Greenville Likes/Ways to Improve?

[Spartan]

Is Furman not a private institution? That would explain its rather small size (most private colleges are rather small).

[GSP Tiger]

Likes:

-Haywood Mall

-Furman University

Ways to improve:

-construct and operate a light speed rail network to Anderson, Clemson, the Golden Strip, Spartanburg and Travelers Rest

-connect Travelers Rest and Greer with a four lane highway by widening SC-290 or building a new limited access highway

-more retail and entertainment centers in northwestern, eastern and southern Greenville County areas

-construct greenscape medians on major corridors: Laurens Road, Pleasantburg Drive, Poinsett Highway, Wade Hampton Boulevard, Woodruff Road

-raise speed limit on I-85 to 65 or 70

-more high rise towers

-an IMAX theater

-an aquarium/terrerium similar to Chattanooga, TN and Charleston

[goodbye]

Skyliner I am merely stating my likes and dislikes of Greenville no more no less. I'm not tryin to make this into a vs. contest. I am well aware that every city in the south and the nation for that matter has problems and yes even my beloved Columbia has problems too. But please don't attack me for giving my opinion in a thread listed as such.

I merely asked you to give examples of your experiences to warrant your claim. That is not too difficult? Anyone can state something positively or negatively, but everyone needs to show why. I was not at all looking at your post as a "vs. contest." Since I've lived here for so long, I want to know where we fall short so we'll know where to improve - but it is very difficult to do so without details and with ambiguous statements that don't match what I've seen.

BTW, I'm not attacking you personally, just holding you accountable for your vague comments I don't understand. That is professional.

[gs3]

Another thing that Greenville needs to improve on is making their exit ramps look better like with trees. WAIT, their already starting to do that. I noticed when I was driving on Woodruff Road heading west from Wal-Mart to the Shops at Greenridge today, there was a sign that said Trees Greenville with a list of sponsors and names on it, kind of like the one for the cancer survivor park or the urban forest project at Falls Park. It was located on the exit ramp for getting onto I-385 north heading west on Woodruff Road. Not only that but they were putting trees in today between the interstate and the ramps along this interchange. It looks really nice with mulch and everything.

-More info: http://www.greenvillechamber.org/interior....d=43&newsid=279 or http://www.treesgreenville.org/

Thanks g-man! This is GREAT!!!! Keep Greenville green!!

[RestedTraveler]

Another thing that Greenville needs to improve on is making their exit ramps look better like with trees. WAIT, their already starting to do that. I noticed when I was driving on Woodruff Road heading west from Wal-Mart to the Shops at Greenridge today, there was a sign that said Trees Greenville with a list of sponsors and names on it, kind of like the one for the cancer survivor park or the urban forest project at Falls Park. It was located on the exit ramp for getting onto I-385 north heading west on Woodruff Road. Not only that but they were putting trees in today between the interstate and the ramps along this interchange. It looks really nice with mulch and everything.

-More info: http://www.greenvillechamber.org/interior....d=43&newsid=279 or http://www.treesgreenville.org/

I saw an article in the paper (at least a photo) of some of the tree-planting going on there at Woodruff & I-385, too. Very nice! Thanks for sharing this with us, g-man430!

[goodbye]

This was actually in the Greenville Journal last week. I had intended to post something about it earlier, but forgot. Thanks for doing it, g-man. This is another fine organization we could consider membership in to help Greenville out.

[The_sandlapper]

I merely asked you to give examples of your experiences to warrant your claim. That is not too difficult? Anyone can state something positively or negatively, but everyone needs to show why. I was not at all looking at your post as a "vs. contest." Since I've lived here for so long, I want to know where we fall short so we'll know where to improve - but it is very difficult to do so without details and with ambiguous statements that don't match what I've seen.

BTW, I'm not attacking you personally, just holding you accountable for your vague comments I don't understand. That is professional.

Its okay its just usually when someone goes on and defends their experiences or interactions in a certain area/ city they are usually attacked by the locals who discard or discredit that persons personal experience or belief (that goes for every forum Iv'e visited). I just feel that giving such examples would incite hostility in an otherwise civil discussed forum. My intent is not to do that, I just want to state my likes and dislikes, in that this seems to be an opinion forum that's all

[g-man430]

I saw an article in the paper (at least a photo) of some of the tree-planting going on there at Woodruff & I-385, too. Very nice! Thanks for sharing this with us, g-man430!

Which paper, because I didn't see it in the Greenville News?

[wellen]

It was mentioned in the Journal this week. In the This Week in Local News section.

[RestedTraveler]

Yup - was the Greenville Journal.

[upstategeek]

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but the bike lanes downtown are pretty cool. Very unique to Greenville.

