Final approval: West End parking garage development agreement

Council gave final approval for the city to enter into a development agreement with RocaPoint Partners to build a new public parking garage in the West End. The city will allocate $13.38 million to cover the project’s cost.

RocaPoint Partners, the $1 billion County Square project developer, will design and build the 400-space parking garage on Howe Street and a pedestrian walkway connecting to Augusta Street. The project is expected to be completed in March 2026.

Initial approval: Housing impact analysis for accommodations tax funds

The city of Greenville seeks to use a portion of its accommodations tax revenue to develop affordable workforce housing, permitted under South Carolina Act 57. The act specifically allows up to 15% of both local and state accommodations tax revenue to be used for creating workforce housing.

Under Act 57, the city is required to create a housing impact analysis to use its state accommodations tax funds for workforce housing. The analysis provides an overview of the city’s housing market and conditions, construction and development costs, economics and employment analysis, and a review of barriers impacting housing.

According to the housing impact analysis, the city has the opportunity to use approximately $2 million from local accommodations taxes and $300,000 from state taxes toward affordable housing projects.

The analysis was approved by the city’s Planning Commission Jan. 7. Council gave initial approval to incorporate the analysis into the GVL2040 Comprehensive Plan following a public hearing Monday night.

Approved: Settlement agreement with short-term rental companies

The city of Greenville is one of the plaintiffs in a pending lawsuit out of Charleston County against several short-term rental companies, including Airbnb, Tripadvisor and Vrbo. The lawsuit was filed in 2021 by several municipalities in South Carolina to recover unpaid local accommodations and business license taxes for short-term rentals.

Council approved a resolution consenting to a settlement agreement with the defendants in the lawsuit. The agreement must be approved by all plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Approved: Abandoned textile mill certification for Conestee Mill property

Council unanimously approved an abandoned textile mill certification for the old Conestee Mill site under the South Carolina Textile Communities Revitalization Act.

Kantasta LLC and Lake Conestee Dam Restoration Project LLC are redeveloping the property which is located near Conestee Road and Spanco Drive. The act grants state income tax credits of 25% of the qualified rehabilitation expenses for the site.

Review: Abandoned building certification for 700 Arlington Ave.

Council reviewed an abandoned building certification application for the historic structure at 700 Arlington Ave. during its Jan. 13 work session. The local landmark was most recently used as the Greenville Cultural Exchange Center.

Jordon Construction Co. is renovating the building. Once work is complete, the restored building will include office space for minority-owned businesses, gathering space and space to display historic African American artifacts from the Greenville Cultural Exchange Center.

James Jordon, president of Jordon Construction Co., said approximately $612,000 is being invested to restore the historic building. With the abandoned building certification, the developer can receive state income tax credits of 25% of the property’s actual rehabilitation expense.

Council is expected to formally vote on the item Jan. 27.

Additional items

• Council gave final approval for City Manager Shannon Lavrin to terminate the reverter clause in the deed to the American Legion Post 3’s property at 430 N. Main St. This action would allow an interested developer, currently known as 426 N. Main LLC, to purchase the property for a future project.
• Initial approval was given by council to appropriate approximately $2 million in the capital projects fund for the additional proceeds of the second round of the neighborhood infrastructure bond. The additional proceeds will go toward capital projects.

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Laurens Road development modification

McMillan Pazdan Smith will bring an application for a planned development modification at 1200 Laurens Road. According to the application, the site will be altered to a mixed-use development known as The Alliance Project made up entirely of affordable housing for those earning at or below 70% of the area median income. The affordability will average 60% AMI for 30 years.

Currently, the site is home to the Laurens Road Church of God.

The site is 3.6 acres and plans call for two four-story, multi-family buildings totalling 100 residential units.

The application states that Building A includes 18,000 square feet per floor. The ground floor includes 4,200 square feet of commercial space and 5,100 square feet for amenities and a leasing office, with the rest of the building for residential. Building B, will total 16,500 square feet on each floor and will be entirely residential.

Pine Street development

The commission will be asked to approve rezoning of 0.115 acres at 101 Pine St. near Unity Park from an RH-D, House D District, to RN-A, Neighborhood A District. The application was submitted by local nonprofit Beyond Housing SC.

