Downtown Projects & Developments

[westsider28]

This morning for their 75th anniversary, the Spartanburg County Foundation announced The Robert Hett Chapman III Center for Philanthropy, which will be constructed at 431 Kennedy Street (old Hardees site). The Center for Philanthropy, the first of its kind in South Carolina, will be a space where nonprofits can come and collaborate.  I'm sure there will be even more info to come.  Here are some renderings from their Facebook page:

Edited November 30, 2018 by westsider28

[Spartan]

That's a nice looking building! Their other building isn't bad either...

[westsider28]

Some random DT updates:

The SCF Center mentioned above will go before the DRB for preliminary review and comment at their January 7th meeting.  The Silver Hill housing will also be back for final approval.  No Cambria on the agenda.

Also the City posted a photo yesterday of 142 Social, which is currently roofless.  Interesting that they're doing so much work here when they don't yet have final approval from the DRB (only conceptual).

Not actually downtown, but there are 3 new homes being built in Converse Heights on long-vacant lots. Nice to see infill like that.

Edit: Also, the Converse alumni house that was planned to be converted to apartments a while ago may be back in play.  John Montgomery is requesting a rezoning of the home and the vacant lot next door from R-6 and LOD to R-6: Planned Development District.

Edited January 4, 2019 by westsider28

[Spartan]

The Converse House conversion is exactly the kind of thing that needs to happen to all of the old mansions on the main drags. Perfect adaptive reuse.

[Spartanburg Dude]

On 1/6/2019 at 6:51 PM, Spartan said:

The Converse House conversion is exactly the kind of thing that needs to happen to all of the old mansions on the main drags. Perfect adaptive reuse.

This ^

 

[Historyguy]

On 1/8/2019 at 8:21 AM, Spartanburg Dude said:

This ^

 

I just saw the Planning Commission packet for the rezoning request.  It isn't an adaptive reuse.  It's a demolition of the Converse Alumnae House and new construction on that site.  

 

January 2019 Planning Commission Packet.pdf

[westsider28]

Well, crap.

According to that PDF, there's too much water damage to make restoration of the current house feasible. (Aside: IMO, we need more mechanisms to promote historic preservation, whether that's more incentives or demolition bans. Maybe not as strict as Charleston, but along those lines.)

As for the proposed "pocket neighborhood", I'm not a fan.   The curb-cut on East Main which seems unnecessary.  And also, the homes' orientations ignore Main, which should be the primary frontage.  Hard pass on this proposal.

From PDF:

[Spartan]

"Pocket neighborhood" is a good attempt at marketing. It's townhouses. 

Not sure how I feel about this.

[westsider28]

142 Social will be seeking final approval at the February 5th DRB meeting.  Preliminary design from several months ago is below.  I hope they've refined it a bit since then.

Also, a restoration/redevelopment of 158 East Main will be presented for preliminary review and comment at the February 5th DRB meeting.  This is the Kosch & Gray Jewelers building.  Hopefully they will be removing the hideous storefront facade, opening the upper-floor windows, and repainting it.   That would finally make the whole Walker & Amos building look more cohesive and attractive.

[roads-scholar]

52 minutes ago, westsider28 said:

142 Social will be seeking final approval at the February 5th DRB meeting.  Preliminary design from several months ago is below.  I hope they've refined it a bit since then.

Also, a restoration/redevelopment of 158 East Main will be presented for preliminary review and comment at the February 5th DRB meeting.  This is the Kosch & Gray Jewelers building.  Hopefully they will be removing the hideous storefront facade, opening the upper-floor windows, and repainting it.   That would finally make the whole Walker & Amos building look more cohesive and attractive.

The Kosch & Gray building is equally hideous on the inside!

[Spartan]

142 Social is on Magnolia, right? 

[djh1963]

Yes it is the old Social Security Bldg

 

[westsider28]

142 Social was approved; same design as previously shown. Meh, it's okay.

For the Kosch & Gray building, they're planning to remove the ugly facade, remove the paint (going for bare brick), and un-brick the windows.  Kosch & Gray will close (the owner's retiring) so the retail spot will be available, and there will be one 2BR apartment on each upper floor (2 total units).  Interestingly, they're proposing the apartments be recessed several feet within the existing building shell, creating balconies on Main (the existing "windows" will be open to the "balconies" within).  I hope that makes sense.  I'd prefer them to be true windows (frames and glass) and nix the balconies, but this plan is still an improvement over current conditions.

[Spartanburg Dude]

11 hours ago, westsider28 said:

142 Social was approved; same design as previously shown. Meh, it's okay.

For the Kosch & Gray building, they're planning to remove the ugly facade, remove the paint (going for bare brick), and un-brick the windows.  Kosch & Gray will close (the owner's retiring) so the retail spot will be available, and there will be one 2BR apartment on each upper floor (2 total units).  Interestingly, they're proposing the apartments be recessed several feet within the existing building shell, creating balconies on Main (the existing "windows" will be open to the "balconies" within).  I hope that makes sense.  I'd prefer them to be true windows (frames and glass) and nix the balconies, but this plan is still an improvement over current conditions.

Hate the balcony idea. Like really hate it, but you're right, anything is an improvement over the current. Fingers crossed they 86 the balconies. 

[1Spartanburg]

Do you know who owns the K and Gray building? We’re you at the DRB meeting?

[westsider28]

1 hour ago, 1Spartanburg said:

Do you know who owns the K and Gray building? We’re you at the DRB meeting?

Yes, I was there.  The DRB agenda said "Champion Investment Corporation" is the owner, who I believe have owned the building for decades (unfortunately, GIS isn't showing correct sales dates at the moment).

[1Spartanburg]

Thanks!!! I had plans to come last night but had a meeting and did not make it, but will make the next DRB meeting.

[djh1963]

This came In an email from the Change .org petiotion to save Cleveland Hall.

 

PETITION UPDATE

Progress is happening thanks to your support

FEB 8, 2019 — 

The developer reached out to us to let us know he is in the process of negotiating the sale of the house. The purchaser is planning to restore the house and likely live there. The developer will release the details of the transaction within the next few weeks and we will share them with you. This is the best possible outcome for which we are truly grateful to the developer.

Thanks again for your support

[westsider28]

This house has the benefit of being right next to (in) the most involved and influential neighborhood in Spartanburg, which gives it a much better chance of being saved.  Glad to hear things are looking positive for its preservation.  Hope that indeed happens.

Edited February 9, 2019 by westsider28

[spartanburgh]

GDJ may be up to something, not sure. I was going down E. Main St. today and noticed that soil borings were being done

on the B of A site that he owns just past the Denny's tower. Hopefully, this means that he is planning something soon on

that site. I don't know of any past business that would have potential contaminates there, such as a gas station etc. that

would  necessitate soil samples. Lets keep our fingers crossed.

[djh1963]

 If this is the one at East Main and Dean St ,  there was an old gas station that sat on that site back in the 20's. The Rush gas station. there is a picture in Phillip Racine's book Seeing Spartanburg.

 

Edited February 19, 2019 by djh1963

[spartanburgh]

That may be it then. It would make more sense for their next effort to be in the Grain District area near the AC hotel.

[1Spartanburg]

I went and asked the guys working on the site and they knew of no new development coming. They said that there was an old gas station site  at the corner of Dean and Main and they were checking for contamination. 

[hub-city]

They are now drilling in FBS's lot across the street... 

[1Spartanburg]

I was disappointed when they said they were doing the drilling for dhec. They said the contamination was found all the way across the street in the FBC parking lot.