[sleepypossum]

I am a newcomer to the Greenopolis, having lived here a scant 9 months, but I love this place. I love what it is now, and

what it promises to become, and I look forward to living here for many years.

What's so great about Greenville?

-Big AND small: Greenville can seem like a big, bustling, vibrant metropolis, yet still small enough to navigate easily. It

seems as though it never takes me more than 15 minutes to travel between any 2 points in town (the 15 minute thing does NOT

apply to Woodruff Road and environs, by the way. That area is the killer of time).

-Libraries: Of course, there's the great, fantastic one downtown. It's beautiful for what it is, and for what it

represents: the fact that the people of Greenville value books and reading, which is why there are also so many

well-stocked branch libraries in the county.

-The parks: Specifically, the 2 big parks downtown. To me, they're like Greenville's big backyard, or backyard and front

yard, if you like. With really great landscaping and one heck of a water feature.

-Main Street: Of course. Beautiful, and busy all the time. Wednesday night, middle of the week, you see families strolling

up and down the street, shopping bags and ice creams in hand. Possibly on their way to or from the park. I have lived in

cities where the downtowns empty out on weekday evenings, where only the brave and hip venture downtown after dark. And

certainly there are the hip spots on Main Street, but there are also places for families to buy ice cream and window shop

on a Wednesday night, other than Haywood Mall.

-Proximity: I do hate when a city promotes itself by touting how close it is to some other, presumably more interesting,

place (see Knoxville, Tn: Gateway to the Smokies). Still, Greenville is awfully close to lots of other places. Minutes from

the mountains, an hour and a half from Asheville, only a few hours to Atlanta or Charlotte or Myrtle Beach or Charleston or

Savannah.

-Choices: Imagine waking up in the morning, wanting a great cup of coffee, and knowing that the best you'll be able to find is at the local Dunkin Donuts. Or having a craving for Indian food and realizing that you'll have to drive more than an hour before you can have that first bite of murg makhani. Or knowing that you'll never be able to find any CD you want at the local Sam Goody. In short, imagine living in a place where the best restaurants are chains, and the only shopping to be had is at the Supercenter. A place without any parks or public spaces. A place without walking paths or mountain bike trails, where outdoor recreation involves guns and the deaths of furry mammals. I like to have choices. For me, quality of life is having 6 Thai restaurants within a 15 minute drive.

What could be better about Greenville?

-Movie theater downtown: I'd love to see an old-fashioned movie palace downtown. As it appears there are no actual old movie theaters left in the city that can be restored, how about a new old theater?

-Amusement park: Okay, this one may seem silly, but I would love to see a small amusement park in the Upstate. Doesn't have to be in Greenville County, doesn't have to be very big. Just a small park with classic amusement park rides, maybe a nice out-and-back wooden coaster. It seems like we should have a park closer than Charlotte, Atlanta, or Piggy Forge.

-Woodruff Road: I'm no traffic expert, but isn't there something that could be done about Woodruff Road? Does the traffic there really need to be so bad?

[goodbye]

I am a newcomer to the Greenopolis, having lived here a scant 9 months, but I love this place. I love what it is now, and

what it promises to become, and I look forward to living here for many years.

What's so great about Greenville?

-Big AND small: Greenville can seem like a big, bustling, vibrant metropolis, yet still small enough to navigate easily. It

seems as though it never takes me more than 15 minutes to travel between any 2 points in town (the 15 minute thing does NOT

apply to Woodruff Road and environs, by the way. That area is the killer of time).

-Libraries: Of course, there's the great, fantastic one downtown. It's beautiful for what it is, and for what it

represents: the fact that the people of Greenville value books and reading, which is why there are also so many

well-stocked branch libraries in the county.

-The parks: Specifically, the 2 big parks downtown. To me, they're like Greenville's big backyard, or backyard and front

yard, if you like. With really great landscaping and one heck of a water feature.

-Main Street: Of course. Beautiful, and busy all the time. Wednesday night, middle of the week, you see families strolling

up and down the street, shopping bags and ice creams in hand. Possibly on their way to or from the park. I have lived in

cities where the downtowns empty out on weekday evenings, where only the brave and hip venture downtown after dark. And

certainly there are the hip spots on Main Street, but there are also places for families to buy ice cream and window shop

on a Wednesday night, other than Haywood Mall.

-Proximity: I do hate when a city promotes itself by touting how close it is to some other, presumably more interesting,

place (see Knoxville, Tn: Gateway to the Smokies). Still, Greenville is awfully close to lots of other places. Minutes from

the mountains, an hour and a half from Asheville, only a few hours to Atlanta or Charlotte or Myrtle Beach or Charleston or

Savannah.

