Greater Spartanburg Projects & Developments

[Spartan]

^I'm not familiar with that Starbucks.

Blackstock is definitely becoming our Woodruff Rd, unfortunately. I am impressed at developer's ability to cram crappy strip shopping centers on to that road.

[roads-scholar]

It's official, Johnson Development has purchased the Salvation Army building on West Main Street. According to this morning's H-J, there is nothing is planned for the site at this time.

[Spartan]

Oh but you know there will be

I hope it will be a mixed retail/office combo. I don't think anyone will want to live right next to an active rail line.

[spartanburgh]

Really Great news!!! I think this would be an excellent office/retail/residential mix opportunity. Even if its a grassy park it will be a great improvement. I remember that QS1 was dissapointed that they didn't build two more floors on their building to meet their future needs. It would be great if QS1 would build a matching building on the corner of Daniel Morgan and St. John, Johnson Development would build a nice mixed use midrise on the salvation site and a parking garage in the middle near the tracks could serve both.

[travey]

Really Great news!!! I think this would be an excellent office/retail/residential mix opportunity. Even if its a grassy park it will be a great improvement. I remember that QS1 was dissapointed that they didn't build two more floors on their building to meet their future needs. It would be great if QS1 would build a matching building on the corner of Daniel Morgan and St. John, Johnson Development would build a nice mixed use midrise on the salvation site and a parking garage in the middle near the tracks could serve both.

Instead of a parking garage..... why not save some space and put parking under the buildings...... If they put it near the "tracks" what will happen to those few buildings that are left and somwhat historical? Should they just meet the fate of the bulldozer like most others? What gives a city charm is a mix of old and new..... do we really need another matching Green glass QSI tower? It looks too much like Spartanburg Regional Medical .......

[Spartan]

Interesting viewpoints. I think that given the approach into town on St John, the QS/1 creates a very well defined gateway into the heart of Spartanburg. What I think is that we should have another complimentary building on the Courthouse parking lot. It does not need to look like QS/1 but it can be similar in style and perhaps a bit taller. A parking deack can be built behind it near the jail or rear of the Courthouse while leaving plenty of room for a nice building there.

If we had a tall building infront of QS/1 adjacent to the tracks (in that city parking lot), it would obstruct the view of the rest of downtown from the St John St approach.

[travey]

Interesting viewpoints. I think that given the approach into town on St John, the QS/1 creates a very well defined gateway into the heart of Spartanburg. What I think is that we should have another complimentary building on the Courthouse parking lot. It does not need to look like QS/1 but it can be similar in style and perhaps a bit taller. A parking deack can be built behind it near the jail or rear of the Courthouse while leaving plenty of room for a nice building there.

If we had a tall building infront of QS/1 adjacent to the tracks (in that city parking lot), it would obstruct the view of the rest of downtown from the St John St approach.

I still say no to parking decks.... put them underground!!! Parking decks are ugly and take up valuable space.

BTW, once I saw some pics on this forum of the undeveloped side of Ezell Street (the track side)... could you tell me where I might find those? Any updates on the Master Plan? Is it still being reviewed?

[Spartan]

Oh I agree. I've ranted about that many times. But if they can either be hidden (like QS/1) or made to made street retail, then I can live with them. They are an unfortunate necessity. The goal should be to make them as camouflaged as possible.

I will find those pics of Ezell Street for you. If you're going to use them for something other than personal use, please give credit to UrbanPlanet.

[spartanburgh]

I normally don't like the parking decks either, but it would serve as a nice buffer if done properly. One huge draw back to this area is the noise from the train whistle and the vibration if your too close. I remember when the QS1/City parking lot was done, the spring head for the stream (nasty branch) is down there and it took a lot to pipe it away. I don't know if this would be a huge problem or not. I also know that QS1 just bought the last old building on Ezell St. next to the tracks (244 Ezell St.), which would likely come down next year. BTW we need another name for Nasty Branch, maybe something that ties it to the settleing of Spartanburg, as this is the same spring that starts under the buildings behind Justins, Where it all started. Maybe something like Founder's Sring or Settlement Spring etc.

[Spartan]

Nasty Branch (or Nasty Creek) is over on Union Street around where Morris Oil is and goes through the South Converse neighborhood and sort of parallels Barkdale for a while and ends up in Fairforest Creek somewhere around the CSX line at S. Church St. I'm not sure if it carries a high enough flow to be considered anything more than a drainage ditch/tributary. This might sound crazy, but that name is so unique/weird that I think it should stay

From what I understand there are two springs downtown. One of them is located near the square near Spring Street (hence the name of the street). I've heard its under Justin's or somewhere in that vicinity. Supposedly it is piped below QS/1 and it empties into Greenville Branch underneath Wakefield Buick. Supposedly there were some hold ups in the construction of QS/1 because of that underground stream (thats just hearsay though). I have never known this spring or its stream to have a name since its all under ground.

The other spring is supposedly off of Kennedy Street between Spring Street and Church Street in that ravine (sort of across the street from Carolina Alliance Bank). It also flows down to Greenville Branch. I don't know that this one has a name either.

The Greenville Branch, IMO is a higher priority as far as renaming goes and the reasons are pretty obvious. That area west of the railroad tracks from downtown where the Greenville Branch flows though is one that needs a lot of improvement. I suggested that it be damed to create a pond in the ravine just off of West Main in this thread. That whole stretch of land could become a really awesome park if you could just move Wakefield Buick. Greenville Branch actually starts somewhere around Spartan Mills and is piped underneath the railroad tracks, St John, Wakefield, and West Main.

[Spartan]

BTW, once I saw some pics on this forum of the undeveloped side of Ezell Street (the track side)... could you tell me where I might find those? Any updates on the Master Plan? Is it still being reviewed?

