Greenville Mall

[perrykat]

Another empty "big-box" on Haywood - that's a pretty nice place they have there. Hate to see them move.

Any more news on where Palmetto Home is wanting to move??? I hope they fill up one of the empty big-boxes (like I stated many times, former Rhodes on Haywood, Service Merchandise at Verdae, etc).

Anything changed at Greenville Mall lately? The last I saw it looked pathetic...No plants, very few food court tables, no fountains, no music, etc.....

[RestedTraveler]

I went over to the Greenville Mall today to walk around and take some photos. It truly is a sad state of affairs. It's obvious that there is no future there.

While walking around, I approached a security guard about the future of the mall. He said that they've not heard much; however, from what he understands, the Palmetto Home & Garden, Oshman's/Sports Authority, and the Regal Cinema will remain while the rest of the mall is razed to make way for the new development. That seems somewhat odd to me, but OK.

Here are some photos taken this morning prior to mall opening:

[jarvismj]

With the quote that the actual mall itself will be razed, and leaving Palmetto, Oshmans, etc, I'm starting to think that maybe they will try to revamp GM into a Towne Center, like Southhaven. For me, the only way that I'd like that to happen, would be to make it a pedestrian area, and have parking on the outskirts, not in front of each store. The St Johns TC in Jacksonville does that, and just imagine having people driving inside Haywood Mall. To me, its just not cool.

[DigitalSky]

Yeah i agree. Nice pics, btw!

[mallguy]

I really loved that mall and am heartbroken to see it go; I would like to get maybe a few tiles or something just as a souvenir of the mall. If anyone hears of an opportunity for the public to go get artifacts of the mall before it's torn down, please let me know.

[goodbye]

If nothing else, I would recommend stopping by and asking the contractors for a piece. Maybe they'll be nice and even keep it together. Just an idea....

[gs3]

If nothing else, I would recommend stopping by and asking the contractors for a piece. Maybe they'll be nice and even keep it together. Just an idea....

Great idea Skyliner! I did this with some tiles from an old department store that was being torn down in Kansas City. Saved them for years, and just a couple of years ago incorporated them in the stone in my patio.

Ready to see what the new development at Greenville Mall will be like. Weren't they suppose to start tearing down and reconstruction by mid summer?

[greenvilleguy]

With the current and successful trends like Atlantic Station and Birkdale Village, it is almost innevitable that the owners will want to make it a lifestyle center.

http://www.atlanticstation.com/home.php

http://www.birkdalevillage.net/welcome.htm

Hopefully it will have the right tenant mix so that it will draw a variety of consumers, both middle and high income. Hopefully the will try to land one of the few remaing department stores and some new retail/restaurants not currently in the area, rather than simply shifting big box retailers from other parts of town. It definately has potential, as I'm sure we can all agree.

[breed]

Thought this thread was as good as any to jump into the fray...

I think the purchasers of the site clearly have something in mind for the property, considering the $37 million price tag they paid for the property ($500,000 per acre). For frame of reference, the Hollingsworth property (Shops at Greendridge) notched a price of $200,000 per acre. When you factor in demolition costs, it is really much more expensive. Of course, the theatre is probably a money-maker.

[RestedTraveler]

I think the purchasers of the site clearly have something in mind for the property, considering the $37 million price tag they paid for the property ($500,000 per acre).

Welcome to the fray, breed!

I think the new owners, Gulfside Development in particular, will do something similar (but on a smaller scale) to what they're doing with Downtown Dadeland, the former Dadeland Mall in Kendal (Miami).

[GvilleSC]

Welcome to the fray, breed!

I think the new owners, Gulfside Development in particular, will do something similar (but on a smaller scale) to what they're doing with Downtown Dadeland, the former Dadeland Mall in Kendal (Miami).

That'd be wonderful!!! Especially if it could have a presence on both 85 and 385!

[goodbye]

Yes indeed! A few mid to high-rise condos with lots of retail and some restaurant options in a distinct and beautiful architectural design would be my ideal goal for this site. I know the developers do indeed plan on a Lifestyle center as they have said so to reporters recently.

[mallguy]

How does Rooms to Go fit into all of this? Seems as if that would kill any chances of having an upscale lifestyle center.

Also, Greenville Mall has failed twice. When are developers ever going to just give up on that site?

