Greenville Real Estate Blog

Greenville SC Real Estate Blog February 2012

BMW Expansion (Again!)

Our local car manufacturer recently announced that they would build the new X4 sports activity vehicle here in South Carolina and add another production line in order to produce 350 cars per day. That means hiring 200 new people in 2012 and up to 700 more by 2014. Last year BMW hit the number one position for luxury brand auto sales in the US, but more importantly, they are the largest automotive exporter to the non-NAFTA counties, sending 70% of their production abroad, especially to China. That kind of exporting business affects the Port of Charleston in a big way, as well as South Carolina jobs related to the manufacturing process. Doug Woodward of USC’s Moore School of Business estimated that 4.3 jobs were created in SC for every job added at the Upstate BMW. That’s an outstanding multiplier when he considers only 2 jobs are created from other industries that expand. BMW has invested more than $5 billion in SC since 1994, has undergone 4 different expansions, and currently employs 7000 at the plant. That will be more like 8000 by 2014.

Visitors Center Downtown

Reedy Square, a proposed tourism center in downtown Greenville looks to be back on track after a flurry of fund raising efforts. This project was conceived in 2007 but has been slowed by economic times. The recent progress has a lot to do with the hiring of Patti McAbee, who just completed a successful mission in getting the downtown Kroc Center funded. The center will be located at 301 River Street, which is along the Reedy River and just upstream from the art studios of River Place. The center will be a central station for tourist with concierge travel services, media room, café, art gallery and interactive map of the Upstate. If things go smoothly, the project could break ground in late 2012 and be complete in 2014.  For more Downtown Greenville SC real estate information, click here!

 Bike Racing for the Disabled

Greenville has a strong reputation in bicycle racing and it’s getting stronger. The city has been selected for the 2014 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships, where disabled riders compete for the world title. Organizers are expecting about 450 racers, 250 coaches and 600 spectators from around the world, which should have a $4.5 million impact on the local economy. There are various categories for specific disabilities such as loss of limb, blindness, visual impairment, spinal cord injury, brain injury and stroke. The races are scheduled for August 28-September 1 and while the courses have not been identified, the CU-ICAR’s Millennium Campus and central Greenville are two possible choices.

Current Weather

It has been a mild winter for the country, Greenville included. Highs this week will be in the 50s and 60s with lows in the 40s. We have some rain coming in midweek and again for the weekend with a chance of showers. Spring is almost here though; daffodils have been spotted already and there will be more on the way this month!

Greenville SC Real Estate Blog - December 2011

TD Bank and 1400 New Jobs

A phoenix has risen out of the fallout of the South Financial banking group here in Greenville. TD Bank purchased South Financial earlier in the year, and has announced that it will operate a new regional hub out of the large office space built along I-85 near the Millennium Campus. They plan to add 1,400 jobs at that site, which will boost their management infrastructure along the east coast. TD operates about 1,300 branch banks from Maine to Florida, and has managed the financial crisis well, maintaining a rare worldwide AAA status. TD also plans to add 200 jobs to the Lexington, SC office where 313 already work. Renovations to the I-85 site will involve a $17.1 million investment for 300,000 square feet of corporate space. Earlier this year, CertusBank also announced that they would add 350 jobs at their new headquarters in downtown Greenville. That’s good news for Greenville, with local banking institutions adding jobs while financial jobs in traditional areas like Charlotte are still shedding them.

Manufacturing Gains

Manufacturing in the Upstate has also seen several advances during 2011, with an emphasis on technology.

Scio Diamond Technology Corporation will move its corporate headquarters and production facility from Boston, MA to Greenville. They produce high quality “cultivated” diamonds in a laboratory setting using their patented chemical deposition process. The plant will be located at Church Street and University Ridge adjacent to the Next Innovation Center, with a plan to be in operation by the second quarter of 2012. According to President and CEO Joseph Lancia, in Greenville, South Carolina he “found the ideal balance of business-friendly climate, access to talent, entrepreneurial drive and exceptional quality of life.”

