Hints of a new City Hall

[Spartan]

This article talks about Mayor Barnet's second term and some of his goals for the city.

"Some specific projects he is looking at include getting a supermarket on the south side, looking toward building a new city hall, helping to see that the Chapman Cultural Center reaches fruition and stabilizing the city's relationship with the Marriott."

Any thoughts? Where should it go, if not in the same location? What should it look like?

[roads-scholar]

While not on my "Top Ten Wish List" for Spartanburg a new city hall would be a major plus for the city. I recommend it be in Renaissance Park (plenty of land) and be 10+ stories. Not too futuristic in design but not too plain either.

[Spartan]

I guess I should have said this yesterday.....

I think that they should move city hall operations for a while, so that they can tear it down and build something back that is newer and better- sorrta like they did for the current one, but this time it would acually be better.

This is the only image of City Hall I have. Its looking down Wall St from Main St.

Lets face it- Broad Street kinda sucks. It has Magnolia Finance, City Hall, A Arrangement (flower shop), the Library (but no entrance! just some grass), that crappy old garage, the rear ends of every building that faces Main St, and the aptly named Broadwalk accross from the Denny's Tower. I wonder how this street will ever become anything more than a back alley, or a parking lot for Main St.

I see there being two answers to that. One is Broadwalk. Despite its crappiness, it could be rennovated to take out that circular parking in front to create a plaza, which could be used for some restaurants that could locate in the front of that building, while the inside can remain what it is. Removing the Broad St connector thing (which is being planned) woudl help reduce some of the traffic flow, which would allow them to make the road two lanes, with some parking along the sides. Doing this could help encourage foot traffic from Main St to Broad St. Johnson's new building will also help in that regard.

City Hall is the other hope. It is currently the only building on that end of Broad St that encourages some foot traffic. But it doesn't even do that very well. Whatever they choose, I hope it will front the street (maybe a small plaza infront) and reinforce their streetfront parking that has been established there.

The building is rather long, so I too would prefer that they build up, and not out. It doesn't have to be incredibly tall. Just a few storeys. Maybe 5-7 max. Just something to add a little density.

As part of this, they should restablish separate locations for the police and fire departments. I have no idea where these functions used to be located, but you can probably rest assured that the city razed them in the name of progress.

Greenville's city hall fronts Main St. Its actually a cool public structure, albiet not the most attractive one. But its functionality is unquestionable. Columbia's is the same way. But then, they have the Richland County Courthouse, which is a monstrocity of urban design. This is of course countered by the County Library, which is a better example of it. Anderson also has an excellent city hall that faces the street, and serves its purpose well.

Spartanburg has a great opportunity to do something right. It could help Broad St out by being a generator of foot traffic. It could help bring some more new store fronts to Broad St. It could postentially encourage other development on that end of downtown as well. It could be a lot. I just hope that the city does not squander this one, so that the County Library is not recreated (read: car oriented only). Just make the thing work for the people too, and not just their cars. The CAC shows me that the city is not completely oblivious to things urban in nature

[goodbye]

I could see something "similar" to the Philadelphia City Hall in Spartanburg. I think the architecture would fit very well into the urbanscape and easily become an instant attraction. Note I said similar...

[Spartan]

Hmm... I was thinking more "greek revival" though, and less that. Too pften are city halls built like office buildings though. I hope that it is something that makes a good statemnt about out city

[goodbye]

Would you be thinking something along the line of the Anderson County Library? I LOVE that building and think it nearly equally attractive to the Philly City Hall.

[Spartan]

That library looks cool, but lacks several key ingredients- like being built to the road. I know I say that a lot, but I truely believe that a library should cater to all types of users, not just those with cars. I want our city hall to be the same. That said, I would not mind if that look was emulated, but with more of a capital dome effect.

[Sparkle City]

Hmm... I was thinking more "greek revival" though, and less that. Too pften are city halls built like office buildings though. I hope that it is something that makes a good statemnt about out city

What is going on with the renovated mill that was going to be a racing museum? If you want to make a statement about Spartanburg, that would be a very appropriate, but nice statement.

If not there, a refurbished Montgomery building would also be nice.

[Spartan]

What is going on with the renovated mill that was going to be a racing museum? If you want to make a statement about Spartanburg, that would be a very appropriate, but nice statement.

If not there, a refurbished Montgomery building would also be nice.

Interesting idea. The top floor of the Beaumont mill is the offices for the Southern Conference. Im not sure whate the deal is with the racing museum.

My only problem with moving City Hall there would be that it is not downtown. That part of N Pine is very disconnected from the rest of town because of the railroad tressels. Also, I think that government offices such as city hall should be located in the center city, regardless of what town they are in. The refurbished Mongomery Building is a great idea. It would definately allow the city to consolidate its offices into one location

That said, Broad St still needs help, and having City Hall as a center of activiy there would be nice. City Hall has been located there for most of Spartanburg's history too.

[willum]

they gave up the project (NASCAR Museum that is) because the developer couldnt come up with the financing by the extended deadline. the building is beautiful though, and it should really be used for some nice offices. it would be a nice complement to the nice offices going in where the old KMart was down the road... and the Starbucks...

