CONSTRUCTION THREAD: Verdae

[GvilleSC]

That's interesting. I assumed that would remain a natural buffer. The townhouses a must be moving like crazy with their current rate of construction.

[Duped by Verdae]

Don't ASSUME anything about this development. It WAS supposed to be a natural buffer according to the "master" plan. When all is said and done, it will still be a great place to live based on the location. It will have SOME TND elements. Hopefully there will be some restaurants, etc. However, it will not be what was sold to me or to many of the other early adopters who invested money into building their homes on broken promises.

[gman430]

Actually, the master plan on their website show buildings which look to be office and retail where the trees were cut down.

[Duped by Verdae]

So…you wouldn't have happened to be looking at the CURRENT "master" plan that is on the website? Because you know they would NEVER change the MASTER plan, would they? They wouldn't add garden style apartments (and try to add gates), would they? Or town homes where none were originally planned? Or change the area across Rocky Slope from Ruskin Square? Or bring in Ryan Homes (after denying they would)? Wow, are you a shill or something? Despite multitudes of evidence to the contrary, you continue to give Rick Sumeral and Verdae Development the benefit of the doubt. I don't know if this image will embed, but keep in mind this is a "master" plan from AFTER the town homes but before all of the other changes. I couldn't find one from earlier.

 

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php/gallery/?module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=3291&file=max

[vicupstate]

^^ gman430 was just making an observation.  The master plan you linked shows the development  as mostly woods.   You may have very legitimate grievances against Verdae, but surely you knew that  wasn't going to be the case (it would be mostly woods).

[gman430]

So…you wouldn't have happened to be looking at the CURRENT "master" plan that is on the website? Because you know they would NEVER change the MASTER plan, would they? They wouldn't add garden style apartments (and try to add gates), would they? Or town homes where none were originally planned? Or change the area across Rocky Slope from Ruskin Square? Or bring in Ryan Homes (after denying they would)? Wow, are you a shill or something? Despite multitudes of evidence to the contrary, you continue to give Rick Sumeral and Verdae Development the benefit of the doubt. I don't know if this image will embed, but keep in mind this is a "master" plan from AFTER the town homes but before all of the other changes. I couldn't find one from earlier.

 

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php/gallery/?module=images&section=img_ctrl&img=3291&file=max

 

I'm not really sure what the big deal is. The area across Rocky Slope Road from Ruskin Square and the Ryan Homes area are all slated to be built with TND standards from what I have seen. Am I wrong? 

Edited December 23, 2013 by gman430

[Duped by Verdae]

Well, I would argue that the way Hollingsworth Park is being built out is not TND and that many of the design elements are not TND as well. It's not really an argument; it's fact. The Town Paper (before it became Better! Cities & Towns) declined to include Verdae on its list of TND communities at the outset because of the compartmentalized nature of the development (separate manor section, Cascades partitioned off, etc.). The architectural guidelines have been so watered down as to be laughable.

 

You all say it's no big deal. To you it's not. You did not invest money. You were not lied to. Integrity doesn't seem to matter to you. Yes, it's getting built out. I wouldn't call it TND though. I would call it an imitation of TND. They should just drop the whole TND pretense.

[Duped by Verdae]

I'm not really sure what the big deal is. The area across Rocky Slope Road from Ruskin Square and the Ryan Homes area are all slated to be built with TND standards from what I have seen. Am I wrong? 

 

Even the city said their plans weren't up to TND standards. You probably understand why I am a critic of them but I'm not sure why you are such an apologist for them. They tweaked their plans to the minimum so that the city would have to accept them begrudgingly. That doesn't mean the city is happy about it or that they feel Verdae Development is living up to their original master plan. Notice in the Belhaven subdivision there is much less connectivity. They got rid of alleys too. It's not TND in reality or in spirit.

[Greenville]

I don't claim to know details, but from my outside perspective, it does seem like Verdae is being developed in a way that is not nearly what was promised.  I remember the original plan talking about this game changing development, with walkable streets, parks, retail, offices, etc.  It was supposed to be a "city within a city," where you could live, work, and play, yet still be close to great shopping and dining in the Woodruff Road area and also close to downtown.

 

The last time I drove through Verdae was about a year ago.  The location is obviously great, and the little central park and playground are nice.  But most of the houses I saw were very disappointing.  They had some interesting architectural elements, but were mostly just odd looking and did not seem to be built with the quality to justify their price tag.  They also seemed crammed in there, just as any other suburban development would be which strives to maximize the number of houses built.  I assume that there are specific design standards for TND, because based on Verdae, TND just seems to be code for "cram houses in there and dress it up as urban and community-focused."

 

I also do not see why a seemingly routine apartment complex was approved there.  The same goes for a development built by Ryan Homes.  They seem to build cookie cutter homes everywhere.

 

Again, I say all of this with very limited knowledge of the details of Verdae.  I'm simply basing my opinion on the original master plan, which seemed like an incredible opportunity never seen before in the Southeast, to develop a game changer of an in-town mixed use "city within a city" development.  The way it appears now, I certainly wouldn't live there.  The location is great, but why pay more for a home that isn't constructed well, on a postage stamp lot, in a development which seems to change its standards as it goes?

