Downtown Projects & Developments

[westsider28]

On 10/7/2019 at 8:46 PM, westsider28 said:

According to a sign up in the window of The Leader, the restaurant will be called "Initial Q" and the bowling alley "UnderPin Lanes & Lounge".  I also found an EventBrite page for a preview event (fundraiser for Emerge) scheduled for October 22.  There's a logo on that page too.

Here are a bunch of photos of the bowling alley from that fundraising event.  Looks pretty cool.

[westsider28]

Edit: New H-J article with more info.  UnderPin bowling alley should open later this week!  8 lanes, full bar, and arcade games.

Initial Q makes much more sense as a restaurant name now that we know it will be a smokehouse (and social bar).  It should open in December.

Pics from City FB page:

Also, it looks like Wyche Law Firm is filling the old HK art gallery space between The Peddler and Le Spice.

Edited October 28, 2019 by westsider28

[Spartan]

I like the BBQ concept there. I hope it has some good Q!

[westsider28]

A proposed multi-family housing project at 214 Oakland Ave. will go before the DRB on Dec. 3 for Preliminary/Conceptual Review.  This is currently a parking lot at the NW corner of Oakland and St John.  The developer is Rex Cox, who appears to work at Compass Insurance, so I don't know that he has much development experience.  Still, I hope this is a solid project that works out.  It's a relatively small lot in an area that could use investment.

[westsider28]

On 11/19/2019 at 12:16 PM, westsider28 said:

A proposed multi-family housing project at 214 Oakland Ave....

^^This was removed from the Dec. 3 DRB agenda.

Also, Black Derby Barber Co will soon be moving from their current location in the Bijou building to 169 East Main (yellow building next to Local Hiker).  The Kosch & Gray building renovation is taking forever.  Hub City Scoops initially thought they'd move there in Sept. (lol)  Looks like the building won't be ready until well after the new year.

Stair/elevator towers look topped-out for the RH Chapman Center for Philanthropy on Kennedy St.

[westsider28]

On 6/7/2019 at 5:43 PM, westsider28 said:

Just saw in this article about Pinnacle Bank, that they plan to demolish their building on East Main near Converse and rebuild on the site.  Unfortunately, this is just outside of the Urban Code boundaries (like less than 1 block), so I hope we can still get a good building out of it (street-fronting, 2-stories, etc) since it's such a prominent site.  IMO, we need to extend the Urban Code boundaries down all major commercial corridors near downtown.

Pinnacle Bank building appears to be coming down now.  Anyone know what the replacement will look like?

[westsider28]

On 12/8/2019 at 5:53 PM, westsider28 said:

Pinnacle Bank building appears to be coming down now.  Anyone know what the replacement will look like?

This is now a pile of rubble.  An H-J article today gives some more info on the replacement.  Unfortunately, the new building will only be 5,600 sq ft (vs 21,000 for the old one).  It will be 2 stories, but not nearly the presence that the old building had.  It should be done in the second half of 2020.  A step backward, IMO.

[Spartanburg Dude]

On 12/12/2019 at 12:32 PM, westsider28 said:

This is now a pile of rubble.  An H-J article today gives some more info on the replacement.  Unfortunately, the new building will only be 5,600 sq ft (vs 21,000 for the old one).  It will be 2 stories, but not nearly the presence that the old building had.  It should be done in the second half of 2020.  A step backward, IMO.

Yea, not fabulous. 

[sptgguy]

If it serves the need of the bank that now owns it, why get hung up on how many square feet it is....it looks much better than that 1970's box that was sitting there. 

[westsider28]

57 minutes ago, sptgguy said:

If it serves the need of the bank that now owns it, why get hung up on how many square feet it is....it looks much better than that 1970's box that was sitting there. 

Because the needs of the bank don't necessarily match the needs of the city and its populace. Because we need more density to promote walkability and maintain public services. Because a larger building could have multiple uses (they could've sub-let office space and/or leased retail space to other tenants).  Because they could've renovated (replacing the facade w/glass to modernize is quite common nationwide).

To be fair, I put a sizable blame on the City for being short-sighted when establishing the area covered by the Urban Code. This property should have been included.

