Due to the amount of projects just coming about downtown and ones that are already under construction or are going to start within the next month, I have decided to start a development news thread just for the downtown area. Here are just a few of them. I will include more later:

The Pinnacle on Main
350 North Main St. (N. Main & Elford)
Type: Mixed Use: Residential, Office, and Retail
Location: Downtown
Status: Approved
Start Date: December 2007
Floors: 15
Height: 240 ft
Units: 6 Residential
Commercial space: restaurant/office
Developer: Bob Ellis
Architect: Bob Ellis
Website(s):http://www.pinnacleonmain.com/
Rendering:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/image-1.jpg


The Peacock Hotel & Spa
McBee Avenue @ Spring Street
Type: Hotel, Condo, and Restaurant
Location: Central Business District
Status: Under Construction
Start Date: August 27, 2007
Floors: 8
Height: NA
Units: 8
Commercial space: NA
Developer: Mark Kent and Grant Peacock
Architect: Craig Gaulden Davis Architects
Website(s): http://www.98eastmcbee.com/
Renderings: http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/untitled.jpg http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/535803663_a4dc5c53eb_o.jpg


City Hall Plaza-Courtyard by Marriott hotel
Main Street @ Broad Street, adjacent to City Hall
Type: Office, retail, hotel, high-end national restaurant
Location: Central Business District
Status: Approved. Prep Site work has begun.
Start Date: December 2007
Floors: 6
Height: NA
Units: NA
Commercial space: NA
Developer: Windsor-Aughtry
Architect: Design Strategies
Website(s): NA
Renderings:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/20070808095036383_0001.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/20070808095053875_0001.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/20070808095046761_0001.jpg



Court Square Tower
133 South Main Street | East Court Street & South Main
Type: Residential
Location: CBD
Status: Planned
Start Date: Early 2008
Floors: 9
Height: NA
Units: NA
Commercial space: Street Retail
Developer: Harper Corp/NAI Earle Furman
Architect: Pazdan-Smith Group
Website(s): http://pazdan-smith.com/ [Click: Portfolio/Urban Residential/133 S Main]
Renderings: Website above for renderings/Redesign in works though


Chicora Rhett Street condo building
Rhett Street (address?)
Type: residential
Location: West End
Status: Design Phase
Start Date: 2008/2009
Floors: 8
Height: NA
Units: 50
Commercial space: NA
Developer: Tom Croft
Architect: NA
Website(s): NA
Renderings: Redesign/Expect some though after sales center opens soon


Gateway Site
Church & North
Type: residential/hotel
Location: CBD
Status: Design phase
Start Date: 2008
Floors: 25-27
Height: Unknown
Units: Unknown
Commercial space: hotel & restaurant/possible office & retail space unknown
Developer: Marick Home Builders
Architect: Pazdan-Smith & DLR Group
Website(s): http://www.marickhomebuilders.com/index.php
Articles: http://www.wyff4.com/news/13482051/detail.html
Renderings: NA/Few weeks away


Federal Courhouse
Three sites. Selection of which one it will be built on to come soon.
Type: Government offices
Location: CBD
Status: Design phase. Three sites selected.
Start Date: 2009
Floors: 10-15
Height: Unknown
Units: Unknown
Commercial space: 257,347 square feet. 74 parking spaces inside garage.
Developer: GSA
Architect: NA
Website(s): http://www.gsa.gov
Articles: http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071128/NEWS01/71128045
Renderings: None yet


Palmetto Bank Headquarters
Site: East North at Church Streets
Type: Bank
Location: Central Business District
Status: Under construction
Start Date: July 2007
Floors: 4
Height: NA
Units: None
Commercial space: No retail/restaurant. Only office.
Developer: Palmetto Bank
Architect: NA
Website(s): http://www.thepalmettobank.com/
Rendering:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/untitled2.jpg


McBee Station
Site: East Mcbee Avenue between Spring and East Washington Streets
Type: mixed-use
Location: Central Business District
Status: Complete except for tenant/apartment upfits
Start Date: Early 2006
Floors: 1-5
Height: NA
Units: 272 apartment units/22 condominiums
Commercial space: Staples/Publix/restaurant & retail space
Developer: The Gipson Company
Architect: Pazdan-Smith
Website(s): http://www.mcbee-station.com/
Renderings:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/homethree_06.gif http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/homethree_07.gif


More to come later!!!!

we need a list for "uptown" also.

we need a list for "uptown" also.

But that would take "forever" to finish. :eek: There's only the Point, Shops at Greenridge, Magnolia Park Town Center, Verdae Development, Hollingsworth Park neighborhood, Cascades Retirement Village, Legacy Park, CU-ICAR, Millennium Campus, Carolina First headquarters, and every other thing going up in between.

:applause: :applause:
Great work, g-man, simply great!!!

^^Oh, i'm not even close to being finished either. That's just a "few" of them. :)

Riverplace
Site: Camperdown Way between Main and Academy Streets
Type: mixed-use
Location: Central Business District
Status: phase I complete/phase II under construction/phase III design phase
Start Date: 2004
Floors: 4-30?
Height: NA
Units: Too many to count
Commercial space: restaurants, retail, and office. Hampton Inn and Suites hotel included. Heck, it even has a Starbucks.
Developers: Hughes Real Estate Inc., Windsor Aughtry, Allora, and City of Greenville
Architect: Cooper Carry
Website(s):
http://riverplace.hreinc.com/index.php
http://www.hamptoninnandsuitesgreenville.com/
http://www.terraceatriverplace.com/ (Notice it says sold out)
Renderings:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/fountain.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/proposedphase2-a.jpg


Bookends-phase II
Site: Washington at Spring Streets
Type: mixed-use
Location: Central Business District
Status: Planned
Start Date: Early 2008
Floors: 7
Height: NA
Units: NA
Commercial space: restaurant, retail, and office
Developer: The Whitmire Company
Architect: NA
Website(s): http://bookends.us/thewashington.html
Renderings:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/washington20sidewalk20rendering202.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/washington20sidewalk20rendering.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/WashingtonBookendsRenderingwithF-1.jpg


Main at McBee
Site: McBee Avenue at Main Street
Type: mixed-use
Location: Central Business District
Status: Planned
Start Date: 2008/2009
Floors: 8
Height: NA
Commercial space: retail, restaurant, and office
Developer: KDS Properties
Architect: Craig, Gaulden, and Davis
Website(s): http://www.kdsproperties.com/review.html?property_id=011
Rendering:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/011.jpg


Kroc Center
Site: Academy Street
Type: Administrative offices, chapel, theatre, conference and fellowship hall, computer lab, childcare, 16-court tennis complex, school, aquatics center, outdoor water park, golf training academy, etc.
Location: Central Business District
Status: Approved. All funding complete.
Start Date: Spring 2008
Floors: 1-3
Height: NA
Commercial space: NA
Developer: Salvation Army
Architect: Craig, Gaulden, and Davis
Website(s): NA
Renderings:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/untitled7.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/untitled5.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/untitled6.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/untitled8.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/untitled9.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/untitled4.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture1096.jpg
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture1098.jpg

:banana: New tower proposed for downtown Greenville. Bob Ellis secret uptown tower has been revealed. It will be 118,000 square feet, 14 stories tall, and be called the Regent. It will consist of retail, office, and residential space. For rendering, please go to http://www.ellisgrouparchitecture.com/ then click on Portfolio in left hand column. After that click on mixed-use at the bottom then scroll until you see the one that says The Regent.

Just when you thought everything was going downhill, you get this nice proposal and feel happy :)

^^Now go get me some chicken. :D

:banana: New tower proposed for downtown Greenville. Bob Ellis secret uptown tower has been revealed. It will be 118,000 square feet, 14 stories tall, and be called the Regent. It will consist of retail, office, and residential space. For rendering, please go to http://www.ellisgrouparchitecture.com/ then click on Portfolio in left hand column. After that click on mixed-use at the bottom then scroll until you see the one that says The Regent.

:carrot: GREAT find, g-man! Any additional info you can share about this?

:carrot: GREAT find, g-man! Any additional info you can share about this?

I'll see if I can find out more from Bob tomorrow. :)

If you look very carefully at the rendering, you can see what appears to be the top of the Carolina First building at the bottom left. If that's what it indeed is then this tower will be built somewhere in the same area as where the Pinnacle on Main is going.

If you look very carefully at the rendering, you can see what appears to be the top of the Carolina First building at the bottom left. If that's what it indeed is then this tower will be built somewhere in the same area as where the Pinnacle on Main is going.

If so, then it would fit nicely amongst the current downtown highrises. :)

Bob Ellis is refining the structural, mechanical, electrical engineering, etc. for the Pinnacle on Main project. Phase I funding is in place and Phase II is committed but contingent upon final design refinements within the next 2 weeks. When they start excavation, they want to go full speed without delays, stoppage, engineering issues, etc. Also, Bob wants to know where I found out about the Regent. Gee, I don't know. Maybe off of your own website. :lol:

Bob Ellis is refining the structural, mechanical, electrical engineering, etc. for the Pinnacle on Main project. Phase I funding is in place and Phase II is committed but contingent upon final design refinements within the next 2 weeks. When they start excavation, they want to go full speed without delays, stoppage, engineering issues, etc. Also, Bob wants to know where I found out about the Regent. Gee, I don't know. Maybe off of your own website. :lol:

Thanks for the update, g-man. So can we assume that the most recent estimation for the beginning of construction of the Pinnacle is about 2 weeks from now (i.e., early-mid September)?

That is hilarious that he asked you how you found out about The Regent! :lol:

^^That's the way I heard it. :) I told him the Regent had made its way to the forums. :lol:

someone probably put it on his website without asking him....lol

very interesting development. :)

Don't be suprised one bit if the Greenville News does a story on this within the next week. They contacted me earlier today wondering if I had any more information on it:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture449.jpg

H*ly Shit....they contact you now. Youll probably be able to get a job with them eventually ..... lol

This "new" tower shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. If you'll remember, the first Greenville News article about the Pinnacle also mentioned this one was being designed at the same time.

Hey g-man, have you been able to obtain any news on the 25-27 story building proposed for the Gateway site? It seems like a rendering should be released soon if it hasn't been already. I am also curious to hear how their feasibility studies are going. If you have any updates to share, I would greatly appreciate it! :)

Hey g-man, have you been able to obtain any news on the 25-27 story building proposed for the Gateway site? It seems like a rendering should be released soon if it hasn't been already. I am also curious to hear how their feasibility studies are going. If you have any updates to share, I would greatly appreciate it! :)

The architect has been selected and renderings will be ready for release sometime in September according to an email I received from the developer. I do not know who the architect is though.

H*ly Shit....they contact you now. Youll probably be able to get a job with them eventually ..... lol

Yeah, only in my dreams. :lol:

The architect has been selected and renderings will be ready for release sometime in September according to an email I received from the developer. I do not know who the architect is though.

