Downtown Greensboro Developments

[cityboi]

7 hours ago, HRVT said:

To make any arena worth it IMO, the capacity needs to be on the higher end (closer to 5k seats). At that capacity, we might have a shot at getting an ECHL franchise in Greensboro as well. As it stands, Greensboro has one of the very smallest "arenas" in G League. Only the Lakers G League team venue in El Segundo is smaller while Wilmington is the same size.

The NBA G league is pretty solid in Greensboro. Its going no where. A new arena downtown would certainly boost attendance even more. Zack Matheny president of Downtown Greensboro Inc stated that the arena would have a walkable environment outside including an outdoor public space. I'd love for this to be built near the ballpark creating a sports and entertainment district but that would require assembling land from current landowners who don't have their land up for sale at the moment. The obvious location is the News and Record property and an adjoining plot. There would be enough room for a 5,000 seat arena with a small convention center as well as other mixed-use elements including residential, retail, office and possibly a hotel. That location would activate a dead section of downtown. I agree about hockey as well. The sport was very popular in Greensboro but ever since Greensboro lost the AHL Carolina Monarchs to temporarily become the home of the Carolina Hurricanes, the city hasn't secured a hockey franchise since. I just hope the architecture of the arena will make a statement for Greensboro even though it will be a smaller arena. As for funding, my guess is that the Greensboro Coliseum will become involved and they will fund it using hotel motel tax and will likely manage it as well like they do with the Steven Tanger Center.

Edited June 8, 2023 by cityboi

[HRVT]

19 hours ago, cityboi said:

The NBA G league is pretty solid in Greensboro. Its going no where. A new arena downtown would certainly boost attendance even more. Zack Matheny president of Downtown Greensboro Inc stated that the arena would have a walkable environment outside including an outdoor public space. I'd love for this to be built near the ballpark creating a sports and entertainment district but that would require assembling land from current landowners who don't have their land up for sale at the moment. The obvious location is the News and Record property and an adjoining plot. There would be enough room for a 5,000 seat arena with a small convention center as well as other mixed-use elements including residential, retail, office and possibly a hotel. That location would activate a dead section of downtown. I agree about hockey as well. The sport was very popular in Greensboro but ever since Greensboro lost the AHL Carolina Monarchs to temporarily become the home of the Carolina Hurricanes, the city hasn't secured a hockey franchise since. I just hope the architecture of the arena will make a statement for Greensboro even though it will be a smaller arena. As for funding, my guess is that the Greensboro Coliseum will become involved and they will fund it using hotel motel tax and will likely manage it as well like they do with the Steven Tanger Center.

I didn't say the G League would relocate but a larger arena in a better location would be beneficial for both the city and the team. As for hockey, I'd personally prefer the arena be closer to 7k seats but 5k could potentially attract an ECHL team.

[KJHburg]

Various parts of downtown Greensboro South Elm is so lively even this Saturday morning.   It is interesting the scale changes from South Elm to North Elm from the older historical area with smaller buildings to the high rise office district of N Elm.  

[cityboi]

Developer has plans for $300 million development on News & Record site! There are 4 interested potential tenants for the office space. Keep in mind this doesn't include a large tract of vacant property next to the News and Record site and across the street from the depot.

Two articles 

https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2023/06/15/ryan-cos-news-record-property-contract.html

https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2023/06/15/downtown-greensboro-news-record-property-ryan-cos.html

Ryan Cos. US Inc. and TH3 Partners LLC told Triad Business Journal that they have an option to buy the vacant former newspaper property at 200 E. Market St. and a tentative plan to build twin 250,000-square-foot commercial buildings and "300 to 400" apartments

 

Lewis said design and other details about the project were not set, though he indicated that one option was two 10-story buildings with modern glass exteriors, surrounded by three or four levels of apartments much like those at Roy Carroll's Carroll at Bellemeade development

Edited June 15, 2023 by cityboi

[cityboi]

In addition to office and residential there will be other components to this development.