[goodbye]

Why not a few apartments or condos?

[hub-city]

Didn't see it online but there is an article in today's HJ about plans for the new city hall complex. City leaders seem very interested in combining services and facilities. City Hall, departments, county offices, water works, are all tax exempt properties. Most , if not all, are aging but in great locations for businesses. Selling some of those and combining into one buliding or complex would put some prime properties back on the tax rolls, and offer more convienence for residents.

The city manager would like to have more concrete plans in about a year, and the mayor says he would like to see some physical construction within 3 years.

[Spartan]

^Sounds like something tall is in the works. How else will they accomodate everything (unless they buy up Renaissance park.

Why not a few apartments or condos?

I don't think that site is very appropriate for them. Its also zoned for commercial.

[roads-scholar]

The main reason Mayor Bill Barnet and City Manager Mark Scott are pushing for a new city hall is to consolidate government offices into one facility and open up valuable downtown real estate for development and much needed tax revenue. The current city hall, the offices for the Spartanburg Water System, and the county admininstration building all sit on prime spots with good visibility.

Spartanburg's current city hall is a building everyone loves to hate. Aesthetically it's a disaster, functionally it's obsolete.

I think Messrs. Barnet and Scott deserve a lot of praise for their forward thinking on this issue.

[emo]

so have they talked about a new site yet? where do you guys think it should be located or is there a possibility that they might occupy an existing building?

I think that a good location would be at the corner of Main and Dean streets. They could build on top of that desolate parking lot where the bank is. I think this would look really nice if they narrow main st. soon and create a green blvd.

[roads-scholar]

The article in the newspaper did not mention a site. I don't they've gotten that far yet.

I like the spot you suggested - the corner of Main and Dean. Great visibility and access and something other than a parking lot!

[hub-city]

I like the idea of something taller. I don't think the Main and Dean idea would fly. The parking lot is for FBC and the empty lot besides that is where the Catholic church wants to build a new sanctuary.

I do wish they could could come to the East Main side to pull foot traffic up Main. hey maybe they could build the sister tower to the Denny's corp.

[roads-scholar]

I like the idea of something taller. I don't think the Main and Dean idea would fly. The parking lot is for FBC and the empty lot besides that is where the Catholic church wants to build a new sanctuary.

I do wish they could could come to the East Main side to pull foot traffic up Main. hey maybe they could build the sister tower to the Denny's corp.

I was referring to the southeast corner of Main and Dean.

[Spartan]

Yeah the Bank of America is vacant, so its a plausible site. The Water System site would be a great one. They could built up in that parking lot, then tear down the 3 buildings in that campus to create room for somthing else... probably a parking deck.

I'm picturing something like Greenville's city hall but more attractive.

[hub-city]

Bank of America is going strong. I bank there. They are looking for tenants for some additional space in the building.

I like richardson Park, but if they closed the Broad street curve, took Richardson Park and the small set of three buildings across from FBS, they could build a huge complex across from the church that would be flanked by Main St. Dean Street and Converse street. It would line up with the Denny's tower and be across from the Kennedy street garage.

[Spartan]

Ah, I didn't realize that. Either way, that building should go. I'd prefer to see a better BofA structure than that.

One possibility would be to keep the basic area of the Broad St connector in tact, but make it a park with a large pedestrian walkway. Really if that were just two lanes and it came to a 90 degree intersection (rather than a merge) with Main St, it would be a much better intersection.

[hub-city]

You're right. It is an ugly structure. Hopefully, the new Carolina First building will put some pressure on the Bank of America guys to step it up a little.

I keep trying to think about a place for the city hall, but all the places I like could also be great locations for offices etc... Would it be to much of a mistake to move the city complex a little out of the CBD toward the Southside, or even the torn down Spartan Mills property where the Dupre house sits. I just can't think of any locations.

[emo]

or they could tear down those ugly county offices and build a new tower on that site right across from the auditorium.

[Spartan]

You're right. It is an ugly structure. Hopefully, the new Carolina First building will put some pressure on the Bank of America guys to step it up a little.

I keep trying to think about a place for the city hall, but all the places I like could also be great locations for offices etc... Would it be to much of a mistake to move the city complex a little out of the CBD toward the Southside, or even the torn down Spartan Mills property where the Dupre house sits. I just can't think of any locations.

I like your thinking- adaptive reuse and infill of vacant land. That is something that Spartanburg desparately needs to persue anyway. Personally, I think that government offices should be located in the CBD. It sets a great example. If the City is willing to invest in downtown, others will too. If the City wants to move out of downtown, then it must be a lost cause.

I think that the Spartan Mill site could become a park which would be part of a larger park system connecting down to the kudzu gully just west of the tracks on W Main (that i mentioned in the vision thread).

or they could tear down those ugly county offices and build a new tower on that site right across from the auditorium.

Is it the County too? I thought it was jsut the City offices & departments? I wouldn't mind seeing the County offices replaced either way. However, that location on N Church used to be an old Sears, so at least its not a vacant ugly building.

[emo]

i'm pretty sure that the county offices are also located there, but I could be mistaken. I agree with you, I would rather see the building occupied then empty.