The application overviews a plan for senior housing that aligns with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. As a result, monthly rent would not exceed 30% of a resident’s total income.

Other matters of note

• The city’s accommodations tax utilization plan will get it’s first review Jan. 7 when the commission reviews the housing impact analysis. If approved, it will go before City Council Jan. 13.
• The commission will also hear updates to the city’s development code following its 18-month review.

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City Hall to be rebuilt

Greenville City Hall will be demolished to construct a new building in the same location at 206 S. Main St. Five to six floors of the new structure will house City Hall with the remaining space for residential and commercial tenants. The city plans to invest $10 million into the project, which will be completed through a public-private partnership. City Council approved a non-binding letter of intent with M Peters Group in September; however, a formal development agreement has yet to be signed between both parties. 

City parks continue to evolve

Some of the city’s parks hit major milestones in 2024. Unity Park saw several grand openings and the groundbreaking of the future Thomas A. and Vivian Wong Honor Tower. The city secured property to build a future skatepark and paved pump track next to the Greenville Downtown Airport. Falls Park in downtown Greenville celebrated its 20th anniversary in September. Gower Park also reopened following renovations which added new pickleball, tennis and basketball courts to the park. 

Affordable housing efforts carry on

Several strides were made by the city this past year to help create more affordable housing in the area. Approximately $4.45 million was specifically earmarked for affordable housing in the city’s operating budget for fiscal year 2025. The city purchased 36 parcels in the Haynie-Sirrine neighborhood for $10.7 million to add affordable housing and green space to the site. The city also supported several efforts made by the Greenville Housing Fund to create and preserve affordable housing in the area. 

Roadway safety projects move forward

The city’s engineering team was busy in 2024 planning out several roadway projects. The team crafted a finalized list of traffic and pedestrian safety enhancements along Augusta Street in April. The following month, new conceptual plans for roadway improvements along Wade Hampton Boulevard were unveiled to the public. Other planned roadway projects include Pendleton Street, East North Street, Dunbar Street and Green Avenue.

Neighborhood master plans updated

Two neighborhood master plans were updated in 2024. The city worked with neighborhood stakeholders and residents to create a new plan for the Haynie-Sirrine neighborhood. The plan outlines strategies to balance new development with the preservation of the existing neighborhood. Greenville City Council recently approved the updated master plan for the Greenline-Spartanburg neighborhood. The recommendations within the plan focus on affordable housing and infrastructure updates.

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In 2024, the nonprofit organization helped secure low-income housing tax credits for two key affordable housing projects: Southernside Senior and The Alliance. The GHF also broke ground on Southpointe Senior, a $23 million affordable housing project, in late November.

“We are having a really significant impact on affordable workforce housing, and we want to keep that momentum going,” said Bryan Brown, CEO of the GHF.

Around 100 elected officials, industry partners and community stakeholders gathered to hear these accomplishments during the Greenville Housing Fund’s annual meeting Dec. 10. The event featured guest speakers including Greenville Mayor Knox White and Greenville County Councilman Ennis Fant, a panel discussion, and a presentation of the organization’s 2025 priorities.

Development pipeline

Looking toward the future, Brown said the GHF plans to focus more on neighborhood-scale affordable housing developments. Two projects are in the GHF’s 2025 pipeline that fit this category and will be created with local neighborhood partners.

The Huddle at Sterling is a $2.1 million duplex project that will be developed through a joint venture partnership with The Sterling Land Trust. The project will consist of 10 mixed-income rental homes with 18 total bedrooms.

The second project is the Villas at Southernside, an 11-unit affordable townhome development on West Washington Street. The GHF will partner with Homes of Hope to complete the $3.25 million project. The city of Greenville donated the land for the project.

Libba King, GHF’s vice president of real estate and capital markets, said the organization’s project pipeline also includes large multi-family efforts in the 2024 low-income housing tax credit round with South Carolina Housing. These projects include:

• Northgate Manor and Victoria Arms: Two affordable housing projects totaling 120 units being developed in partnership with the Greer Housing Authority. In total, the projects are expected to cost $29 million.
• 570 Davis Road: A 180-unit project in Piedmont being developed in partnership with AMCS Development. The project is expected to cost $51.8 million.