[sptgguy]

That also puts a burden on the bank of now being a landlord and not just the owner of the building. This buildings reconstruction has not hurt the walkability of this area but I will concede it has not helped it either...I would also argue that the buisness right up the road (creepy old hotels) are doing much worse things for this area than this project ever will.  I have a suspicion that we have a good bit of unused office space laying around the downtown area of Spartanburg (no I do not have any proof other than the 20000+ square feet in the Montgomery and the decision not to build other office buildings behind the Mariott even after they were planned and announced). I do not think Spartanburg is in a "build it and they will come" spot.  As to retrofitting the old building, I don't think any amount of glass would ever make that 70's box look better and for all we know there may have been other issues invovled in their deciding to just start over. 

Edited December 17, 2019 by sptgguy

[westsider28]

Steel framing is going up on the RHC Center for Philanthropy on Kennedy Street

Also, the former Kosch & Gray building is coming back before the DRB at the Jan. 7 meeting.  This renovation is taking a LONG time.

[westsider28]

Looks like work has finally resumed on 142 Social (apts on Magnolia) after a few months of virtually no progress.  Anyone know why there was such a long hiatus in the construction?

[westsider28]

Kosch & Gray got approval at tonight's DRB meeting.  They basically changed materials on the section above the canopy and will paint the building (I'm not thrilled w/the color).

Old blood bank building also got final approval, though I still don't know if the owner can pull it off (I hope so; the design looks great).  They added a canopy and made the storefronts angled (like historic ones would be).

[westsider28]

Windows going in on 142 Social

New storefront has been revealed on the old Kosch & Gray building:

[Spartanburg Dude]

On 1/7/2020 at 10:58 PM, westsider28 said:

Kosch & Gray got approval at tonight's DRB meeting.  They basically changed materials on the section above the canopy and will paint the building (I'm not thrilled w/the color).

Old blood bank building also got final approval, though I still don't know if the owner can pull it off (I hope so; the design looks great).  They added a canopy and made the storefronts angled (like historic ones would be).

Really hope the blood bank project happens. It is such a massive improvement over the ugly that is there now. 

What the heck was it with the 60's and 70's with stucco EVERYTHING? Ughhh.

[westsider28]

Top 2 floors of the old Kosch & Gray building have been painted.  Looks much better, but that whole side of the block (minus the Evins residence) is soooo bland.   Need more color!

[roads-scholar]

On 2/3/2020 at 12:51 PM, westsider28 said:

Top 2 floors of the old Kosch & Gray building have been painted.  Looks much better, but that whole side of the block (minus the Evins residence) is soooo bland.   Need more color!

Hub City Scoops sign is now hung.  

[westsider28]

New trees will be planted around the Denny's Plaza.  A $17,000 grant from the Noble Tree Foundation will pay for the installation of 34 street trees (oak, maple, and bald cypress) along the sidewalks surrounding the plaza.

This is desperately needed.  Most of the old maples (a poor variety for street trees) are in terrible condition.  Honestly, I hope they get rid of those huge hedges too.  That would really open up the sidewalk and make it feel more inviting.

[westsider28]

Hub City Scoops is now open in their new location in the former Kosch & Gray building. Work still being done on upper floors.

Steel framework is up for the new Pinnacle Bank building near Converse College:

[westsider28]

The City is conducting a survey on walkability / pedestrian safety in downtown.  I encourage you to complete it, if you haven't already.

Downtown Walkability Survey

[westsider28]

Siding going up on 142 Social:

122 Magnolia renovation is looking good (navy blue building w/red storefront):

Brick cladding just starting (left, behind fence) on the RHC Center for Philanthropy on Kennedy St:

Here's why EIFS sucks, kids. They're having to replace ALL of it on the Library Commons:

[Spartan]

But EFIS is so much more cost effective. Nobody will notice the difference! ()

[westsider28]

Here are some random photos of various projects in the downtown area from a few days ago.

Magnolia Street:

The new trees have been planted around Denny's Plaza:

New Pinnacle Bank building coming along:

RH Chapman Center for Philanthropy:

[westsider28]

Brick going up on Pinnacle Bank:

Storefront windows going in on 142 Social: