By Lasley Cash, Staff Writer
As more businesses seek to integrate into Greenville’s community, they often choose to re-locate amidst downtown’s Main Street. Main Street is lined with new shops, restaurants, and companies and the immediate area does not show any signs of stopping growth.The Greenville News building was recently purchased with plans for renovation and developing plans for a new plaza across the street, near the Peace Center.
The Iron Yard, a code and software teaching company, has recently moved to Main Street, where it has been able to enjoy benefits from both expansion and location. The Iron Yard has already elevated downtown Greenville’s new tech-savvy status, being the first in a wave of software-related companies to appear in the area.
Many startup tech- companies are following in the footsteps of The Iron Yard and are seeking placement within the Bank of America Plaza. The Bank of America building is currently renovating office space to allow for these ventures. Other startups such as those in public relations and handcrafting are also seeking placement in the heart of downtown’s Main Street.
Two companies, including the Indie Craft Parade non- profit and a public relations firm, Haskins PR & Marketing, are expected to move into the building on the same floor as The Iron Yard next month.
Additionally, the Chamber of Commerce program, NEXT, has made plans to move from its current location to the Bank of America building. The expansion will continue with a medical application company, ChartSpan, which plans to move beside NEXT. Plans for the ChartSpan office include a gym, café, bike barn, coffee shop, and lounge, bringing more business to the already exponentially growing area.
The 15-floor Main Street building that holds the Bank of America Plaza will continue its rapid expansion in the coming years, as it has much growth planned for the future from firms across the country. However, take a short stroll further down Main Street and you will find more innovative development plans within the area.
At the site where The Greenville News now sits, a plan for a massive plaza with an array of five buildings surrounding it is currently underway. This past week, developers dropped off the site plan at City Hall, with the intent of building a 140- room hotel, 225-unit apartment complex, office buildings, a dine- in movie theatre, and a fitness center in the space. The plan also included parking for 800 vehicles. In order for the plans to be put into action, however, the developers will need to receive a “certificate of appropriateness” from the Design Review Board. This will be the first of a series of approvals they will need from city officials.
One of the developers behind the plan, Brody Glenn, already has a vivid depiction of how he would like to renew the space. He plans to have multiple ground-level shops and restaurants encircling the plaza, with other retail space across the front of Main Street. His detailed site plans have also included certain amenities such as water features, fireplaces and plants that will be scattered around the plaza.
As the project is still very well in its initial developmental stage, it could be subject to changes within the near future and may evolve from its original vision as developers engage with city officials. However, developers are currently proposing ideas about the possibility of making improvements along streets on the edges of the property.
While to date, no deal has yet been struck, the plans for the plaza and the future of downtown Greenville remain bright. In an already vibrant and booming downtown economy, Greenville is on the verge of witnessing an even greater revival. Although business growth has been focused primarily on Main Street, it has begun to spread to areas like Woodruff and Laurens Road.
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