Priority efforts

In 2025, the GHF also plans to formally launch the Greenville Community Home Trust, a program that focuses on home acquisition, renovation and home ownership.

King said the program seeks to provide a deep subsidy per single-family home and lessen the need for long-term public subsidies for homeownership opportunities with every sale thereafter. Other benefits include preventing the displacement of the workforce in high-growth areas and creating avenues of wealth building via shared equity.

“We’ll be putting a big effort next year to really bring more light to this,” King said.

The GHF, in partnership with the city of Greenville, is also seeking the U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s Pro Housing Grant. The organization hopes to hear back about the $5 million grant in the first quarter of 2025.

If awarded, the grant would be used to support several efforts including the construction and preservation of affordable housing. Tiffany Santagati, GHF’s vice president of operations, explained the grant would also help the organization hire a consultant to update the data set for the Greenville affordable housing strategy. Some funding will be used for the Greenville Community Home Trust and to support community education and training efforts.

Other priorities of the GHF in 2025 include:

• Pursuing opportunities for permanent supportive housing to help with homelessness
• Launch homeowner preservation program 2.0 in conjunction with the city of Greenville
• Build an effective resident support program with Leadwell 360, a Greenville-based business consultant
• Weaving diversity, equity and inclusion in all internal and external operations

“We understand that we have a lot of work to do,” Santagati said. “We look forward to partnering with you and the broader community.”

By the numbers

Since its inception, the Greenville Housing Fund has directed $21,662,000 toward affordable and workforce housing.

• 730 homes preserved
• 1,018 homes produced
• 1,748 homes with GHF Investment
• 93 homes supported with tax incentives

Advocacy agenda

The Greenville Affordable Housing Coalition — convened by the Greenville Housing Fund — released its 2025 advocacy agenda during its Dec. 10 meeting. The coalition aims to cut the affordable housing deficit in half by creating 10,000 affordable units and preserve 3,000 existing affordable homes.

Learn more about the coalition by visiting greenvillehousingfund.com/greenville-affordable-housing-coalition.

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Discussion: Greenline-Spartanburg Master Plan

Council heard an overview and update of the Greenline-Spartanburg Master Plan schedule. The preliminary recommendations centered on affordable housing and infrastructure updates, and the city has focused on community engagement in an effort to hear from neighborhood residents.

Some of the priorities listed by residents included intersection updates, lighting improvements and addressing speeding on neighborhood roads. A recurring issue discussed during the session was a need for improved home ownership rates in the neighborhood bordered by North Church Street, East North Street and Harrington Avenue.

The proposed plan will go before the city’s Planning Commission on Dec. 5 for review.

Discussion: Accommodation tax in workforce housing

The city has been at work on a plan to utilize a portion of its accommodations tax revenue toward the development of workforce housing. It falls under South Carolina Act 57 tackling housing for families earning 30% to 120% of the area’s median income. For a four-person family, the upper end of that range is roughly $89,000 annually.

The plan will be incorporated into a five-year plan with the hope for adoption as early as 2026. The housing impact analysis will go before city of Greenville’s Planning Commission during its Jan. 7, 2025 meeting. If approved, it could then go to City Council as an ordinance as soon as the Jan. 13, 2025 meeting.

Discussion: Development code

Council and city staff discussed some proposed Greenville development code changes as its 18-month milestone approaches. Some proposed changes include:

• Change of use standards for businesses to concentrating on a ‘like with like’ density model
• Tree preservation corridors and vegetation buffers

Read more: Greenville development code undergoes first annual review

Discussion: C-Funds

Council discussed some upcoming projects to be utilized with allocated gasoline tax funds (C-Funds). The appropriation of the funds has allowed the movement of some long-awaited projects.

Some upcoming projects and timeline start dates include:

• Phase 2 of the Augusta Street Safety project: Spring 2025
• Willard Street bridge replacement: Winter 2025
• Stone Avenue and Rutherford Street intersection: Spring 2026
• Stone Avenue/Interstate-385 safety improvements: Spring 2026

Approved: Resolution for bridge replacement work

City Council approved an ordinance allowing the state to perform emergency bridge replacements along South Hudson Street and West Washington Street. The vote reflects a Municipal State Highway Agreement between the city and the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

Councilmember Lillian Brock Flemming said that although it is an agreement that involves the city, concerns from the public arising from the bridge replacement should be directed to SCDOT.