Bosch Rexroth will expand its hydraulic manufacturing operations in Fountain Inn, SC with the purchase of the former GlaxoSmithKline facility, a leased warehouse space, and 65 acres of surrounding land. Bosch Rexroth has been at the current site for 23 years, and the expansion will make it the company’s largest manufacturing site in the Americas, plus generate 160 new jobs over the next 5 years. The site will be the primary facility for producing mobile hydraulic pumps and motors used in construction, agriculture, mining, material handling, and oil and gas exploration.

The GE aviation plant has recently received a large order from Southwest Airlines for 416 engines that will power Boeing 737 aircraft. That deal is worth $4.7 billion and will take years to fill, providing a bit of job security for GE workers.  

 Changes To Look For Around The City

The City of Greenville has given initial approval for a carillon with Italian bells at the traffic circle outside the Hampton Inn on the river. As part of that deal, developer Phil Hughes will complete improvements behind the Bounce Building, which is next to the proposed carillon. Look for a rock wall, stairway and railings at the terrace area.

Scott Tower, the 14-floor high rise on Augusta Street near Greenville High School, will be demolished because repairs to the building were estimated to be $12 million, or about 60% of its value. Scott Towers has been around since 1972 and houses senior citizens and disabled residents. The Housing Authority will help the tenants find new housing and the relocations are expected to complete by September of 2021. Stay tuned for what will be going in at the site. For more Downtown Greenville SC real estate information, click here!

Current Weather

Clear with nice warm days in the 60s this week, but rain will come in on Friday as a cold front crosses the area. The weekend should be clear and cooler with highs in the upper 50s.

Greenville SC Real Estate Blog - October 2011

Fall for Greenville This Weekend

It’s that time of year again when music, local food vendors, and sometimes whacky competitions descend on downtown Greenville. Fall is in the air this week and the 30th Fall for Greenville starts this weekend, with events kicking off on Friday afternoon. Forty of Greenville’s top restaurants will be participating and will have booths lined up and down Main Street for your culinary exploration. Wine and beer tasting areas will be set up and run noon and into the evenings. You will also find six stages set up that will feature bands performing throughout the weekend. If you like music, you will probably find something interesting; some of the genres include rock, country, jazz and blues. Check the schedule by clicking HERE. And for the competitive spirits, there is a bakery cake challenge, jalapeno eating contest, dessert competition, waiter’s race, and bartenders mix-off. The Main street area will be closed off, so look to the city’s parking garages as your best bet for parking. For more Downtown Greenville SC real estate information, click here!

New Tire Maker in SC

Building on the surge of automotive manufacturing in South Carolina, German tire manufacturer Continental Tire announced that it would build a new plant in Sumter County and create 1700 jobs over the next 10 years. The first phase of should be done in 2017 and be capable of producing 5 million tires per year. A second phase is scheduled for 2021 which should increase capacity to 8 million tires. Continental also will expand an existing plant in Lancaster, SC. The news comes on the heels of a September announcement that Bridgestone America will invest $1.2 billion in Aiken County that will create 850 jobs. Michelin North America has its North American headquarters in Greenville, plus several manufacturing facilities and a research department. With BMW in Greenville, it all points to South Carolina’s strong reputation as a magnet for the automotive sector.

 Diversion on Southbound I-385

For commuters in I-385, there will be some merging to watch out for as you proceed southbound past Woodruff Road. The widening project has been under way for several months, and now that it’s time to pave the southbound lanes, drivers will have to take a temporary thoroughfare in the median. There will be a concrete barrier to separate northbound traffic and the work should be done in three to four months. If you plan on taking the exits for Butler, Bridges or State Highway 417, be sure to look for signs that will take you to a temporary collector lane on the right side of the interstate.

Current Weather

The rain over the region will clear up on Friday and clear weather will be in the forecast. Highs will be in the 70s and lows in the upper 40s. That’s fine fall weather indeed. Enjoy y’all.