-Choices: Imagine waking up in the morning, wanting a great cup of coffee, and knowing that the best you'll be able to find is at the local Dunkin Donuts. Or having a craving for Indian food and realizing that you'll have to drive more than an hour before you can have that first bite of murg makhani. Or knowing that you'll never be able to find any CD you want at the local Sam Goody. In short, imagine living in a place where the best restaurants are chains, and the only shopping to be had is at the Supercenter. A place without any parks or public spaces. A place without walking paths or mountain bike trails, where outdoor recreation involves guns and the deaths of furry mammals. I like to have choices. For me, quality of life is having 6 Thai restaurants within a 15 minute drive.

What could be better about Greenville?

-Movie theater downtown: I'd love to see an old-fashioned movie palace downtown. As it appears there are no actual old movie theaters left in the city that can be restored, how about a new old theater?

-Amusement park: Okay, this one may seem silly, but I would love to see a small amusement park in the Upstate. Doesn't have to be in Greenville County, doesn't have to be very big. Just a small park with classic amusement park rides, maybe a nice out-and-back wooden coaster. It seems like we should have a park closer than Charlotte, Atlanta, or Piggy Forge.

-Woodruff Road: I'm no traffic expert, but isn't there something that could be done about Woodruff Road? Does the traffic there really need to be so bad?

VERY good post, sleepypossum! Thank you for the contribution.

I totally agree with everything you mentioned. Greenville is positioned in the most perfect location in the Southeast. The nearby mountains and local foothills provide beauty and plenty of outdoor activity for enthusiasts of all ages and levels of expertise. Greenville has more dining options than many larger cities could ever dream of having and these restaurants remain full of patrons daily. Greenville's library system is very progressive and contributes greatly to the community's education. The county's many schools offer a very wide range of learning and very elligible professors. The fine arts in Greenville are nearly unbeatable.

For the necessary improvement, Woodruff Road will always be heavily used, but traffic lights will be retimed soon to help a little. As more living, shopping, and dining options become available in other locations, Woodruff will be relieved slightly.

[BrasilnSC]

Likes:

- Downtown

- Store selections

- Mountain backdrop

Dislikes:

- Sprawl

- Bible thumpers

- Proximity to Clemson (only kidding)

[Chickenwing]

-Choices: Imagine waking up in the morning, wanting a great cup of coffee, and knowing that the best you'll be able to find is at the local Dunkin Donuts.

Hey now, I like Dunkin Donuts coffee! Although, Port City Java has the best Americanos.

[sleepypossum]

Hey now, I like Dunkin Donuts coffee! Although, Port City Java has the best Americanos.

Yeah, I like Dunkin Donuts coffee, too. I also like Krispy Kreme coffee. But I love that those aren't our only choices.

[cafealotaguy]

Yeah... so sorry if this rehashes stuff but, I really have to agree that their isn't a great club scene in Greenville.

Basically, outside of bars, there La Montana Discotecha (sp?) and Club Miami. Tiki Bob's is inbetween but Ive never been so I can't give an opinion. Those are the most promoted clubs anyway. I wish it would grow to a larger size because there are certainly enough people to keep them full. rant over...

My favorite thing about Greenville is probably the "Main Street USA" feeling, but a "crossroads of the world" environment.

[GvilleSC]

I agree about clubs... a club district would be nice. IF ATTRACTIVE! we dont want to make downtown trashy and unfamily friendly...

[cafealotaguy]

I agree with you wholeheartdly. You can have bustling nightlife with class, taste, dignity, and fun. Greenville is seemingly lacking in this area and it would be a great market to expand. Maybe a club district in the West End, closer to Camperdown not Augusta. At night time, it could be turned into a pedestrian only zone, which would not only be welcoming for clubs, lounges, etc but also additonal retail. Imagine this area in that location on a warm summer night after a Drive game or a Peace Center/Bi-Lo Center event, it would be packed...

It'd be fun...

[jarvismj]

Is Tiki Bobs even open anymore?

[Greenville]

I think Tiki Bob's is closed. What is the name of the downstairs club near Betty Pearle's and the Hyatt? Skyliner, I think you were telling me about it once, and it sounded great.

I agree, more clubs for dancing and hanging out would be great (rather than just smokey bars). A club district would be great! How about on one of the side streets in the West End? If it were zoned, maybe there wouldn't be too much opposition from people who are concerned about noise and drunk people.

[wellen]

^^ 221 North is the 'club' close to Betty Pearl's.

I think Tiki Bobs has been closed for a while. I was downtown late on a Saturday night several months ago, and there was not a soul around that place. So many concepts have been tried in that building, and all have evidently failed.

[GvilleSC]

Hmm, maybe something down the hill on North Main. That could be a great way to redevelop the bilo shopping center (assuming it will close when they open the new one on Church St). BUT, you probably don't want drunk people walking around Academy Street .

I'd also like to see more Handle Bar type establishments!