Approved: Annexation

Council unanimously approved the annexation and rezoning of 1.57 acres of property on Guess, Orr and Seth streets. It also amended the ordinance to reflect both RN-A Neighborhood A District and RN-C, Neighborhood C District zoning.

Items presented for first reading

• Annexation and zoning of 2.89 acres along Easley Bridge Road. The site is proposed for IX, Industrial Flex District. Approved, unanimously
• Annexation and zoning of 0.20 acres at 46 Orr St. The site is proposed for RH-C, House C District. Approved, unanimously.
• Annexation and zoning of 0.41 acres at 17 Prosperity Court. The site is proposed for RH-C zoning. Approved, unanimously.
• Annexation and rezoning of 62.3 acres at 402 Roper Mountain Road from a PD, Planned Development District to a CM, Campus District. Approved, unanimously
• Rezoning of 6.7 acres at 301 East Camperdown Way from an RC-3, Community 3 District to a CV, Civic District. Approved, unanimously. This motion also removed a portion of the property from the city’s Downtown Design Overlay District.
• Firefighter’s pension fund one-time cost of living adjustment for retirees. Approved, unanimously. 

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The new apartment community off Woodruff Road in Greenville will be reserved for low- and moderate-income renters over the age of 55. Specifically, the units will target seniors earning 20% to 60% of the area median income. 

Ninety residential units with one- and two-bedroom floor plans will be available at Southpoint Senior at 30 Southpointe Drive. Pre-leasing will begin in December 2025 and construction is expected to take 18 months to complete. The apartment community will also include a community center, business center and fitness center for residents. 

Southpoint Senior will be created in partnership with the Greenville Housing Fund and Lowcountry Housing Communities, a new developer in the Greenville market. South Carolina Housing Authority awarded the project the 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credit award in 2021.

“We are incredibly thankful for the tax credit financing and for all the efforts SC Housing is making to increase affordable housing opportunities in the rapidly growing Upstate,” said Bryan Brown, president and CEO of the Greenville Housing Fund.

Greenville County Redevelopment Authority and The Greenville Housing Authority also helped make this affordable housing project a reality. The project will include 20 project-based vouchers through an award from The Greenville Housing Authority. 

Read more about local affordable housing projects

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The low-income housing tax credit program provides tax credits to developers who create affordable housing. Bryan Brown, CEO of the Greenville Housing Fund, said the program partially finances 90% of all new affordable housing construction in the U.S.

Southernside Senior Living, a $32 million affordable housing development near Unity Park, was awarded a 9% federal low-income housing tax credit. The Greenville Housing Fund is partnering with Harmony Housing Affordable Development to develop the project. 

Construction is set to begin in 2025. The development will consist of 147 rental units for seniors earning 20% to 60% of the area median income. Phase one will include 93 units. Fifty-five project-based vouchers will be available for households earning below 30% AMI. 

The Alliance, a $38 million mixed-use development in Greenville, received both a federal and state low-income housing tax credit. The project is being developed by NHE, a Greenville-based property management company.

Located at the corner of Laurens and Ackley roads, the project will consist of two, four-story buildings with 100 affordable units, serving households earning below 60% of the AMI. Taylor Davis, president of NHE, said construction is hoped to begin in the second quarter of 2025 and take around 20 months to complete. 

The final project in Greenville to receive a 9% federal low-income housing tax credit was the Greenville Summit, an existing affordable housing building for seniors in downtown Greenville. The property owner, JE Properties, plans to complete a rehabilitation project for the 100-year-old building.

The project will include renovating the residential units, replacing old pipes, upgrading the building’s facade, installing a new elevator and more. Joseph Eddy, president of JE Properties, said renovations should be underway by May. 

JE Properties also plans to build an eight-story addition next to the Greenville Summit to add more affordable senior housing apartments. The property owner applied for an additional LIHTC, however, it was not awarded to the project. 

Read more about local affordable housing projects

Initial approval: Funding for Southernside and Viola Multi-Service Centers

The city of Greenville plans to rebuild the Southernside Multi-Service Center and the Viola Multi-Service Center. Both buildings will be demolished to construct two new facilities to use for community gatherings, afterschool programs and more.

