csedwards72

Eastland won't necessarily die even if nothing much is done to it in the near future. There are two non-class A shopping centers on North Tryon Street: Tryon Mall and Northpark Mall. Both, but especially the latter, seem to do a decent business, even though both lost their anchors years ago and don't seem to have been updated much since the 1970s or 1980s. Q: Why hasn't Glimcher done much for Eastland? A: There are other properties in its portfolio that offer a more promising rate of return on any investments. Would you invest your hard-earned money in that mall if you were an investor?

Is there a link available to the Greenville Journal article? Greenville Mall was my favorite mall before it died and I'd like to see it back in business, although I figured its only hope was a total demolition and redevelopment. Thanks.

I'm not familiar with Columbia or Charleston and thus can't comment on their local issues. I just am constantly hearing "growth for growth's sake is a good thing" around Greenville and just think that continuing rapid population growth (and accompanying sprawl) isn't necessarily a good thing. There are plenty of cities in the US with low population growth that have other good qualities, such as high and increasing income levels, that lead to high quality of life. Having lived in Atlanta, NYC and elsewhere, I just think that people in GSA should realize that smaller cities have a lot of benefits and that not every city should be trying to chase a larger population.

But not having a soaring population doesn't necessarily mean that a place is stagnant. There are plenty of cities and countries whose population isn't growing much or isn't growing significantly that aren't economically or culturally stagnant. If you take Greenville's population growth and development patterns, eventually the city will be another mess of congestion and sprawl. Where will it all stop- when the GSA area has 1.5 million people and extends from the NC border all the way to the GA border? That's where it's headed.

I don't mean to rain on the parade, but why is growth per se necessarily a good thing? More people doesn't necessarily make Greenville a better place. Smaller cities have benefits as well. If people want a larger city, they can move to Atlanta.