[goodbye]

Ah, there's where it takes a precise vision and a little luck. The plans may include residential, which would be a major boost to the retail on-site. The best reason to expect a return on the investment is Verdae, which will bring thousands of new residents to this area, and is practically across the street.

[mallguy]

I'd hope that residential would be a key component to the new development, or maybe big-box stores. It seems as if the lesson of retail in Greenville is that anything that tries to directly compete with Haywood (i.e., any development with national small shop tenants and department stores, such as Greenville Mall, Bell Tower Mall and McAlister Square) will lose a battle with Haywood, which is more centrally located and is larger. Things that distinguish themselves from Haywood- downtown, with high-end gift shops and lots of restaurants, and Greenridge, with big-box stores, seem to do OK. I think a Phillips Place or Birkdale Village-type lifestyle center (great architecture, residential component, etc. that would make it a destination) would do well, though.

If I owned Greenville Mall, though, I would just give up.

[gs3]

How does Rooms to Go fit into all of this? Seems as if that would kill any chances of having an upscale lifestyle center.

Also, Greenville Mall has failed twice. When are developers ever going to just give up on that site?

The "site" is a fabulous site. It's the mall that failed as many "malls" around the country have. The immediate areas around this site are booming, so with the right structure (lifestyle center) this site should boom. These developers were smart to get a prime piece of land with an outdated structure.

[breed]

Also, Greenville Mall has failed twice. When are developers ever going to just give up on that site?

The site is valuable, just not as a mall. Although I don't know for a fact that it is, I suspect that several standard mall tenants at the Haywood Mall signed agreements to not open an additional store within X miles of their existing location.

If I owned Greenville Mall, though, I would just give up.

Except there's a new owner, who clearly has plans for the site.

[gs3]

Except there's a new owner, who clearly has plans for the site.

I can hardly wait to see the plans for the site! Wonder they will be released? That's going to be a large demolition.....much like HomeGold was.

[goodbye]

Well with such a beautiful large structure being removed forever, I really hope they create a new large plan that will last for at least a couple generations to come. It is an embarassment to be losing that nice a building after so short a lifespan (refering to the renovated mall).

[btoy]

I can hardly wait to see the plans for the site! Wonder they will be released? That's going to be a large demolition.....much like HomeGold was.

Not even comparable. HomeGold was a small fraction of the size. Compare it to Greenville Memorial Auditorium instead.

[gs3]

Not even comparable. HomeGold was a small fraction of the size. Compare it to Greenville Memorial Auditorium instead.

Not to hijack the Greenville Mall thread, but I didn't live here when the old memorial Auditorium was around. Anyone have photos?

[goodbye]

I hope you mean you didn't live HERE when the GMA was around, right? It was imploded in 1998. You can still see it in photos on several sites related to the city. I get very annoyed that even the City website has a photo of downtown taken back then, when many of the buildings we have today weren't even in existence.

Here is a link to the page with the old photo on the City's website.

Downtown Development

The GMA is the large red brick building next to Two Liberty Square, on the Gateway site.

[gs3]

I hope you mean you didn't live HERE when the GMA was around, right? It was imploded in 1998. You can still see it in photos on several sites related to the city. I get very annoyed that even the City website has a photo of downtown taken back then, when many of the buildings we have today weren't even in existence.

Here is a link to the page with the old photo on the City's website.

Downtown Development

The GMA is the large red brick building next to Two Liberty Square, on the Gateway site.

Thanks Skyliner! What I'd give to be that young again!

[RestedTraveler]

I hope you mean you didn't live HERE when the GMA was around, right? It was imploded in 1998. You can still see it in photos on several sites related to the city. I get very annoyed that even the City website has a photo of downtown taken back then, when many of the buildings we have today weren't even in existence.

Here is a link to the page with the old photo on the City's website.

Downtown Development

The GMA is the large red brick building next to Two Liberty Square, on the Gateway site.

They really should replace that one with this one:

Or perhaps a new one altogether...

Something that shows off Liberty Bridge, Falls Park, and RiverPlace along with the rest of the skyline...

[goodbye]

I like that angle, RT, but I also like the mountains in the background of the other one. If they could just get several shots from differnt angles, including ALL new buildings in downtown, I'd be greatly appreciative.