Greenville SC Real Estate Blog - September 2011

Walmart Eyes Church Street Location

Photo by Peter Griffin

Walmart has its work cut out with their tentative proposal to put a Supercenter at Church Street and University Ridge. According to the master plan, the space is not large enough for a 100,000 square foot building, requiring it to be a 40,000 square foot building or less. The site also needs two additional structures on the site, one of which is designated to be a “workplace building” for office development. Although Walmart has a few designs for 40,000 stores, but they are used to fill in market gaps between other Supercenters. In comparison, the Walmarts on Pelham and Woodruff Roads are 130,000 and 240,000 square feet respectively. Other options include splitting the store into two buildings or going more vertical in design. The site has been vacant for about a year after the older condemned houses were demolished, but is located on a primary arterial near the city center that is currently under construction to provide sidewalks, bike paths, and a more appealing streetscape. The project has drawn criticism from the nearby Alta Vista Neighborhood, but praises from other leaders in the Hayne-Sirrine district. For more Downtown Greenville SC real estate information, click here!

Outdoor Ice Skating in Downtown Greenville

Regardless of Greenville’s variable winter temperatures, an outdoor ice skating rink designed as a “mini Rockefeller Plaza” will provide plenty of entertainment this year. The 80x45 foot rink will be located at the Village Green in the Main@Broad complex, with an elevated viewing sidewalk next to City Hall that will give a great look at the skaters. UBS Ice on Main will open November 25 and run through January 8; admission will be $10 and skate rental will be available. More information is available at www.iceonmain.net

 

 New Bus Route to Simpsonville

Photo by marbi barmi

Mauldin and Simpsonville will soon have a Greenlink bus route that will connect them to the city of Greenville. The test route has been approved by all the cities for a start in the fall of 2012, and now rests upon Greenlink purchasing three additional buses made available by federal funds. The numbers look good on this project too, with state and federal funds supplementing the normal operating costs. Since the response to the project has been positive, Greenlink is moving forward as if this will be a permanent route.

Local Kayak Manufacturer Expanding

Photo by Vince Mig

Confluence Watersports has been making kayaks and canoes in Easley since 1975 when it was started as Perception Inc. But finding themselves, bursting at the seams for space, is moving to the old Hitachi television tube factory on Mauldin Road in Greenville. Confluence will be bringing along the 450 jobs and adding another 72 in the next few years. In addition to molding plastic boats, they also mold other large plastic products such as agricultural tanks, park benches, and children’s jungle gyms.

Current Weather

We were all bracing for the deluge that was forecasted from Tropical Storm Lee this last weekend, but it never really materialized. Labor Day ended up being mostly an outdoor event, with only a few showers and intermittent heavy rain around Greenville. Great weather this week will follow the storm: mostly clear with highs around 80 and lows in the upper 50s.

Greenville SC Real Estate Blog - July 2011

Visionary Max Heller Passes

A few weeks ago, Greenville lost Max Heller, a man of vision who was instrumental in taking a dying urban landscape to what it is today. Max fled Nazi Germany as a teenager, established a textile company in Greenville, and when downtown retailers were fleeing for suburban malls in the 70s, brought in a vision of landscaped city core reminiscent of his European youth. The charismatic mayor had a keen ability to bring people together for a unified cause. It all started when he convinced Hyatt Regency to put in a hotel on Main Street that created a full service hotel, convention space, and parking in the core of the city. The deal was an unusual private-public venture- the city owned most of the ground floor and was considered a city park. That type of arrangement became the basis for other crucial developments in the city, and is evident today at Riverplace, Fluor Field, the West End, and the Peace Center for the Performing Arts. Today we have a much different and vibrant Greenville. Thank you Max.

Washington Street Corridor

Development downtown is spreading from the traditional spine of Main Street along other major streets. The latest is Washington Street, where a seven-story apartment and retail structure could rise at the corner of E. Washington and Spring Street. That’s next to the city parking garage and only two short blocks from Main Street where the twin tower Project One was recently announced. Davis Property Group, LLC, who developed the nearby McBee Station, plans to put in 6,000 square feet of retail space, 48 apartments, and a rooftop pool with common area to meet the excess demand for downtown rentals. West Washington is also seeing progress--cell phone retailer Clear Talk is opening a center at Hudson Rd near the post office, bike lanes are in place, and the City has hopes to run a rapid bus line from the West side all the way to the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research at I-85. For more Downtown Greenville SC real estate information, click here!