"Lewis did mention a desire for a "wellness component" as part of the project. He also said restaurants and attractions that would attract people outside the office employees."

so it looks like additional elements will include something related the Healthcare as well as restaurants and entertainment offerings. This development looks very similar in concept to Bloc 83 in downtown Raleigh. The only difference is that Bloc 83 has a hotel and the proposed Greensboro development has apartments. But both projects have twin 10 story office towers. Bloc 83 has a total of 495,121 square feet of office space and the Greensboro proposed development a total of 500,000.

Westin and twin 10 story office towers. In terms of Greensboro's skyline, this project finally extends it beyond Elm Street. If Roy Carroll can build his Project 561 next to Center Pointe Greensboro may finally have a skyline to brag about.

Edited June 15, 2023 by cityboi

[rancenc]

Follow-up up article to @cityboi's posting above on the proposed redevelopment of the former News and Record site!

https://myfox8.com/news/north-carolina/greensboro/vacant-news-record-building-signals-changing-downtown-greensboro/

[DCB]

Honestly a nice mid-rise floor for Greensboro would look really nice, but I've always been one who favors a dense skyline rather than a tall one.

[cityboi]

53 minutes ago, DCB said:

Honestly a nice mid-rise floor for Greensboro would look really nice, but I've always been one who favors a dense skyline rather than a tall one.

This would certainly create some serious density. CityView residents will have a great view.

[cityboi]

Sad news. Triad Stage permanently shutting down. Covid did a number on them and they never recovered.

https://myfox8.com/news/north-carolina/greensboro/triad-stage-announces-closure-after-20-seasons/

[cityboi]

Roy Carroll who has become the dominant developer in downtown Greensboro makes Forbes billionaire list. He ranks as the 1,027th richest person in the world.

https://www.rhinotimes.com/news/forbes-includes-greensboros-roy-carroll-on-list-of-worlds-billionaires/

Edited June 20, 2023 by cityboi

[cityboi]

New fine dining upscale restaurant coming to downtown bringing global cuisine  Entrees will cost between $40 to $55. 

https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2023/06/27/new-upscale-restaurant-brings-cultures.html

Edited June 27, 2023 by cityboi

[rancenc]

Follow up article to @cityboi's recent posting from above.....new dining for downtown Greensboro!

https://www.yesweekly.com/foodanddrink/pangaea-aims-to-be-a-super-restaurant-named-after-a-super-continent/article_cc5c5736-0abd-11ee-ae3f-afd8f764e71a.html

[cityboi]

More on the Ryan Companies developments in Greensboro including its downtown plans for two 10 story office towers. The Ryan Companies said they'd also like to purchase the additional 3 acres next to the News and Record site which sits across the street across from the depot. Hughes Street divides the two properties. In addition a fifth tenant is now interested in office space which could mean the office space could potentially grow larger if more tenants get on board. There are clues as to what type of office users could use the space and the business journal mentioned the areas universities and Cone Health. The Ryan Companies responded that those are the kind of users we are looking for.

So now I'm wondering if this is going to be more of a educational/health/innovation mixed-use type development. With the 4 tenants alone, they would fill up one of the 10 story towers and part of they second 10 story tower.  A fifth one is interested and as time goes on we'll see if there are more. Ryan Companies had mentioned they won't be typical office users.  The huge site along with adjacent development (Westin Greensboro and parking deck) sold them on the News and Record property. Ryan Companies hopes to break ground Q3 or Q4 of 2024. The company said the plan is to have a “Work, Live and Play” environment in the development. “I am very happy to see interest in the News & Record site after such a long time,” said Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan, who also met with Henrich and Lewis. “We are fortunate that someone of (Ryan’s) caliber would be interested in the site. I wanted something that would maximize the skyline.”

https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2023/06/30/ryan-th3-greensboro-pyramids-news-record-property.html

Edited June 30, 2023 by cityboi

[P.SAUNDERS]

I just wish to see a urgency and manpower to start tearing down old rundown abandon buildings and witnessing cranes rolling in downtown. I just hope the City Officials will be a willing partner and work with the Planners vs. being a stick in the gear shifts and dampen these projects. Things move slow here vs Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte & Columbia, S.C. The Mayor said last week we are falling behind Raleigh, Cary & Charlotte, NO JOKE MAYOR, Glad you finally waking up and realize this {After 10 years}!

