goodbye

Great things are happening in downtown Spartanburg! I still can't get over how much itr has changed in the past several years.

That's true, Spartan. I thought the mill looked kind of odd, because it sat out in a "field" all alone.

Last time I heard, the proposed museum was removed from that site. I can't confirm that it is totally out of the question for Spartanburg though.

Hey, I don't have much time, but check out the March issue of Greenville Magazine. It has a couple really nice articles about downtown and the West End.

Has anyone seen a rendering of the new office tower?

Welcome aboard, johnnyg! I look forward to more Upstate posts. Thanks for the scoop. I think the sooner they begin construction on the Camperdown condos the better, since delays almost always seem to prove negative in the end. Brad, thanks for posting that info on the Kimbrells site! I was unable to read the newspaper today, but this news sounds pretty good. Obviously, we all must approve of the potential development of another office tower (especially one of that size ). An entryway onto Main is not a bad idea, but something along the line of the atrium at Wachovia Place would be more desireable, IMO. I think you could include the entrance to the underground cinema within such an atrium, since the weather won't always be desireable. vicupstate, I totally agree with you. That drive-thru-only bank on the same block is a total waste of space. The only problem is that it is owned by a bank. Have fun trying to buy it from them.

I was looking through some of my old copies of GSABusiness Journal and found this article about the posibilities of a great Reedy River master plan. Remember how close this was to becoming a reality! Below is just a clip from the full article. In September of 2000, DAGG was presented with a 102-acre plan produced by Southern Infrastructure calling for $115 million in new development. The proposal included a new Triple A baseball stadium, a new 35-acre world-class regional zoo, the creation of a Central Park area and the installation of exclusive retail components. But only weeks later, DAGG was disbanded by Mayor Knox White, citing an unclear bidding process. What followed were several lawsuits that ended in the city's favor.

Hey motonenterprises, I meant to ask what this building looked like, assuming it was a sketch or rendering of some sort? If it is the one I'm thinking of, I believe it was included in a rendering created by that formerly hired master-planner in Boston (Sasaki & Associates?). Anything you can tell would be greatly appreciated!

Correct, this will be an additional option for movie-goers or artists. The flicks shown in such a theatre are sometimes far from the ordinary, but can be an absolute treat for the artistic-minded (like myself).

An Indie theatre is possibly coming to downtown. The developers who are negotiating for a downtown property say they want "300 seats spread over three screens, with a cafe that serves meals, beer and wine, and concessions." This will definitely be a welcome addition to the Fine Arts market in town. The Upstate Film Society will be a major player in the future of this theatre. Read more in this week's Greenville Journal (free all over the Upstate).

That's kinda cheesy the way they used photos of other places instead of drawing what will actually be built and how it will look. JMO, for what it's worth.

I'm surprised nobody has already mentioned anything about the article on the front page of the latest issue of GSABusiness Journal. It's all about the Morgan Square uplift. I haven't been able to read all of the article yet, but I'm sure it is quite nice.

I'll tell you what areas I've heard are big targets for annexation by the city; Woodruff Road and the unincorporated area between I-85/I-385 and Mauldin, plus the Cherrydale area including the Parker FD. Just what I've heard recently...

Has anyone heard of the latest annexation attempts by the city? I had heard about a couple large ones possibly coming up soon, but I don't have any hard evidence of that.

I have heard nothing yet. The lawsuit over the property and Kimbrells building should be taken care of before too long, because this is definitely a necessity in downtown. I was just thinking about the SEC women's basketball teams and fans who've traveled here for the tournament; is there enough for them to do after-hours in downtown in the Winter? Then I thought, man, if only they could visit here in the Spring or Summer, 'cause there's all kinds of activity going on throughout the city then. I know there are all kinds of things to do this time of year, but do first-time visitors know about them too? Wouldn't a movie theatre on Main Street be awesome for those people who want to catch the latest flick without having to fight the Woodruff Road or Pleasantburg Drive traffic? Just a thought!

There was talk awhile back about the X7, which is supposed to be a larger, more "beefy" version of the X5. They said something about adding a third seat as well. This isn't what I recall seeing though, because the model in the photos looked more like a cross between the X5 and X3 with a rather sporty twist. I just can't remember...

I can't remember, is it the X7? I had seen a couple of really neat photos of the one they're planning to produce here, but I can't remember the actual name for it.

It is a bit disappointing, but when you look at the layout of the property, it doesn't seem there is too much that could be done because of the great need for parking. That being said, I agree with you. I believe in making the MOST of every opportunity.

On World Market, I found this little clip they posted at monster.com... Who we are Cost Plus World Market is a spirited, eclectic and wildly different retailer that turns shopping into an adventure by continually filling aisle after aisle with great finds at great prices from around the world. Our buyers travel the world visiting remote villages, centuries-old factories and foreign bazaars searching for unique products to offer our customers. Baskets from Bali, chocolates from Belgium, pottery from Portugal, and wine from around the world. These are just a few of the uncommon treasures our customers will discover on their adventure through our store. Website Link

Here is the Cold Stone Creamery website for your pleasure. Website Link

Coldstone Creamery is the nation's #1 ice cream maker. This should be a very nice addition to the upstate.

The Millenium Campus is just a supplemental development used to attract other businesses that may not necessarily be connected with ICAR or even auto research and development. The Hubble HQ site is located somewhere in the blue area at the top of the map. The previous reports had said that it would be next to I-85, but I haven't seen any construction in that area from the interstate yet. I did notice that there may be some clearing going on where Hubble might be building its new HQ, but I'm not positive that is the definite location (its easy to get turned around sometimes ).

There was a very nice article in today's Greenville News about the anticipation of great things to come in the West End. Here's a small clip to whet your appetite... "...The West End will take on a new look over the next few years, business owners and Realtors say, giving residents all over Greenville County not only a baseball team but a host of new entertainment options..." I'm so excited at what I am already seeingdown there. Come Spring it will inevitably be bustling with curious pedestrians. Read all of the article here!