Water Envy

It’s appears that the quality of our water here in Greenville County has passed muster. According to several esteemed judges in the American Water Works Association’s national “Best of the Best” Water Taste Test, Greenville is number one! The Greenville Water System receives most of its water from two large reservoirs collecting spring fed water from the Blue Ridge Mountains. The waters from the Saluda reservoirs serve 450,000 South Carolinians, and historically, supplied cool crisp water to a few moonshiners as well. Second place finishers in the competition were Denver, CO and the Village of Glencoe, IL.

New Fountain Inn High School

A new high school in Fountain Inn will be the first to be built since Riverside High came along in 1973. The growing population of southern Greenville County has created a crowded environment for both Hillcrest and Woodmont schools, leading the School Board to vote on a new high school to be completed in 2017. The old high school, which has not functioned since the late 1950s, is now the Fountain Inn Civic Center for the Performing Arts. The new facility will be on Quillen Rd only a few blocks off Main Street. Check out more information on Fountain Inn!

In other long range school news, the old J.L. Mann High School will be demolished for a new middle school at the same site, due 2014.  Woodmont High will receive an addition to serve 400 students.  Rudolph Gordon Elementary plans show a 250-seat addition and conversion to a K-8 program by 2018. 

Current Weather

Whew! Hot early this week with highs in the upper 90s, but cooling later in the week with highs in the mid-80s.  Looks for a good chance of thunderstorms throughout the week.

Greenville SC Real Estate Blog - May 2011

Amy’s Kitchen Expands to East Coast

The old Sara Lee building just off I-85 is getting ready for an upgrade with the announcement that Amy’s Kitchen is putting in a food processing and distribution facility at the location. Amy’s Kitchen produces pre-packaged vegetarian foods and expects to hire 700 workers over the next five years, with an expected startup date of January, 2012. The privately held California based business chose Greenville for its east coast beachhead because of the availability of raw organic materials, central location along the eastern seaboard, business friendly environment and strong work force. There was also a lot of support from the local and state economic development teams that helped Amy’s decide on Greenville, South Carolina. Amy’s Kitchen is the nation’s leading source of organic convenience food and has been expanding at a 10% rate over their 23 years in business. They currently have production facilities in California, Oregon, and England.

Greenville Arts All Weekend

Photo Credit: Glass Art by Robert Kraft

Artisphere, the big, nationally ranked street art exhibit and musical extravaganza is back for the seventh time in downtown Greenville this weekend and is sure to provide plenty of entertainment. Artists row will run along Main Street from the Peace Center down to the West End at Augusta Road and feature 120 top artists, nationally as well as regionally. There will be a lot of activities for the children too, with Kidsphere giving them a chance to create their own works of art, or just throw some paint around in the Art in Action tent. Brian Olson’s popular Art in Action stage will give the same effect, but probably a bit more organized as his large works come together as portraits of celebrities. If you are looking for music, there will be plenty of acts at the Peace Center Amphitheater throughout the day. Other art venues and studios around town will also be hosting special events; check the Artisphere site for the schedule. The action starts on Friday, May 13 at 4:00 p.m. and finishes up Sunday night. For more Downtown Greenville SC real estate information, click here!

Foreclosures to Slow Down in SC

As a result of poor communications between lenders and distressed homeowners that may have resulted in premature foreclosures, SC Supreme Court Chief Justice Jean Toal ordered a halt to current South Carolina foreclosures until certain conditions are met. Homeowners must have been notified of the mortgage intervention process and that all possibilities of loan modification or loss mitigation have been exhausted. Over the past two year’s rise in defaults, too often the communication between the parties has broken down and homeowners have found themselves suddenly out of the home when they thought they were negotiating with the lender. Judge Toal’s ruling is the second of such in the past two years and forces all lenders to thoroughly document their efforts before taking back a property. The result of this action will certainly allow some distressed homeowners to stay in their homes, but since the success rate of the modification program has been historically very low, those numbers may not increase significantly. The overall foreclosure crisis is likely to be extended as it takes longer for distressed homes to come back onto the market for resale, thus delaying the recovery of values in neighborhoods where foreclosures are common. Check out Foreclosures in Greenville SC!

