Downtown Greensboro Developments

cityboi · August 21, 2005

I know its amazing when you really make a list and to think there is much more to come! All these new restaurants, retail establishments and nightclubs only help create the demand for more downtown residential projects.

Beany · August 21, 2005

cool. thanks for putting this list together. i am looking forward to some more retail.

cityboi · August 21, 2005

You are welcome:) more retail is very important to the success of downtown.

jjasonham · August 22, 2005

You are welcome:) more retail is very important to the success of downtown.

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I'm actually back home in Greensboro visiting and decided to make it downtown. I am absolutely flabbergasted at how much has changed. It's very, very different to see it in pictures than to experience it in person. I absolutely love it. As a matter of fact, I'm in the Public Library posting this. I went to Southside and absolutely fell in love! I simply cannot believe I just "walked" over on MLK. Out of all the new restaurants and clubs, I think I like Much/Heaven the most. Although, I haven't been to Hemingway's yet, which looks absolutely amazing.

DigitalSky · August 22, 2005

^i passed by the Public library the other day, It's very nice looking from the outside.

cityboi · August 22, 2005

Yup I used the internet at the library before too posting here in the upstairs area where the computers form a circle.

ILoveCallingNCHome · August 22, 2005

How many of these businesses were functioning elsewhere before locating downtown?

I know that Scenic Tours of Greensboro have been around a while....for example.

I am glad to see Greensboro's downtown really getting a major facelift. I remember one done in the early 70's when they redid the streets and added the extra curb/sidewalk space and trees that did little more than hold up traffic .

wfdude · August 22, 2005

My boyfriend and I were in downtown Greensboro on Saturday night from about 9-11:45pm after moving him back in at Guilford College and I was absolutely amazed at the amount of people going into all of the new restaurants, bars, galleries, etc. We went to Natty Greene's Pub / Brewhouse. I couldn't believe how many new businesses there were. It was like being in a huge city on a Saturday night, and it definately seemed like there were as many people out and about as there are in Glenwood South or the City Market area of Raleigh, if not more. What's truly amazing is how quickly this has seemed to happen... only two years ago when I was still at UNCG there probably weren't half of the nightlife / restaurant establishments in downtown that there are now. Another thing that impressed me was how late all of the new restaurants were open... most of those on the list were open as late as 11:45 and there were plenty of people in all of them. Whatever Greensboro is doing, they are doing it right and I can't wait to go back soon! Oh yes, and the Smothers Place lofts looked awesome!

wfdude · August 22, 2005

How many of these businesses were functioning elsewhere before locating downtown?

I know that Scenic Tours of Greensboro have been around a while....for example.

I am glad to see Greensboro's downtown really getting a major facelift. I remember one done in the early 70's when they redid the streets and added the extra curb/sidewalk space and trees that did little more than hold up traffic .

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I believe that O'Kennedy's was located up in the State Street shops before relocating downtown. Either way, it seems just as good, if not better, if businesses are relocating downtown from somewhere else in the city. That means they have confidence in downtown!

I think the trees and the extra sidewalk space has really paid off. Looking down Elm Street, there was a sea of people from the train tracks near Natty Greene's all the way up past the N-Club.

ILoveCallingNCHome · August 22, 2005

If Greensboro really wants a hopping downtown, they are going to need alternatives to getting there besides cars that people can have confidence in. In Greensboro, we are pretty accustomed to driving directly where we want to go and leaving when we are ready to leave (not having to wait to be taken from place to place)

The tree lined streets are nice...but it seriously cut into the road...and did little to enhance downtown at that time.

Personally I think it would take a certain type of business to do well downtown. Not all are going to find success moving or starting up there.

Parking is a big issue that they will have to deal with if they really intend on doing more there. I avoid downtown because #1, its not convient, #2 there isnt much to draw me there personally and #3 parking. I do not like parking in decks....and it's hard to find street parking most of the time during the day.

cityboi · August 22, 2005

I think the trolley system that will be put together should help. There is plenty of parking its just that you may not be able to park where your destination is. A loop trolley going around every 5 to 10 minutes or so should help.

