CONSTRUCTION THREAD: The Point

[g-man430]

With all of the new developments announced today for The Point, I decided to start a construction thread for it. The ones announced today include Homewood Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Staybridge Suites, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Bluefire Grill, and Azia. More info: http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...EWS01/603250319

Edited March 25, 2006 by g-man430

[g-man430]

What are all of the ones announced today? It would be nice to name the ones we know about right at the top.

I edited it at the top to include all of the ones that were announced today.

[goodbye]

The Staybridge Suites will probably closely resemble the new one in Brownsville, Texas @ 4-stories.

[gs3]

Anybody heard about this new development at The Point? Sounds like a winner. Maybe John B. knows more about this one.

Here is the link, but the story you will see is about Magnolia Park being sold. Click on the audio stream to the right. It's an entirely different story. About a development for The Point behind Whole Foods being done by McChesney out of Atlanta.

http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...SINESS/70321013

[StrangeCock]

And I was just thinking to myself today, "Gosh, they really should consider building something on Woodruff Road. That area has so much untapped potential."

[distortedlogic]

WOW! Here is the actual write up. This sounds like about half of Verdae, rolled into a parcel about 1/20th the size. Man, if this project actualy happens, this area is going to be unbelievable, probably easily the most urban area in the state by 2015 (Verdae, Mag Prk, ICR, etc, etc). How much more development and traffic can this one area handle?

[Galley]

Wow! They're gonna have to add an interchange between The Point and ICAR and redo the Woodruff Rd. interchange completely. It looks like Greenville will soon have an "uptown".

[GvilleSC]

And I was just thinking to myself today, "Gosh, they really should consider building something on Woodruff Road. That area has so much untapped potential."

Wow! They're gonna have to add an interchange between The Point and ICAR and redo the Woodruff Rd. interchange completely. It looks like Greenville will soon have an "uptown".

I think Uptown Greenville is now an egg waiting to hatch! I hope this interchange is urban in nature (pedestrian friendly, and takes up as little land as possible). I'm thrilled. What was that report about traffic? Traffic has increased by some crazy percentage in the last x number of years.... just imagine

[NYTransplant]

OK, maybe its just me, but, who will buy a condo in the most congested area in Greenville? Talk about being trapped at home from Thanksgiving to New Year's.

Maybe with a restructuring of the intersection and the addition of a new interchange, congestion might ease up a bit. As this project, ICAR and South Financial grow, that will more than saturate any improvements. I'm usually the optimistic one here, but I don't like it.

Somebody please change my mind. I want to like it.

[johnboyanoski]

Anybody heard about this new development at The Point? Sounds like a winner. Maybe John B. knows more about this one.

That is what I was referring to the other day. We have a little bit more information on it in the paper that comes out tonight.

[gs3]

Somebody please change my mind. I want to like it.

OK, I'm going to try to change your mind NYT.

On the congestion, I did like Knox White's comment in the article about getting people off Woodruff Road and providing alternatives. Seems this development may have a grid street pattern (from reading between the lines). Considering there are alternative routes (Old Sulphur Springs Road and Laurens Road / Millenium Blvd.), this may actually help disperse traffic and reroute people from the West? We also have the BRT coming. His comment indicates that the city is aware of the need for change in traffic patterns / flow.....lets hope the state DOT can get on board. DOT is a whole separate topic.

[GvilleSC]

OK, I'm going to try to change your mind NYT.

On the congestion, I did like Knox White's comment in the article about getting people off Woodruff Road and providing alternatives. Seems this development may have a grid street pattern (from reading between the lines). Considering there are alternative routes (Old Sulphur Springs Road and Laurens Road / Millenium Blvd.), this may actually help disperse traffic and reroute people from the West? We also have the BRT coming. His comment indicates that the city is aware of the need for change in traffic patterns / flow.....lets hope the state DOT can get on board. DOT is a whole separate topic.

Nicely said. If the State DOT doesn't get on board, then they never will. If they don't see us in need of it now or when this gets built, then we'll never be in need of it according to them. I think this is a perfect opportunity to capitalize on density. It's one thing that could hold us back in the past, but this could change all of that. Now would be a good time for the city to look at pedestrian access, too. Save money to go toward some spectacular pedestrain bridges to cross 85. One from Verdae to the Point and one from Verdae to ICAR, atleast.

Edited March 22, 2007 by GvilleSC

[vicupstate]

I have very mixed feelings on today's news. While it is now abundantly clear that Gville is on a lot of radars that it previously wasn't, there are downsides too. It sounds like dressed up sprawl to me. More competition for Downtown and County Square may stay in a holding pattern for an indefinite period.

