Downtown Projects & Developments

[spartanburgh]

My guess is that George D. Johnson doesn't want it to happen. Thats the only reason I can think of and the only one the City would need. What a waste of time, money and energy. I was on the Master plan committee and it was a really good plan with a couple of issues needing additional attention, but basically much better than what we have now. Small town politics run this town and nothing there is going to change until we get a new administration.

[Spartan]

Thats why the annexation laws need to be changed. Most of the influential Spartans live in Converse Heights OR outside the city limits.

[Sparkleman]

Thats why the annexation laws need to be changed. Most of the influential Spartans live in Converse Heights OR outside the city limits.

Actually having lived here my whole life and in the Heights for 20 of them, the majority of the power in our small town is found here. The mayor, George Dean, the Clevelands, Roger Milliken, as well as some of the bigger bankers/lawyers, and the idiot head of the D7 school board Chip Hurst all call the Heights home. The only ones outside the city might be Jimmy Gibbs, Gary Delapp (ESH head, but not from here) and a lot of prominent doctors that call Calhoun Lakes or the west side home.

Things might be different if Jerry Richardson were still in town, but since he's not, they are not.

[Spartan]

Your right, but I meant the aspiring politicians who aren't 500 years old. The ones with new money and new families who live in the westside suburbs.

[spartanburgh]

An update on the Bank Merridian site. The building will be a multi tenant building with Bank Merridain the major tenant, but not the owner. The delay has been underground fuel tanks from a gas station of long ago and of course the economy. I still haven't seen any renderings or heard any details of the building itself, but multi tenant is better than single use in my opinion. Office space is getting tighter in Spartanburg as Social Security will almost fill the balance of the BTC building in the next couple of months. They will take the entire third floor and about half of the second floor in this building. This makes the 300 E. Main St. office the only large major office building with significant space ready for tenants.

[Spartan]

This is good news.

Which one is BTC?

What about ESA?

[Sparkleman]

An update on the Bank Merridian site. The building will be a multi tenant building with Bank Merridain the major tenant, but not the owner. The delay has been underground fuel tanks from a gas station of long ago and of course the economy. I still haven't seen any renderings or heard any details of the building itself, but multi tenant is better than single use in my opinion. Office space is getting tighter in Spartanburg as Social Security will almost fill the balance of the BTC building in the next couple of months. They will take the entire third floor and about half of the second floor in this building. This makes the 300 E. Main St. office the only large major office building with significant space ready for tenants.

Those tanks are from a Chevron station that used to sit across from the Montgomery building about 40 years ago. I'm sure there are many of those from yesteryear all over town that were never dug up when the service station was abandoned.

What is the BTC building?

[spartanburgh]

BTC is the Business and Technology Center right beside the "Bank Merridain" site. Its the 5 storey white with glass bands on each floor. I forgot about the ESA building, but I don't think it has all that much space available, maybe 10-15000' if I'm not mistaken.

[Spartan]

Ah, BTC. I never knew what that was called. Just a random ugly office building thanks for the clarification.

[spartanburgh]

A small residential condo/apartment building with possible ground level retail/office will be developed in the Hub-Bub area. It may get off the ground by the end of the year depending on the economy. It will only have 6-8 residences with 1 commercial space to "test" the market in that area. The developer may do additional buildings if this first one is successful. The building will be 3 stories with 2-3 units/floor.

[hub-city]

although small, this is still a great and practical start to that area. With this economy, anything started is a plus. Do you know where in the area they are talking about?

[Spartan]

Nice. I hope they are successful. That area is still somewhat transitional in terms of housing opportunities. Once the area has a larger number of residents it will be much more appealing. It sounds like this guy is helping implement the still unadopted Master Plan.

[spartanburgh]

I think it will be between Spring St. and Daniel Morgan Ave. ( Harris PL.). This would make it 2 short blocks to Morgan Square. I think this would be the first new building in that area in 80 years or so? It will also help Hampton Heights connect to Downtown. It seems like a little of a chance going there, but it may work especially if more buildings are done to help support the area.

[Spartan]

Somebody has to do it first. Take the plunge and be the urban pioneer. There are already people living downtown, but it would be nice to get most of them concentrated in the same area and the expand from there.

[sparkinlady]

I think it will be between Spring St. and Daniel Morgan Ave. ( Harris PL.). This would make it 2 short blocks to Morgan Square. I think this would be the first new building in that area in 80 years or so? It will also help Hampton Heights connect to Downtown. It seems like a little of a chance going there, but it may work especially if more buildings are done to help support the area.