The cost to construct and furnish the multi-service centers is estimated to be $2.4 million. Approximately $858,057 in funding has previously been allocated to both projects. 

Council gave initial approval during its Nov. 11 meeting to appropriate $1.57 million from the capital projects fund to cover the remaining cost of reconstructing both multi-service centers. This funding was collected from the former Viola Tax Increment Financing fund which ended in 2022. 

JonScot General Contractors was awarded the contract to rebuild the Southernside Multi-Service Center in October. According to the city, construction of the new center is expected to start in early 2025. The Viola Multi-Service Center will soon go out to bid for a contractor to complete the project. 

Update: Debris pickup in Greenville

Greenville City Manager Shannon Lavrin announced that more than 327,445 cubic yards of vegetative waste – over 6,000 loads – have been picked up within the city due to Hurricane Helene. Over 88,185 cubic yards have been ground and shipped to a mulch processor. 

The second pass of debris pickup is currently ongoing throughout the city. This is expected to be completed by Thanksgiving. The collections of larger stumps will also begin this week. 

The city’s debris pickup contractor, Crowder Gulf, will begin the final pass on Monday, Dec. 9. All debris in need of pickup must be on the curb by that day.

Read more about the city’s debris pickup

Additional items

• Council postponed the vote on the annexation and zoning of approximately 1.85 acres of property on Guess, Orr and Seth streets. The site is proposed to be zoned RN-C, Neighborhood C District, to allow for the development of 11 to 13 townhomes. 
• Council gave initial approval of an amendment to the city’s business license ordinance that would allow the city manager to appoint a hearing officer. This individual would be responsible for hearing appeals of business license denials and suspensions.
• Council approved the final reading on an ordinance to temporarily suspend the requirement for a certificate of appropriateness to help expedite the process for property owners to receive a permit for building repairs after Hurricane Helene.

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The new affordable home will be constructed in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County, Habitat for Humanity of Spartanburg and BMW Manufacturing. A wall-raising ceremony was held on Nov. 6 to celebrate the start of construction.

Max Metcalf, BMW’s manager of government and community relations, said the company is proud to continue its partnership with Habitat for Humanity to support the important work the agency does in the community.

“It’s an honor to work alongside the Habitat affiliates once again to not only build a house for a deserving family, but provide hope and opportunity to our community. Together, we are creating a better future for those who need it most,” Metcalf said. 

The new affordable housing will be purchased by a participant of Habitat’s homeowner-preparation program. This program includes courses on personal finance, budgeting, mortgages and credit. The prospective homeowner also must be willing to complete a minimum of 200 hours of volunteer work with Habitat. 

“Habitat offers an unparalleled opportunity to help families with low income attain homeownership,” said Monroe Free, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County.

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The issues were identified from meetings held by the local congregations participating in the local interfaith group, which is known as GOAL. Close to 800 personal accounts were heard about the issues impacting the local community. Four topics were identified as the most pressing:

• Affordable housing
• Transportation
• Mental health
• Jobs/wages

The coalition voted to focus specifically on identifying solutions for affordable housing and transportation in Greenville County during an assembly held Nov. 7. Nearly 350 members from GOAL’s 29 congregations met at Springfield Baptist Church in Greenville.

Community problems

This will be GOAL’s third year working to address the ongoing shortage of affordable housing in Greenville County. For the past two years, the coalition has focused on encouraging local governments to secure $10 million in annual funding for the creation of affordable housing. 

Read more about GOAL’s efforts 

Rabbi Samuel Rose of the Temple of Israel and a tri-president for GOAL explained that it was clear in listening to the community that there was still a long way to go in addressing affordable housing. For its third year, the justice coalition may find a new route to take in solving this issue.

From talking with the community, GOAL also discovered that many people in Greenville County struggle to access safe and reliable transportation. The Rev. Greg Dover with Augusta Heights Baptist Church explained that public transportation is minimal throughout the county.

“From what we heard from most people is people who don’t have the funds to own and maintain a car are really kind of out of luck,” Dover said. “Transportation is sorely lacking. It’s inefficient.” 