[cityboi]

4 hours ago, P.SAUNDERS said:

I just wish to see a urgency and manpower to start tearing down old rundown abandon buildings and witnessing cranes rolling in downtown. I just hope the City Officials will be a willing partner and work with the Planners vs. being a stick in the gear shifts and dampen these projects. Things move slow here vs Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte & Columbia, S.C. The Mayor said last week we are falling behind Raleigh, Cary & Charlotte, NO JOKE MAYOR, Glad you finally waking up and realize this {After 10 years}!

Its just amazing how fast a huge Toyota plant can go up yet everything is snails pace downtown. They need to figure that out because it can kill momentum and deter developers. Everyday of construction costs them money and it's puzzling as to why downtown construction is so slow here but things pop up fast in uptown Charlotte or downtown Raleigh. They can no longer blame it on the pandemic which is essentially over.

Now the Ryan Companies are a different. I do believe they will get on the ball. But that all depends on whether or not the News and Record property is contaminated. Evaluation of the property could take up to 12 months but they have an aggressive timetable wanting to start construction by the end of 2024.

Edited July 1, 2023 by cityboi

[P.SAUNDERS]

I just read a small headline that Durham is planning to build a 27 & 12 Story Skyscrapers, they want to start around 2024 as well. They already have a 33 Story Skyscraper that are Condos. The 27 Story will hold 299 Condos as well. Wow!!!

[cityboi]

7 hours ago, P.SAUNDERS said:

I just read a small headline that Durham is planning to build a 27 & 12 Story Skyscrapers, they want to start around 2024 as well. They already have a 33 Story Skyscraper that are Condos. The 27 Story will hold 299 Condos as well. Wow!!!

It won't be long before Durham has a better skyline than Greensboro. Hopefully we'll see more tower proposals for Greensboro in addition to the two 10 story towers. Who knows what the Ryan Companies will have planned for property next to the News and Record site if they purchase that land as well. Clearly they take more risk building vertical which is something our local developers seem to be scared to do. But I guess the Ryan Companies have deep enough pockets. I still would like for Greensboro to finally top out at 30 stories downtown. I have a feeling we'll see a lot more from the Ryan Companies in our downtown. Roy Carroll has done great things for downtown but The Ryan Companies is next level. They are already investing in Northeast Greensboro and they acknowledged that Greensboro is an untapped market. Winston-Salem has Grubb who is building all over downtown there and Greensboro now has the Ryan Companies. Finally a national developer with deep pockets investing heavily in our downtown. But lets not forget a second national developer is involved with the News and Record property development partnering with the Ryan Companies. TH3 Partners based in Connecticut 

The outlined red area is the News and Record property which the Ryan Companies will develope. The outlined yellow area is adjacent property which the Ryan Companies would like to purchase.

They could easily put a mixed-use tower there with other development. It's probably in their best interest to purchase it anyway because it would be an eyesore sitting right next to their development on the News and Record property. There is nothing there other than a parking lot and and old warehouse building in decay. If I were the Ryan Companies, I would purchase the additional land, ask the city to close the section of Hughes Street which divides the two properties and turn that street into a linear public pedstrian plaza with outdoor art, cafe seating and water features. Maybe even include kisok type restaurants there like the two in Lebauer Park. The plaza could connect to a large staging area for events and festivals like the NC Folk Festival. As more and more of these properties get developed, the NC Folk Festival will need more staging areas. I'd rather see permanent aesthetic staging areas as opposed to the ugly circus tents in parking lots.  They can be used year round for evening music groups and even provide staging for more festivals downtown. You can actually see one of the Folk Festival tents in the photo below 

Edited July 1, 2023 by cityboi

[cityboi]

Here is a development the Ryan Companies built in downtown Minneapolis near Vikings stadium. It too is a twin tower development but consists of a hotel, residential and pedestrian park space. 

