Downtown Projects & Developments

[Spartan]

It's possible to have well-designed gas stations. All you have to do is locate the pumps BEHIND the store. The store itself should front the street. Take a look at this link to DPZ's "Sprawl Repair Manual." On space SC13, at the bottom, you'll see how a gas station footprint can fit into the T4 zone, which is what most of downtown Spartanburg is. It's a very straightforward concept that is EASILY applied ANYWHERE!

[spartanburgh]

George Johnson and Foster Chapman said no to the road diet and that was the end of it!!!

[Spartan]

A few years ago the city was all set to go with the East Main road diet but SCDOT nixed the plan. The idea seemed to be a no brainer to me. Anyhow, who knows where it stands now.

While I would prefer this property be developed commercially, St. Paul's is building a beautiful church that is certainly preferable to a vacant lot.

I heard that it wasn't that SCDOT "nixed" the plan, but rather that they didn't have the funding they expected that they would. So, the road diet isn't off of the table, it's just "on hold" for now.

I hear what y'all are saying about the church taking up potential retail space. I think that a high quality church like this one will add a lot to downtown. the area between Converse St and Oakland Ave is pretty much a dead zone for retail space anyway. I would rather focus on the heart of downtown, and then address the Main & Pine area as a separate retail node. With the appropriate treatments at that intersection and the implementation of that road diet (if it were to continue to St John St) that area could have a life of its own and become a reasonably walkable neighborhood node for Converse Heights- which is historically what it was).

[drexel]

According to the Spartanburg H-J, several developers including Longleaf Holdings are planning on turning the building at 249 Magnolia Street into 27 studio/one bedroom apartments. Walking distance from VCOM. Hope this actually happens!

[GvilleSC]

According to the Spartanburg H-J, several developers including Longleaf Holdings are planning on turning the building at 249 Magnolia Street into 27 studio/one bedroom apartments. Walking distance from VCOM. Hope this actually happens!

I'm not too familiar with where that actually is, but that's really exciting! I read an article recently about the uptick in urban (or maybe it was all?) rentals and the downsizing of those units. This very much follows that trend and will be a great additional option in downtown Spartanburg! Can't wait to hear more!

[Spartan]

Is that the old Spartan Hotel building?

[westsider28]

Yep, that's the one.

[Spartan]

They've been working on that since at least 2004 or 2005. We have a thread about it somewhere...

[westsider28]

I guess this is the right place to put this story (it's on the fringe of DT). Anyway, a group of organizations including the Mary Black Foundation, the Butterfly Foundation, and the Hub City Farmer's Market have come together for a project called the Northside Healthy Food Hub. It's going to be built on Howard Street (near Vernon St), just down from the VCOM, and will consist of a garden, a community kitchen/store, and a cafe, as well as being a permanent home for the Hub City Farmer's Market. It should be completed by April 2013.

Herald-Journal article

Check out the article. This sounds awesome. I hope that this, along with the VCOM, can really begin to make a positive impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

[Spartan]

I thought this was interesting. Another school is going to open up in downtown. Meeting Street Academy is a private school that targets lower income children. Tuition is relatively cheap because they use private donations to run everything. Apparently this model is working in Charleston (hence the name). It seems like it would be a great fit for Spartanburg, given the economic conditions of many residents within the city limits.

The location will be at 201 E Broad St, which is the location of the former Shoppes at Broadwalk.

I think this will be a good addition to downtown.

http://www.goupstate.com/article/20111128/ARTICLES/111291012/1112?Title=New-private-school-coming-to-downtown-Spartanburg

[Spartan]

I moved the posts about the Catholic Church to the thread about the same topic"

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php/topic/36780-st-paul-catholic-church-construction-thread/page__p__736069__hl__catholic__fromsearch__1#entry736069

[westsider28]

Here we go folks. QT is going to build a gas station at the corner of Pine and St. John.

Herald-Journal article

And get this, they submitted site plans (and got them approved) in May of last year, which is before the Urban Code took effect on July 1. They didn't even own the property yet at that point, oddly. So basically, QT can do whatever they please there. So, in addition to the inevitable traffic nightmare, the gas station will be typical suburban fare (oh yeah, but with nicer landscaping).

Why do they want to build so close to downtown anyway? Are there any other cities that have a QT right downtown? Is there anyway for the City to stop them from building here? I can't say I'm too fond of QT. I feel like they're oversaturating the market here, as well.

Well, that's enough venting for now. Words cannot express my displeasure with this development.

[spartanburgh]

This project stinks!!! Its a shame that the City will allow this development to happen. Now the outstanding clientiel at the 4 nearby motels will only have to walk accross the street for their booze and cigarettes while they await their drug deliveries.

[roads-scholar]

This project stinks!!! Its a shame that the City will allow this development to happen. Now the outstanding clientiel at the 4 nearby motels will only have to walk accross the street for their booze and cigarettes while they await their drug deliveries.

