Thursday, January 16, 2014

Stuken Corporation Expands Fountain Inn Plant

The local manufacturing base continues to grow in Greenville County as well as the Upstate of South Carolina.  Stuken has some precision  deep draw metal  technology that is in demand for automotive fuel injection and braking system; and local auto manufacturer BMW probably likes that.   Fountain Inn has a fair number of industrial plants that serve the automotive  and other industries and these cutting edge processes will demand more skilled labor as time goes on.  Look to the Fountain Inn and Simpsonville area to continue growth in the residential housing market as more jobs are created.

Bassmaster Tournament Back to the Upstate in 2015

Wow, the Superbowl of Fishing is coming back to Lake Hartwell in 2015. That is pretty big deal for the area with all the TV coverage and business brought into the hotel industry.  The event was here in 2008 and they used the BiLo Center in downtown Greenville to host the nightly weigh-ins.  We were in the middle of a drought back then and the lake levels were really low; fortunately, all the lakes are back to full pond right now. Hopefully they will be that way for next year.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Greenville West End Improvements

Business owners in The West End of Greenville have been putting their heads together in an effort to increase foot traffic down toward the baseball stadium.  Many pedestrians stop at the junction of S. Main and Pendleton, not aware of what enticing new shops and services await them just a short walk farther.  The big issues are signage and additional lights, topics that the City has embraced and acted on quickly.  Trees have been trimmed so that the existing lights emit more light that will enhance pedestrian safety, and additional street lights are planned for University Street.  There is also a push for more directional signs that list specific businesses and where they are located, similar to what you will see along the Main Street above the Reedy River bridge.  Establishing this type of infrastructure will help the West End grow, and make no mistake, it is coming.  There are three apartment complexes coming to the West End that will add about 350 units and plenty of foot traffic  - 150 units at Wardlaw and Rhett Streets, 100 units with the Stadium Apartments at Rhett and Markley, and 107 units at 121 Rhett St.