[P.SAUNDERS]

It would be nice to have something close to this in our Downtown, really nice! 

[cityboi]

Here is a better idea of the scale and size of the twin 10-story towers that would be erected in Greensboro with 500,000 square feet.

The photo below shows an 11-story twin tower development in Southend in Charlotte which total has a little over 500,000 square feet. These are also modern glass towers like the ones the Ryan Companies are proposing for the News and Record site in Greensboro.  Because of the number of floors vs the square footage in the Charlotte towers, we can expect a very similar footprint in the Greensboro development. Hopefully the Ryan Companies will add some sort of a "crown/spire" or structural decorative top to boost the height even taller than 10-stories.

 

Edited July 10, 2023 by cityboi

[P.SAUNDERS]

This would be very good and help spur some flair to our Downtown. 

[cityboi]

Greensboro downtown trolley begins next week. Interesting. Some years ago when I talked about downtown Greensboro needing a trolley, I said it should be called the Hopper. Either its an amazing coincidence or we have a number of city and local organization leaders reading these urban forums lol.  Appears to be a good place to drop ideas.

 

The service will be free.

https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/transit/downtown-trolley

Edited July 15, 2023 by cityboi

[cityboi]

More on the Hopper trolley which is now in service. Its cool how they put a map of the route in the inside top of the bus and historical images of the city inside. Also looks like there is more than one.

https://myfox8.com/news/north-carolina/greensboro/greensboros-new-hopper-trolley-rolls-into-downtown/

Edited July 21, 2023 by cityboi

[KJHburg]

Charlotte Urbanists and some Charlotte Urban Planet folks are taking a trip to downtown Greensboro in August.  It will start at the Amtrak station downtown once the train arrives from Charlotte.  If you are interested sign up and it is free and we from Charlotte want to explore some of the things you are doing in Greensboro like onstreet dining, your new trolley and see how you revitalized your downtown.  Sign up and it is free.  Obviously locals and those nearby will not have to take the train LOL.  And we might have a few special guests from Gboro itself.  So show us your city and correct your the tour guide if they say something wrong.  Previous tours have been to Salisbury, Kannapolis by train, downtown Concord and various parts and neighborhoods of Charlotte.   Tour starts 12 noon  August 19 at Greensboro Amtrak station. 

https://www.meetup.com/charlotte-urbanists/events/294726694/   

Edited July 22, 2023 by KJHburg

[cityboi]

13 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Charlotte Urbanists and some Charlotte Urban Planet folks are taking a trip to downtown Greensboro in August.  It will start at the Amtrak station downtown once the train arrives from Charlotte.  If you are interested sign up and it is free and we from Charlotte want to explore some of the things you are doing in Greensboro like onstreet dining, your new trolley and see how you revitalized your downtown.  Sign up and it is free.  Obviously locals and those nearby will not have to take the train LOL.  And we might have a few special guests from Gboro itself.  So show us your city and correct your the tour guide if they say something wrong.  Previous tours have been to Salisbury, Kannapolis by train, downtown Concord and various parts and neighborhoods of Charlotte.   Tour starts 12 noon  August 19 at Greensboro Amtrak station. 

https://www.meetup.com/charlotte-urbanists/events/294726694/   

Thanks for the invite! I will sign up.....

Btw the inaugural weekend for the trolleys were a hit. Right now its a pilot program funded by federal funds for about 6 months but the city said it could continue permanently. However it likely won't be free at that point.

https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/local/hopper-trolley-a-hit-for-riders-hopping-on-and-off-throughout-downtown-greensboro-riders-free/83-71ee4f08-1f46-45a3-9dbc-f1ce8a828043

Edited July 23, 2023 by cityboi