The Rumor Mill

[scgubers]

I heard last night that New Spring Church is looking into buying the TD Center. They already hold Sunday services at this location. My first thought was that was nuts. However, maybe the city could sell the TD Center to New Spring and then build a bigger and better convention center/hotel downtown. Maybe this is not so nutty after all.

There is a plan in the works. 

 

When the TD Center, then known as the Palmetto Expo Center, was bought by the city, there was talk of Redemption World Church buying the building instead of the city.  Also at that time there was talk of the city swapping the center for County Square, where a new center would have been built.  I assume buying the Palmetto Expo Center and renovating it was just to good to pass up at that time.

 

The City of Greenville won with the higher bid I believe. 

 

The city has considered moving it before, but decided against it due to the negative economic impact to the area.

Wrong. The city refused to sell the convention center and move it because the offer from Newspring was too low. Now though is a different story . . .

Edited May 10, 2013 by scgubers

[vicupstate]

^^ Wasn't it Redemption that bid on the Center the first time, but it is New Spring now?

Where would a new Convention Center go, if the current one was sold?

[MAJIKMAN]

Just the Scott Towers which is moving forward.

 

 

I saw in the Greenville Journal, the Upstate Business Journal 5/3 edition pg. 24, that the city was trying to sell this building now. I do have to say that some would have to think that this would be a little suspicious. I'm hoping this is not what I'm thinking. And I am not a conspiracy theorist, but this sounds funny.

 

 

 

[vicupstate]

The Housing Authority is the owner. I imagine the Feds have rules on how the property has to be disposed of.

[scgubers]

^^ Wasn't it Redemption that bid on the Center the first time, but it is New Spring now?

Where would a new Convention Center go, if the current one was sold?

I know Newspring came in with an offer almost immediately after the City bought. I'm unsure about, Redemption, though that would make sense. And . . . . . 

 

 

I saw in the Greenville Journal, the Upstate Business Journal 5/3 edition pg. 24, that the city was trying to sell this building now. I do have to say that some would have to think that this would be a little suspicious. I'm hoping this is not what I'm thinking. And I am not a conspiracy theorist, but this sounds funny.

 

I can't think that abstractly, what are you thinking?

[David Murphy]

^^ Wasn't it Redemption that bid on the Center the first time, but it is New Spring now?

Where would a new Convention Center go, if the current one was sold?

 

A new convention center to replace the TD Convention Center would cost $150m+. That's the biggest reason the City didn't swap it for County Square and won't part with it until someone figures out how to pay for a new one.

[vicupstate]

A new convention center to replace the TD Convention Center would cost $150m+. That's the biggest reason the City didn't swap it for County Square and won't part with it until someone figures out how to pay for a new one.

That is why the whole plan doesn't make sense. What church could pay what TD is worth?

[scgubers]

A new convention center to replace the TD Convention Center would cost $150m+. That's the biggest reason the City didn't swap it for County Square and won't part with it until someone figures out how to pay for a new one.

There is already a developer working on plans, and the City is involved, even if slightly. 

 

That is why the whole plan doesn't make sense. What church could pay what TD is worth?

One that just got a 10 million dollar gift . . .

[vicupstate]

I take it that the replacement center would be considerly smaller than the TD center. Even so it would cost 50 million plus.

[Greenville]

The logical choice here, if the TD Convention Center is sold, would be to tear down County Square and build a convention center there. It could also have a hotel and other mixed uses. Connect it well with the award winning downtown and you're talking huge win.

[vicupstate]

The logical choice here, if the TD Convention Center is sold, would be to tear down County Square and build a convention center there. It could also have a hotel and other mixed uses. Connect it well with the award winning downtown and you're talking huge win.

 

The county would have to be on-board and build a mid-rise on the site or locate elsewhere, whereas the site behind Reedy Square would not have that complication.  That site is on the river too, but just isn't very big.   

[mallguy]

The logical choice here, if the TD Convention Center is sold, would be to tear down County Square and build a convention center there. It could also have a hotel and other mixed uses. Connect it well with the award winning downtown and you're talking huge win.

Agreed.  Maybe a lifestyle center or something as well. 

 

Bell Tower Mall was 1 1/2 stories and 330,000 sf or so of space.  With high-rise hotels, apartments, etc., I'd think that the amount of space that could be developed on the site could be well over 1MM sf.

[ausrutherford]

How much did the city spend on the TD expansion/renovation?

[Greenville]

The county would have to be on-board and build a mid-rise on the site or locate elsewhere, whereas the site behind Reedy Square would not have that complication.  That site is on the river too, but just isn't very big.

How about a high rise downtown for the new county square?

[vicupstate]

How much did the city spend on the TD expansion/renovation?

 

As my memory serves, it was less than $10mm and I seem to remember it was around $7mm.   

[scgubers]

As my memory serves, it was less than $10mm and I seem to remember it was around $7mm.   

You're correct, plust monies to renovate it. 

