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Recently, I talked briefly about the national attention Greenville, SC has been receiving over the last several years. Even as I was writing that piece, I was also thinking about the changes happening in Spartanburg. After all, with the Greenville/Spartanburg area positioned between Atlanta and Charlotte on the I-85 corridor, it was only natural for Spartanburg to bloom right along with Greenville.

Active construction and re-development is still underway in downtown Spartanburg. Renovation of the iconic Montgomery Building is expected to be completed this fall, and will include 9,500 square feet of restaurant and retail space, 9,000 square feet of office space, and 72 residential units. Adjacent to the Montgomery Building will be a pedestrian plaza to tie in to the parking garage. The project is the largest historic redevelopment in the city’s history. It will, in my opinion, be a beautiful addition to what has already been done to add interest downtown. In fact, Spartanburg’s downtown has already developed quite the vibe. They have a vibrant restaurant and retail scene, thriving festivals, and a growing arts community. The city has brought locals and visitors back to the downtown core with regular events such as Jazz on the Square, Music on Main, Skating on the Square (yes, Spartanburg has seasonal outdoor ice skating too!), and a (free!) outdoor mini-golf course. Other popular annual events for the city include Spring Fling (coming up April 27-29), the Independence Day celebration “Red, White, and Boom,” the Spartanburg International Festival in October, and the regional favorite “Dickens of a Christmas.” Here, you can rub elbows with Victorian-costumed carolers, catch a carriage ride while listening to live music, enjoy living window displays in shops, and stay for the awe-inspiring tree lighting at Denny’s Plaza.

One of the newest additions to downtown is the AC Hotel Spartanburg, which boasts sleek, modern design in its rooms, a collection of art by Black Mountain College artists, the gourmet AC Kitchen, a tapas bar, and the Rick Erwin Dining Group’s second restaurant in Spartanburg—the rooftop Level 10, which offers 360° views of the city. Coming very soon to downtown is a Spartanburg branch of the Children’s Museum of the Upstate—great news for parents and educators!

Progress continues outside of downtown as well—the Drayton Mills reuse has been a tremendous success, with 289 residential units, a 3-mile greenway trail, retail, and restaurants (most notably, of course, The Standard, also from the Rick Erwin Dining Group). Additionally, plans have been released for a 500-acre mixed used project in Spartanburg county. Part of the development, about 77 acres, is within city limits. The plans include over 850 single-family homes, 300 multi-family units, 22 acres of commercial development, along with parks and recreation areas.

Spartanburg county is already home to several institutes of higher learning–Converse and Wofford Colleges, USC-Upstate, VCOM, Spartanburg Methodist, Sherman College of Chiropractic, as well as Spartanburg Community College. Additionally, several major upstate employers call Spartanburg home–Milliken (approximately 1000 employees on the Spartanburg campus), BMW (approx 8800 employees), Amazon fulfillment, Michelin, Siemens, and Spartanburg Regional Hospital System to name a few. And mmm, the restaurants now! It seems that Spartanburg is growing at an exponential rate. However, there’s still a chance to capitalize on this great opportunity! If you’re thinking about expanding or relocating your business into the area before prices max out, looking for land investments, or have any other commercial real estate or business brokerage need, give us a call. We’d love to help you add a little Sparkle (City) to your day, too!

photo shown of Gibbs Cancer Center at Spartanburg Medical Center, photo credit Jessica Griffin

 

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