Northside Developments

[westsider28]

2 hours ago, djh1963 said:

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

 

No, they are retail (or more accurately office) spaces.  Only the future 3rd building doesn't have retail.  Here's a floorplan of Building 2 that I didn't post earlier:

Edited August 17, 2017 by westsider28
Added quote because of new page

[westsider28]

I went over here several days ago to check the Butterfly Creek park/trail progress.  This will be such a great asset for the community.  There's going to be a huge positive change in the Northside over the next 5 years.  It will be exciting to witness.

Edited August 29, 2017 by westsider28

[westsider28]

Here's a fantastic drone photo from Hub City Bees' Instagram that shows the pedestrian bridge frame (looks like it still needs decking) in place over Butterfly Creek.  Great skyline shot, too.

Edited November 3, 2017 by westsider28

[westsider28]

Northside progress from a few days ago.  Butterfly Branch Greenway (path & creek, pedestrian bridge, signage) and Franklin School site clearance / grading.

[gman430]

Spartanburg is featured in this CNN article: http://money.cnn.com/2017/12/09/pf/tax-reform-housing-affordability/index.html?sr=fbCNN120917tax-reform-housing-affordability1148AMStory

[Spartan]

The proposed tax code changes are going to be far reaching. I hope that they are able to minimize the impacts to local government, but I'm concerned that special interests and 'sticking it to the libs' will be their motivation rather than common sense reform.

[vicupstate]

^^ In at least one House, there was a plan to eliminate the Historic Renovation Tax Credits. These actually generate more taxes than they cost.  Since they have a long history (no pun intended), that isn't just wishful thinking.  Hopefully the bill doesn't pass at all or those are intact in the final bill. If not, you can forget any future Mill conversions or Montgomery building revivals.    

[westsider28]

So it looks like the first big housing development in the Northside will actually be a 90-unit, mostly affordable (~80 of the units) apartment building at the west corner of Howard and College, next to Butterfly Creek.  This is not the mixed-use project revealed a few months ago (across Howard St).  So I guess that will happen later.  Anyway, this building would be ~96,000 sq ft and contain a mix of 1-, 2-, and 3-BR apartments from 695 to 1064 sq ft.  It would be 3 floors at street level and 4 floors on the creek side (due to grade change).  Parking (120 spaces) would be between the building and Harvest Park, screened with a wall/fence and landscaping.  This project goes before the DRB on Tuesday.  It could start construction as early as Spring.

[westsider28]

DRB approved the concept and siting for the building, but want more details and to resolve some design concerns before final approval.  I went to the meeting.  They thought the building was a bit of a mishmash of designs (particularly the Howard St side) and thought it should be more coherent/simple.  They were a bit confused/put-off by the hipped roof (not necessary on an urban building), but also that it was only hipped on one part of the building and flat on the other, so that needs to be resolved.  They also wanted more detail / better design of the Howard/College corner, which is obviously important from an urban standpoint.  They liked the stoops and the juliet balconies, and were okay with the "linear park" screening of the parking lot.

Sidenote: The City really wants on-street parallel parking on Howard Street, but SCDOT (predictably) is resistant.  I hope the City can convince them to allow it (or take over ownership like they did with part of Daniel Morgan Ave downtown).  It's incredibly important to changing the character of the street into a more pedestrian-friendly, "Main Street" feel.

Oh, and I stopped by Butterfly Creek Park, which looks extremely close to being finished (probably in the next few weeks).  Workers were basically putting in final landscaping.  Pics:

[roads-scholar]

Good report!  

Help me understand what a “hipped” roof is.  Thanks. 

[Historyguy]

Re: Hipped roof:  If you look back up at the picture a few posts up of the building, the part of the roof that isn't flat - that's a hipped roof.  Instead of being a triangle with a gable on each end, it's more like a pyramid, with no gable end showing.  

     Help me understand what a “hipped” roof is.  Thanks. 

 

Edited January 4, 2018 by Historyguy

[westsider28]

Renovations are continuing on the Fremont School.  The apartments, called The Brick Lofts, are now available for lease.  It will be interesting to see how they do.  The rent is quite reasonable, but it's very much a transitional area.

The steel framework is up for the Franklin School.

