has held Spartanburg up in the past was that it always felt a need to compare itself to Greenville for some reason. Taking a step back from that and just doing what is good for the city is what it takes, and I think that Spartanburg's leadership is finally starting to see that. Perhaps Greenvillians should take a drive over and see what is happening in good ol' Sparkle City.

You may think that "nothing" is happening because its not as visually appealing as what Greenville has. However, I think the momentum is building.

southernphilly- I'm glad that you decided to move back, and that you're enjoying Spartanburg

[roads-scholar]

Spartan, your analysis of the situation is correct. Spartanburg's new leaders, Mayor Bill Barnet and City Manager Mark Scott just to name a couple, have the vision and reasoning to realize that Spartanburg can no longer be a clone of another another city. Spartanburg, they realize, must define itself differently. Asheville is Asheville and Greenville is Greenville and Spartanburg can only be Spartanburg if that makes any sense.

I can assure you that there is "more than talk" going on in Spartanburg.

[emo]

i have lived in spartanburg my entire life thus far and I would consider it more than just a nice place to live. I think that what also holds spartanburg back sometimes is that people from greenville dismiss it as a small hickville and that there's nothing going on here. When I first went away to school i heard several people from greenville say that this was their impression of our nice city and that they had forgotten that it was even here.

There are several progressive minds already at work in our city and i know that it will catch on with the rest of the residents. People will take pride in their city and join in the efforts to raise the quality of life.

and please, stop comparing us to greenville. we are our own city with our own identity.

[spartanburgh]

Perhaps, but what has held Spartanburg up in the past was that it always felt a need to compare itself to Greenville for some reason. Taking a step back from that and just doing what is good for the city is what it takes, and I think that Spartanburg's leadership is finally starting to see that. Perhaps Greenvillians should take a drive over and see what is happening in good ol' Sparkle City.

You may think that "nothing" is happening because its not as visually appealing as what Greenville has. However, I think the momentum is building.

southernphilly- I'm glad that you decided to move back, and that you're enjoying Spartanburg

Spartanburg is gaining momentum in some areas; however, the lead developers (Author Cleveland and George Dean Johnson) seem to have slowed in their efforts. Author Cleveland is finished it seems, George Johnson is doing the commercial building on E. Main and one small project on the square that will house a small tenant and there's the Cultural Center. What else is there? I have heard that Johnson Development doesn't want to do tall buildings, only those 3-5 stories. They say thats not Spartanburgs history? Have they forgotten the Andrews building, the Franklin, The Cleveland Hotel and the Morgan, all considered very tall in their day. Their buildings take large amounts of Land and seem to add only to the work force downtown. Why not restaraunt and retail on the ground floor and residential or office above, make them tall and have more land for green space. It seems that would add so much more to the effort Downtown.

[hub-city]

hanging out here in St. Louis and looking for that journal update. Lots of good discussions, but don't leave me hanging on the TBA's.

[emo]

there is also the new building planned a block down from broadwalk. I'm not sure how many stories it will be, but I would guess 3-5, since the article mentioned "multi-story"

i agree about putting retail or restuarants on the ground floor and office or residential on the other floors. we really need some multi-use structures downtown and I would prefer them to be taller than just 4 stories like most of the new buildings. I think downtown is in serious need of new residential options downtown.

[Spartan]

Spartanburg is gaining momentum in some areas; however, the lead developers (Author Cleveland and George Dean Johnson) seem to have slowed in their efforts. Author Cleveland is finished it seems, George Johnson is doing the commercial building on E. Main and one small project on the square that will house a small tenant and there's the Cultural Center. What else is there? I have heard that Johnson Development doesn't want to do tall buildings, only those 3-5 stories. They say thats not Spartanburgs history? Have they forgotten the Andrews building, the Franklin, The Cleveland Hotel and the Morgan, all considered very tall in their day. Their buildings take large amounts of Land and seem to add only to the work force downtown. Why not restaraunt and retail on the ground floor and residential or office above, make them tall and have more land for green space. It seems that would add so much more to the effort Downtown.

Welcome to the forum spartanburgh! I like the historic reference

I had not heard that they don't want to do tall buildings. That is interersting. Johsnon's building at Main and Liberty does have a cafe on the ground floor. Hopwfully their building at Broad and Liberty will have something as well. They do seem to forget that Spartanburg has had taller buildings in the past.

hanging out here in St. Louis and looking for that journal update. Lots of good discussions, but don't leave me hanging on the TBA's.

If anyone else can pick a Journal up and let us know what is going on in the TBA's it would be mcuh appreciated. They are all over the place. You can check out places where you can get them here.

there is also the new building planned a block down from broadwalk. I'm not sure how many stories it will be, but I would guess 3-5, since the article mentioned "multi-story"

i agree about putting retail or restuarants on the ground floor and office or residential on the other floors. we really need some multi-use structures downtown and I would prefer them to be taller than just 4 stories like most of the new buildings. I think downtown is in serious need of new residential options downtown.