Edited December 23, 2013 by Greenville

[motonenterprises]

Nothing wrong with Ryan. My place was built by them. No complaints. Of course when I reach hoity toity millionaire status I might complain. Lol

[Duped by Verdae]

I don't claim to know details, but from my outside perspective, it does seem like Verdae is being developed in a way that is not nearly what was promised.  I remember the original plan talking about this game changing development, with walkable streets, parks, retail, offices, etc.  It was supposed to be a "city within a city," where you could live, work, and play, yet still be close to great shopping and dining in the Woodruff Road area and also close to downtown.

 

The last time I drove through Verdae was about a year ago.  The location is obviously great, and the little central park and playground are nice.  But most of the houses I saw were very disappointing.  They had some interesting architectural elements, but were mostly just odd looking and did not seem to be built with the quality to justify their price tag.  They also seemed crammed in there, just as any other suburban development would be which strives to maximize the number of houses built.  I assume that there are specific design standards for TND, because based on Verdae, TND just seems to be code for "cram houses in there and dress it up as urban and community-focused."

 

I also do not see why a seemingly routine apartment complex was approved there.  The same goes for a development built by Ryan Homes.  They seem to build cookie cutter homes everywhere.

 

Again, I say all of this with very limited knowledge of the details of Verdae.  I'm simply basing my opinion on the original master plan, which seemed like an incredible opportunity never seen before in the Southeast, to develop a game changer of an in-town mixed use "city within a city" development.  The way it appears now, I certainly wouldn't live there.  The location is great, but why pay more for a home that isn't constructed well, on a postage stamp lot, in a development which seems to change its standards as it goes?

 

You hit the nail on the head.

[gman430]

WORD 106.3 reported this morning an announcement will be made today at the former Sam's Club in regards to redeveloping Laurens Road in order to tie in with Verdae.

[gman430]

Verdae redevelopment. 100 acres on Laurens Road including SAMs and old Best Buy. $100 million investment: http://www.wspa.com/story/25191400/100m-revedelopment-for-laurens-woodruff-roads?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Edited April 8, 2014 by gman430

[gman430]

Extension of Swamp Rabbit Trail to ICAR: http://twitter.com/1stTime1stPlace/status/453540345239064576/photo/1

[GvilleSC]

If they're smart, they'll connect this and Laurens Rd to Rocky Slope via an extension of Algonquin Trail. Well see.

Edited April 8, 2014 by GvilleSC

[gman430]

[mallguy]

Verdae redevelopment. 100 acres on Laurens Road including SAMs and old Best Buy. $100 million investment: http://www.wspa.com/story/25191400/100m-revedelopment-for-laurens-woodruff-roads?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

This is some of the best real estate news that I've seen in ages.  Laurens Road was just standard sprawl in the '80s and is now an eyesore, and so it's time for complete redevelopment.

 

Hopefully Pleasantburg Drive can be next, and then Haywood.

[gman430]

Looks like the mixed use project at Salters Road and Verdae Blvd is moving forward: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/CouncilAgendas/minutes/2014/JUNE/Formal/6-23-2014/Item%2009b-Public%20Hearing%20on%20Right%20of%20Way%20Abandonment%20on%20Hilton%20Road.pdf

SC Telco coming to new part of Verdae: https://www.sctelco.com/newverdaebranch/

More medical offices for Verdae: http://www.verdae.com/medical-practices-announce-move-to-verda.php

[ausrutherford]

How "good" of a mix use are we talking here?

[MAJIKMAN]

I was thinking the same thing. Just don't know what to really think. It's a confusing concept they are conveying.

[gman430]

Item C: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/PlanningZoning/PlanningApplications/Applications/2014/JULY/PlanningCommission/07-10-2014/Public_Notice.pdf

[gman430]

And here we go: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/PlanningZoning/PlanningApplications/Applications/2014/JULY/PlanningCommission/07-10-2014/SD-14-175-SalterandVerdae.pdf The big building is going to be almost 260,000 square feet if I am reading it right. That's bigger than the ONE buildings. O o

Edited June 24, 2014 by gman430

[apaladin]

So I guess the "big" building will have some height?

[gman430]

So I guess the "big" building will have some height?

It's gonna have to with a parking lot and square footage that big. Hotel? Office? Medical? Hmmm. Just to give some perspective, the phase II building of ONE has 200,000 square feet.

Edited June 24, 2014 by gman430

[Greenville]

And here we go: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/PlanningZoning/PlanningApplications/Applications/2014/JULY/PlanningCommission/07-10-2014/SD-14-175-SalterandVerdae.pdf The big building is going to be almost 260,000 square feet if I am reading it right. That's bigger than the ONE buildings. O o

 

Wow!  This is in line with the kind of big developments mentioned when Verdae's master plan was first announced.

Edited June 24, 2014 by Greenville