The Architect is Pazdan-Smith Group

The Architect is Pazdan-Smith Group

And DLR Group.

Me and btoy on UP know about this, but I thought I share it with the rest of you guys too. Unfortunately, the Regent tower will not be built ever. It's not a proposed tower, but just a design of one they made to show clients what they can do.

^^^Could have figured that after the pinnacle's little hickup.

A new tenant has been announced for McBee Station. It will be Urban Nirvana and will be located in the space on the first floor just below where you see the Staples banner on the left hand side of the road in this pic. If you don't believe me then just drive by the site and see the sign on the outside brick wall of where it will be for yourself. Credit to Skyliner for photo:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y100/Skyliner25/McBeeStation0707_05.jpg

Rendering and site plan for 20 South Main Street: http://www.greatergreenville.com/city_government/PlanningApplications/applications/2007/September/DesignandPreservationCommission/9-06-2007/CA-07-91A-20SMainSt.pdf

Rendering and site plan for Kimbrell's building:
http://www.greatergreenville.com/city_government/PlanningApplications/applications/2007/September/DesignandPreservationCommission/9-06-2007/CA-07-90A-113SMainSt.pdf

Michelin on Main information:
http://www.greatergreenville.com/city_government/PlanningApplications/applications/2007/September/DesignandPreservationCommission/9-06-2007/CA-07-85-550SMainSt.pdf

^^
Thanks, g-man. The renderings look nice!!!

Ya'll ain't ready for this:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture166.jpg

Nope. I still don't think ya'll are ready for this:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g112/sharp222us/Picture302.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g112/sharp222us/Picture303.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g112/sharp222us/Picture304.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g112/sharp222us/Picture305.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g112/sharp222us/Picture312.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g112/sharp222us/Picture307.jpg

Nope. I still don't think ya'll are ready for this:


Does this mean that construction is about to start (finally)?

Yes, g-man, I am ready for this!!!

Does this mean that construction is about to start (finally)?

Let's just say: :banana: Are you sure Raleigh-NC? ;)

^^
Yes I am!!! Bring on the 40-story towers :lol:

^^Only in your dreams. :lol:

g-man how new is that construction photograph? Are you reposting the first false alarm with construction over again??? The site seemed more overgrown last time I went by, and the trees don't look like it's summer time... You're avoiding the answer and it concerns me that you're pulling my leg... But I am SOOO ready!:banana:

g-man how new is that construction photograph? Are you reposting the first false alarm with construction over again??? The site seemed more overgrown last time I went by, and the trees don't look like it's summer time... You're avoiding the answer and it concerns me that you're pulling my leg... But I am SOOO ready!:banana:

:lol: Am I pulling your leg or is it real? That is the question. You're in Italy, so you obviously can't answer it, but maybe somebody else could. ;) My grandpa was born and raised in Italy, so let me know how it's going. :)

More information on the Pinnacle on Main project: http://dickenscompany.com/uploads/PinnacleonMain.pdf

More information on the Pinnacle on Main project: http://dickenscompany.com/uploads/PinnacleonMain.pdf

That link is from a couple of years ago (it says "ready for occupancy in 2006"). Why are you posting it now? I am really confused now. Is construction starting now or not?

^^That is for me to know and you to find out. :D The Peacock started construction today. :)

^^^Ill ride by there later if i get time and see then ill post if they are doing anything.....lol

-240 feet
-15 stories
-second tallest in Greenville, but not for long
-Leed gold. Only highrise in state to have this
-3rd building on site in 300 year history

"Hi, i'm from UP and all I can think about is posting what the pilots say for GSP International instead of going out and taking update pics of development projects." :lol: Good thing I did get banned from that god awful place. :)

So the there must be pretty good news regarding the Gateway site? The pinnacle is about to be third tallest? Daniel building is probably going to be what.....2nd tallest after the Gateway tower.

^^Correct if the gateway site tower gets built.

Are you getting anymore info on the project? I read somewhere that the gateway site seemed to be losing steam?

^^Currently no. Untrue about that second part. Just a matter of time now until that rendering comes out. The developers gave the city $10,000 for this site. I don't think they would just back out. :)

Somebody on UP reported that the Peacock Hotel and Spa has been delayed due to change of building plans AGAIN and that to expect a press conference next week. This could either be good or bad news. I say they cancel the whole damn thing and stick a Waffle House on site. Downtown could use one of those. :lol:

Somebody on UP reported that the Peacock Hotel and Spa has been delayed due to change of building plans AGAIN and that to expect a press conference next week. This could either be good or bad news. I say they cancel the whole damn thing and stick a Waffle House on site. Downtown could use one of those. :lol:

They were joking g-man and had no factual basis for the comment.

I dont really care anymore. If it gets built so be it!

^^You do care. I can tell it. :) Whatever you say gsupstate. And construction has started on it. Sure. ;)

GREENVILLE WANTS MORE. :banana: :carrot: :dance:

McBee Station mega-update. :D Now why can't the people on UP go out and do this anymore:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture505.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture503.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture486.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture509.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture506.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture498.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture504.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture499.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture510.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture512.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture511.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture508.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture497.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture482.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture483.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture481.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture484.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture500.jpg

Terrace at Riverplace:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture491.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture493.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture492.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture494.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture496.jpg

thanks for the pics g-man.

^^De nada. :) Como te llamas?

No habla espanol

^^You have plenty of spanish friends that help you on that brick work, so I can't see how you possible don't know espanol. :)

Nice pics, g-man :okay:

^^De nada. :D An italian teaching spanish to a greek person. Can't get much better than that. :lol:

Finally, a project that won't be delayed when it starts in September. Future site of Courtyard by Marriott hotel-

DPC sign:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture507.jpg

From left to right on Broad Street. Everything you see below will be demolished to make way for the new hotel:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture502.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture501.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture480.jpg

From Main Street:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture489.jpg

Courtyard area that will be demolished and made into new courtyard/hotel:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture485.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture487.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture488.jpg

Thanks for the update. Do you know when the construction of the "Chime" will start?

^^Unfortunately no. My guess is that it will start when the Terrace is completely finished.


http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070829/BUSINESS/708290377

Condo project planned on North Main
Fifty-unit complex to offer easy access to downtown

Published: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 2:00 am

By Angelia Davis
BUSINESS WRITER
adavis@greenvillenews.com

A 50-unit condominium community could bring more residents closer to downtown Greenville in early 2008.

Hogan Properties, owned by brothers Sean, Patrick and William Hogan, is developing The Edge at North Main condominiums.

Sean Hogan, who is also owner of ERA Upstate Realty, said the units should be ready for residents to move into as early as January.

They're being built at the corner of Croft and North Main streets, at a time when the "condominium concept" seems to be gaining popularity, especially in downtown areas.

The condo market in Greenville County has remained steady over last year, and there was a slight increase of approximately 2 percent in sales over this time last year, according to Nick Sabatine, CEO of the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors.

"People want to spend more time doing other things than yard work, especially in a city like Greenville, which has so much to offer," Sabatine said.

One of the chief amenities for residents of The Edge is the quick access to downtown Greenville.

Hogan said the location for The Edge gives the developers the ability to offer condominium conveniences while maintaining a neighborhood feel.

"Being on the edge of downtown, you can easily access everything downtown Greenville has to offer," he said. "But when you go home at night, you feel like you're sleeping in a traditional neighborhood."

The Edge offers one-bedroom to three-bedroom loft plans, with prices starting at about $250,000.

The units range in size from 1,150 square feet to more than 1,800 square feet. All would have hardwood flooring, ceramic tile, granite counter tops, and vaulted ceilings.

The units will have one- or two-car garages. But for those who prefer not to drive or walk toward downtown, The Edge property is on the trolley line, Sean Hogan said.

"You can take the trolley bus from the Croft Street corner of the property all the way to downtown Greenville," he said.

Residents of The Edge would also have direct access to North Main Rotary Park. The six-acre condominium site adjoins the park property.

Hogan, a North Main Street resident, said the park was using part of the property purchased by Hogan Properties.

He said the company is in the process of donating an acre of its property to the city of Greenville's park department "so they don't have to worry about losing some of the property they've been enjoying for a number of years."



http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070829/BUSINESS/708290380

Downtown residents get new supermarket
Publix opens today in McBee Station

Published: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 2:00 am

By Angelia Davis
BUSINESS WRITER
adavis@greenvillenews.com

Downtown residents have a new option for grocery shopping closer to their homes.

Publix Supermarket opens at 7 a.m. today in its 28,800-square-foot anchor slot at McBee Station.

Greenville Mayor Knox White has said a grocery store was needed to serve people who live in the central business district as well as neighborhoods bordering downtown. He called it "a must-do.'

Nancy Whitworth, the city's economic development director, called the McBee project, which includes a Staples, spaces for more retailers and condominiums and luxury apartments, "one of the more exciting projects we've had downtown."

Ron Anguilm, Publix's McBee Station manager, said he expects to also cater to the needs of people who work in downtown Greenville.

He said the biggest draw, at times, will be the lunch and dinner crowds. The store will respond to the lunch crowd with such offerings as "grab and go" sub sandwiches and ready-made salad and fruit bowls.

Anguilm said he and other Publix employees handed out fliers about the store in the downtown area last week. In return, they got a lot of feedback.

"Most people we talked to, their thoughts are instead of sitting in traffic on I-385, I can go to Publix, do my shopping, and by the time I'm done, traffic's already cleared up," he said. "That's going to be a big draw."

The store has a full line of sushi and contains full-service pharmacy, bakery, deli, produce, and seafood departments.

Customers will also find the complete variety of Publix's GreenWise organic products in the McBee Station store.

Anguilm said the store's goals will be convenience, variety and good customer service.

The push will also be to provide speedy check-out so customers can come in the store, get what they want and be "in and out," he said.

And sometimes with smaller stores, people think they're not going to find everything they need.

But, "we've got pretty much everything," Anguilm said. "If not, it's our goal to accommodate them and make sure they get what they need."

The grocery store aims to serve people of all income groups.

"Being that it's downtown, you get the demographic mix of everything," Anguilm said. "You have the lower income, middle income and the higher income. Our goal is to make sure we can meet everyone's needs."

One example he cited is the selection of wines. The variety available ranges from the high end of more than $226 a bottle to $4.29 a bottle.

The grocery store has 96 employees including management. It will be open until 10 p.m.

Anguilm said a concern is a perception that there is not enough parking to accommodate customers.

With the luxury apartments and condos under construction close by as part of the McBee Station development, customers figured the store would share its parking lot with those who'll live in the condos and apartments, Anguilm said.

Instead, the 256 parking spaces in front of the store are shared with Staples customers. There are also an additional 56 on McBee Avenue, Anguilm, said.

He said parking for the condo and apartment unit is in a parking deck below the grocery store. Residents in those units can access the upper level via elevator.

Peacock Hotel and Spa information:

Construction preparation is underway as you have already observed. In early October they plan to erect a 150' tower crane on a 14' by 14' platform just across the street from the Bookends entrance on McBee. The crane will be used to move materials from the staging site (the lot at Main & McBee surrounded by the artsy plywood fence) to the construction site using flagmen and spotters to stop traffic on McBee during transport operations. The main jib of the crane will, of course, be long enough to reach from the staging site to the construction site. The counterweight jib will, when fully turned, extend over the Bookends. Apparently the city has given its approval to the use of the crane. Some of the residents of the Bookends have expressed concerns about this plan because of the extension of the counterweight job over the building and the possibility that the main jib would if turned by accident would extend fully over the building and over a portion of the Spring Street garage.

See, not everything is stalled indefinitely ;) Are you happier now?

^^No. :lol: I want donuts. Go get me donuts. :D

Do(ugh)nuts??? Do you wanna become fat like a whale? :lol:

^^Yes, just like your penguin. I want to learn how to waddle. :lol:

http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070831/BUSINESS/708310351/1003

Urban Nirvana adding spa, salon at McBee Station
Company finds Greenville a healthy market

Published: Friday, August 31, 2007 - 2:00 am

By Angelia Davis
BUSINESS WRITER
adavis@greenvillenews.com

Urban Nirvana will open both its second Greenville day spa and its first area hair salon in the new McBee Station development.

Susie McCrary, Urban Nirvana founder and owner, said the new businesses could open in their separate retail spaces on McBee Avenue in October or November.

The spa and Urban Nirvana Hair may be the third retailers to open in the new development.

Staples office supply opened as an anchor in the retail portion of the development in late July, said Allison Boyd, the store's general manager. A grand-opening celebration is being planned for sometime within the next month, she said.

Publix grocery store officially opened in its anchor slot there Wednesday.

Jimmy Wright, principal and vice president of the NAI Earle Furman retail division, said he expects to have a couple of other retail tenants sign up in the next couple of days.

Twenty-three retail spaces are part of the McBee development, which will also have apartments and condominiums.

Based in Charleston, Urban Nirvana's only full-service day spa in the Upstate opened in The Shops at Greenridge two years ago, McCrary said.

Greenville, she said, "has been such a strong market for us."

The spa offers a range of massage therapies, hydrotherapy treatments and skin care services in its day spas.

McCrary and co-founder and owner Sandra Lempesis launched the Urban Nirvana day spa in 2000.

"The whole idea behind Urban Nirvana is to create these healthy retreats within the city. It's not about escaping a city you find oppressive or off-putting. It's about feeling your best in the city you love," McCrary said.

The day spa and salon will not be connected, but they'll be beside each other.

The day spa will be about 3,000 square feet, while the hair salon will be in a 1,200-square-foot space.

"We feel pretty strongly about the two types of businesses," McCrary said. "They go together but we feel they need to be separated a little bit.

"Sometimes with hair services and those type things, there's more noise involved and there's a little more of a focus on the outward appearance, whereas in this whole spa environment we're not concerned about that. We're really trying to address the inner body."

Construction has started on the Peacock Hotel and Spa finally. They had a caisson drill on site yesterday that was driving pilings into the ground. There is also rebar and several other things on site that will be used in constructing this building. More redevelopment projects proposed for the West End: http://www.greatergreenville.com/city_government/PlanningApplications/applications/2007/October/DesignandPreservationCommission/10-04-2007/CA-07-94-912SouthMainSt.pdf and http://www.greatergreenville.com/city_government/PlanningApplications/applications/2007/October/DesignandPreservationCommission/10-04-2007/CA-07-96-722&724SouthMainSt.pdf

See, I told you not to worry ;) Things will have to move forward. That is the ONLY direction. The new redevelopment proposals look good.

^^Yes indeed. :) I'll try to get pics of the site this afternoon seeing how i'm going downtown then anyways. Also, the intersection next to the site is closed off for sewer repair work, so this is definitely a good time to put up the crane.

Future site of Rhett Street brownstones:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture522.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture521.jpg

Future Palmetto Bank headquarters-
Rebar, construction trailers, etc: http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture520.jpg

Site:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture519.jpg

Peacock Hotel and Spa-
Caissons, pipes, rebar, etc:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture516.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture518.jpg

Site/Caisson driller:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture514.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture515.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture517.jpg

Great pics, g-man! Thanks! :)

^^That's it? Where are the donuts and the money and the girls and...? :lol:

Stupid DPC. :bash:

Panel again rejects developer's plan for S. Main development
Mack wants to put 4-story building in West End area

Published: Thursday, September 6, 2007 - 8:44 pm

By Rudolph Bell
STAFF WRITER
dmbell@greenvillenews.com

A city of Greenville panel for the second time has rejected a developer's plans to build a four-story building at the corner of South Main and River streets downtown.

The Design and Preservation Commission voted 5 to 3 tonight against developer Stephen T. Mack Jr.'s proposal, despite his attempt to address concerns about historic preservation.

Mack said following the vote that he would continue his efforts to develop the site, which is strategically located in the rapidly redeveloping West End.

"We will definitely move forward with the project in one form or another," Mack said.

Previously, he had proposed demolishing two attached, two-story buildings on the site which date back to the late 1800s and are so-called "contributing" buildings to the West End Commercial Historic District. The DPC unanimously rejected that plan in March of 2006.

Tonight, in an attempt at compromise, Mack proposed preserving the brick facades of the existing buildings and incorporating them into a new, four-story building. A rendering he presented to commissioners showed a four-story structure with the existing buildings' brick fronts below and a contemporary mix of stone, metal and glass above and set back.

Chandler Weekes of the West End Association endorsed the plan, but some commissioners objected to the proposed building's height.

Mack has said renovating the existing buildings is not economically feasible. He has presented evidence they are deteriorating and have structural problems. Mack wants to put a mix of stores, offices and condominiums on the property, which is owned by Jeff and Erica Zaglin.

Jeff Zaglin said he and his wife had "worked with everybody concerned."
"Hopefully, we'll get it all ironed out and we'll see a great project," he said.
In other action, the DPC:

*Approved Windsor/Aughtry Co.'s plans for a $38 million, mixed-use development next to City Hall. The development would include a 140-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel, a six-story office complex, a 250-space parking garage and a restaurant with outdoor dining. It would also have a courtyard next to City Hall with a grassy area, 12-foot "water wall", public bathrooms and an ice rink in the winter.

Paul C. "Bo" Aughtry III, a principal in Windsor/Aughtry, said his company plans to begin demolition of two existing buildings at the 1.6-acre site in November and hopes to break ground on new buildings early in 2008.

Aughtry declined to identify tenants that might occupy space in the development. But he told commissioners he's dealing with a "high-end seafood restaurant" and that the hotel lobby would have a large aquarium.

*Rejected Michelin North America's request to display an eight-foot, three-dimensional image of its company symbol, the Michelin Man or Bibendum, at the Michelin on Main store and museum it's planning at RiverPlace downtown.

DPC Chairman Aaron Arnett said RiverPlace is creative and artistic, but he doesn't "see this Michelin Man meeting that concept."

I'm going to take a wild guess and say the "high-end seafood restaurant" that will be part of the Courtyard by Marriott development is: http://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/ Bummer, but not suprising that the development has been delayed until November.

I'm going to take a wild guess and say the "high-end seafood restaurant" that will be part of the Courtyard by Marriott development is: http://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/ Bummer, but not suprising that the development has been delayed until November.

McCormick & Schmick's is a great guess. I would love to see one in our downtown, especially since they are usually in metros larger than ours. Although I hate that this Courtyard by Marriott project is delayed, I am thankful that the DPC approved it. This is going to be a great addition to that intersection (as well as all of downtown).

^^Can't argue with that. I don't think it will be delayed anymore though, because it is a national hotel chain and Windsor/Aughtry has done many developments like this before. :)

Is the peacock going to be the same height as the bookends? I was wondering if it might be a little bit taller. I hope it turns out better then the renderings. Nice pictures G-man.

^^It will be 1-2 stories taller than the Bookends building. Thanks for the comments guys. :)

I just sent an email to the head of the DPC that said this:

I am very disappointed with the DPC's decision to reject the development proposal for the intersection of Main and River Streets in the West End Historic District. The two buildings located on this site are a complete eyesore and are not even listed on the national register of historic places according to the agenda item for this proposal. The developer has even said that two national retailers would be part of this great looking development. Downtown lacks when it comes to national retailers/restaurants and is something the city and many citizens have wanted for sometime. If this proposal comes up again at a future date, I urge you and your colleagues to rethink your decision of rejecting it and look at what it could do for redevelopment in the West End area. Thank you. -Jacob

-I urge anybody who cares to do the same. :)

I just sent an email to the head of the DPC that said this:

I am very disappointed with the DPC's decision to reject the development proposal for the intersection of Main and River Streets in the West End Historic District. The two buildings located on this site are a complete eyesore and are not even listed on the national register of historic places according to the agenda item for this proposal. The developer has even said that two national retailers would be part of this great looking development. Downtown lacks when it comes to national retailers/restaurants and is something the city and many citizens have wanted for sometime. If this proposal comes up again at a future date, I urge you and your colleagues to rethink your decision of rejecting it and look at what it could do for redevelopment in the West End area. Thank you. -Jacob

-I urge anybody who cares to do the same. :)

Excellent letter, g-man. Would you please post the DPC's email address? I am planning on sending them one as well.

^^Here you go man: woodbr@greatergreenville.com

Expect a public hearing in October to discuss the new location for a federal courthouse. The General Services Administration has been looking at sites since the late 1990s, and even chose the former Greenville Memorial Auditorium site last year to build. However, the plan fell through and the government is looking at more sites. Expect a short list to be announced in a few weeks. Speaking of the former auditorium site, the group looking to develop the property at the corner of Church and East North streets paid their $50,000 contingency fund to the city last week, which says that the project is moving forward. Publix opened its downtown store last week. It took the city seven years to get a downtown supermarket built. Don't expect it to take that long again. There are several parcels of land being considered by several chains in and around downtown including along Church Street, North Main and the Westside of town.

I would love to see a Bloom open up in downtown. Having a 24-hour supermarket will take downtown to the next level residentially speaking. I hope they are one of the companies looking to build here.:)

^^Can't argue with that. :) I'm hearing Bi-Lo is the chain looking at Church Street, while Bloom is looking in the North Main area. Not sure who is looking at the Westside of town.

It's coming guys. :dance: :banana: :rock:

It's coming guys. :dance: :banana: :rock:

What is, Pinnacle on Main? :lol:

^^No silly. The gateway site. However, the Pinnacle on Main will start this month. :D

^^^Actions speak louder than words....where did you hear this information...from Bobby Ellison?