wfdude · August 22, 2005

I actually didn't have any trouble parking. I parked a street over on Davie, and I walked around and experienced what was going on, and I think thats the idea that most downtown advocates have. I know this may not always be the case, but the parking decks were full and they make downtown more dense and therefore more pedestrian friendly. Thats exactly what the narrowed streets and widened sidewalks do. Driving directly to a place in your car and then leaving that place in your car is exactly why Greensboro (and every other city in NC) is the sprawling generic mess that it is. I don't think any of us see more mass transit options coming to Greensboro in the near future, and IMO there is ample parking in downtown Greensboro -- you just have to be willing to get up and walk a few blocks instead of sticking to the mindset that you must find the closest parking spot to your destination or else you will be "doomed" to walking too much to get there. As far as the widened sidewalks go, I believe they certainly had long term positive effects that were well worth cutting into the street back when the changes were made. Cars don't make a downtown successful, people do.

Edited August 22, 2005 by wfdude

ILoveCallingNCHome · August 22, 2005

But parking and walking are two very viable reasons people will avoid downtown. When there are many other options closer to their homes, they will go to what is more convienent. People moved from the center of town into subdivisions to have a space of their own. With that came shopping centers and malls to service people where they were and are. With that came the demise of many downtowns. Building up the downtown areas of towns is not a new concept. Greensboro has been trying to revitilize theirs for years. I guess what it boils down to is what Greensboro is aiming to become...and if what goes into downtown Greensboro will truely draw the masses. (and not all are drawn in by nightlife) Put a larger well known store downtown and see what happens. (for example, target , Harris teeter and barnes and noble as it is in Atlanta) If folks are living there(as is intended for downtown Greensboro), there should be enough to support those businesses and others alone...and anyone else coming in is just gravy. One thing Atlanta did was to not only have the nice expanse of sidewalks with trees, but to also know many are going to come with their cars...so the roads are big enough to accomadate the traffic and the businesses often have their own parking to go along with their booming business. (sort of like Sears was in downtown high point until oak hollow mall was built) Downtown is never going to be what it was, it has to be redefined for the future around what peoples habits are and will be in the future.

jjasonham · August 22, 2005

Downtown is never going to be what it was, it has to be redefined for the future around what peoples habits are and will be in the future.

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Which is all the more reason to build Downtown to accomodate more foot traffic. The people who don't choose to come downtown right now obviously don't see anything there that really draws them in. I'm all for a big name store coming DT, but until then, we have to utilize what we have. I don't think there should be more parking lots for each store either. What I like about Greensboro is that you can live in the suburbs and have your car, or live downtown, own one, and not drive it as much. Each person can choose which way they want to live, and it really doesn't take much effort to venture into either lifestyle. There's plenty of parking for cars. You might just have to get up and walk a little further than you normally would to get where you want to go. The future (to me), in DT GSO is more of a pedestrian friendly atmosphere, and there will be plenty of residents to support that lifestyle. That will bring in more variety over time as far as retail and transportation is concerned.

twincity · June 12, 2007

owners of "6th and Vine" in downtown winston-salem will be opening a restaurant/wine bar at 314 S. Elm Street called "The Vine on Elm Street" they will take over the street level space formerly occupied by Miller's furniture store.

quote from Smitty's notes:

"...It will occupy 6,000 square feet and will include a wine shop, bar, restaurant and private dining room for special events. The space can hold up to 200 patrons and will have the same lounge feel as 6th and Vine, with plenty of plush sofas and chairs. An opening is planned for early 2008."

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellit...s=1037645508988

cityboi · June 12, 2007

owners of "6th and Vine" in downtown winston-salem will be opening a restaurant/wine bar at 314 S. Elm Street called "The Vine on Elm Street" they will take over the street level space formerly occupied by Miller's furniture store.

quote from Smitty's notes:

"...It will occupy 6,000 square feet and will include a wine shop, bar, restaurant and private dining room for special events. The space can hold up to 200 patrons and will have the same lounge feel as 6th and Vine, with plenty of plush sofas and chairs. An opening is planned for early 2008."

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellit...s=1037645508988

Great News! I was wondering when a restaurant was going to open up in there. Thanks for the link. This would be the second wine bar/cafe downtown and this looks like this is a nice size restaurant. It will be in a great location on South Elm in between Much/ N Club and Natty Greene's. Everytime I drive through downtown at night I get chills because its so unbelievable with alll the street activity going on at night. Very urban atmosphere with musicians on the street playing saxaphones and drums and the center-city park is full of people evan after 10 pm. Restaurants are usually packed around that time as well. Its amazing when you think about where downtown was 10 years ago. This wine restaurant will be just another great addition for downtown and hopefully a potential mega development will bring many more restaurants. Greensboro should make a goal to have at least 80 restaurants downtown with different variety. (the number of restaurants in downtown Greenville, SC) Id like to see a Japanese steakhouse restaurant, fine mexican dining restaurant, a true seafood restaurant and a barbeque restaurant downtown.