I realize my opinion probably differs significantly from everyone else on this forum but perhaps the new QT could be constructed to be compatible with the code. Also, if constructed, would it not improve the appearance of this lot and the surrounding area? Finally, what other business is compatible with this location?

[Spartan]

You are correct. Gas stations are totally compatible. The question is whether the City will actually make them do it. If you locate the building mass at the intersection and have the pumps behind it and a pedestrian entrance on the street, then it would work great. The key is creating the so-called "street wall." I've seen them done this way before, though I can't recall where. It works quite well.

[SpartanBorn&Raised]

I will say for sure that QT's Hearon Circle location (combined with the renovated McDonald's) makes that area look newer and cleaner. Though I do miss the old Dairy Dream. Hopefully they will make QT fit into the urban code, but it should also help the area some (maybe the hotels will actually be gone as a result).

[westsider28]

I agree that gas stations can be made to work in an urban area, as Spartan describes. But it seems that the City won't be able to make QT do that since their plans were approved prior to the Urban Code taking effect. I've stated my opinion of what I'd rather see on that parcel earlier in this thread.

I agree that the QT at Hearon Circle is a good location and has definitely helped improve that area. That's where a gas station like QT should be built. While not ideal, I also don't mind the QT being built on West Main as much. But this location being closer to downtown, at a very busy intersection, and being a site with drastic elevation changes makes it not good for this use, in my opinion.

[Spartan]

But it seems that the City won't be able to make QT do that since their plans were approved prior to the Urban Code taking effect.

Aha, there it is. I guess we're SOL yet again. Does the planning department make development plans available online anywhere? I've tried to look in the past but with no luck.

[spartanburgh]

A small hotel such as a Holiday Express, LaQuinta, Fairfield Inn etc would have been awsome on this site as well as a nice office building. Even an interesting restaraunt would have been much better!

[drexel]

A small hotel such as a Holiday Express, LaQuinta, Fairfield Inn etc would have been awsome on this site as well as a nice office building. Even an interesting restaraunt would have been much better!

Amen!!! Even a chain restaraunt like Chili's would be better. Sent Cate Ryba (city council person) an email asking if city could require (or pressure) QT to limit signage. As in 8 feet high and more attractive than the normal gas station. Why couldn't traffic engineering deny this project when it first came up?

[Sparkleman]

Whats with those small piece of crap hotels at Pine & Main? They make the city look as bad as all the finance and cheap loan stores do.

Can anything be done about them?

[Spartan]

You can't force a business out unless the buildings become so dilapidated that they fail to meet health codes.

There was a proposal to redevelop the Main & Pine strip mall which supposedly would have included the motel behind it (econo lodge?) but that's either on hold or it fell thorugh due to the economy.

[roads-scholar]

Several obstacles inhibit redevelopment of these motels:

1. The property footprint for each of these motels does not bode well for quality redevelopment. A developer may have to purchase adjacent properties in order to ensure an acceptable return on investment. The City of Spartanburg would probably need to get involved with incentives to assist a developer.
   
2. These properties are probably mortgaged to the hilt meaning that the asking price is higher than most developers are willing to pay, at least in a soft commercial real estate market.
   
3. A couple of these properties, while highly visible, lack good street access.
   
4. The geometry of the Pine / E. Main intersection is poor and further complicates access.
   

[new prospect]

Several obstacles inhibit redevelopment of these motels:

1. The property footprint for each of these motels does not bode well for quality redevelopment. A developer may have to purchase adjacent properties in order to ensure an acceptable return on investment. The City of Spartanburg would probably need to get involved with incentives to assist a developer.
   
2. These properties are probably mortgaged to the hilt meaning that the asking price is higher than most developers are willing to pay, at least in a soft commercial real estate market.
   
3. A couple of these properties, while highly visible, lack good street access.
   
4. The geometry of the Pine / E. Main intersection is poor and further complicates access.
   

For all these reasons, the best thing that could happen to this area is for the City to somehow acquire some of these properties, tear down the motel between E. Main and St. John, realign that segment of Pine Street to take out the bend (run it through where the motel is now), and use the space freed up where Pine is now for improved parking and access for the strip mall, Fed Ex, Chamber of Commerce, or some new development. Wishful thinking, I know!

[roads-scholar]

For all these reasons, the best thing that could happen to this area is for the City to somehow acquire some of these properties, tear down the motel between E. Main and St. John, realign that segment of Pine Street to take out the bend (run it through where the motel is now), and use the space freed up where Pine is now for improved parking and access for the strip mall, Fed Ex, Chamber of Commerce, or some new development. Wishful thinking, I know!

Excellent observation. Removing the bend in Pine Street and realigning the Pine / Main intersection would really help the traffic flow and get rid of one of the unsightly motels.