^^No silly. The gateway site. However, the Pinnacle on Main will start this month. :D

What did you hear about the Gateway site, g-man? Any news or rumors you can pass along?

^^Maybe if you guys on UP would stop thinking Project Apple is Dunkin Donuts, then I would tell you. ;) The developer of the gateway site told me it should be out later this month. If it's not, then blame him not me. :D

^^Maybe if you guys on UP would stop thinking Project Apple is Dunkin Donuts, then I would tell you. ;) The developer of the gateway site told me it should be out later this month. If it's not, then blame him not me. :D

OK g-man....please enlighten those of us lower on the food chain than you.:lol: What is Project Apple? Do you know?

^^:lol: Well, if you guys would go out and take some pics, you wouldn't be so low on the food chain. I don't know unfortunately, but it's not Dunkin Donuts. Information regarding the project will be released sometime this fall.

According to WYFF, the City of Greenville completed the sale of city hall plaza today, so a new mixed-use development consisting of a Courtyard by Marriott could be built. Construction to begin in 2 months: http://councilagendas.greatergreenville.com/minutes/2007/September/Formal/09-10-2007/Item14c.pdf

City Hall plaza sold
Developer plans a hotel, parking garage, restaurant and offices at the location

Published: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 6:58 am
Updated: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 7:04 am

By Ben Szobody
Staff Writer
bszobody@greenvillenews.com


City Manager Jim Bourey said Monday the city has finished its sale of the City Hall plaza at the corner of McBee and Broad streets for $1.8 million.

Bourey told City Council that demolition on the site should begin in late October or early November.

The city's Design and Preservation Commission last week approved a $38 million development plan for the site.

Developer Windsor/Aughtry Co. Inc. has said it will include a hotel, a six-story office building, a parking garage and a restaurant with outdoor seating. It will also feature a grassy courtyard next to City Hall with a "water wall," public bathrooms and a winter ice rink.

Bo Aughtry, a principal with the firm, has said he hopes to break ground on new buildings early in 2008.

He has declined to identify tenants that might occupy space in the development, but told commissioners last week that he's dealing with a "high-end seafood restaurant" and a large aquarium would be in the hotel lobby.

:cheers: :banana: http://www.greatergreenville.com/city_government/newsreleases/archive/2007/PlazaSale.pdf and http://www.greatergreenville.com/city_government/newsreleases/archive/2007/PlazaPhotos.pdf

I didn't know a six-story office building was going to get built there as well...cool. Any renderings for it yet?

^^Yes indeed. Second article down: http://www.gsabusiness.com/ The office building and the Courtyard by Marriott are going to be in the same building if I recall correctly.

Thanks for the links to the Plaza project. As I am sure you know, we all love photos and renderings ;)

Information on the Main at Washington development should be out by October.

Information on the Main at Washington development should be out by October.

I trust that the city expects great things from the Main at Washington project, and I hope the developer will deliver. Having something that is dynamic and sustainable over the long term is key to that part of downtown!

An excellent project there is especially critical since the footprint is so huge. It is truly rare to have such a large plot of very valuable urban land to develop!

Peacock Hotel and Spa-
Pilings in the ground:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture540.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture541.jpg

Site:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture539.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture542.jpg

McBee Station
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture543.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture544.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture545.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture546.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture547.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture548.jpg

Excellent updates photos!!! McBee Station looks even nicer than I expected.

Palmetto Bank headquarters site
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture590.jpg

Pendleton West
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture598.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture601.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture602.jpg

Carriage West
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture599.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture600.jpg

Are Pendleton West and Carriage West in the downtown area? These projects seem to be very nice and urban.

^^They're right on the edge of downtown within 1-2 blocks of the ballpark.

You are correct. They are both located in the western portion of the historic West End of Downtown, not very far from the new ballpark and lots of new or revitalized shops. Downtown housing is really booming right now and many more people want to live here but have had to wait for less expensive options.

Plans for the revised eight story Rhett Street condo tower will go to the DPC on November 2nd. Riverplace phase II could include a hotel and expanded parking garage.
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture605.jpg

I haven't seen a Greenville Journal in well over a month now. This article seems to foretell of another interesting battle between the City and private developers. In this case, I think the owners of the property should be allowed to progress with their plans and not be hindered by the DPC merely on the basis that the building is structurally "too tall." What a load of ____. :)

^^I agree. The Fieldhouse at WestEnd is taller than this and that got approved, so their excuse about this building being too tall for the area is just a bunch of BS to me. In fact, just behind this site the DPC approved a 5-story mixed use building. I HATE the DPC. :bash:

Stop bringing 8-story skyscrapers to DT Greenville :rofl:

On a serious note, I feel your pain. These people are out of their minds if they think that 3 more stories will make a difference. The part that pisses me off the most is when opposition comes from people who claim to want urban, denser environments and envision a 24/7 downtown. I do not know the particular case to draw parallels, but this is the norm with most small and mid-sized cities. The city leaders need to show some guts and bypass the opposition, when and where it makes sense, of course. In this case, it is laughable to scream over 3 floors.

Plans for the revised eight story Rhett Street condo tower will go to the DPC on November 2nd. Riverplace phase II could include a hotel and expanded parking garage.


Is there any timetable for the rest of phase II of Riverplace? Another hotel sounds FANTASTIC!

^^Not sure on the timetable. We'll probably hear something about the rest of Riverplace though within the next month or two.

Word has it that a company by the name of Vantage Point has purchased 2 floors in the Pinnacle on Main building. http://www.vantagep.com/index.php

Have the developers said anything about the pre-construction occupancy rate of the Pinnacle? Is Vantage Point the only known [future] tenant? I wonder if other tenants, who do business with Vantage Point would consider a move to the same location ;)

Have the developers said anything about the pre-construction occupancy rate of the Pinnacle? Is Vantage Point the only known [future] tenant? I wonder if other tenants, who do business with Vantage Point would consider a move to the same location ;)

75-80% of the building is spoken for. A restaurant rumored to be developed by Greenville's own Tyler Florence will be on the first floor with a bank, Ellis Group Architecture, Vantage Point, condos, and an attorney's office rounding out the rest of the building.

So when does Bob say the pinnacle will start now?

^^This month.

Bob Ellis refuses to tell me the exact date when the Pinnacle on Main will start, but says it's imminent.

so do you think it will start this year or next year?

so do you think it will start this year or next year?

This year. Pray to god this year.

Credit to Gsupstate for pics. Mulberry at Pinckney:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/gsupstate/DSC03024.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/gsupstate/DSC03023.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/gsupstate/DSC03339.jpg

http://www.wyff4.com/news/14144470/detail.html

Abandoned Church To Be Resurrected As Condos
Condominium Units To Sell For Up To $500,000

POSTED: 5:34 pm EDT September 18, 2007
UPDATED: 5:56 pm EDT September 18, 2007

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- In a town where developers are building new condos with an almost religious fervor, one woman is devoted to resurrecting life in an abandoned building in a historic neighborhood.

The Greenville neighborhood is old, and the homes can be pricey, but an abandoned church in the neighborhood has a warning from the city to clean up its act because the lawn looks so bad.

But at least one person is looking at from an entirely different perspective.

Developer Susan Schafer Gioia said, "It's a stately building, I think. It's a cornerstone of the two block by two block neighborhood 'Hampton Pinkney.'"

It was built as a Presbyterian church in 1919, but it housed half a dozen congregations before it was abandoned

Gioia said the building will soon be turned into more than a half-dozen homes, some selling for up to $500,000.

"I think there are some elements of the architectural integrity of the old building that people really like. And when you build new construction, you can't re-create beautiful soaring beams," Gioia said.

The wooden beams will stay in the sanctuary that will be divided into two condo units, with five more in the rest of the church. Another will be in the bungalow next door that was the parsonage back in 1929.

"I guess you get a special blessing when you move in," Gioia said.

So soon, the abandoned church in the pricey neighborhood could be the most valuable of all.

Bob Ellis's new theme song:

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head
And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed
Nothin' seems to fit
Those raindrops are fallin' on my head, they keep fallin'

So I just did me some talkin' to the sun
And I said I didn't like the way he got things done
Sleepin' on the job
Those raindrops are fallin' on my head, they keep fallin'

But there's one thing I know
The blues they send to meet me won't defeat me
It won't be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head
But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red
Cryin's not for me
'Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complainin'
Because I'm free
Nothin's worryin' me

^^
Maybe the new song should be something along the lines of "The Pusher":

You know I've smoked a lot of grass
O' Lord, I've popped a lot of pills
But I never touched nothin'
That my spirit could kill
You know, I've seen a lot of people walkin' 'round
With tombstones in their eyes
But the pusher don't care
Ah, if you live or if you die

Michelin store opens doors in downtown Greenville

Published: Monday, September 24, 2007 - 7:01 pm

Downtown Greenville now has a one-of-a-kind retail store
— Michelin on Main, which saw its first customers in a “soft” opening Monday.

Architect and project manager Chris Stone, who is with Neal Prince + Partners, said Greenville hasn’t seen this type of retail space before.

“It’s a lot more than a retail space” — it’s what visitors
would expect to see in New York or Europe, he said.

The soft opening allows staff to become familiar with the store for the grand opening Oct. 12 in conjunction with Fall for Greenville.





RiverPlace residents expect to move in by October's end

Published: Monday, September 24, 2007 - 12:49 pm
Updated: Monday, September 24, 2007 - 12:53 pm

By Angelia Davis
STAFF WRITER

Residents are expected to begin moving into the third condominium complex in the RiverPlace development in October.

Bryan Blackwood of Coldwell Banker Caine, said all 27 condo units in the Terrace At Riverplace have been sold and most of the closings will be completed by the end of October.

The Terrace is the fifth building within RiverPlace in downtown Greenville. Master developers Bob and Phil Hughes plan a total of nine buildings on 10 acres between Main and Academy streets.

The Terrace, which is the second RiverPlace project developed by Allora LLC, is 130,000 square feet. Along with residences, it offers retail and office space.





Zipit Wireless expanding, moving to downtown Greenville

Published: Monday, September 24, 2007 - 6:49 pm

By Rudolph Bell
BUSINESS WRITER

Armed with a fresh infusion of cash, homegrown consumer electronics maker Zipit Wireless Inc. has moved its offices to downtown Greenville as it prepares to expand its product line.

The company -- which makes an instant messaging device geared for teens -- also recently hired an executive away from the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce. John Moore, formerly the Chamber’s senior vice president for economic development, now is Zipit’s vice president for marketing.

Engineers working in the Greenville office of Aeronix Inc., a Melbourne, Fla.-based engineering services company, developed Zipit’s only product so far, the Zipit Wireless Messenger, in 2004.

The engineers, who used to work for the defunct AT&T personal computer plant in Liberty, are having the device made under contract in Asia and have sold it online through Target.com, Amazon.com and BestBuy.com, and on store shelves in the Best Buy, RadioShack and CompUSA chains.

