Wednesday, February 24, 2016

New Park at old Monaghan Mills

Developer Burt Moiser LLC has given 6 acres near The Lofts of Greenville to the Greenville Revitilization Corporation (GRC), to be turned into a community park.  Since this area is pretty close to downtown Greenville and the Swamp Rabbit Trail, it will be a great addition to the developing West Side of Greenville.  The property was part of the old Monaghan Mill, and the GRC plans to incorporate some mill history into this park.  Other plans include a playground, walking trails, and an area  that will accommodate outdoor movies.  A portion of the area will be used for parking for the Monaghan Methodist Church. 

The old Monaghan Mill was converted into a luxury apartment complex in 2006, and retains a lot of the mill's historical flavor.

Update - QT on West End Approved by City Council

The Quick Trip rezoning of a property at Academy Street was approved by City Council on Monday, with a 4-2 vote.  They also have an approval to operate 24 hours.  Competitor Spinx noted that they were denied a similar opportunity at Buncombe and Butler Roads in 2012, although that was located  bit closer to downtown and near the Hampton- Pinkney Historic District.  But Spinx is going ahead with a remodel of it's existing convenience store at Pendleton Street and Academy, just down the road from the proposed QT, near Saint Francis Hospital.  So, it looks like the heat is on to develop another gateway into the city of Greenville.

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

QuikTrip Angling for a store in Greenville's West End

Convenience and gas station QT is trying to get a 24 hour zoning variance for a store at Academy and Markley Street, which just across from the Kroc Center and right in the middle of the real estate explosion in the West End.  Of course, since the area is so close to downtown Greenville and in an area where high end condos and apartments are becoming commonplace, there is a lot of commotion from residents and business owners about the development. This location is really a gateway into the attractive downtown area, so it certainly will be under scrutiny from the City of Greenville as well. Right across Academy is the Ray and Joan Kroc Center, the AJ Whittenberg Elementary School, and more land along the Reedy River that the city hopes to develop into a large park.  The road could use some cleaning up; QT is trying consolidate a couple of parcels, including a liquor store on the  corner and a vacant lot littered with bottles. But this area is changing rapidly  as the West End surges outward, so you can expect to see a new style Academy Street emerging in the next few years. 

Friday, February 5, 2016

Cancer Survivors Park Boardwalk open


The first leg in developing the Cancer Survivors Park in downtown Greenville has been completed - a 1000 foot boardwalk that wanders through a canopy of trees and overlooks the Reedy River.  There is still a couple of years to go before the 6 acre parcel is finished, but it is sure looking nice.  The park is set between Cleveland St and Church St., near the Greenville Chamber of Commerce.  The entrance comes in off Church Street near the Next Building and provides access down to the river along some really cool mature trees.  This area was a tangle of briars a few years ago, but it is now taking shape.  I expect once the gardens are in place, it will be a spectacular spot to visit.

The Swamp Rabbit Trail runs just below the park and runs directly into Cleveland Park, the largest central park in the downtown area.  The area and trail are very popular with walkers and cyclists and there is a push to extend a secondary leg of the Swamp Rabbit Trail.  Nearby residential real estate  in downtown Greenville has exploded as small homes up on Campertown have been removed and brand new, high end homes going up.  This has been a trend over the past few years - the limited amount of real estate that is near Falls Park and within golf cart distance to central Greenville have been under intense pressure for redevelopment.   The Cancer Survivors Park fits in nicely and gives another nice getaway for those urban dwellers.