Walmart Eyes Church Street Location
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,
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.
New Bus Route to Simpsonville
Photo by marbi barmiMauldin 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.
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