This summer, Zipit spun out of Aeronix and announced $4.5 million in funding from Windspeed Ventures, SunBridge Partners and Meritus Ventures, L.P. Zipit said it would use the money to bring new products to market, for a national marketing campaign and to increase its research and development and staff.

Zipit has also secured $200,000 in start-up capital from SC Launch!, the public-interest arm of the South Carolina Research Authority.

The five-employee Zipit was formerly housed in the Aeronix office off Pleasantburg Drive, but it recently moved downtown into 2,760 square feet over the Atlanta Bread Co. restaurant at the intersection of North Main and East North streets.

Zipit decided to move downtown because "downtown’s cool," said Ralph Heredia, the company’s co-founder and its vice president for business development.

"Downtown represents what we represent," Heredia said Monday. "It’s a young, cool company, with a lot of opportunities, and downtown is very similar in characteristics to that."

Moore worked for the Chamber for five-and-a-half years. Before that, he worked in marketing for paper maker Kimberly-Clark Corp. and The Coca-Cola Co. He said he sees working with Zipit as a great opportunity.

"It’s a great fit and a great time," Moore said. "I really believe in the product."





Greenville OKs another $1 million for RiverPlace

Published: Monday, September 24, 2007 - 7:34 pm

By Ben Szobody
STAFF WRITER

Greenville City Council approved Monday night more than $1 million in downtown money for project costs that weren’t accounted for in the city’s initial $14 million contracts for the RiverPlace development at Main Street and the Reedy River.

City Manager Jim Bourey said the added costs include changes ordered by the city for additional sidewalk lighting and improvements to a parking facility. Rock removal and utility burial also were included.

City Councilwoman Michelle Shain questioned the process in Monday’s council meeting, calling for a more bulletproof way to protect taxpayers from extra charges.

City Attorney Ron McKinney suggested a "royal decree" that downtown Greenville is comprised of "rock, rock, rock and more rock" because he said developers frequently underestimate how much blasting they will need to do.

After some discussion, the council unanimously added nearly $740,000 to phase one of the high-profile riverside development, which Bourey said covers everything between Main Street and the new water fountain.

The phase one contract was for $11.5 million, and Bourey said the additional money is analogous to a 10 percent contingency fund, which wasn’t included in the contract.

He said different parts of the added work — including lighting and parking improvements — were completed as recently as two months ago and as long as a year ago.

Some of the sidewalk design changes were approved by the council, he said, although it was before a specific price had been determined. Other changes didn’t have council approval, he said.

Added to the $2.5 million contract for phase two was nearly $350,000 for costs including a retaining wall and additional rock excavation for parking, Bourey said.

Phase two includes a plaza and the condo and office building currently farthest from Main Street.

Bourey said rock removal exceeded the $116,000 budgeted for the job, and that a retaining wall planned for a later phase ultimately cost less when included in phase two. He said "major changes" in materials costs as well as a new state certification requirement were among other reasons for the added expenses.

Shain said, "A lot of projects that are on line are expecting our participation," and said the city should find a way to prevent more unplanned charges.

Councilman David Sudduth suggested requiring developers to submit invoices to the city in a "timely manner."

Bourey said the city’s new contract for the development of the City Hall plaza makes clear that the developer will pay for surprises that could arise.

In addition to RiverPlace, McKinney said downtown developments including the Richardson Street parking garage, the Poinsett Corners condo development and the underway Peacock Hotel & Spa have all been significantly altered by rock.

The added RiverPlace money is coming out of city parking funds and "tax increment" funds designated for downtown improvements.

"The remaining balances in a couple of those accounts will be spent," Bourey said, noting that the money hadn’t been earmarked, though there are coming city projects that could have benefited.

Here is some very good reading (http://greenvilleforward.com/Downloadable%20Files/Greenville%20Magazine%202007-09.pdf) about Greenville's past and future and what changes are occuring that we can direct to make this city an even better place to live.

^^
Indeed a good reading about Greenville :okay: I liked the aerial photo, as well :)

I think it is always exciting to be able to have a "Riverplace" or a "Riverwalk" project. You guys are lucky to have a river running through downtown!!! Sounds like the additional $1 million is worth spending. BTW, during some random search, I ran to a "diary" from a trip (http://movingadventure.wordpress.com/2006/11/02/greenville-and-clemson-wed-nov-2/) with a positive evaluation of Greenville and a few nice photos. Y'all might have seen it, though.

:D
Imagine a brand new energy. Imagine a city full of life and energy. Imagine a vibrant downtown area that's alive with the sounds of people walking down Main Street, popping in and out of restaurants and shops, enjoying an evening out: Dinner at one of downtown's multi-cultural restaurants or a special downtown event, like Friday Night Jazz or a weekly concert at the Peace Center Amphitheatre. RiverPlace offers the aroma of fine cuisine at every corner, the hustle and bustle of people constantly on the go and at the heart of downtown Greenville, near the historic Reedy River. An urban atmosphere unlike anything Greenville has ever seen can be found with lively nightlife, beautiful views, within walking distance, where you can enjoy it all. Are you ready for the NEW RIVERPLACE?

**New Riverplace website: http://www.riverplacesc.com/
**New Hampton Inn and Suites website: http://www.hamptoninnandsuitesgreenville.com/
**Michelin on Main webcam. NOTHING LIKE IT: http://michelincam01.dyndns.biz:2048/view/

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Michelin on Main displays company as well as products

Published: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 2:00 am

By Jenny Munro
BUSINESS WRITER

Mayor Knox White dropped by on the way to a meeting Tuesday.

He was one of many to visit Michelin on Main, a retail and events facility that gives Michelin North America a presence in downtown Greenville.

Jim Micali, chairman and president of Michelin North America, came by Monday night right before Michelin on Main opened its doors for the first time. Downtown employees who watched Michelin on Main take shape are dropping by see the interior.

What do they see? Tire tracks that appear to be moving across a curtain wall. Leather luggage and tire key chains, t-shirts and pens. Several graphics dealing with the Michelin Man. A bank of 18 screens with moving pictures -- advertisements, car shows, vehicles using Michelin tires and more. A Cadillac CTS hanging from the ceiling.

"It's a great project," said Chris Stone, an architect with Neal Prince + Partners and the project manager. "It's real passionate. We were fast and furious. They had high expectations."

Jeff Jacobs, Michelin's director of identity merchandise, said he believes the project turned out "probably better" than anticipated.

WSPA-TV will launch live broadcasts from Michelin on Main on Oct. 8, Jacobs said, and will have some tidbit about the store every day leading up to the grand opening on Oct. 12. The show will be live at 10 a.m. every morning, the same time the store opens for business.

A tire concierge -- a Michelin consumer affairs employee -- will always be at the store to talk with customers about tires and connect them to dealers.

"We're not selling tires here but want to help people," Jacobs said.

"It allows the visitor to use a lot of senses," Stone said. The store is full of visuals, audio, lights. "It's a lot more than a retail space. We wanted a Michelin experience."

And Michelin on Main mirrors Michelin, he said.

"Michelin is about mobility. This will be a very changeable space," he said. "This is not something that is done a lot in Greenville. You could see this in New York or Europe."

:D Michelin on Main:
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I like Michelin tires. The best on the market in my opinion.

Thanks for the pics :) That's the least I can say ;)

I saw the space for Michelin on Main being prepared when I was in town for Artisphere. It looks great; extremely modern. It's a pretty innovative way for a company with its headquarters along the interstate to invest in and contribute to downtown.

^Yes, it was long overdue, in my opinion. The wait appears to have been worth every minute though since they have brought a unique retail concept to downtown Greenville - one that is definitely more "big city" than most shops in this region. I wish them the best and look forward to several years' worth of innovative and interactive world-class exhibition in Greenville. The location they have is second to none for such a place, being part of spectacular RiverPlace, on bustling Main Street, and directly across the street from highly acclaimed Falls Park on the Reedy. With the opening of this place and soon the Boathouse at the Falls restaurant, along with everything already here (High Cotton, etc...) this could be considered the new "center of downtown." Plus much more is on the way. :)

Kudos to the designers. They did an excellent job :okay:

New federal courthouse cost balloons

Published: Thursday, September 27, 2007 - 1:31 pm
Updated: Thursday, September 27, 2007 - 1:34 pm

By Tim Smith
COLUMBIA BUREAU

COLUMBIA - Officials now believe a new federal courthouse in Greenville will cost $137 million, more than double the project's initial price tag, a federal official has told GreenvilleOnline.

The cost of the Carroll Campbell Courthouse has increased from $67 million to $137 million, said Gary Mote, a spokesman for the regional office of the U.S. General Services Administration, which oversees federal courthouse construction.

"Because this has gone on so long we've had to go back and request additional funding," Mote said, adding the project has been in the works about five years, including two years of a national courthouse construction moratorium.

He said the estimated cost increase is caused by "everything, land, design, construction - especially construction. The construction market is tough right now."

Mote said officials also have had to begin a new site selection process. He said he did not know why the site at Church and East North streets had failed.

Check back with GreenvilleOnline for more details of this story.

Hey those are nice pics of Michelin on Main g-man. Ill have to get in there sometime and check it out.

The Pinnacle on Main website is currently in the process of being updated. I'll believe it when I see it.

According to the newest issue of the Greenville Journal, redevelopment of the old Woolworth's building is getting closer to reality. TIC Properties has acquired the last piece of property and is expected to file a demolition permit soon. The company will have to go to DPC and show what will take the building's place. The DPC will also soon get to see the final part of the second phase of Riverplace, which will take it to River St.

The Pinnacle on Main website is currently in the process of being updated. I'll believe it when I see it.

That probably means that they are going to change the "copyright 2005" at the bottom of the page to "copyright 2007." :lol:

:D
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Terrace at Riverplace:
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That probably means that they are going to change the "copyright 2005" at the bottom of the page to "copyright 2007." :lol:

:rofl: :rofl:

^^You could at least say great pics g-man. ;)

Heritage Green fountain:
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Ridgeland at the Park:
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UpCountry History Museum, which opened today:
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Edge on Main:
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:D 10 years in the making: http://www.upcountryhistory.org/
Museum opens the door to history -- today

Published: Saturday, September 29, 2007 - 2:00 am

It's a red-letter day in Greenville County. Today, after at least 10 years of planning, the Upcountry History Museum opens it doors on Heritage Green near downtown Greenville.

This calls for a celebration -- and there'll be one. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, the museum will host the Heritage Green History Festival, with the history of the Upstate told through music, dance, cultural exhibits and storytelling.

Storytellers will share tales about Textile League baseball, slave life, Greenville's founding citizens and ghosts of the Upstate. Musical entertainment includes Cherokee and English country dancing, gospel and patriotic music. There'll be exhibits, including basket-weaving, Edgefield pottery, quilting and weaving, military vehicles and artifacts. A children's area also is featured, offering old-fashioned games. Preview tours of the museum will be available. On Sunday, children will be admitted free for an Education Encounters program between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

In some respects, this is a museum that's been in the works for more than 200 years. The museum aims to plunge the visitor into the midst of the Upstate's rich history.