The coalition will begin to research these issues further over the next few months. This process will include the members discussing possible solutions with community leaders. GOAL will hold a rally on March 13, 2025, where reports on what the best course of action is to help solve the problems will be revealed. 

For more information about GOAL, visit goaljustice.com. 

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But why?

“Home prices and rents have risen faster than inflation in recent years,” according to Meghan Barp, president and CEO of United Way of Greenville County. “While income growth has allowed some households to keep pace, many in our community with lower incomes struggle to keep up and have few options — especially for homeownership. These rising costs for housing are often a budget-buster for people already struggling to make ends meet.”

Barp said United Way’s ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Report paints “the best picture we’ve ever had of the actual need in our community” as it compares what people are actually earning versus what it costs to live in our community.

The report shows how the region’s population growth and real estate boom has put a disproportionate strain on low-income families. The market has had difficulty keeping up with demand, which has increased the competition and cost for housing. Median household income is not keeping up with cost, decreasing the affordability of housing for families in Greenville County.

Barp noted that the lack of affordable, quality homes has broader ramifications for the entire Upstate.

“Without access to affordable housing, Greenville County workers struggle to find and maintain employment close to home, hindering productivity and economic growth,” she said. “Stable housing is essential for attracting and retaining a skilled workforce and fostering a resilient local economy.”

The agency’s focus goes beyond access to affordable housing, however.

“Our housing work covers everything on the spectrum from homelessness to families purchasing their first home, Barp emphasized. “By addressing the housing challenges facing Greenville County, we can create a community where everyone has access to safe, stable and affordable housing. Together, we can build a future where housing is not a source of stress or insecurity, but a foundation for thriving individuals, families and neighborhoods.”

If you want to help, visit unitedwaygc.org/get-involved.

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Initial approval: Public-private partnership with Three Falls LLC

Council approved the initial reading of an ordinance to enter into a development agreement with Three Falls LLC to design and complete enhancements along Falls Street and East McBee Avenue. 

Three Falls LLC is currently redeveloping the office building at 300 E. McBee Ave. The $38 million project includes interior and exterior renovations that are expected to be completed by the end of the year. 

The city would reimburse the developer for the completed streetscape and landscape improvements. Approximately $650,000 was approved to be appropriated from the economic development project fund.

The redevelopment project aims to make room for new office, retail and restaurant tenants. Prisma Health will remain the anchor tenant in the 163,157-square-foot building.

Sam Konduros, president and CEO of the Greenville City Economic Development Corp., shared during the presentation that one of the building’s confirmed new tenants is STIR Restaurants, a high-end restaurant chain with locations in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina; and Chattanooga and Knoxville, Tennessee. It would be the chain’s first location in South Carolina. 

Approved: Tax incentive for Kimpton Hotel development

The Vardry Residences by Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants is a planned development by Keene Development Group at 100 N. Markley St. in Greenville’s West End. The project will sit on the former site of three abandoned textile mills.

Council unanimously approved a resolution to certify the property as an abandoned textile mill site under the South Carolina Textile Communities Revitalization Act. The act grants income tax credits of 25% of the qualified rehabilitation expenses for the site.

Approximately $88.3 million has been recognized as qualifying expenditures for the project. The total project investment is expected to exceed $92 million. 

Final approval: $10.7M for Haynie-Sirrine property purchase

Council gave final approval to the appropriation of $10.7 million from the capital projects fund to purchase more than six acres in the Haynie-Sirrine neighborhood. The property purchase was previously authorized by council on Aug. 12. 

The funding is specifically allocated from:

• $6.56 million from the Capital Projects Fund
• $3.8 million from the Parking Enterprise Fund
• $244,790 from the Tree Fund

The city purchased the 36 parcels on Church and Haynie streets in order to control what will be developed on the site. Affordable housing and green space are two of the potential opportunities for the property. 

Read more about the property purchase 

Approved: Naming of the Greenville Zoo’s Africa Plaza

The Greenville Zoo is working to create a new Africa Plaza that will include new American with Disabilities Act-compliant pathways, upgraded landscaping and more. The Greenville Zoo Foundation raised $564,702 from private donations for the project. 

One of the donors was the Community Foundation on behalf of the Rupert Huse Charitable Fund, which gifted $250,000 for the new plaza. For this donation, council approved naming the new plaza after the late Mary Huse, mother of Greenville City Councilmember Dorothy Dowe.