Here are those picture of lower Ezell Street

And as far as the Urban Code and Master plan.... as far as I know its still being reviewed. You can see the latest information as it is available to UrbanPlanet in this thread.

[travey]

this thread.

tHANKS FOR finding those pics for me....... So I was correct with my insider tip about Johnson Development buying the S. Army and them going to the Old winn Dixie.

How will the homeless people needing a coat ever make it over to the West side?

[clemsonfn]

Woohoo!!!!!!

Monkey Joe's coming to the westside, and locating next to Barnes and Noble!!! This is great news for my family (I have a 1 year old and a 3 year old). We commute to the one in Greenville about twice a month. Now, it's just a quick jump from our house in Woodland Heights!

Target opening date is March 1st.

http://goupstate.com/article/20071204/NEWS...004/1026/NEWS07

[Spartan]

Thats good. We need more family places like that in Spartanburg.

[erm1981]

Just thought I would let you guys know that we did some work near the old QSI building here recently. Its on that street behind sonny's brick oven pizza place. We built some piers and laid some of the granite that had been up under the street inside the piers. That granite is really old but looks nice. We scratch jointed it. It turned out nice and should make the street look a lot better when the whole project is done.

[Hemlock86]

Interesting viewpoints. I think that given the approach into town on St John, the QS/1 creates a very well defined gateway into the heart of Spartanburg. What I think is that we should have another complimentary building on the Courthouse parking lot. It does not need to look like QS/1 but it can be similar in style and perhaps a bit taller. A parking deack can be built behind it near the jail or rear of the Courthouse while leaving plenty of room for a nice building there.

If we had a tall building infront of QS/1 adjacent to the tracks (in that city parking lot), it would obstruct the view of the rest of downtown from the St John St approach.

A point of clarification Spartan. The city parking lot you refer to adjacent to the RR tracks is actually owned by QS/1. The county used to own it, but when QS/1 & the County Sheriff's office (out own Howard Street where QS/1 was located) traded properties, the parking lot changed hands too. There was a two year least for county use as parking for Jury duty which has since expired. That lot is now owned and used as private parking for QS/1. QS/1 / J M Smith Corp also owns the old run downbuildings beside the parking lot as well as most of the buildings behind their headquarters where Sonny's Pizza is located. Folks reporting for jury duty are supposed to use the parking area at the Magnolia St train Depot, which is actually closer to the court house entrance, one block. So now you know the rest of the story.

I agree a nice building in the parking area behind the courthouse would be a good idea. Also a multistory structure on the opposite corner would be an improvement and help enhance that entrance to Downtown.

[Spartan]

Interesting. That doesn't make sense though, because that public lot across from QS/1 is closer to the courthouse than Magnolia St Station. why would jurors be asked to park over there and not in the county lot behind the courthouse (which is NEVER full) And who is charging for parking on the QS/1 lot then, now that its a metered, if its not a city lot?

[Hemlock86]

Interesting. That doesn't make sense though, because that public lot across from QS/1 is closer to the courthouse than Magnolia St Station. why would jurors be asked to park over there and not in the county lot behind the courthouse (which is NEVER full) And who is charging for parking on the QS/1 lot then, now that its a metered, if its not a city lot?

The lift gate operates by a swipe card issued to employees of QS/1 and keeps the public out. It is owned by QS/1 I assue you. As to why jurors would be asked to park @ Magnolia St Station when the county lot is empty. " Ask not what you county asks of you, Just do what they say is good for the county" :-) It does not make since. Remember, this comes from the same people who brought you no zoning or very little if any planning in the county. There is no logic to it.

[hub-city]

Are we talkin about the parking lot on the corner of St. John and Daniel Morgan across from Sonny's or the parking lot on the upper side on Ezell and Spring Street? The second one is carded, but I parked at the one across from Sonny's the other week and it was free. when did they start using the gate?

[Spartan]

Are we talkin about the parking lot on the corner of St. John and Daniel Morgan across from Sonny's or the parking lot on the upper side on Ezell and Spring Street? The second one is carded, but I parked at the one across from Sonny's the other week and it was free. when did they start using the gate?

The one across from Sonny's... its only carded during the day. At night its free.

[hub-city]

This was at lunch, but maybe I just caught it before they decided to start restricing access. The other lot that is a block up St. John has always been QS1's.

[Spartan]

Hmm... well, that makes me wonder why they changed the entrance around to add the gate.

[hub-city]

Let's chalk that up tp to my lack of observation that day. I drove down Daniel Morgan today to check out the work on Ezell Street, and looked over to the parking lot and noticed that there are around 10-12 "2 hour parking" spaces in the lot before you get to the gate.

[Spartan]

The owner of Beaumont Mill, Jimmy Gibbs, is apparently "talking" to two or three different people who are interested in the mill site. It seems the the rumors of a buyer from LA that we heard about never panned out. But its probably for the best. The article also talks about how Mr Gibbs wants a plan that does not include another strip mall type of development. He wants something unique for Spartanburg, and more importantly, he's willing to wait to find the right buyer and the right plan.

I'm hoping for a nice mixed use village that works to reconnect Liberty Street to Beaumont and integrate itself into the village.

Article

[hub-city]

InterContinental Hotels will open a new 96 room Holiday Inn Express on Hwy 221 in Spartanburg at the intersection of I-85. With all the energy that has been happinging on the corridor between Greenville and Spartanburg, it is good to see some things going on on the Spartanburg/Cherokee County side. Hopefully, this will help the Upstate Corporate Park that's not far away.

ARTICLE in the HJ.

Edited January 4, 2008 by hub-city