New office space for Spartanburg

[Spartan]

I realize that in the over all scope of things, this development is nothing major, but for Spartanburg its significant. This development is on a block that isn't too attractive as it is. It also is one of the larger developments east of Morgan Square since the Flagstar/Advantica/Denny's Tower was constructed. One thing you can be assured of is that this building will be quality. Johnson Development does some excellent buildings. This one will be very similar to ESA HQ for those who are famililar.

This article was edited down by me to be more relevent to our discussions.

East Main makes way

By Gary Henderson | Staff Writer | Spartanburg Herald-Journal

By April, steel beams will reach skyward from the construction of a $7 million multi-story office building in downtown Spartanburg.

Johnson Development officials say they will construct a [4-story,] 55,000-square-foot building on East Main between Alabama and Hall streets.

Construction, scheduled to begin in early spring, is expected to take about nine months to complete.

Foster Chapman, the development company's president and chief executive, said demolition of all the buildings on the north side of the 300 block of East Main Street, plus the first four houses and a small office building on the west side of Hall, could begin by mid-February.

"If Spartanburg is going to move forward, we have to have first-class office space," Chapman said.

Seven businesses and the residents of the houses will relocate to clear the way for the construction.

Chapman said a bank would occupy the first floor of the building, with rental offices on the top three levels. He would not name the bank.

Ground-level and underground parking facilities will be constructed at the rear of the building. Space will be left open on the east side of the property for the construction of a second building.

Early design plans show the new building surrounded by green space, trees and walkways.

The new building would be smaller but similar in design to the Extended Stay America headquarters that Johnson Development constructed on Morgan Square, Chapman said. The ESA building is 125,000 square feet and cost more than $10 million.

[hub-city]

Read that article this morning. Sounds great. This could extend the central business district on down Main St. and encourage even more growth.

There seems to be some discussion about limiting new building heights in downtown Spartanburg, even to the point of six stories of less. This was brought up when the propossed condos at Renaissance Park were going to be 9 stories. The Arts Partnership felt that the building would overshadow the new cultural arts facility. The condo project has since failed due to the lack of required tenants, but the discussion continues. Any thoughts pro or con?

[vicupstate]

Nice building. Downtown Spartanburg is really coming along. I go there about every 4-6 months and each time, I see a big difference. They ought to name a street after that Johnson guy.

I do hope they aren't just concentrating on offices downtown though. I know they have the hotel, which is good. Did that condo project get off the ground? The units seemed pretty pricey to me.

And is there any discussion on doing something with that winding traffic pattern in Main Street? That is a weird thing they have there.

[Spartan]

Read that article this morning.  Sounds great.  This could extend the central business district on down Main St. and encourage even more growth.

There seems to be some discussion about limiting new building heights in downtown Spartanburg, even to the point of six stories of less.  This was brought up when the propossed condos at Renaissance Park were going to be 9 stories.  The Arts Partnership felt that the building would overshadow the new cultural arts facility.  The condo project has since failed due to the lack of required tenants, but the discussion continues.  Any thoughts pro or con?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where did you hear that? I haven't heard anything about this, but that doesn't mean anything. I don't like height restrictions at all. Its safe to say that Spartanburg won't be getting any 30 story bulidings anytime soon. And who cares if some condos get overshadowed?

The condos weren't in a good spot IMO. They probably failed becuase nobody was sure what would come of that area (nobody wants to look at dirt forever). A condo project would be more successful in a more established area of downtown. Maybe along Main St. around either 1st Pres of 1st Baptist, or the immediate vicinity. Commerce and Trade streets would be a good locations. (Remove the old warehouses and that mess near Papa Sam's and the Dunbar St garage)

Nice building.  Downtown Spartanburg is really coming along.  I go there about every 4-6 months and each time, I see a big difference.  They ought to name a street after that Johnson guy. 

I do hope they aren't just concentrating on offices downtown though.  I know they have the hotel, which is good.  Did that condo project get off the ground?  The units seemed pretty pricey to me.

And is there any discussion on doing something with that winding traffic pattern in Main Street?  That is a weird thing they have there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The condos were a great idea, and I think they would be successful. Like I said before, they were in a bad location. They are also trying to make them exist like a suburban apartmnent complex. If they built it up to the road so it had good access to Morgan Square it would prbably be more successful..

Part of the problem is that Arthur Cleveland has great ideas, but doesn't seem to be good at getting them done. Nobody was really sure that the Marriot would ever get built (it took what- 10 years?). I think it was originally planned about the same time as the Denny's Tower was.

Yes. After they complete work on Morgan Square they are going to straighten Main St so that it can be used as a thoroughfare. Part of the concept is to remove Broad St as a Main St bypass. The idea will be to create a Greenville-like atmosphere. I think Spartanburg's main advantage is that Main St is not the central area, it is more of an arm of Morgan Square.

[waccamatt]

By April, steel beams will reach skyward

Nice building and nice addition for Spartanburg, but the author of the article took a little poetic license with the first sentence!

[Spartan]

LOL, yeah But hey, its practically a high rise for my city. Its not every day we have something like this going on. I'm really excited that its George Dean Johnson that is doing this. He has incredible clout and a number of successful prjoects that have been completed, so we can be confident that it wont get put on hold like Cleveland's projects.

[hub-city]

I also hope that when the Morgan Square project is finished they address Main Street. Right now the S pattern is a pain. The city tried to address 2-way traffic, parking, pedestrian traffic, trees and landscaping with that design and it really never made sense for any of them. We have a beautiful parking garage right in the center of Main Street, but while people will walk 200 yds. to get in a Wal-Mart, they feel that they have to park two spaces from their downtown shop. Main Street is also difficult to walk with friends because they keep varying the sizes of the sidewalks. The design was a good effort years ago-just not a good result.

As far as the building heights. When the president of the Arts Commision addressed city council about the height of the condos, it was brought up that they should develop an architectural review board for the Renaissance Park project. That led to broader discussions on heights, facades etc... for the entire city That is when it was suggested that building height limitations be developed. Don't think anything happened with the idea.

[Spartan]

I also hope that when the Morgan Square project is finished they address Main Street.  Right now the S pattern is a pain.  The city tried to address 2-way traffic, parking, pedestrian traffic, trees and landscaping with that design and it really never made sense for any of them.  We have a beautiful parking garage right in the center of Main Street, but while people will walk 200 yds. to get in a Wal-Mart, they feel that they have to park two spaces from their downtown shop.  Main Street is also difficult to walk with friends because they keep varying the sizes of the sidewalks.  The design was a good effort years ago-just not a good result.

As far as the building heights.  When the president of the Arts Commision addressed city council about the height of the condos, it was brought up that they should develop an architectural review board for the Renaissance Park project.  That led to broader discussions on heights, facades etc... for the entire city That is when it was suggested that building height limitations be developed.  Don't think anything happened with the idea.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Interesting.

The main problem I forsee with the Morgan Square/Main St. area is Church St. Church St is a major psychological barrier. Pediestrian islands need to be created or some other way for pedestrians to get accross that street safely. Those crosswalk signals with timers are useful.

I have often wondered about why it is that people will walk from the end of the lot at Walmart (which i would argue is more dangerous than trying to cross an interstate on foot), but they won't park in our parking garages that are less than 1 block away. The garages are well placed (with the exception of the Kennedy St garage).

Of course, they are addressing the parking issue. The city wants to change Broad St to add parallel parking and lower the lane. This would help when Broad St isn't a thoroughfare after Morgan Square is finished. It can also help since Morgan Square will loose some parking in this process.