The plaza will officially be named the “Mary H. Huse Africa Plaza.”

Review: Development code annual review

The city of Greenville is completing the first annual review of its development code. During a work session on Aug. 26, council reviewed proposed updates to the code.

One proposed amendment is to only permit smoke and vape shops in Business Heavy (BH) and Industrial (IG) zoning districts. These businesses would also not be permitted within 1,500 feet of a similar store, school, day care, community center, religious assembly, park or recreational trail. 

Some of the other proposed revisions include:

• Reducing development requirements to help new small businesses
• Alter residential building setbacks
• Increase maximum residential driveway width to 12 feet
• Require master plans for Campus zoning districts to be reviewed by the public

Michael Frixen, a principal development planner with the city, shard that no permits have been issued for the code’s development bonus which was created as an affordable housing incentive.

The code updates will be reviewed by the city’s Planning Commission on Sept. 5. If recommended, the amendments will go before City Council for final consideration.

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The city has spent the last several months working with engineering firm Arcadis, neighborhood residents and stakeholders to develop an updated plan for the neighborhood. The outdated plan for the Greenline-Spartanburg neighborhood located northeast of downtown Greenville was created in 2001.

Read more on the development of the Greenline-Spartanburg Master Plan

The new master plan will consist of ways to use the neighborhood’s vacant properties and address old infrastructure, fragmented roads and lack of sidewalks. 

“We want to make sure that Greenline-Spartanburg is a neighborhood that celebrates and builds community, that is an affordable safe place to live and that is a well-connected community,” said Amanda Morrell, the project manager with Arcadis.

Future ideas

Several strategies to preserve and produce affordable housing in the neighborhood will be included in the master plan, from increasing preservation opportunities to increasing new housing production. The plan aims to ensure that around 63% of the neighborhood’s housing is affordable. 

Recommendations have also been made on where new affordable housing units could be built in the neighborhood. For example, 18 affordable cottages are proposed to be created on property owned by Mt. Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church. 

A main element of the plan is to create a new roadway called the Chestnut Street connector. The street would cross Richland Creek and connect the north and south sides of the neighborhood.

Enhancements to neighborhood intersections have also been recommended with new traffic calming and safety features. Some intersections into major corridors have been suggested to be closed for safety including the Spartanburg Street and East Stone Avenue intersection. 

“Safety is big because now we’re opening up. There is going to be more homes and there is going to be more individuals moving around and walking around. We need that safety,” said Jennul Mennazz, a Greenline-Spartanburg resident and member of the plan’s steering committee.

Phased improvements to the David Hellams Community Center site are also proposed. The first phase includes adding grass to the baseball field, covering the existing playground, adding an outside mural, building a water feature and leveling the basketball court.

Additional connectivity and recreation recommendations include adding:

• 3.4 miles of new sidewalk with street lighting
• A 1.5-mile neighborhood trail system
• A connection to the Swamp Rabbit Trail Orange Line extension
• “Gateway Park” at the corner of East North Street and East Stone Avenue
• “Peak Community Park” on Austin Street
• A boardwalk
• A bridge overlook
• 30 swings detailing the story of the neighborhood

During the public meeting, residents were asked to identify which recommendations should be a priority for the city. Arcadis will use this feedback to create a draft master plan that is planned to be released in September. The final master plan is anticipated to go before the city for adoption in October. 

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The more than six-acre vacant property is located at the corner of Church Street and Haynie Street, just south of the $1.1 billion, 40-acre Greenville County Square redevelopment. The site, previously owned by Stone Family Properties LLC, was placed on the market in June.

City officials said the property is already under contract. Greenville City Council authorized the purchase during its meeting on Aug. 12. Council also gave initial approval to appropriate the funds for the property purchase, with a second reading still required for final approval.

Greenville City Councilmember Dorothy Dowe said it is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the city to purchase the land, allowing them to control how it is developed and protect the neighborhood. 

“Haynie-Sirrine is one of those neighborhoods that we work really hard to protect and they are under a lot of pressure from the development around them,” Dowe said. “With the city purchasing this land, it allows us to keep it focused on the neighborhood for the development and guide that growth.”