It'll be a highly interactive experience, an adventure in living history to engage the senses. The first thing one hears at the beginning of the tour are the grunts and squeals a person might have heard on an Upstate hog farm a couple of centuries ago. That's followed by sounds of Cherokee Indians and the bustle of a vibrant young city.

"The two- to three-minute sound and light show at the entry gives you an idea of what you'll see in the museum," says Pam Meister, the executive director of the museum.

Visitors can touch animal pelts that Upstate trappers would have caught. Children can load and unload bobbins on textile machinery, as mill workers would have done many years ago. There'll be exhibits about the Upstate's role in civil rights and displays about our region's geography.

Towering facades from the history of the Upstate will serve as the gateway to exhibits in the 45,000-square-foot museum -- including the First National Bank Building; the old Records Building that served as a Greenville courthouse and was torn down more than 80 years ago; and the Mansion Hotel, which sat on the spot now occupied by the Poinsett Hotel from 1824 to 1924.

At a replica of Fairview Presbyterian Church, one of the Upstate's earliest churches, visitors will be able to sit in church pews and hear snippets of sermons and listen to choirs from all over the region singing "Amazing Grace" in different worship styles.

In the section dedicated to the textile industry, an exhibit will put the visitor in the middle of a textile mill, with a vintage loom, a mill owner's office and other artifacts.

"We'll make the museum experience much more immersive and interactive -- and hopefully really fun," says Meister. "We want to show how engaging and entertaining and also thought-provoking it can be."

Visitors also will meet wax-like models of ordinary folks who built the Upstate -- such as a woman standing in the doorway of a log cabin replica. They'll also meet prominent Upstate historical figures such as early settler Richard Pearis and philanthropist Vardry McBee, the latter of whom donated the Heritage Green land. By pushing a button next to them, visitors can hear their stories, in the language and dialect they might have used.

A fiber-optic map will illustrate the changes in the population over the centuries in the region, while computers with touch screens will offer information and photos of all 15 Upstate counties.

There'll be permanent exhibits as well as ones that change every six months. The first changing exhibition explores the textile industry from its roots in Asia hundreds of year ago to its impact on Greenville's development.

The museum, along with Furman University, has been conducting a big oral history project with many interviews centering on World War II. Visitors can add their own stories in the oral history studio and have them archived.

The Upcountry History Museum is just one of three new museums planned for Heritage Green. The others, opening next year, are the Children's Museum of the Upstate and the Museum & Gallery at Heritage Green.

Already a regional magnet for the arts, Greenville will take another big cultural leap forward with the opening of the three museums. They will join the existing cultural destinations on Heritage Green -- the county's main library, the county art museum and the Greenville Little Theatre.

The Upcountry History Museum, for its part, promises to capture the distinctive character of our community and region in a lively and stimulating way. No doubt it'll help us all understand a lot more about where we've come from -- and perhaps where we're headed.


State's largest children museum coming soon: http://www.tcmgreenvillesc.org/

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Credit to gsupstate for pic:
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Nice pics, G-man! Good to see more museums coming on line in the area; that definitely adds to the quality of life.

Excellent work, g-man :okay: I truly appreciate your contributions here...

Thanks for the comments guys. :)

:D
Terrace at Riverplace:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture821.jpg



Excellent photos g-man. Love this nightime shot. :okay:

I think the editors for the Greenville Snooze are smoking crack again. Read the headline then the article and see what doesn't match up. :nuts:

New courthouse site chosen after judges' opposition

Published: Monday, October 1, 2007 - 11:16 am
Updated: Monday, October 1, 2007 - 11:19 am

By Tim Smith
COLUMBIA BUREAU

COLUMBIA - The federal government scrapped plans to pick the former Memorial Auditorium site for a new federal courthouse after judges voiced their opposition, the chief district judge for South Carolina told GreenvilleOnline this morning.

The government's property agency, the General Services Administration, announced in 2005 that the courthouse would be built at the former auditorium site at East North and Church streets.

But the agency had not talked to the judges before selecting the site, who complained afterward about parking, security and accessibility issues, said Gary Mote, a GSA spokesman for the agency's regional office in Atlanta.

"We strongly opposed the site they selected," said Chief District Judge Joseph Anderson.

Anderson said the triangular piece of property made the site problematic anyway for construction. But he said the larger issue was accessibility because it was surrounded by one-way streets.

"We felt like, bringing in prisoners to the courthouse, one-way streets would not be good from a security standpoint," he said. "But more importantly, visitors to the courthouse, jurors and so forth, when we break for lunch would have to fight all that heavy traffic. So we thought there were better sites downtown."

GSA has identified 19 possible sites for the courthouse and in June narrowed the list to six finalists, all downtown, said Mote. He said the sites are still undergoing evaluation and one or two might be removed.

GSA will publicly announce the final sites once they are certain of their status, he said.
Each site is undergoing traffic and environmental studies. A public meeting on the sites will be scheduled after the studies are complete, Mote said, between two months and six months.

Mote said last week that cost estimates for the courthouse have increased from the original $55 million to $137 million because of the number of years that have lapsed in planning the project.

I think the editors for the Greenville Snooze are smoking crack again. Read the headline then the article and see what doesn't match up. :nuts:


I was excited until I reached the third paragraph from the bottom. What terrible communication! LOL :ohno: :hammer: :hahaha:

^^^It only the beginning bud

Downtown Greenville is fine for Charleston eateries

Published: Monday, October 1, 2007 - 1:42 pm
Updated: Monday, October 1, 2007 - 1:54 pm

By Rudolph Bell
BUSINESS WRITER

Three restaurant companies from Charleston say their locations in downtown Greenville have exceeded expectations, while a fourth hopes to repeat their success with a presence on Main Street this spring.

The wave of Lowcountry eateries began in 2004, when Sticky Fingers, the Mount Pleasant-based barbecue chain, opened at the corner of Washington and Main.

It continued this year when Charleston restaurateur Richard Elliott launched the expansive, upscale High Cotton at RiverPlace and the Charleston-based Tbonz Restaurant Group brought its Liberty Tap Room & Grill brand to West End Field.

A fourth Charleston restaurateur, Richard Stoney, plans to open a Boathouse seafood restaurant next to Falls Park in the spring.

The three that are already open say they're glad they made the trip up Interstates 26 and 385.

Elliott said revenues at High Cotton after six months are already within a few percentage points of the restaurant of the same name he's operated in Charleston's historic district for eight years.

"We are considerably ahead of projections," he said.

Usually, he said, restaurants take several years to mature and build a customer base. Elliott said both of his restaurants on Bay Street in Charleston, High Cotton and Slightly North of Broad, took time to reach their present popularity.

He cited downtown Greenville's power to draw patrons from across the Upstate as one reason for the success of the Greenville High Cotton so far.

People who live in outlying areas of Charleston such as Moncks Corner or Walterboro don't typically drive to downtown Charleston for fine dining, he said.

"But people in Spartanburg drive to downtown Greenville to have dinner, or Anderson, or Pickens, or Clemson. We see them all the time," Elliott said. "It's a very real distinction between the two markets."

Elliott also said he sees more business customers in Greenville, but more tourists in Charleston.

Jerry Scheer, co-owner of the Tbonz Restaurant Group, said the Liberty Tap Room & Grill he opened on July 4 is one of his chain's highest-performing restaurants so far.

"We have reached our optimal projections already this year, and we're looking forward to seeing that grow even more," he said.

Scheer said he's hoping the restaurant will continue to fare well now that the season has ended for the Greenville Drive, the minor-league baseball team that plays at West End Field and drives traffic to his restaurant.

The Tbonz group owns 14 restaurants operating under five brands in the Carolinas and Georgia. Six of its restaurants are in the Charleston area.

"The Greenville market has the potential to be everything that Charleston is," Scheer said.

Scheer said he'd like to bring one or two more of his brands to Greenville. In addition to Liberty Tap Room & Grill, they include Tbonz Grill & Grill, Kaminsky's, Pearlz Oyster Bar and Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse.

Todd Eischeid, one of three owners of the Sticky Fingers chain, said the chain's restaurant in downtown Greenville is the No. 5 performer out of 19 restaurants. The other Sticky Fingers restaurant in Greenville, on Woodruff Road, is within the top 10, he said.

"And they're not all that different in terms of sales volume. They're pretty close," Eischeid said.

"We really like being in great downtown areas, and one of the deciding factors in opening our restaurant on Main Street was the vibrant downtown that Greenville's created," Eischeid said.

He said the top two Sticky Fingers restaurants are both in Chattanooga. The chain has four restaurants in the Charleston area and also operates in Georgia, Florida and North Carolina.

Stoney said a consultant's analysis of the Greenville market was favorable for his plans to open his fourth Boathouse restaurant in the Falls Place building directly across Main Street from High Cotton. His other three Boathouse restaurants are in the Charleston area and Asheville.

Stoney said the revitalization of downtown Greenville "has been handled about as well as anything I've witnessed as far as urban renewal" and he sees the market as "wide open for restaurant growth."

"It's just going to get bigger and better and more and more as the years pass," he said.

First piece of tower crane now in the ground for Peacock Hotel and Spa. Sorry about the quality. Pics taken with cell phone:
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They should have the rest of this thing up within the next day or two.

^^Correct. The rest of the crane should be up by the end of the week. Weather permitting of course. I was talking to the workers on site about it when I was taking the pics. There were a ton of them and they were all very nice. :)

How come nobody has asked me what is going on with the Pinnacle currently? I still receive emails from Bob Ellis. :D

Feds scraped courthouse plans after complaints for judges
Some complained old auditorium site lacks parking, a security risk, chief justice says

Published: Tuesday, October 2, 2007 - 8:47 pm

By Tim Smith
STAFF WRITER

COLUMBIA -- The federal government scrapped plans to pick the former Memorial Auditorium site for a new federal courthouse after judges voiced their opposition, the chief district judge for South Carolina told The Greenville News.

The government’s property agency, the General Services Administration, announced in 2005 that the courthouse would be built at the former auditorium site at East North and Church streets.

But the agency hadn’t talked to judges, who complained afterward about parking, security and accessibility issues, said Gary Mote, a GSA spokesman for the agency’s regional office in Atlanta.

Chief District Judge Joseph Anderson said, "We strongly opposed the site they selected."

Anderson said the triangular piece of property made the site problematic anyway for construction. But he said the larger issue was accessibility because it was surrounded by one-way streets.

"We felt like, bringing in prisoners to the courthouse, one-way streets would not be good from a security standpoint," he said.

"But more importantly, visitors to the courthouse, jurors and so forth, when we break for lunch would have to fight all that heavy traffic. So we thought there were better sites downtown."

