Greater Greenville Economic Developments

[Birdbrain]

You must have info.

Make sense. We heard the news that the project for the old Sam's Club was "automotive related", which Bosch Rexroth is, and that it would employee several hundred, which this will. Hmmm.

This would be good news for the strip mall beside the old Sams (Books-A-Million, etc.); they have a few shuttered spaces like the old Sports Authority. This influx of 100+ people could pump new life into it. More buisinesses, more employees, etc. Glad to see that the "dead area" left after Sams and Goody's pulled out is getting a new lease. AND THANK GOODNESS IT's NOT ANOTHER OBNOXIOUS CAR DEALER! (Sorry car dealers, but watch one of your own commercials and you'll finally understand.)

[vicupstate]

Rush Fitness is considering opening a second Greenville location in the Old ZF gym on Laurens Road, but it is not a done deal.

[gman430]

The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and the Greenville Area Development Corporation announced today that Bosch Rexroth Corp. will expand its hydraulic manufacturing facility in Upstate South Carolina. The $80 million investment is expected to generate 160 new jobs over the next five years.

[GvilleSC]

The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and the Greenville Area Development Corporation announced today that Bosch Rexroth Corp. will expand its hydraulic manufacturing facility in Upstate South Carolina. The $80 million investment is expected to generate 160 new jobs over the next five years.

That's a nice investment! Some of the other projects must be huge if we should reach 2,000 jobs..?

[vicupstate]

This may or may not be of significance:

Greenville, South Carolina: Earle Furman, SIOR, Jon A. Good, SIOR and Alexi Papapieris of NAI Earle Furman, LLC represented the owner of 1290 Ridge Road in selling the 63,600 SF industrial property. The property was purchased by Image Investments Inc. for $2,995,000.

[vicupstate]

From the Greenville News;

TD Bank plans a major economic development announcement Wednesday for its corporate campus along Interstate 85, where bank officials said earlier they planned to have a hub operation that could lead to more jobs.

TD spokeswoman Rebecca Acevedo confirmed to GreenvilleOnline.com that the bank will make an announcement Wednesday in Greenville, but she declined to release details. “It’s positive news,” Acevedo said.

Gov. Nikki Haley’s office said today she will join state and local officials in Greenville on Wednesday for an economic development announcement at 9:30 a.m. The Greenville Area Development Corp., the county’s economic development arm, said the announcement will be at an office complex on Carolina Point Parkway that TD acquired when it bought The South Financial Group last year.

South Financial was the parent company of Carolina First Bank.

After South Financial shareholders approved the company’s merger with Toronto-Dominion Bank last year, South Financial’s president and chief executive officer said the combined banking company would have a hub operation here and it could lead to more jobs.

The CEO, Lynn Harton, said the company hoped to take advantage of state incentives for job creation to hire additional people in support functions.

State lawmakers, in an effort to accommodate the campus, approved special legislation giving banks the same tax incentives afforded other businesses that create jobs or build headquarters in South Carolina.

TD officials said Carolina First, which is now TD Bank, has had an existing jobs-development credit with the state dating back to 2006. State officials on Nov. 3 reviewed that existing agreement, TD officials said. A bank spokeswoman said at the time TD was continuing “to evaluate its options with respect to the (corporate) campus, but as yet, has not make any final decisions.”

Tuesday, Greenville County Council will consider amending a property tax-break agreement with a company known only as Project Lotus. Records show the project will involve a minimum capital investment by the company of $85 million.

[GvilleSC]

This could be a great week for Greenville!

[jmmiller]

The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and the Greenville Area Development Corporation announced today that Bosch Rexroth Corp. will expand its hydraulic manufacturing facility in Upstate South Carolina. The $80 million investment is expected to generate 160 new jobs over the next five years.

To further expand on this...

GSA Business is reporting that the $80 million investment and 160 new jobs will be in addition to the $10 million dollar investment and 50 new jobs announced by Bosch last year. In sum, Bosch will be investing at least $90 million and will initially create 210 new jobs.

http://www.gsabusiness.com/news/41658-bosch-announces-largest-investment-in-fountain-inn

[gs3]

From the Greenville News;

TD Bank plans a major economic development announcement Wednesday for its corporate campus along Interstate 85, where bank officials said earlier they planned to have a hub operation that could lead to more jobs.

TD spokeswoman Rebecca Acevedo confirmed to GreenvilleOnline.com that the bank will make an announcement Wednesday in Greenville, but she declined to release details. “It’s positive news,” Acevedo said.

Gov. Nikki Haley’s office said today she will join state and local officials in Greenville on Wednesday for an economic development announcement at 9:30 a.m. The Greenville Area Development Corp., the county’s economic development arm, said the announcement will be at an office complex on Carolina Point Parkway that TD acquired when it bought The South Financial Group last year.

South Financial was the parent company of Carolina First Bank.

After South Financial shareholders approved the company’s merger with Toronto-Dominion Bank last year, South Financial’s president and chief executive officer said the combined banking company would have a hub operation here and it could lead to more jobs.

The CEO, Lynn Harton, said the company hoped to take advantage of state incentives for job creation to hire additional people in support functions.

State lawmakers, in an effort to accommodate the campus, approved special legislation giving banks the same tax incentives afforded other businesses that create jobs or build headquarters in South Carolina.

TD officials said Carolina First, which is now TD Bank, has had an existing jobs-development credit with the state dating back to 2006. State officials on Nov. 3 reviewed that existing agreement, TD officials said. A bank spokeswoman said at the time TD was continuing “to evaluate its options with respect to the (corporate) campus, but as yet, has not make any final decisions.”