The Butterfly Creek greenway is basically complete.  I walked around and took some photos about a month ago.  Maybe they're waiting for warmer weather for an official opening?  Anyway, this is a great amenity for the neighborhood.  It will be really special once the apartments and TK Gregg are done, and it serves as a connector.

[westsider28]

Here are a few photos of the Franklin School framework from this past weekend (front, then side):

[westsider28]

So you probably saw the article where the DRB asked for changes to the planned Northside mixed-use project at Howard & College (across the street from the planned 90-unit affordable apt bldg).  DRB members thought the design was disjointed, they wanted it to better address the corner (preferred the building to come to the edge rather than have a plaza there), and had issues with the VCOM clinic being 1-story and addressing the street poorly.  Project reps cited cost issues (they have a limited budget), significant grade changes on-site, and needing access from both the street and parking lots as reasons for the design.

DRB members also lamented how recent projects have been so focused on access from parking lots, instead of the street as the Urban Code emphasizes. They were also upset about how several projects now have come to them very late in the process, putting pressuring the DRB to approve.  I applaud them for sticking to their guns and not approving a project they have issues with.  That's their responsibility, which they take seriously.  Good for them.

I personally like the 3-story building (the DRB did too) design-wise and how it addresses the street.  I agree that the corner needs to be better.  The Wofford portion is certainly awkward.  And the VCOM clinic is hideous.

[Spartan]

Wow, I'm impressed. That's a much better design! I don't care for that weird modern stuff, but it looks like it will have a good, active street frontage.

More development projects like this will really transform Spartanburg into a walkable place over time.

[westsider28]

@Spartan This is a different project from the one earlier in the thread.  There are 2 planned projects at this corner (see map below).  Initial designs for both were rejected by the DRB and will have to be redesigned.

[westsider28]

Designs for the new TK Gregg Center were presented to the DRB for preliminary review (not for official approval yet) at their last meeting.  The building is planned to be 2 stories, with the basketball gym, indoor pool & community rooms on the 1st floor, and fitness rooms / equipment & walking track on the 2nd floor.  It would face Howard Street with a setback even with Woodward Funeral Home (for consistency).  Parking would be to the side where the PCA building is now (Aden St would be abandoned) and set back enough to accommodate a future building along Howard.  Presumably a field will be behind the center (funded by Panthers).  Looks pretty good to me.

[Spartan]

Not bad. I wish they would just pave the plaza all the way to the sidewalk and add some planter boxes instead though.

[westsider28]

The mixed-use project at Howard and College came back before the DRB on Thursday.  The architects were able to bring the building up to the corner and make the design a bit more cohesive.  The DRB members liked this design MUCH better and gave it conceptual approval.  The project will still need to come back later for final approval, but this allows the developers to move forward.

[westsider28]

Big DRB meeting last night.  The board gave final approval to the TK Gregg Center, Northside apartment building, and Northside mixed-use building.  The 2 buildings at Howard and College will really make that area much more urban.  It looks like they will be able to have parallel on-street parking, which is great.  Here are some renderings of the projects:

[Spartan]

Wow, I really like those two buildings at Howard & College!

[westsider28]

Nothing new, but here's a nice overview from WSPA of projects underway in the Northside, including some video footage of a few.

[roads-scholar]

Wow, WSPA is actually devoting some airtime to Spartanburg!  

[westsider28]

Quick update on some Northside projects.  Three more duplexes are going up on Brawley Street, which will complete the block with new housing.  The Franklin School is getting close to completion.  I believe it's supposed to open to students in January.

[westsider28]

Big things happening in the Northside.  Here's a good UBJ article that covers much of what's to come soon.

The Franklin School opens January 9.  Phase 1 of the Howard-College corner (20 apts, office space, Wofford space, VCOM clinic) will get underway soon, with completion in January 2020.  Phase 2 (90 mixed-income apts) will start 1Q 2019, with completion in 1Q 2020.  City Council just certified the Phase 2 site as a "Textile Mill Site" for tax credit purposes.

City Council also voted at their last meeting to (in partnership with NDG) purchase, clean up, and prepare for redevelopment the old Aden warehouse site.

And finally, City Council awarded the construction contract for the new TK Gregg Center to Harper Construction.  The center is supposed to go before the DRB again on Nov. 6, so I guess the design was tweaked some (hopefully not too much value engineering).  The groundbreaking is planned for November 30.