Over the next few weeks, we’ll be looking at the future of Greenville’s developments. This post is Part One in the series.
Greenville County Square off of University Ridge is an important location for anyone living in Greenville. This is where you can find the sheriff’s office, the primary Medicaid office, real property services, and just about anything tax-related. The DMV is across the street, and if you ever take the trolley to Fluor Field or anywhere else downtown, County Square is a great place to park and ride.
It’s also set to get a major facelift. A few weeks ago, Upstate Business Journal wrote about plans the county has to redevelop the nearly 38 acres of prominent real estate that the county owns and operates. The article highlights that this redevelopment plan is different than most for Greenville in two ways: it is being controlled by the county instead of the city, and they are receiving bids from outside developers, not merely local ones.
The implications are significant. First, the area around County Square is already seeing a good deal of development and is becoming a bit of a destination in itself, with popular restaurants like Biscuit Head and Sidewall Pizza within walking distance. A redevelopment of County Square could push this area into further development and give it more appeal to those spending time downtown. This would especially be true if County Square 2.0 also made room for corporations and private interests, as the article suggests they might.
Secondly, as UBJ’s article highlights, several outside builders are interested in the project, which indicates that “institutional money now feels comfortable with Greenville.” No doubt, developers would love to see Greenville become a large, urban city, and while it’s a good sign that outsiders are seeing great potential in the Upstate, it may be difficult to continue redevelopment without also sacrificing some of Downtown Greenville’s signature charm and historicity.
Lastly, this project could dramatically reshape Greenville for good or bad. County Square is in a strategic location, and the article quotes Mayor White as saying, “You could end up changing the character of downtown if you’re not careful.” This is true, especially with the county pulling the strings instead of the city.
Anyone who has been to County Square recognizes that the area needs to be improved, and not merely for the cosmetics. Hopefully, the county will come up with a plan that improves the cosmetics and functionality while also helping that section of the city continue to move in the right direction.
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