Haynie-Sirrine, a historically Black community, is one of the 13 special emphasis neighborhoods in the city. The federal designation applies to communities with at least 51% of residents making below 80% of the area’s median income.

“We are very pleased that the city has purchased this very important piece of property. This is a great opportunity to grow our neighborhood in a way that can also be beneficial to the rest of the city,” said Becky Warth, co-vice president of the Haynie-Sirrine Neighborhood Association. 

The city will purchase the 36-parcel property using various funding sources including the capital projects fund, parking enterprise fund and tree fund.

Greenville Mayor Knox White said it is thanks to public-private partnerships that the city has the “financial firepower” to purchase the property. 

Future development

Greenville City Councilmember Ken Gibson believes the city’s purchase of the property has the potential to be transformational for the community. He said it allows the city to save green space and create affordable housing for the neighborhood.

“We have been concerned about the effect that the County Square development would have on this community ever since I’ve come onto council,” Gibson said. “The main things we thought we might lose would be green space or affordable housing.”

Over the past several months, the city has worked to envision a new future for the Haynie-Sirrine community. A new master plan has been under development, detailing future land use recommendations, infrastructure improvements and more within the neighborhood.

A draft Haynie-Sirrine Master Plan was released to the public on Aug. 6. According to the neighborhood plan, a mix of commercial and residential development is recommended for the purchased property. 

“In alignment with GVL2040‘s goals, we want to see housing affordability first and foremost,” Warth said. “This property lends itself to providing green space and connectivity to the other side of Church Street via the Springer Street Tunnel.”

After the land purchase is approved, Greenville City Manager Shannon Lavrin foresees the city hiring a land planner to outline what could be developed on the property in the future. This development plan would be guided by the Haynie-Sirrine Master Plan and the neighborhood’s input. 

The city’s Planning Commission is expected to host a public hearing and review the proposed Haynie-Sirrine Master Plan in September. If recommended, the plan will then go before City Council for adoption. 

Read more about the Haynie-Sirrine Master Plan

Funding

On Aug. 12, Greenville City Council will review an ordinance to appropriate $10.7 million to purchase property in Haynie-Sirrine. Here is where the funding is coming from.

• $6.56 million from the Capital Projects Fund
  • $2 million in the Capital Projects Reserve
  • $1.2 million in the Commercial Corridors project
  • $1 million in the Economic Development project
  • $834,672 in the Workforce Housing Local Accommodations Tax project
  • $500,000 in the Greenways and Trails project
  • $324,000 in the Affordable Housing and Homeless Support Initiatives project
  • $544,000 in the Affordable Housing Pilot project
  • $122,562 in the Open Space Acquisition project
• $3.8 million from the Parking Enterprise Fund
• $244,790 from the Tree Fund

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The draft plan was developed after months of research, planning and public engagement. The plan will replace the neighborhood’s previous master plan adopted in 2002. 

Haynie-Sirrine is located south of downtown, bordered by Augusta Street to the west, University Ridge to the north and Jones Avenue to the east. The neighborhood is divided by Church Street. 

The new Haynie-Sirrine master plan focuses on preserving and enhancing the neighborhood while offering opportunities for affordable housing and open space. A future land use map, building height map, infrastructure, transportation recommendations and more are included in the proposed plan. 

The public is invited to comment on the proposed plan online at publicinput.com/i0878. The city’s Planning Commission is expected to host a public hearing and review the proposed plan in September. If recommended, the plan will then go before City Council for adoption. 

Read more about the Haynie-Sirrine Master Plan

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The new acquisitions include a two-story building with 14 units located on 100 Lily St., and an L-shaped, two-story building with 24 units located on 2001 W. Parker Road. Affordable Upstate plans to combine them into one complex named Vista West III.

Read more about affordable housing in the community

“Preserving housing in the Berea submarket as Greenville grows is a strategic move that ensures that affordable housing options will continue while values and demand increase in the surrounding area,” said Mario Brown, a principal and co-founder of Affordable Upstate.

During the transformation of the buildings into one complex, Affordable Upstate will subsidize the relocation of current residents to one of their other units as part of a partnership with the Southeast Affordable Housing Administration.

The plans also include working to help tenants increase their credit score and offering deposit alternatives.

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