Anderson said the judges wrote a "really strong letter" in opposition to the site and asked GSA to conduct a traffic study, which he said they hadn’t done. He said while GSA agreed to start fresh with another site selection process, the former Memorial Auditorium site still is considered among the possible choices.

The federal agency has identified 19 possible sites for the courthouse and in June narrowed the list to six finalists, all downtown, Mote said. He said the sites are still undergoing evaluation and one or two might be removed. GSA will publicly announce the final sites once they are certain of their status, he said.

Each site is undergoing traffic and environmental studies. A public meeting on the sites will be scheduled after the studies are completed, Mote said, between two months and six months from now.

U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge William Wilkins of Greenville, who stepped down this summer as chief judge of the court and is now in senior status, said he hasn’t attended recent meetings about the courthouse because of his status. He said he didn’t know the reasons but was aware of the project’s delays.

"It is a frustrating thing," he said.

Wilkins said he had wanted GSA to select a site near the courthouse but the agency didn’t act quickly enough and part of the property was sold.

City Manager Jim Bourey said city officials learned in April 2006 that there was "some objection to the site" and that a federal courthouse development was unlikely on the Gateway tract.

He declined to identify the sites currently under consideration for the courthouse. He said they all are private sites, and the city is updated periodically.

Meanwhile, separate plans for the Gateway site are moving forward. Three local businessmen have said they hope to build a "high-end" hotel with condominiums and apartments above it in a high-rise that could become one of Greenville’s tallest.

Bourey said developers have a contract on the site and have paid a nonrefundable $50,000 to the Greenville Arena District, which owns the land.

Mote said last week that cost estimates for the courthouse have increased from the original $55 million to $137 million because of the number of years that have lapsed in planning the project.

How come nobody has asked me what is going on with the Pinnacle currently? I still receive emails from Bob Ellis. :D

Hey g-man, what is going on with the Pinnacle currently? Do you still receive emails from Bob Ellis? ;)

^^Yes, I still receive emails. The reason it is delayed is due to the tenants that will locate in the building wanting to change the way the interior is designed in their specific space. The investors for these tenants are what's holding up the project, not Bob Ellis. He has invested thousands upon thousands of dollars in this project and will never give up. It will get built. The question is when, not if.

^^Yes, I still receive emails. The reason it is delayed is due to the tenants that will locate in the building wanting to change the way the interior is designed in their specific space. The investors for these tenants are what's holding up the project, not Bob Ellis. He has invested thousands upon thousands of dollars in this project and will never give up. It will get built. The question is when, not if.

As Jerry McGuire might say, ... "SHOW ME THE MONEY!" :lol:




Have you heard anymore about the Gateway site Gman?

Do you know a date for city hall courtyard demo? McChesney demo?

^^Money? Where? :lol: McChesney is not downtown. Wrong thread. ;) Demolition to start in Jan. or Feb. on that. Post #161 for gateway site. A tower this large takes a while to get designed. Hopefully, a rendering will come out in October, but I can't guarantee anything. City Hall courtyard demo to start in late Oct.-early Nov.

^^Yes, I still receive emails. The reason it is delayed is due to the tenants that will locate in the building wanting to change the way the interior is designed in their specific space. The investors for these tenants are what's holding up the project, not Bob Ellis. He has invested thousands upon thousands of dollars in this project and will never give up. It will get built. The question is when, not if.

Sounds like Ellis is trying to pee on people's legs and tell them it's raining.

Sounds like Ellis is trying to pee on people's legs and tell them it's raining.
If it helps us fight the drought, I am all for peeing all over the place :lol:

^^Well, there is rain in the forecast for today and if it comes down yellow then i'll know why. :lol:

You guys are too silly, LOL.

^^Well if metro-ass wouldn't of banned me for following the rules, we wouldn't be in this situation to begin with. :D

Palmetto Bank headquarters site:
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According to the super-intendent for American Constructors that I talked with earlier today on the Peacock Hotel and Spa site, the crane is scheduled to go up next Wednesday:
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http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture835.jpg

Very rewarding photos... for us who visit this thread, of course :) Thanks g-man, you really keep up with the progress. I wish I could do the same...

That palmetto bank must be on the verge of rising because they have our total station guy out there. The guy with the white hat! He does all of our jobs. Very smart guy too.

Thanks for the pictures! It's great to know that the Peacock and the Palmetto Bank HQ are taking off. The face of downtown will have changed a lot by the time I return in a few months. Hopefully the Pinnacle will be on that list, too.

^^^I wish the pinnacle was rising....one can only wish i guess but g-man says it is emminent. I do wonder if it will be this year.

^^^I wish the pinnacle was rising....one can only wish i guess but g-man says it is emminent. I do wonder if it will be this year.

I didn't say it was imminent. Bob Ellis was the one who said that.

Construction on the Courtyard by Marriott should start within the next month. Demolition of Woolworth property won't occur until early next year. Rebar is starting to arrive on Peacock Hotel and Spa site for construction of first floor, so the crane should be going up very soon. Construction has started on the mixed-use building for Pendleton West in the West End. It's nice to see this project moving forward: http://www.greatergreenville.com/city_government/PlanningApplications/applications/2007/November/DesignandPreservationCommission/11-01-2007/CA-07-76-27RiverSt.pdf and http://www.greatergreenville.com/city_government/PlanningApplications/applications/2007/November/DesignandPreservationCommission/11-01-2007/CA-07-76-StaffReport.pdf Wish there were a rendering available though.

Mixed-use building for Pendleton West has started construction. Rendering can be seen here on bottom left part of page: http://www.greatergreenville.com/development/dt_projects.asp

Pics:
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture914.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture915.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture916.jpg

McBee Station:
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture929.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture926.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture927.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture917.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture918.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture923.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture925.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture924.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture928.jpg

Another rewarding set of construction update photos!!! Thanks, g-man :)

McBee Station really turned out to be an overall nice development (even though I can't really say I'm a fan of the architecture of the apartment buildings).

^^I'm not a big fan either of those apartments. They look cheaply built and one blow from the big-bad wolf would probably knock them all down.

Does anybody know what's going on with the Pinnacle on Main?

Does anybody know what's going on with the Pinnacle on Main?

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess "nothing." :lol:

^^Message to Bob Ellis: "Put up or shut up" :tongue: :lol:


Peacock Hotel and Spa:
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture932.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture933.jpg

I don't think any of us realize just how much density the Peacock Hotel and Spa is going to add to that part of downtown. It really is fairly open now, but pretty soon that block will feel much more urban and dense. I can't wait! :)

^^Yeah, I can't wait either to see how ugly the damn thing will look. :lol:

3-story residential building proposed for West End:
http://www.greatergreenville.com/city_government/PlanningApplications/applications/2007/December/DesignandPreservationCommission/12-06-2007/CA-07-111-628SMain.pdf

According to the Greenville Journal, JoS A. Bank is said to be looking at putting a second Greenville location downtown. They already have one location on Haywood Road. If this does indeed come true, it would be the first national clothing retailer to locate downtown and more could soon follow.

^^Message to Bob Ellis: "Put up or shut up" :tongue: :lol:


Peacock Hotel and Spa:
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture932.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture933.jpg

Too bad it will look like crap!:bash:


Yeah, it will help add density to the area. Now if someone can develop the plaza behind it, and if the city hall site and ct st buildings actually get built, this part of DT will finally have some true density. That's a bunch of ifs though.:ohno:


Hey Gman, when are you finally ganna give up in the pinnacle? AIN'T GANNA HAPPEN!:nuts:

^^Bob Ellis told me on Friday that it is still very much alive, but I pretty much gave up on it a few months ago.

Hmmm, so we went from groundbreaking in January, to "next month" every month through August, to "End of this month" in September, to "still very much alive"???:hahaha:

What a bunch of BS.



I do not see Gville getting anything over 9 stories anytime in the next five to ten years. There obviously isn't a market for that kind of a building in Gville now. It is fun to think about proposals some, but obviously they are pipedreams. Since 2004, there have been what, maybe 10 proposals and at least 5 more rumors of buildings 12+stories? And not A SINGLE ONE has come to fruition.:bash: Give it up Gville. We will not have a skyline.... EVER.

^^Why do we need a skyline? I mean they're nice and all but does Charleston, Savannah, or Washington DC have one?

I don't really care if the POM gets built or not, but I am not happy at all with Bob Ellis lying day in and day out about his project. I sent him a very stern email telling him that. This project has turned into a joke and worst of all, made a site that actually looked OK before into a hell hole. Now the city will probably put up some wall around it with drawings from local schools like every other failed project downtown. If you as a developer cannot update a website in over a year, I don't even want to know how long it is going to take you to build a skyscraper. He said the groundbreaking wasn't a marketing ploy and was actually supposed to be the start of construction but I beg to differ. I actually emailed Triangle Construction last month who was going to construct this building and they said there aren't any plans currently for it. Gee, I wonder why that is. I officially mark the Pinnacle on Main DEAD. Go ahead Raleigh, Charlotte, and Atlanta. Hog some more.

Hey Gman, you siad something on SSP about a Gnews article update on the pinnacle. Did one ever come out on it? Should we check in the obituaries? :lol:

^^:lol: Probably should check there. Of course one never came out. It is the Greenville Snooze after all. ;)

I dont really care anymore. I got too much school work to do anyway....

^^Same here. School is :nuts: right now.

I don't think any of us realize just how much density the Peacock Hotel and Spa is going to add to that part of downtown. It really is fairly open now, but pretty soon that block will feel much more urban and dense. I can't wait! :)

With that sorry excuse for architecture, I'd rather see that parcel remain vacant for now. Greenville is loooong past the "well, it's better than nothing" attitude.

^^I still think they should stick a Waffle House on site instead. Downtown could use one of those. :lol:

Pinnacle on Main-dead even though Bobby refuses to admit it
Camperdown Condos-dead
The Tower at Falls and Broad-dead
The gateway tower site-i'll believe it when i see it
Rhett St. building-supposed to go to DPC in nov. Not on their agenda though for then.
East Court Street building-who knows when. More like an if now
Peacock Hotel and Spa-So ugly it's fugly
Riverplace phase II/III-soon i case. How long is soon though? 10 years?
Bookends phase II-on hold until 2057
Woolworth redevelopment-delayed, delayed once more, delayed again
Main at McBee-dead
Kroc Center-next spring maybe

The tower at falls and broad would have been a nice tall building but we will never see it.

Pinnacle on Main-dead even though Bobby refuses to admit it
Camperdown Condos-dead
The Tower at Falls and Broad-dead
The gateway tower site-i'll believe it when i see it
Rhett St. building-supposed to go to DPC in nov. Not on their agenda though for then.
East Court Street building-who knows when. More like an if now
Peacock Hotel and Spa-So ugly it's fugly
Riverplace phase II/III-soon i case. How long is soon though? 10 years?
Bookends phase II-on hold until 2057
Woolworth redevelopment-delayed, delayed once more, delayed again
Main at McBee-dead
Kroc Center-next spring maybe

Yes, but isn't downtown Greenville getting a Zaxby's ?