I think it would be worth it for the property owner/building owner/leasee/new business/etc to engage the hampton heights neighborhood in that development. Once the businesses that will be there are determined - get the residents in on it the plans at the early stages. They are a very loyal bunch, that wants to see downtown do well and would be willing to really talk up a new business/development and to spend money their themselves.

i hope this comes about. it sounds promising.

[spartanburgh]

I rode down to the Hub-Bub area today and saw new survey flags on Harris Place and at the corner of Daniel Morgan and Harris Place behind the new corner park. I think this may be the beginnings of the project. One site has a run down house on it that would need to go I would assume.

[Spartan]

The reasons for RJ Rockers move to downtown are now more obvious. These folks got the deal of a lifetime.

The brewery is expected to be in operation by May 1, and they plan to include a tasting room and gift shop.

City Council approved financial incentives Monday:

• 30% rebate of property taxes for up to 15 years
  
• Rebate increases to 40% if the company creates 10 new jobs over the next four years, which pay an average annual gross salary of at least $25,000.
  
• Rebate increases to 50% if they meet the job creation targets and a restaurant and/or bar is located there with annual food and beverage sales of at least $250,000.
  
• The City will provide a $40,000 grant if the developer spends at least $250,000 for renovations.
  

HJ Article

[clemsonfn]

The reasons for RJ Rockers move to downtown are now more obvious. These folks got the deal of a lifetime.

The brewery is expected to be in operation by May 1, and they plan to include a tasting room and gift shop.

City Council approved financial incentives Monday:

• 30% rebate of property taxes for up to 15 years
  
• Rebate increases to 40% if the company creates 10 new jobs over the next four years, which pay an average annual gross salary of at least $25,000.
  
• Rebate increases to 50% if they meet the job creation targets and a restaurant and/or bar is located there with annual food and beverage sales of at least $250,000.
  
• The City will provide a $40,000 grant if the developer spends at least $250,000 for renovations.
  

HJ Article

Did I understand correctly? They don't collect any of the tax refund until they've been there for 15 years?

"Under the program, the developers would be eligible for a 30 percent rebate of increased property taxes once the site is redeveloped for 15 years. "

Previous article

[spartanburgh]

Of course the property tax incentives will be there for poor George. No one else could ever get a deal like this. I still think Rockers is a positive, but you bet your sweet @*% George will get every single incentive mentioned. The bar sales will be around $250-251,000, they'll have exactly 10 employees making $25,000 plus and so on.

[hub-city]

This deal is very similar to what they did for Abby's a long time ago. This is nothing new. Unfortunaly, the owners of that building didn't plan or adjust during their grace period and then hit Abbys with much higher rent to pay for the tax increases. They will tell you that this was not the case, but the timing was obvious.

I don't see a big conspiracy here.

[Spartan]

True. I have mixed opinions on it though. I don't like the small town politics in action. But this could be a huge catalyst for downtown, it fills a vacant building, creates a few jobs downtown- and in this economy. Its definitely a mixed bag.

The arrangement, as I understand it, is that the get the tax breaks for 15 years. After that they are taxed at the normal rate. Thats usually how these things work. But by then Johnson will have sold it, IMO.

[spartanburgh]

Demolition crews have been tearing down an old house on Harris Place in the Hub Bub area. I think this is where the new mixed use building will go. Its only a stones throw from Brasserie-Ecosse, but still a little shaky in my opinion.

[gman430]

Demolition crews have been tearing down an old house on Harris Place in the Hub Bub area. I think this is where the new mixed use building will go. Its only a stones throw from Brasserie-Ecosse, but still a little shaky in my opinion.

Yes indeed. Here's an article on it: http://www.goupstate.com/article/20090325/...wn-living-space

[Spartan]

Thanks for the link. 7200 sq ft is pretty small, but it sounds like it will be a well done project based on what we know.

"The exterior of the building should resemble an upscale mixed-use development just down the street in the historic Cantrell Wagon Co. building at 196 W. Main St. That building houses several apartments and one retail space occupied by Carriage House Wines and Wine Bar."

[Spartan]

Now that the Carolina Alliance Bank has been complete for a few months, I think that it adds a lot to downtown. Its not a large building, but its fairly well designed if you can look past the beige, and it extends that downtown feel just a little further away from the Square.