Northside Developments

[Spartan]

Thinking about the economics of it, Piedmont has probably owned their land outright for decades at this point. The once-a-year fair probably makes them more than enough money to pay their property taxes, ground lease for the City's land, and necessary business fees. I'm betting they make a crapload of money off of that one event.

That being said, I agree 100% that the fair is not the highest or beset use of that land. A large park would be ideal.

For TK Gregg - where is that building going on the site? It's not clear based on the renderings/site plan.

[westsider28]

TK Gregg will be on the Oakview Apts site at the corner of Howard and Preston Streets (between Preston and Aden).  Aden Street would be removed, I think (which I don't like b/c it would remove a street connection and create a superblock), to create a parking lot for TK Gregg.  But the center itself will be right up to Howard Street and won't occupy the whole depth of the Oakview site (even when considering pool, basketball court, and parking).

Edited November 28, 2016 by westsider28

[westsider28]

The City has put out an RFP for a 120-foot-long pedestrian bridge over the Butterfly Creek as part of the daylighting & greenway project there.  It will be where Farley Street is today, spanning from just above the current intersection with Millpond Rd to near the Healthy Food Hub parking lot.  Should be quite impressive.

[Historyguy]

The City's Instagram feed posted a video of one of the Oakview buildings today being demolished.  

 

Edited January 19, 2017 by Historyguy

[westsider28]

Here's the H-J article about Oakview demolition getting underway.  Demolition of all the buildings, tearing up parking lots, and grading is supposed to take about 2 months.  Construction of the new TK Gregg Center could begin in the Fall.  Exact timing depends on whether City Council decides to include an indoor pool or outdoor pool. 

We haven't really discussed that on here, but I'm firmly against an indoor pool.  Primarily because of the huge annual operating cost, but also because it would be used mostly by County residents (like the Swim Center) while the financial burden is borne only by City residents.  And it would take money away from parks and trails. Okay, that's enough.

[Spartan]

Is an indoor pool really all that different from an outdoor pool in terms of cost? I honestly don't know. But it seems like it wouldn't be that different.

[Historyguy]

The real issue with an indoor pool/aquatic center isn't so much the initial cost - though an aquatic center would mean more actual building than they're planning with a recreational pool like they have at CC Woodson.  I suspect they could find that money from private sources.  The issue is with the annual operating expenses.  The pool at the Woodson Center is really only open 3-4 months a year, whereas an aquatic center would be open year round, with long hours, and have major staffing expenses.  Plus it'd be a good bit larger.  Staff estimated it would cost over $350,000 a year to operate, and no partners have emerged to help cover those expenses - not the county, not the hospital, not District 7 (which likely would be a major user of the pool because of Spartan High having a swim team), not Wofford or VCOM.  That amount of money is 20-25 percent of the parks and rec budget.  

[westsider28]

@Spartan It's a significant difference.  $4 million additional capital cost + $350k annual recurring operating costs (which includes staffing, utilities and pool chemicals).  That $350k would be ~20% of the entire parks & rec budget and would likely require a 3-mil tax increase to sustain.  Here's an H-J article that covers the story.

Greenville County has 1 public indoor pool at double our population.  If we ever want one, it HAS to be a county-wide effort.  Not on the backs of just City residents.

Edited January 19, 2017 by westsider28
Haha, simultaneous post with Historyguy

[Spartan]

Good points. I assumed the capital costs would be more, but at the end of the day the operating costs seem like they should be similar. 

[westsider28]

The City recently put the Butterfly Branch Linear Park Project out for bid.  Check out the (large) PDF for full plans (pages 114-148 primarily).  Bids are due by February 14.  This project includes a picnic shelter, bike racks, benches, signage, the western trail, and the eastern trail between College St and pedestrian bridge at Harvest Park. The rest of the eastern trail will be completed later.

I presume that this project will proceed once the creek daylighting is finished.  This will be a great amenity for the Northside.

[westsider28]

Here's a GSA Business article about Northside progress.  Most of it is a general overview, but there are a few further details on the mixed-use development coming to the North corner of Howard & College.  Phase I is a $14 million project that calls for 90 units of mixed-income housing, which should start in November. Phase II will include the $13 million commercial component.  Has anyone seen a site plan or rendering for this?

Edited March 17, 2017 by westsider28

[Historyguy]

Howard and College - I presume that's going to be across College from VCOM, on that block that the city acquired from Jimmy Gibbs, that could go along Howard to the Monarch Cafe - though looking at the map, I suppose something could be on the east side of Howard as there's some vacant land along College Street there.  Will be interested to see a site plan as well when it becomes available.    

[westsider28]

Been meaning to post an update here for a while.  Oakview is totally demolished (haven't heard anything about TK Gregg recently, though).  Butterfly Creek daylighting is underway.  "Artlets" were installed around the neighborhood.  Habitat for Humanity has built several new homes on Vernon Street.  And here's a Northside newsletter from the NDG (whose website is currently being updated) that has a lot of info about future developments in the neighborhood: Northside Voice-Issue 6-Digital.pdf

First big thing in there is a site plan (below) for the Early Childhood Learning Center (corner of Howard & Franklin).  Now it says the design is subject to change, which is good because I have a few issues with it.  It appears the center's only entrance is from the parking lot, and it doesn't properly address the corner (both of which violate the Urban Code).  I'm also a bit concerned about accommodating a future Fremont-Franklin road connection (as shown in the Northside Master Plan), but it seems like that may be possible. 

