westsider28

Yeah, I know. I just hope the timeline is such that the block doesn't sit empty for years while they build closer to the stadium or something.

Saw a notice in the paper that The Zeplin, LLC applied for a license/permit for sale and ON premises consumption of beer, wine, & liquor at 187 N. Church St., Ste. A (former Sidewall Pizza space, I'm pretty sure). The LLC is registered to Joe Clarke, a chef who formerly owned American Grocery and currently runs Vault & Vator in Greenville. Seems like this could be an exciting new restaurant offering.

277 West Main assemblage (~13 acres) is for sale for $8.5M, so I guess Blackstock Development's plans for apartments there fell through. Hopefully it attracts a developer with similarly ambitious plans (or better).

Dude, I'm talking 7 lanes to 5 on Asheville Hwy, so you could still pass. But also, slowing traffic is absolutely one of the (positive) reasons for road diets. More often than your scenario is keeping people from doing 50 in a 35. Not to mention the safety and mobility improvements for those NOT driving a car.

In a special meeting today, County Council voted on an application for a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Implementation Grant (part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law). Spartanburg County grant submittal will be for $20M. With a required 20% ($4M) local match, the total would be $24M. These funds will be utilized for transportation related safety improvements along Asheville Hwy. between Hearon Circle and Hwy. 221 and N. Pine Street between Hwy. 221 and E. Main St. Hopefully Asheville Hwy is a road diet that includes heavily upgraded bike/pedestrian facilities. Pine Street could use some sidewalk improvements (or additions) too. And maybe extend the third northbound lane to Hwy 221 (rather than ending awkwardly at McCravy Drive).

Post & Courier confirms that the Herald-Journal building will be demolished "in the near future," though demolition permits have not yet been issued by the City. I'm not looking forward to having a completely empty block in the heart of downtown in the near future, so hopefully redevelopment moves quickly here.

I guess the deck got prelim approval, because they're asking for final approval at the May 7 DRB meeting.

The Oakland Ave townhomes are trying again for final approval at the May 7 DRB meeting.

Oddly, this project is on the agenda for the May 7 DRB meeting. I guess they made some minor design tweaks? Construction is well underway and seems to be moving pretty quickly.

I actually wondered about that. The downtown BoA land is owned by Johnson Development. I remember they did some soil drilling a year or two ago. Edit: Just found the real-estate listing. Looks like they're keeping the building and trying to lease the space. 11k-19k SF, office or retail, available Nov. I'd love to see a restaurant here, for now (and a full redevelopment of the site in the future).

There's an item in today's County Council agenda which would certify several parcels near the Drayton-Skylyn intersection as "abandoned textile mill sites" to allow for tax credits to build townhomes on the parcels. "Drayton Townhomes LCC" is the developer (which is registered to John Montgomery). Interesting, as he still hasn't started Phase 2 of Northside Townhomes. It would be ideal to annex these parcels into the City, but I'm sure that won't happen (sigh). Also, the original Drayton master plan envisioned commercial/mixed-use at this major corner, so this is a bit of a disappointment from that angle. I hope the townhomes will at least face the street...

Team name will be unveiled at a block party on DMA near the stadium site on May 11. Entrance will be free to the event with live music and food trucks. After the name is revealed, fans can buy merchandise and enjoy fireworks. https://www.postandcourier.com/spartanburg/news/spartanburg-baseball-stadium-tickets-prices-name/article_5bac6208-f769-11ee-b91d-9785326d8d11.html

Here's the new site plan for the now "Oslo townhomes". Looks like 20 units (down from 22). Also looks like a worse site plan, with no units facing Oakwood (which is kind of the primary street). Still good density, but it's disheartening to see all these developments being "close but not quite there". If I had to guess the reason for the change, I'd say fire truck access, which is a friction point amongst urbanists all over the US. (basically our fire trucks are too big and it hampers good urbanism) Maybe some grade issues too, IDK.

Site clearance underway. Drive-by photo:

Big City Council meeting tomorrow for many of the technical/financial mechanisms of the stadium. They're voting on an ordinance to put certain properties in a Joint County Industrial Park, an ordinance for an intergovernmental agreement on funding, an ordinance on a sub-lease agreement with DBH Kinston LLC, and an ordinance authorizing the issuance of Spartanburg Stadium Facilities Corporation Installment Purchase Revenue Bonds (City Of Spartanburg Project), Taxable Series 2024, in the aggregate principal amount of not exceeding $67,500,000. Sublease highlights: 20-year initial term, with two optional 5-year extensions; $500k annual rent (increasing with inflation every 5 years); $1 per ticket facility fee (1% increase each year) going into the Capital Maintenance Fund; Team Owner may limit access to the Public Spaces up to three (3) hours before and after any Stadium Event; Team Owner shall license the use of the Leased Premises to the City for no fewer than ten (10) City-sponsored civic-oriented, community not-for-profit or educational events (the “City Events”) per Lease Year; Team Owner is entitled to 100% of concession revenue; Team Owner pays for routine maintenance, utilities, and public safety; the City will provide 30 free parking spaces for team employees; they'll develop a multi-modal transportation plan and wayfinding; the Capital Maintenance Fund will maintain a minimum balance of $500k; Team Owner is entitled to 100% of sponsorship revenue; the team shall provide free digital signage to the City for up to three (3) community-oriented messages during events. Ground lease to Johnson Development is $1 per year until 2059. (I didn't read everything. These are dense documents, ~400 pages total.)