Current Weather

Thunderstorms continue to be common this week with the highs around 80 and lows in the 60s. A cold front will pass into the area on Friday, and will bring about a chance of showers for the weekend. You might want to bring your umbrella to Artisphere!

Greenville SC Real Estate Blog - April 2011

Upcoming Greenville City Projects

The City of Greenville is putting together its $10 million budget for capital projects in the upcoming fiscal year. Topping the list is the overhaul of Piazza Bergamo; that’s the big hole along N. Main Street where the old Woolworths building used to sit. There are big plans for a whole new look that combines Coffee Street, the Piazza, the small street behind, and the Richardson Street parking garage. However, that project is dependent on private investment to fill the corner with a new building with office and retail space, something that has had a lot of interest but has been slowed by financing difficulties. Other big expenditures include the remake of the Peace Center, redesign of Rhett Street (one block off Main), and preparation for a Reedy River regional park just upstream from the Kroc Center. Look for street-side improvements along Augusta Rd, Stone Ave, Wade Hampton, and at I-385 and Haywood Rd. For more Downtown Greenville SC real estate information, click here!

Another Congressional District

Photo Credit: US Capitol by Peter Griffin

In the light of newly released figures from the 2010 census that reflect an increased population, lawmakers are considering the addition of another congressional district to South Carolina. They will also need to redraw every House and Senate district so that each has approximately 660,000 people and representation is spread equally. In the center of this discussion is Greenville and Spartanburg Counties, with a combined population of 735,000 and are grouped together. Greenville County is the largest in the state with 10% of the population, and many advocate a single congressional district for the county. In a recent public meeting of a Senate subcommittee, there were a lot of comments bantered about including the split of Greenville and Spartanburg Counties, consideration of minority voter representation, and if South Carolina actually has enough money in a troubled budget to make the changes now. A House subcommittee will have it’s own meeting in Greenville to discuss their districts on April 15 .

Students, Start Your Pedals

Greer hopes that by adding more sidewalks to Suber Road near Riverside High School, more students will walk or ride bicycles on a regular basis. Currently, more than 90 percent of the school’s 1600 students arrive by bus or auto, creating a serious traffic problem at peak hours. The proposal makes the sidewalks continuous along Suber, which passes by several subdivisions that are within easy walking or biking distance. The plan already has $104,000 in federal funds plus a 20% match by the city of Greer, but the details need to be finalized. At issue is whether to spend more money on curbing and storm drains or simply put a water runoff swale between the road and the sidewalk. Storm drains are more expensive, but the swale idea pushes the sidewalk back and would mean relocating power line poles. The study should be done by the end of summer. View homes for sale in Greer SC Now!

Needing $25 Million

Electric bus manufacturer Proterra is on the hunt for a $25 million investor to replace funds promised by a current shareholder who recently pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges. Those funds were earmarked by Proterra to establish a permanent manufacturing facility in Greenville and create 1300 jobs. Of course, the city is watching this situation carefully since they spent $270,000 upfront to set up a temporary lease for the company until the plant was built. Things seem to be moving forward though, with Proterra continuing to assemble buses here. They are also nearing the completion of battery research lab at CU-ICAR that will play a significant part of the technology hub in the area.

Current Weather

Unsettled spring weather is here this week with thunderstorms likely early in the week and again by next weekend. Look for highs in the low 70s and lows around 50. We’ve lost the winter look in the past week…most of the trees have leafed out and the green is back in Greenville!

Greenville SC Real Estate Blog - March 2011

Jobs They Are A-Coming

Local employers seem to be more confident about the second quarter this year and according to a recent Manpower survey, 21% of local employers that were interviewed anticipate hiring during this time. According to Manpower, that puts the Greenville-Mauldin-Easley in a tie for second place nationally with Tulsa, Oklahoma, behind number one Lexinton-Fayette, KY. Those are impressive numbers.

Large local companies have also made similar announcements that the region is gaining traction in the battle against unemployment. Greenville’s GE plans to add 150 workers to keep up demand for upgrades and repairs to existing gas turbine systems. Verizon wireless is hiring 135 in the next two months for its field service and technical support calls, which will add to its current local employee base of 1200. Auto transmission producer ZF is building a new plant in Gray Court and will add at least 900 workers; they are taking jobs for managerial positions at this time but the bulk of the jobs will come later when the plant is finished in 2012.