But anyway, the ECLC itself and its programming will be a fantastic asset for the community.  It will offer full-day, full-year STEAM-based learning for 160-200 children aged 6 weeks to 5 years old.  Construction is supposed to begin late-2017, opening in late-2018.

Second big thing appears to be a rendering of the mixed-use development at the corner of Howard & College (north corner, caddy-corner to VCOM).  There will be 90 units of mixed-income housing in Phase 1 and more housing with commercial space in Phase 2 (if I interpreted the newsletter correctly; it's a bit unclear the way it's written).  It mentions a clinic, retail, and office space for the commercial component.  Phase 1 would begin late-2017.

[Spartan]

The Howard/College development is exciting. That's the type of development that can set the tone for future development in that area. 

[westsider28]

The early childhood learning center was announced today as "The Franklin School."  The $10 million facility will be 28,000 square feet and accommodate 160-200 children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old. It will offer full-year, full-day programming.  It will be run by Spartanburg County First Steps.  It's scheduled to open by 2019.

A partnership between Northside Development Group, First Steps’ Early Head Start program, Piedmont Community Action’s Head Start program and Spartanburg School District 7’s 4K program will provide financial support to allow children whose families can’t afford to pay the full price of tuition to attend the center.

This is an absolutely fantastic facility that will greatly benefit children in the City.  However, as I mentioned before, it appears to violate the requirements of the Urban Code by not having it's primary entrance facing the street & not being sited at the street corner (PDF page 21, items 5.1.2 & 5.1.3)  I hope that will be addressed.  As of now, it is an entirely car-centric design with the only entrance facing an interior parking lot. (see pics)

Edited June 23, 2017 by westsider28
More info

[TextileTown]

The Franklin School should be a great thing. I had no idea this was happening and I'm ecstatic. Being a teacher, I've thought for years that something like this should exist.. clearly others feel the same way! 

[Spartan]

I love the concept and the work they are doing. I can't say enough good things about the comprehensive approach the City is taking towards revitalizing the so-called Northside.... but that building is awful both architecturally and from an urban design standpoint. Another swing and a miss for contemporary/modern architecture.

[westsider28]

In case you missed it, significant progress is being made on the Butterfly Creek daylighting project.  There has even been a portion of the adjacent trail already paved.  Also, the large pedestrian bridge is currently under construction (off-site; will be trucked-in and assembled).

[Spartan]

That's excellent. I was worried the path might not be wide enough, but that looks to be a solid 12 ft.

[westsider28]

Okay, some huge Northside news in next week's City Council agenda.

First, a developer will spend at least $3.5 million to renovate the historic Fremont School (600 Magnolia Street) into at least 41 market-rate apartments (it has been low-income housing for many years).

Second, tons of new info on the planned mixed-use buildings at the corner of Howard and College.  The first phase appears to be a 1-story VCOM medical office and a 3-story mixed-use building, which includes offices for the Northside Development Group and Access Health on the ground floor and 20 apartments (15 market-rate, 5 affordable) on the upper floors.  A portion of the mixed-use building will also include 16 beds for Wofford students.  This first phase is a $10 million project.  There's some pretty complicated financing involved (you can read through the agenda for details). 

Building 3 across Howard Street would be 3-stories and 90-units, but that appears to be a future phase.  It also looks like there could be a future phase between Raindrop and Milan Streets.

The partners involved in the project are strong: JHP Architects (Canalside in Columbia & South Ridge in Greenville), NHE Inc (property manager for Aug Smith on Main), Creative Builders Inc (South Ridge & Ellison on Broad in Greenville), and Stratford Capital Group.

Edited August 11, 2017 by westsider28

[Spartan]

Overall this looks like a great project, though I'm not crazy about the architecture or urban design.

[westsider28]

Yeah, I don't like the way the street presence appears in the renderings, but that could be lazy rendering.  And the project will need to get DRB approval, of course, so I'm sure they'll bring that up.  I'm just excited about the density (and mixed uses) that will be here.  It's honestly not much different than a lot of downtown.

[Historyguy]

Actually, I asked one of the senior city staff members at City Council on Monday, and I was told the project won't need DRB approval - it's only mandatory in DT-6.  

[westsider28]

That doesn't seem right.  It's in DT-5 and both projects at the DRB tonight were also DT-5.  And what's the point of having design standards if they can't be enforced?  For instance, it currently looks like there isn't an entrance facing the street for the retail spaces; that's not permitted under the Urban Code.  Will staff correct that?  If not, what's the purpose of the Code?  If so, what's the purpose of the DRB?

[djh1963]

if you scroll back up to the map of the 3 buildings you will see that those aren't retail spaces but studio apartments with"retail like" facades