Edited June 12, 2007 by cityboi

Mr Downtown · June 12, 2007

owners of "6th and Vine" in downtown winston-salem will be opening a restaurant/wine bar at 314 S. Elm Street called "The Vine on Elm Street" they will take over the street level space formerly occupied by Miller's furniture store.

quote from Smitty's notes:

"...It will occupy 6,000 square feet and will include a wine shop, bar, restaurant and private dining room for special events. The space can hold up to 200 patrons and will have the same lounge feel as 6th and Vine, with plenty of plush sofas and chairs. An opening is planned for early 2008."

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellit...s=1037645508988

Great News, good to see another restaurant/nightspot opening up downtown. We have a nice mix of restaurants developing...... maybe one day we could add a soul food restaurant as well

cityboi · June 12, 2007

Great News, good to see another restaurant/nightspot opening up downtown. We have a nice mix of restaurants developing...... maybe one day we could add a soul food restaurant as well

maybe "Mama Dips" from the Triangle will expand here

Edited June 12, 2007 by cityboi

Mr Downtown · June 12, 2007

Great News! I was wondering when a restaurant was going to open up in there. Thanks for the link. This would be the second wine bar/cafe downtown and this looks like this is a nice size restaurant. It will be in a great location on South Elm in between Much/ N Club and Natty Greene's. Everytime I drive through downtown at night I get chills because its so unbelievable with alll the street activity going on at night. Very urban atmosphere with musicians on the street playing saxaphones and drums and the center-city park is full of people evan after 10 pm. Restaurants are usually packed around that time as well. Its amazing when you think about where downtown was 10 years ago. This wine restaurant will be just another great addition for downtown and hopefully a potential mega development will bring many more restaurants. Greensboro should make a goal to have at least 80 restaurants downtown with different variety. (the number of restaurants in downtown Greenville, SC) Id like to see a Japanese steakhouse restaurant, fine mexican dining restaurant, a true seafood restaurant and a barbeque restaurant downtown.

Amen to that. About the 80 restaurants, does anyone know the number of places currently in downtown? And yes, we should strive to have more places than downtown Greenville, SC.

cityboi · June 12, 2007

Amen to that. About the 80 restaurants, does anyone know the number of places currently in downtown? And yes, we should strive to have more places than downtown Greenville, SC.

according to DGI's website, downtown Greensboro has 45 restaurants...so we are a little over half way there There are also several more just on the outskirts of downtown. Of the 45 restaurants, only about 4 are fast food chains. (Subway, Hardees, Quiznos, and Chick-fil-A). With exception to Rumrunners, the rest are local restaurants. Mellow Mushroom is also suppose to open downtown as well. Its suppose to be the largest restaurant in downtown Greensboro and one of the chains largest restaurants. If this downtown mega development happen, im not sure Mellow Mushroom would be the largest but I think Mellow Mushroom should be one of the restaurants in the development. Downtown also needs a cafeteria style restaurant like K&W. That would very popular among the lunch crowd.

One restaurant just opened up on Elm Street, a Mexican/Cuban cuisine restaurant called Margaritas Grill.

Edited June 12, 2007 by cityboi

cityboi · August 22, 2007

For those of you that remember, the undercurrent restaurant at the corner of South Elm Street and Lewis Street caught on fire a few years back. The undercurrent has since then moved to another location downtown near the ballpark. Now a new restaurant is opening at the corner of South Elm and Lewis Streets called "Table 16" fine Italian restaurant. Im glad they opened another restaurant there because there arent that many restaurants on South Elm, south of the railroad tracks which consist mainly of antique shops.

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...RSTAFF/70822007

http://www.table16restaurant.com/

another restaurant opened downtown as well called "Cafe Monet" in the Renaissance Plaza Tower

also here is the website to the new undercurrent restaurant located near the ballpark.

http://www.undercurrentrestaurant.com/