Yes, but isn't downtown Greenville getting a Zaxby's ?

We already have one. :D

We already have one. :D

Okay, then I wouldn't sweat the fact that everything else is going belly-up. :cheers:

New theme song for G-ville: another one bites the dust. :lol:

You know what, some developers will benefit from any stalling, delays and/or cancellations. Eventually, DT Greenville will get its share of new towers. Then it will be my turn to say "Quit hogging it all" :lol:

You know what, some developers will benefit from any stalling, delays and/or cancellations. Eventually, DT Greenville will get its share of new towers. Then it will be my turn to say "Quit hogging it all" :lol:

You and me will be in the graveyard before that ever happens.

You know what, some developers will benefit from any stalling, delays and/or cancellations. Eventually, DT Greenville will get its share of new towers. Then it will be my turn to say "Quit hogging it all" :lol:

In your dreams. I will have done moved to Charlotte by then....lol

It's only fitting that the largest cemetary in the city is right across the street from the POM site. :rofl:

Pinnacle on Main-dead even though Bobby refuses to admit it
Camperdown Condos-dead
The Tower at Falls and Broad-dead
The gateway tower site-i'll believe it when i see it
Rhett St. building-supposed to go to DPC in nov. Not on their agenda though for then.
East Court Street building-who knows when. More like an if now
Peacock Hotel and Spa-So ugly it's fugly
Riverplace phase II/III-soon i case. How long is soon though? 10 years?
Bookends phase II-on hold until 2057
Woolworth redevelopment-delayed, delayed once more, delayed again
Main at McBee-dead
Kroc Center-next spring maybe



Don't forget:


Hotdog king lot 14 storey building - dead!
Bob ellis second tower - dead!
S Main green monster redo - dead x 2!
4 prior Gateway projects - dead x 4!
County sq redev. - dead!

^^Let's put a graveyard on the POM site one night with tombstones for every dead project downtown. :lol:

You know what, some developers will benefit from any stalling, delays and/or cancellations. Eventually, DT Greenville will get its share of new towers. Then it will be my turn to say "Quit hogging it all" :lol:


Maybe when Atl/Clt/Ral/Cola/Gso/W-s/Kxv all run out of land, then gville will have a chance at new high rise or two... :rofl:

Maybe when Atl/Clt/Ral/Cola/Gso/W-s/Kxv all run out of land, then gville will have a chance at new high rise or two... :rofl:

They'll run out of water first. :lol:

Don't forget:


Hotdog king lot 14 storey building - dead!
Bob ellis second tower - dead!
S Main green monster redo - dead x 2!
4 prior Gateway projects - dead x 4!
County sq redev. - dead!


forgot the federal ct house that will never happen either :lol:

^^I'll die from old age before that happens.

^^ Now don't worry gman; I'm sure all these projects will happen "next month." Or if not, at least the same time GSP gets a daily flight to the West Coast. Either way, what are you worried about? :rofl:

^^Yeah, especially the POM. :hahaha: Bob Ellis to me: "2 weeks, next month, 2 weeks, next month." :rofl:

^^Yeah, especially the POM. :hahaha: Bob Ellis to me: "2 weeks, next month, 2 weeks, next month." :rofl:


:lol:
Ever seen that movie, "The Money Pit."

"How much longer before it's finished?" "Oh, about two weeks."

^^:rofl: Reminds me of that time Skyliner said a few months ago none of the downtown projects are stalled and that I was making it all up.

I suppose we should all just give up on living then? Meanwhile, what are we doing to help the city by complaining about a few projects when life otherwise is very pleasant here? No sir, you are not going to lessen my enthusiasm about living in Greenville. Too many great things are going on to be sulking around all day.:cool:

^^A few? More like 95%. :lol:

So you say suicide is a better option than living a wholesome and enjoyable life of contentment with the many things this city does get right?

^^No, but I am proving you wrong when you said "none of the projects downtown are stalled" a few months back.

Aw come on skyliner, don't be so bright and chipper. :lol:
Let us whine a little about some of the recent lack of progress. We're just anxious for some of this stuff to finally happen.

^^No, but I am proving you wrong when you said "none of the projects downtown are stalled" a few months back.

I never said "none," and I believe you were saying they are completely "dead." Please don't put words into my mouth. I am capable of speaking on my own. You have no proof that all of these projects are dead. You do not attend any of the meetings these developers have and you never visit their offices to discuss the projects' fate.

^^So you're saying the Camperdown Condos, TAFAB, Main at McBee aren't dead? :hahaha: Well, go take some update pics when they start construction then. ;) I don't visit them, but I do email them. You should know that by now.

Don't put words into my mouth. I never said that those projects are not dead. We have no proof at this point that any of them are dead except for the Tower at Falls and Broad.

You do not know them personally and you do not have a clue what is actually happening with their projects unless they give you an indication through e-mail.

^^Ok smart one. If they're not dead then what are they? When are they going to start construction?

Give me proof from the developers' mouths that they are dead and I will not deny it.

...We have no proof at this point that any of them are dead except for the Tower at Falls and Broad...

Give me proof from the developers' mouths that they are dead and I will not deny it.

Well the sign on the Camperdown Condos site was taken down and they were evicted, so that is dead obviously. Main at McBee will never get off the ground due to a lack of tenants. There is a memoradium on Federal Courthouses so that won't happen anytime soon. I have been in email contacts with several of these developers and I know first hand what is going on with them. Most of them are on hold or dead due to lack of tenants and/or construction prices.

Maybe when Atl/Clt/Ral/Cola/Gso/W-s/Kxv all run out of land, then gville will have a chance at new high rise or two... :rofl:

The problem is that Greenville doesn't have any natural barriers that prevent it from developing outward. Suburban developments are much, much cheaper (as I'm sure you all know) and in smaller metros seem to be in much higher demand. For reasons like that I'd expect a lot more low-rise developments moving further and further outward from the downtown core like that $600m project that's going up next to I-85. Unfortunately the ultra-dense, high rising dowtown cores like New York, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington DC (it may not be high-rising, but it certainly is dense) are a thing of the past.

Here is a link (http://www.greatergreenville.com/city_government/OMB/CIP08/(E)%20Streetscapes.pdf) to a document containing several pages worth of valuable information concerning planned streetscape projects coming to the City of Greenville. Some of these are extra exciting.:)

You guys have become very pessimistic... It is about time a new tower gets announced: I am planning on building a 35-story mixed-use tower in DT Greenville. That's it!!! This is your news. Of course, I will kill the project, at a later time, but I hope someone else will announce something new and keep the enthusiasm :lol:

Word from UP is that the crane is going up this morning for the Peacock Hotel and Spa. You can expect pics later today. :D

Word from UP is that the crane is going up this morning for the Peacock Hotel and Spa. You can expect pics later today. :D

Great! Looking forward to seeing those, g-man. :)

This is the start of the highrise boom. I make it rain cranes bitches. :D Peacock Hotel and Spa. No, it's not an illusion. It really is that tall:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture968.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture965.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture967.jpg

I make it rain cranes bitches. :D

:lol:

:lol:

What can I say? :D It's taller than I thought it was going to be, which is good. :)

I can only begin to imagine y'all's enthusiasm :banana: Let's hope that the rain of the cranes will be non-stop :lol:

^^Well, we are in a drought but it did rain here today. :lol:

It is raining in DT Raleigh, as I am typing this!!!

^^Cranes, water, or both? ;)

I was looking around on the web and found out that the Bookends building is only 105 feet tall while the Peacock is going to be somewhere around 150 feet tall. For some reason on the rendering, it shows the Peacock as the same height as the Bookends. Obviously that is not true. You can especially tell this by looking at the crane height compared to the Bookends building in this photo:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture967.jpg

Here is one I also took yesterday that I forgot to post:
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture966.jpg

How about the elevation? Is the Peacock going to be built at a lower level than the Bookends? Not that I anticipate a 40%-45% advantage in height to be offset by a difference in elevation, when these projects are so close to each other - the building behind the crane is the Bookends, right?

How about the elevation? Is the Peacock going to be built at a lower level than the Bookends? Not that I anticipate a 40%-45% advantage in height to be offset by a difference in elevation, when these projects are so close to each other - the building behind the crane is the Bookends, right?

It's pretty much around the same elevation grade. The Peacock site might be a little bit lower than the Bookends, but by no more than 5 feet I would think. The building behind the crane with all of the different brick colors is indeed the bookends: http://www.bookends.us/McBee.html :)

-You can see the elevation grade for the Bookends and Peacock site in this pic. The lower part of the site where the backhoe is will be a basement i'm pretty sure, so it will be underground. The rest of the building will rise out of the ground at the same level as the truck with the crane up in the air. You can even see a cassion that had been drilled there at the bottom of the pic. That is pretty much the same elevation as the Bookends building:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r263/peacockdude/Picture832.jpg

Imagine what this view could look like in the near future if the proposed Court Street building and Courtyard by Marriott have tower cranes up like the Peacock all at the same time. Not in this view, but you could add Riverplace, Rhett Street building, Gateway site, POM, etc as well. Just imagine:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/Picture968.jpg

The Peacock will not be much taller than The Bookends. This is not a high-rise tower crane and appears to be just tall enough to top a building slightly taller than The Bookends across the street. I would be more excited if I knew this building would be beautiful, however I dread its potential to be extremely ugly and cover the beauty of The Bookends. Another structure the size and design of The Bookends would have been much better, in my opinion. Since I don't have a choice, bring on The Peacock, ugliness and all.:lol:

The Peacock will not be much taller than The Bookends. This is not a high-rise tower crane and appears to be just tall enough to top a building slightly taller than The Bookends across the street. I would be more excited if I knew this building would be beautiful, however I dread its potential to be extremely ugly and cover the beauty of The Bookends. Another structure the size and design of The Bookends would have been much better, in my opinion. Since I don't have a choice, bring on The Peacock, ugliness and all.:lol:

Who says it won't be much taller? Don't tell me you're going to go off some rendering. It is a high-rise crane. They call them "tower" cranes for a reason. Have you even seen the crane in person? It's way taller than the Bookends. Look at the pics I took if you don't believe me. You wanted a skyline and now you're going to get it, so be happy and quit bashing developers who are just trying to give you what you want. Besides, my dad's best friend lives on the 5th floor of that building, so I should know how tall it is.

I watched the crane go up and have seen it from every angle since. It is a tower crane, yes, but mid-rise buildings - even low-rise buildings occasionally - are often called "towers" as well. This crane is not very tall. It will be nice to see a building go up there, but it don't be surprised when it tops out only slightly taller than The Bookends. The crane would have been much taller if the original design had been started. That would have been a real high-rise crane.;)