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CONSTRUCTION THREAD: Federal Courthouse

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Greenville City

Greenville

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The three sites are:

  • Two acres across North Street from the Greenville County Courthouse. The site is bounded to the north by North Street, to the west by Spring Street, to the south by Coffee Street and to the east by property owned by Palmetto Bank. The site includes a portion of Irvine Street that would be closed.

  • The Afga site of 4.9 acres, on the west side of Academy Street between Washington Street and McBee Avenue.

  • The Falls and Webster site, spread over 4 acres. The site is bounded to the north by Webster Street, to the east by Calvin Street, to the south by Camperdown Way and to the west by Falls Street.

More details.

The building will include 257,347 square feet, according to the GSA, and 74 inside parking spaces.

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GvilleSC Megalopolis

GvilleSC

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My preference is that they choose the two acres across North Street from the Greenville County Courthouse. As the smallest site of the three, it would give us the best chance for a tall building. It would also be quality infill in the heart of the CBD, as that area is currently a parking lot. Its proximity to the Greenville County Courthouse as well as several prominent law firms would also be an advantage.

Thoughts? Opinions?

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gs3 Metropolitan Area

gs3

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On one side of things I feel like something with a street level retail scene would be needed on the North Street site to make the connection between the Gateway site and Main Street and therefore makes me not want to favor it. I'd almost rather see something that can add to the street level activity on the site. At the same time, I'd rather see a taller building built for the courthouse and it leads me to pick the North Street location.
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GvilleSC Megalopolis

GvilleSC

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Well said.

Just throwing this out.....have no idea as I haven't observed very closely......do Federal Courthouses ever have a ground level of rentable retail space? Are these buildings strictly all courthouse? My vote would be North Main, if ground level could at least have a Subway, shoe shine shop, flower shop, etc.....anything to help stimulate the pedestrian flow.

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gs3 Metropolitan Area

gs3

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Of all the sites, the only one that street level retail would not be essential in my opinion would be the Academy Street. North Street would benefit from it as a connector to the Gateway site and the Falls Street/Camperdown Way location could use a different function to give people a destination on the other side of the Liberty Bridge (preferably a mixed use tower and not the Federal Courthouse). Still though, I don't want it on Academy Street and would prefer North STreet.
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vicupstate Metropolitan Area

vicupstate

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I've never seen or heard of a Federal Courthouse having retail space in it. After OK City, it is unthinkable really.

I have no idea if Agfa is in the building currently and will move, but I can't imagine there is a way to retrofit that building. Surely, it would be demolished and a new building put in it's place.

I would really like to know what the city's planners think (ie what would the recently completed master plan dictate?). I would probably defer to there judgement, but here is my take:

North Street: Pro: Good snergy with County courthouse and adjacent attorneys and consumes some of the massive parking lots. Con: North street has little pedestrian potential and this will reduce that even further.

Agfa: Pro: Could be major building block to reinvent both the Washington street and Academy St. corridors. Are there plans to move the bus station from Washington Street? If so, then maybe the entire Washington St. corridor could be reinvented from Main to Hampton/pinckney. Cons: site currently is pretty disconnected from DT and the legal community

Falls/Camperdown: Pro: This largely neglected corner of DT could be revived and reinvented with a well-executed design Con: Disconnected from DT.

I think it is great they are asking for public input on this, but how about MORE NOTICE. It hit the paper today and the hearing is TONIGHT. Is anyone planning on attending?

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Greenville City

Greenville

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Follow-up article after tonight's meeting regarding the new federal courthouse site. Lawyers and city leaders favor the North Street location:

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs....0/HOMEANDGARDEN

I am happy that the consensus seems to be that the North Street site is the best, but I am disappointed to read that construction will not begin until 2010 or be completed until 2013. That seems like a long time to get started, and an even longer time to complete the project, but I assume they are allowing for delays in obtaining the necessary funds and/or rising construction costs.

Also, why is the smaller North Street site a "downside" according to the GSA environmental manager? Why is a taller building supposed to be such a bad thing?!?

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Spartan Gigalopolis

Spartan

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My preference is that they choose the two acres across North Street from the Greenville County Courthouse. As the smallest site of the three, it would give us the best chance for a tall building. It would also be quality infill in the heart of the CBD, as that area is currently a parking lot. Its proximity to the Greenville County Courthouse as well as several prominent law firms would also be an advantage.

Is the Agfa site not currently being used? If not, would the current building be used or would it be torn down for a new courhouse to be built in its place? Since the site is four acres, I assume the building would have a larger footprint and be shorter in height.

I have no idea where the Falls and Webster site is. The fact that it is 4 acres makes me think that they would build a lowrise structure instead of something taller.

Thoughts? Opinions?

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gs3 Metropolitan Area

gs3

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Posted
Follow-up article after tonight's meeting regarding the new federal courthouse site. Lawyers and city leaders favor the North Street location:

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs....0/HOMEANDGARDEN

I am happy that the consensus seems to be that the North Street site is the best, but I am disappointed to read that construction will not begin until 2010 or be completed until 2013. That seems like a long time to get started, and an even longer time to complete the project, but I assume they are allowing for delays in obtaining the necessary funds and/or rising construction costs.

Also, why is the smaller North Street site a "downside" according to the GSA environmental manager? Why is a taller building supposed to be such a bad thing?!?

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Danmire Hamlet

Danmire

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To start construction by 2010 is going to be pushing it. I don't believe an Architecture firm has been selected yet. You are easily looking at a 2 year design timetable for this project just in design and producing the documents. They need to be looking at the selection process now to have any hope of starting construction in 2010. We are only a month away from 2008.

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GvilleSC Megalopolis

GvilleSC

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To start construction by 2010 is going to be pushing it. I don't believe an Architecture firm has been selected yet. You are easily looking at a 2 year design timetable for this project just in design and producing the documents. They need to be looking at the selection process now to have any hope of starting construction in 2010. We are only a month away from 2008.
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  • 2 months later...
Greenville City

Greenville

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Greenville city leaders went to Washington, DC this week to lobby for federal funds for several projects. One of those was the federal courthouse. Knox White said the project needs more money for swift construction. It is near the bottom of this article (which mostly discusses CU-ICAR):

http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...040/1004/NEWS01

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GvilleSC Megalopolis

GvilleSC

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The City should create a non-binding resolution tonight encouraging the placement of the Federal Courthouse on the East North Street location.

They said they want to start construction in 2009 or 2010 was it? Either way, if they're going to hold a design competition, create documents for construction, etc shouldn't they get started with the competition this year? Or will they have to wait to ensure that funding is secure? With all the regulations for safety, etc for Federal structures, it would seem like the process will be a long one. I'd love to see some ideas for the complex before the end of 2008.

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Greenville City

Greenville

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The City should create a non-binding resolution tonight encouraging the placement of the Federal Courthouse on the East North Street location.

They said they want to start construction in 2009 or 2010 was it? Either way, if they're going to hold a design competition, create documents for construction, etc shouldn't they get started with the competition this year? Or will they have to wait to ensure that funding is secure? With all the regulations for safety, etc for Federal structures, it would seem like the process will be a long one. I'd love to see some ideas for the complex before the end of 2008.

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