westsider28

Finally, another set of townhomes at Village at Creekside are underway. Also the first SFH at the corner of Brawley and Manning.

No pics, but concrete pads for one of the Boxcar apartment buildings and the renovated warehouse have been partially poured. Roof starting to go up on the warehouse building as well.

Here's the final proposal for the parking deck. Staff recommends approval, pending better screening of the small surface lot from the public street (and wheel stops for the spaces by the sidewalk). https://spartanburgsc.portal.civicclerk.com/event/141/files/agenda/319 The corner tower has changed slightly, and the "retail space" is specifically called out as "team store" now. There's also a new site plan showing a future "public plaza" around the Pollard and Groce Street intersection within the development.

Here's some new renderings of the townhome project on Oakland Ave. I guess the design is less "busy" now, which is what the DRB wanted. Roof decks are a bit different. Again, seems fine to me. No need to nitpick this to death. Staff recommends approval. https://spartanburgsc.portal.civicclerk.com/event/141/files/agenda/319

Looks like they resolved the blank wall condition on Broad Street by adding some small windows. Staff says it meets minimum requirements, but could be better. Staff defers to the Board as to whether the resulting wall detail is satisfactory.

I'm nervous about this. Hope it's a visionary buyer with plans for something mixed-use / urban, but worried it'll be more like industrial / distribution / car dealer. Fingers crossed for mixed-use...

Another wrinkle here. I was downtown and saw that there were Roadstead Real Estate signs up on the buildings. That could mean one of two things: either they're marketing the future retail spaces, or they're selling the buildings and abandoning the renovation project. The listing isn't on their website yet, so I don't know which it is. Edit: 111 Main is listed on Apartments.com, and it says "updated two weeks ago," so possibly a positive sign?

This site is already under-contract. Will be interesting to see if the buyers go with the suggested development or something else (assuming the sale closes).

I totally forgot about the webcam, but it's still operating. The Magnolia Street portion of the old courthouse is completely gone. They're working on the Library Street portion now.

This UBJ article has an update on Aden Bonded. It says the project was delayed a year, but still retains its tenants. Marketing firm The Cargo Agency is new to me. Says mid-summer 2025 completion. I haven't been over there lately, but it seems like they'd have to start soon to hit that opening target.

This UBJ article has an update that says: "[...] the design should alter in favor of the retail aspect of the project. The number of apartments will be reduced, and it will no longer include parking. The retail space will total about 9,000 square feet while the residential component will include 28 condominium units." But also, "a completion date was not given." Despite them saying that those are "changes," I think those numbers are the same as they've always been. No parking is new, if true. Some other project details in the article are a bit suspect, so IDK.

According to this P&C article, City Hall demolition should begin Friday or Monday and take 4-5 weeks to complete. Still waiting on design to be completed on the new City/County building... "We are still working with the county on finalizing details on the design and should have something by this summer," city spokesman Christopher George said. "There are a lot of meetings going on right now, and we would like to get it started later this year." Seems like it's taking longer than expected. We had an initial courthouse rendering 2 years in advance of construction. The article does confirm the City/County building will face Church Street.

I mean, the tax literally just went into effect today. But this WSPA story says they're essentially taking an "advance" to get started on DMA behind the courthouse and Hwy 290 in Duncan this summer. The County has also done a good job adding more resources for the public online, particularly this Project Letting Schedule site. Also the main "Penny 2" site with links the map of projects, etc.

Old courthouse is really coming down now.

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...