I for one am glad to see any development downtown that is more than 2 stories. We can still have a good urban center without highrises. Just look at Charleston (I'm not saying that I think Spartanburg will be Charleston...). Hopefully we can fit more highrises in as time passes, but I don't see it as a big deal. I completely agree about residential options. They condos they have proposed so far have sucked, which is why they have fallen through. People who want to live downtown will not want to be stuck in Renaissance park because it may be 10 more years before that actually gets filled in. I think that if they will put s new condo midrise closer to Morgan Square that they will be able to sell it. Think about it... thats where 90% of the existing apartments and condos downtown are today.

[goodbye]

I've already left Spartanburg for the day, but can pick up a copy tomorrow and post the TBAs for everyone. The front page story was about premature births, but hopefully there'll be more of the "good stuff" inside. Not sure whether next week's will be replacing this week's on the stand tomorrow. Most places wait until Friday to swap out the old for the new.

[krazeeboi]

I agree with Spartan about the high-rises. Sure, we all like them, but as long as the low-rises and mid-rises do their fair share to encourage pedestrian activity (street-level retail being key here), that should suffice...at least for now.

[Spartan]

I think that they replace them on fridays, so you may be able to pick one up. I appreciate it!

[emo]

i'm happy for any development that is happening downtown right now. I especially like the renovations to the existing buildings and I would rather see more infill and density than big highrises. I was just saying that I would like to see some true midrises, like 5-7 stories tall. Like I said though, i'm happy with any development happening and I think that as long as something is happening that it will continue to fuel the fire.

we really do need some new apartments/condos downtown. affordable ones.

[goodbye]

Apparently not much news or rumors last week. The TBA column had only two Spartanburg-related blurbs. The rest are quite general.

• A new event is coming to Spartanburg's municipal airport on June 17 and 18. It is called, "Wings and Wheels."

• In the short time since the opening of the Spartanburg Criterium bike race (May 5), over 70 cyclists have already signed up for the professional and category 1 and 2 race.

• A blurb about SC's growing relationship with China

• A blurb about National Secretaries Day

• A blurb about the TBA column

Elsewhere in the edition: An article on the blooming flower baskets at Morgan Square. Under the DealMakers column, a blurb about several land sales, including property at 147 S. Pine Street to The Bear's Den, LLC. Also of interest: Nominations for the 27th class of Leadership Spartanburg, the Spartanburg Area Chamber's community awareness and leadership development training program. Deadline is May 31. I nominate Spartan.

[krazeeboi]

Second!

[Spartan]

[hub-city]

Thanks for the help last week. it was great to be in St.Louis and read about our city.

TBA's from this week.

Duke's sandwich shop is looking for 5 sites to locate restaurants including one downtown.

look for a new shopping mart at the corner of Floyd and Cannons Campground roads.

Food Lion at Pinewood, and site work has begun on Starbucks.

Spartanburg with 15.5% had the highest number of residential building permit increases in the state for the 1st quarter of the 2006. Greenville was 2nd. Spartanburg is on pace for more than 2,000 new home permits in '06.

SC leaders are headed tp Germany for a hydrogen and full cell conference.

[Spartan]

Lots of good info today!

I hear that Dukes is a good sandwich shop, so I'm glad to know that they will locate downtown. I wish that more evening oriented businesses would open up. I don't want to see downtown become a lunch time only place.

[hub-city]

From today's journal:

A great article on the Hub-Bub building. 4 artist have been chosen as artist-in-residence. They will be allowed to "live free and create" for one year. The artist include a filmmaker, sculptor, mixed media painter, and a poet. All this will be in the Gilbert Shoe building under renovation. The apartments will be upstairs and the main floor will have a gallery, theater, and offices for Hub-Bub and Hub-City's writer project. Downstairs will be a resturant.

Nice article on Z-mart on Morgan Square. Emo mentioned this in the development thread. i like the fact that on Fri. and Sat. they will stay open until 9PM.

TBA's:

the former Fatman's on East Main will become an East Indian cuisine restaurant.

senior center of Spartanburg is moving most of their program activities from the human resourses building to the Archibald Rutledge complex across from the hospital. (addition to the complex is about finished)

ribbon cutting for the Community Bank building is this Sat at 10AM.

as mentined before, site work has begun on Starbuck's

[Spartan]

this Z-Mart came out of no where? This is the first I have heard of it. I'm glad to hear it though. We need more stores downtown

Where was fatmans? I'm glad that Spartanburg is starting to get some more culturally diverse foods, even though I am not as fond of them

[hub-city]

I believe that Fatman's is on East Main headed to Hillcrest near the Lawson's Fork Creek bridge. It was in a bright colored srtip mall (green and yellow maybe?)

I've got to go by and check Z-Mart out. They are even offering some grocery supplies like locally cooked frozen meals and fresh breads.