Wow, interesting discussion. Usually I just sit back and read what everyone else has to say..but I've got to jump in here. I've followed the evolution of these projects pretty closely and I think there are a few salient points that are being missed when pondering the planning and location of these developments:
First - don't foget about Mr. Hollingsworth. It was all his land. We're not talking about a couple of acres of anonomous undeveloped land that somone's going to "plop" a couple of office buildlings on. We're talking about SC's wealthiest land owner (and probably biggest philanthropist) and his specific wishes to build a 'technology park' that would lend identity to Greenville.
Second - we're not talking about a bunch of brick, mult-tenant office buildings. We're talking about large single-tenant users and a pretty unique architectural neighbhorhood. If the Hubbell building and ICAR graduate school are good indicators of the kinds of buildings we can expect to see, people will be coming to Greenville just to see the architecture. I don't think there are a lot of cities that can boast that.
Finally - I think that we're lucky that our city's identity along I-85 is being carefully created and master-planned. the developers of ICAR, Millennium Campus and Verdae aren't just throwing up buildings to sell interstate frontage, to me there really seems to be vision and inspiriation behind these projects.
I love downtown Greenville, but I think that these developments are just what Greenville needs and right where it needs them.
B)