[gs3]

Disaster in the making.  Why sell a huge center like TD and build a much smaller center?  Seems the city should be proactively working to make the area around TD Center, dense and pedestrian friendly....bring in hotels......promote transit....etc.  Once TD Center is sold to a church that area will simply be a lost cause.  If you look at most decent size cities, the area TD is in is soooo close to downtown.....why abandon it, instead of working to make the area better?    The city and "certain" favored developers......part of Greenville's small town think.

[scgubers]

Disaster in the making.  Why sell a huge center like TD and build a much smaller center?  Seems the city should be proactively working to make the area around TD Center, dense and pedestrian friendly....bring in hotels......promote transit....etc.  Once TD Center is sold to a church that area will simply be a lost cause.  If you look at most decent size cities, the area TD is in is soooo close to downtown.....why abandon it, instead of working to make the area better?    The city and "certain" favored developers......part of Greenville's small town think.

This is very much in the conceptual phase. To jump to conclusions to prove a point is immature. 

[vicupstate]

  The city and "certain" favored developers......part of Greenville's small town think.

 

Do you care to elaborate on your conspiracy theory?   

[mallguy]

The city and "certain" favored developers......part of Greenville's small town think.

New York City, where I live now, has plenty of "favored" developers, and plenty of situations like the one that we're discussing in this thread (including wrangling about real estate development of and around its convention center) and it's not a small town.

 

gs3, I really like you and have a lot of respect for you.

[MAJIKMAN]

I know Newspring came in with an offer almost immediately after the City bought. I'm unsure about, Redemption, though that would make sense. And . . . . . 

 

I can't think that abstractly, what are you thinking?

 

Well, that the housing authority first said that the building in question was in so ill repair and costly to rehabilitate that they felt it would be prudent to move all of the residents out and demo. Then people find out that they are putting the building up for sale to the highest bidder. Me personally. I don't care in this instance. Hey it's their building. But for some. It should have been said that way and not the other. Hey even put it in the media like they annouced the demo the first time. Oh wait they couldn't, because they would get this reaction. And for some of you. This Feds have rules stuff just don't cut it. You know thats just not right.  

Edited May 13, 2013 by MAJIKMAN

[vicupstate]

It may be that HUD thought that since it was not viable for them to rehab, that no one else would want it as is. Or maybe they just want the buyer to pay for the demo, instead of them.

[MAJIKMAN]

Are you talking about HUD or The Housing Authority wanting to get the buyer to demo the building. Huh,You maybe right on all the things you are talking about. But this is starting to turn into something that was clear cut and dry, move residents out  and demo dilapidated building, to now the building's got to be sold for whatever reason. Yes this property is run by the Housing Authority but it is still basically owned by the people and they have certain obligations to inform those same people of their goings on. I'm not on here to stir to the pot. I'm just pretty much letting everyone know that when the public gets info, they (the authorities) should be able to explain what is/was happenning. Alot of times the authorities(whomever they are) can't. It just happens and the people are suppose to just go with it. The people whom I'm talking about are like the people who live/used to live in Towers East, namely the poor with no voice.

[scgubers]

Are you talking about HUD or The Housing Authority wanting to get the buyer to demo the building. Huh,You maybe right on all the things you are talking about. But this is starting to turn into something that was clear cut and dry, move residents out  and demo dilapidated building, to now the building's got to be sold for whatever reason. Yes this property is run by the Housing Authority but it is still basically owned by the people and they have certain obligations to inform those same people of their goings on. I'm not on here to stir to the pot. I'm just pretty much letting everyone know that when the public gets info, they (the authorities) should be able to explain what is/was happenning. Alot of times the authorities(whomever they are) can't. It just happens and the people are suppose to just go with it. The people whom I'm talking about are like the people who live/used to live in Towers East, namely the poor with no voice.

 

First, I debolded your paragraph to decrease emphasis.

 

There is not a problem with The Housing Authority transferring ownership of Scott Tower. By doing so public monies are not being spent on the demolition of the building. And the Housing Authority is able to better spend their money. You are trying to stir the pot, I'm all for giving the poor a voice, but no matter what they would have been moved. 

 

Also this whole conversation should be moved to this thread. http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php/topic/52995-scott-towers-highrise-to-be-demolished/

Edited May 13, 2013 by scgubers

[MAJIKMAN]

First, I debolded your paragraph to decrease emphasis.

 

There is not a problem with The Housing Authority transferring ownership of Scott Tower. By doing so public monies are not being spent on the demolition of the building. And the Housing Authority is able to better spend their money. You are trying to stir the pot, I'm all for giving the poor a voice, but no matter what they would have been moved. 

 

Also this whole conversation should be moved to this thread. http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php/topic/52995-scott-towers-highrise-to-be-demolished/

 

You must work for/with the Housing Authority. Personally, I don't care if you do or don't though. But anyway, if you had went through my whole post. You would have saw that I did said that they could (basically) do what they wanted with the building.

They just needed to be more transparent. With rumors of a developer, I won't mention names, wanting to redevelope the property anyway makes this whole thing smell funny. But I'm just gonna say this," they can demo it, lease it, or put a park there.They just need to communicate better with the public." I personally don't care.

 

P.S. gs3 I feel ya now!