Tuesday, Greenville County Council will consider amending a property tax-break agreement with a company known only as Project Lotus. Records show the project will involve a minimum capital investment by the company of $85 million.

So this is Project Lotus at 85 million. The entire campus only cost 100 million to build. I'd say this is going to be a high number of jobs and some realignment of TD's Northeast operations. This one is going to be good.

[gman430]

I'm hearing it wil be somewhere between 800-900 new jobs and a loan processing center from TD Bank. County document on Project Lotus: http://www.greenvill...%20Nov%2015.pdf

Edited November 14, 2011 by citylife

[gman430]

1,400 new jobs from TD Bank for Greenville. WOW. http://www.wyff4.com/news/29783594/detail.html

Edited November 16, 2011 by citylife

[vicupstate]

Great to see the number of jobs! We are at 1730 and counting for the 4 announcements, with one more (Phoenix) still left.

I assume the $85mm figure refers to the original campus construction plus the $17mm upfit.

Hopefully, this will boost ICAR to some degree as well.

[GvilleSC]

That's HUGE!

[gman430]

Credit to Skyliner for this information:

The Miniature World of Trains (aka "Transportation Museum of the World") is planning to open in the former Sam's Club on Laurens Road, adding 150 new jobs and expecting visitors from around the U.S.

Edited November 18, 2011 by citylife

[GvilleSC]

Credit to Skyliner for this information:

The Miniature World of Trains (aka "Transportation Museum of the World") is planning to open in the former Sam's Club on Laurens Road, adding 150 new jobs and expecting visitors from around the U.S.

Hmmm. Not sure I'm excited for this. The building is too cheap looking for an attraction like this. And, they've re-striped the parking lot, and there's ZERO new plantings. Does this place really need a Sams Club size parking lot? I love the idea of the museum, but there? Really? I gotta let this soak in for a bit.

[vicupstate]

This would have been a great addition to Heritage Green, considering the Children's Museum is already there. This is a rather odd location for somethng like this.

[gs3]

I agree with the above post about odd location on faces value, but then digging deeper, doesn't the back of the property join the future BRT line, and hopefully one day light rail line? It is a train museum. Maybe they see something long term about the location?

[gman430]

Hmmm. Not sure I'm excited for this. The building is too cheap looking for an attraction like this. And, they've re-striped the parking lot, and there's ZERO new plantings. Does this place really need a Sams Club size parking lot? I love the idea of the museum, but there? Really? I gotta let this soak in for a bit.

Ohh...I agree. I would have much rather seen this go somewhere downtown. Just seems like a weird location not to mention an ugly building for a museum. Was really hoping for a new retail establishment at the old Sam's Club instead.

Edited November 18, 2011 by citylife

[GvilleSC]

I agree with the above post about odd location on faces value, but then digging deeper, doesn't the back of the property join the future BRT line, and hopefully one day light rail line? It is a train museum. Maybe they see something long term about the location?

I know land downtown might be outrageously priced for something that could potentially be this large in area, but if it's truly a well put together venture, then I'm not sure why a public-private partnership wouldn't work with the City. Along the train tracks in the West End would be a cool location, especially between Main and Academy somewhere. Or, Stone Avenue?

On a potential positive note: maybe this idea of a museum just needs to prove itself viable, and then we might see a move to a better tourist location?

Right now: woof.

[goodbye]

I love it. A large transportation museum situated adjacent to an abandoned railway on the Motor Mile, near I-85. It will work well and has the local support.

[GvilleSC]

^^I can't help but read that and not also think that a museum dedicated to what is more or less the history of mass transportation, and being located on one of the best examples of the catastrophe of car-culture since WWII. Which is: the flight from downtown, the liquidity and temporary existence that is suburban style development that has left the corridor somewhat shuttered (minus this new influx of this tenant) and the promotion of a lifestyle that helped kill real life trains in most of the country. That's an extreme position, but it really is quite ironic, IMO.

[goodbye]

You can stay home and pout then, but you'll miss all the benefits of participation.

[GvilleSC]

You can stay home and pout then, but you'll miss all the benefits of participation.

I'm not saying that I'm not excited about the museum or won't support it. Plus, it seems to have a nice job component that I did not expect.

[gman430]

Yep...I think Reedy Square or Heritage Green would have been a fantastic location for this. I will still support them either way as I have always loved miniature trains. From the news release:

The 133,000 square foot building on the 11 acre site, is currently under rehab for the scheduled late 2012 opening of Phase I. The overall project cost is estimated at $25M with PHASE I costing an estimated $2.1M. TMOTW-MWOT will generate up to 150 jobs and could generate an additional economic impact of $2.5M per year in additional visitor revenue outside of TMOTW-MWOT.

TMOTW-MWOT will also include two restaurants/snack bars and a retail store. The highly educational and interactive indoor and outdoor museum of transportation will feature transport vehicles and prototype rolling stock in the outdoor museum - scheduled to open in 2015, railroad history and artifacts (signals, signs, keys, locks, photos, tools, towels, passes, timetables, lanterns, etc), media library, old toy train history and displays will be a large part of the facility. Several conference rooms, party rooms, model building viewing area, "central station", "main street" and corporate offices are also included in the facility.

Edited November 18, 2011 by citylife

[goodbye]

I don't think you guys understand the scope of this project. Sure, a downtown location would be ideal, but there it would be virtually impossible to accommodate such a large museum in downtown without driving the investment cost dramatically upward. Parking and accessibility would be major issues as well, depending on where it would be located. Yes, it would bring more people into Downtown and add to the mix of attractions.