Stone Avenue Development Plan

Greenville City approved in principle a Stone Avenue master plan that hopes to improve the appearance and traffic flow of the east Stone area. The long-term plan calls for a reduction in traffic lanes from four to three, with street front development, parking behind the businesses, and creating more green space. The plan hopes to mirror the success had in the West Stone area where businesses have invested and begun to thrive. The area is within walking distance from the Hyatt downtown, and could turn into an attractive shopping district. There will be some controversy over how the traffic dynamics will change however, since Stone is a busy corridor around the central downtown.

Road Expansion

Drivers on Batesville Road between Highway 14 and Anderson Ridge Road may be in for a pleasant surprise if a DOT widening project gets approved. Currently the road experiences heavy traffic at peak times, and makes it difficult for residents of the Pelham Falls subdivision to enter Batesville. The plan calls for an extra lane, sidewalks, a new bridge over Rocky Creek, and new lights at Pelham Falls Drive and Anderson Ridge Road. Residents are happy…the sidewalks and bike paths would make the trek to the nearby by commercial zone at Highway 14 much more appealing and safe. Drivers coming from the Five Forks area will also find a more free flowing route toward the GSP airport and Pelham Road businesses.

New Gas Mart

Spinx Co., a local and ubiquitous chain of convenience gas marts, plans to build a large, high-tech fueling station at Highway 101, just north of I-85, and near the BMW Manufacturing Corp. The 5,300 square foot building will replace the current Spinx/Burger King and have 24 fueling stations with energy efficient technology. It will also function as more of a high end convenience store with pizza, salads, and more healthy fresh food choices than the standard Spinx fare. Construction is slated to begin in May.

Current Weather

Spring is upon us with flowers and trees starting to bud out, but Mother Nature is keeping us a bit cold this week. Highs early in the week should be in the 50s, and will stay around 60 as we get some rain midweek. Clearing and highs in the upper 60s by the weekend.

Greenville SC Real Estate Blog - January 2011

Foreclosures in Greenville

Looking back over 2010, it appears that Greenville foreclosures and distressed properties has become a significant part of the real estate market, yet are well below what is going on nationally.  The local statistics are somewhat difficult to track, but based on data from the Greenville Real Estate Board, GGAR, I have arrived at some percentages that seem fairly accurate.  For 2010, foreclosed properties sold were about 15% of the total transactions, and came in with a median price of $78,000.  Nationally, foreclosures are about 25-30% of all transactions which puts Greenville County at about ½ the national rate.  Short sales are pre-foreclosures sold for less than what is owed on the note and subject to bank approval-they represent about 3.5% of the all transactions in the GGAR data.  Nationally, short sales were running about 7% of total sales, which puts Greenville in about ½ in that category as well.  I expect foreclosures to increase in the Greenville market over the next year, but it will probably not reach the kind of market saturation you see on the national level.  If you have any questions about the foreclosure market in Greenville, please contact The Cunningham Team.

Old Greer Hospital Bought

The old Allen Bennett Hospital, which has been sitting vacant in the center of Greer for a year, has been purchased with the intention of turning it into an assisted care facility.  Cardinal Real Estate Group will convert the hospital building into 167 assisted living units with 32 of them set up for Alzheimer’s care and 25 reserved for disabled veterans.  Seven detached cottages will be built off the back for independent living.  The former nursing center will become a call center for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention plus provide office space for area relief agencies.  About 150 jobs are expected to be created.   
The building has been serving the community since 1952 and is a bit of a landmark on Wade Hampton Blvd.; locals are pleased to see that it won’t be torn down and can continue to support those in need.

Lake Conestee gets Audubon Recognition

For bird watchers, Lake Conestee Nature Park is a real delight and not far from urban hustle bustle.  The Audubon Society has brought some additional recognition to the area by declaring it an Audubon Important Bird Area (IBA), one of 18 in South Carolina.  Lake Conestee is the winter home of the Rusty Blackbird, which has seen a serious decline in population over the past 30 years.  But after their journey south from the breeding grounds of the Arctic Circle, you can still see large flocks of these musical birds foraging at our local lake.  Better check them out now, they may be headed for extinction.