I also doubt that BOTH of this projects will come about. These could very well be 'duelling' projects, meaning one gets built and the other doesn't or at least downsized significantly. that happened with Columbiana center in Columbia and more recently in Jacksonville.

One of these parties will get the leases of the big boys and then the small stores follow to that project. The fact these were both announced on the same day, is an indication of that. Given the huge Greer project, Verdae, are already announced adding both MAgnolia Plaza and The Point project may be more than Gville can add at once.

[gs3]

^ Good point about "duelling" projects. With the multiple retail projects announced recently in the area, there will probably be some fallout. On the bright side......there's no better position to be in than to have developers chomping at the bit and "duelling" over projects. It tends to push the finished projects to a higher level of quality. And just like in sales, the more projects in the pipeline, the higher the number that will come to fruition.....simple math.

It's really pretty exciting to see the way Greenville has become a large blip on the developers radars in the last few years. I'm especially amazed at how much interest is expressed in this area from South Florida developers for everything from retail, to homes, to offices.....to Gary Player and his golf course. South Floridians seem really high on this area. Anyone know why?

[lbs5015]

.... South Floridians seem really high on this area. Anyone know why?

Well my parents retired to South Florida, from the Northeast. and they say alot of people retire down to Florida then realize they want to be closer to family in the north so they compromise and move to a place in between like South Carolina which still has mild winters but is closer to family in the north... they call them "Half Backs" meaning they move half way back to the north from Florida.

[goodbye]

I like this development for multiple reasons, which include:

• This is a truly urban plan
  
• This incorporates plenty of high-density residential
  
• It is being developed as infill in what is clearly one of the hottest areas in the state for new development (just look at the other major master-planned developments surrounding this space)
  
• Considering that this property has been vacant and available for several years, it was bound to be developed eventually, but the type of development was unknown.
  
• As others have said, if this doesn't help to promote the cause for federal/state/local aid in financing effective mass transit, nothing will.
  
• This should definitely become a sustainable development
  
• a single 420-room hotel will be a first for the Upstate, helping lure more corporations to CU-ICAR, Millennium Campus, Downtown, etc...
  

[vicupstate]

Well my parents retired to South Florida, from the Northeast. and they say alot of people retire down to Florida then realize they want to be closer to family in the north so they compromise and move to a place in between like South Carolina which still has mild winters but is closer to family in the north... they call them "Half Backs" meaning they move half way back to the north from Florida.

Last year's Hurricanes seem to have had an impact, same thing with the high insurance rates that came in there wake.

[NYTransplant]

I feel a little better about it for the fact that it will likely wake up the DOT as well as pushing BRT/LRT. I still feel that without this infrastructure, that area will become unbearable.

[GvilleSC]

I feel a little better about it for the fact that it will likely wake up the DOT as well as pushing BRT/LRT. I still feel that without this infrastructure, that area will become unbearable.

Oh yes. Without a doubt this area would become awful without any upgrades. I'm sure the city will stay on top of this.

[gs3]

Now would be a good time for the city to look at pedestrian access, too. Save money to go toward some spectacular pedestrain bridges to cross 85. One from Verdae to the Point and one from Verdae to ICAR, atleast.

Great idea! Yesterday when I was walking through the Verdae land up to the interstate, I noticed how really close Hubbell is to I-85. Verdae seems it will be as well. Would be nice to see pedestrian bridges crossing and this stretch of interstate become more urban in nature. The density is being built to enable such, IMO.

[g-man430]

Anybody have any more information regarding this project? The city approved the rezoning of the site on April 12: http://www.greatergreenville.com/city_gove...Comm4-12-07.pdf Sounds like a great development.

[greenvilleguy]

Anybody seen a site plan??

Edited April 19, 2007 by greenvilleguy

[g-man430]

Anybody seen a site plan??

Cool font and no to your question. There was one probably available at city hall though, because of the zoning change this development had to go through. Not sure if you can still view it or not, seeing how it's past April 12th.

[GSP Tiger]

Speaking of The Point, Bob Evans is closing.

Bob Evans closes 11 restaurants

Greenville (SC) News/GreenvilleOnline.com (4/20/2007)

Bob Evans was the first restaurant to open at The Point.

[btoy]

I like Bob Evans, but I only eat at them traveling, so I have never been to the one in Greenville. Well considering how things are going out there I don't think it will take long to find a user for that building. Though the old Craker Barrle is still empty, the Bob Evans is a much better location.