First Electric Bus Rolls off the Line

Only a few months after electric bus maker Proterra set up shop in Greenville, the first bus is already off the line.  The new EcoRide BE35 model came out last December and is on its way for testing by the Federal Transit Administration in University Park, PA.  When their final assembly plant is finished at CU-ICAR, Proterra expects to produce about 80 of the super efficient, fast-charging buses in 2011.  Other models that are currently being used in California run up to three hours on a single battery charge and take only ten minutes to recharge.  The company expects to develop a large overseas market for electric buses because foreign countries generally have about 20 times the amount of public transportation as the United States.

Current Weather

We’ve still got a few small piles of snow around after the winter storm that shut down Greenville last week, but things should warm up and make it history soon.  Expect highs this week in the 50s and lows in the upper 30s with some rain at times.

 

 

 

 

 

Greenville SC Real Estate Blog - November 2010

Visit our websites Greenville SC Real Estate and Greenville SC Home Sales
For more information on Greer, SC.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Thanksgiving is upon us again with the December holidays in hot pursuit. Looking back over the last year or two, it’s easy to focus on all the rhetoric about how bad things are here in the U.S. Yes, things have been tough, but they are getting better and I never forget how lucky we are to live in this great nation. My friend just got back from a freighter trip in the Indian Ocean, riding shotgun against ubiquitous Somalian pirates. His mission was successful, but his comment after spending some time in foreign ports was: just take a look around when you are in another country, and you’ll see how good we have it here in the U.S. I heartily agree and have first hand experiences to validate his experiences. Here in Greenville, things are even better than many parts of America. The local economy keeps making gains, especially in automotive as BMW announced they will be running at near capacity in 2011 to meet worldwide demand. Other manufacturers, especially hi-tech industries are either considering or committing to the Upstate. Healthcare is going strong and Greenville is maintaining it’s reputation as a great place to live, especially for retiring seniors and young families. The real estate market has not taken quite the beating as other parts of the country and foreclosures have not penetrated the entire market. Yes, I’m grateful to be an American living in Greenville, SC USA.

Bicycle Update on McDaniels Ave. Bi-Pass Bridge

The Swamp Rabbit Trail bridge that avoids McDaniels Avenue is nearly done! It’s located between Cleveland and Falls Parks in downtown Greenville, near the plane memorial to Major Anderson. The busy portion of the biking and pedestrian trail has had to share an awkward bridge crossing for years and has been a safety issue with auto traffic. Masons are finishing up the stonework around the buttresses and the concrete approach ramps still need to be poured, but it soon should be complete and open to the public. Nearby along the same bike path, there have also been improvements to the parallel bridges near the Vietnam Veteran Memorial and a new guardrail at Woodland Way.

Medical Helicopter at GHS

The Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center now has a Bell 407 helicopter and flight crew stationed at the hospital which is ready to take off in three and a half minutes from an emergency call. Thanks to a partnership between the hospital system and Med-Trans Corp, victims within a 100-mile radius will have a much better chance at receiving medical attention when time is important. Another huge benefit is that the emergency medical technicians on the flight crew will have a close relationship with the physicians and nurses at the hospital, which ensures better training and cooperation.

Model Train Museum

Frank Ruby has a thing for model trains and plans to establish a large HO-scale train museum in Greenville. He got the idea after hearing about the world’s largest exhibit at the Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany, which attracted a million visitors last year. Frank is the owner of local Blue Ridge hobbies and president of the Minature World of Trains. His vision is to create a large museum that appeals to tourism but will also educate the visitors about American train history as well as future developments such as high speed rail. The project is will be a non-profit endeavor financed with grant funding and tax deductible contributions, with a targeted open date of early 2012.

Current Weather

Temperate fall weather is expected this week with highs in the 70s and lows around 50. Looks like there will be chance of showers for Thanksgiving but that will make backyard football all that more interesting. Let’s be thankful for the rain too.