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I wonder how the Gander Mountain bankruptcy and buyout by Camping World Holdings will affect Overton's. What I've read seeyms to imply that all Gander Mountain stores will be closed, but Camping World intends on continuing to run the Overton's business as is.
Looks like Overton's is staying around and may even grow under Camping World ownership.
"“The current liquidation of the existing Gander Mountain inventory will allow us to start with a clean slate of what we consider the appropriate mix and level of inventory, including the addition of Camping World and Overton’s offerings where appropriate,” the CEO said."
Noticed last night that the vacant lot on Reade Circle next to the Bankruptcy Courthouse is being utilized by the Sidewalk project during construction. All of the construction downtown seems to be molding together almost...would be very interesting to see a drone view with all of the dirt turned now (up at Charles/10th as well).
The City of Greenville/Uptown Greenville should be taking aerials and promoting them across the State...it has to be an unbelievable sight with SEVEN major construction projects going on at the same time in the same geographic area...and that's not counting the various Dickinson Ave building restorations.
The Imperial Tobacco Warehouse site may reach a turning point, after a fire gutted the property nearly 10 years ago.
On Tuesday night, community members will have the chance to weigh in on how to best use the property during an open house held at the Eppes Recreation Center on Nash Street from 6:30 until 8 p.m.
Community members, city staff and consultants will discuss what to do with the land and offer feedback to a potential mixed-use development.
The site is currently owned by the city of Greenville, located off of Dickinson Avenue, near the future 10th Street Connector.
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Leaders in the tourism industry met in Greenville Tuesday for the second annual National Travel & Tourism Week Luncheon.
The Greenville-Pitt County Convention & Visitors Bureau (Visit Greenville, NC) hosted the event, which comes as local tourism boards across the country take a look at the impact the industry has on local businesses and industries.
In Greenville, tourism produced $219 million in revenue for the city in 2015 and also employed more than 2,000 people. One focus of the luncheon was the impact craft breweries can bring to the area.
“It draws people into your community,” said Andrew Schmidt, executive director of the Greenville-Pitt County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “People will travel for culinary reasons, for food and for drinks. They like to go experience different breweries and different areas and different foods.”
Schmidt said Greenville has seen a surge of craft breweries choosing to open in the town.
The newest addition is Pitt Street Brewery, which is set to open by next month.
The luncheon included a recognition ceremony for the Greenville Tourism Ambassador Program (TAP) Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 classes. The 3-day experience and education program is designed to educate front-line hospitality professionals, business owners, and others interested in tourism about the Greenville-Pitt County community and customer service skills to help enhance visitor’s experiences. The luncheon program also includes the presentation of the inaugural Visit Greenville, NC Good Company Awards to outstanding tourism partners over the last year.
I'm going to keep my mouth shut about how I feel about the whole "gentrification movement" comment.
Quote:
Imperial project draws interest, raises concern
Plans for developing the Imperial Tobacco site have attracted the interest of the Taft Development Group, but people with roots in west Greenville worry those plans may eventually drive them from their homes.
More than two dozen people attended a Tuesday open house at Eppes Recreation Center to learn about potential uses of the nine-acre site bordered by Dickinson Avenue, Clark Street and CSX railroad.
The design presented Tuesday showed the site anchored by two large buildings, an office complex with retail space bordering Dickinson and a 340-unit, market-rate apartment complex along Bonner Street.
In between was a collection of structures for mixed retail, along with possible “work force,” or affordable, housing and work space for artists in residence will be aligned along Atlantic Avenue.
The next phase of the project is developing a recommendation for funding the work and how each structure can pay for the public components, such as parking lots, said Christian Lockamy, Greenville's economic development liaison.
"We are trying to understand from the public their thoughts on these ideas," said Matt Crook project manager with the UNC School of Government Development Finance Initiative.
The goal is to release a request for proposal in June to find out developer interest in the projects.
Greenville attorney and real estate developer Tom Taft said the Taft Development Group wants to learn more.
In the mid-2000s Taft wanted to develop the Imperial Tobacco warehouse but the project was derailed when the structure was destroyed in a 2008 fire.
"It's so bittersweet because of what the Imperial Tobacco building was going to be, 180,000 square feet of the most delicious restored space you've ever seen," Taft said.
"That location is still viable and these plans still have potential," Taft said. He planned to meet with architects after the open house to discuss the project. He said he was interested in two parts of the project but didn't want to provide specifics.
"A community has to have vision to be a place where people want to live and people want to live in a sophisticated, urban setting," Taft said.
The project is challenging because there are large open spaces for development so there is a goal to make the area accessible to pedestrians and vehicles and tie in to the surrounding community, said William Egan, a partner with J. Davis, the design firm working with the city.
How the project will benefit the current west Greenville community was the question of many of Tuesday night's participants.
"You're doing a beautiful job for middle income, professional people but what can you do to help lower income people," community leader Rufus Huggins asked.
Jordan Jones, a project manager with the UNC School of Government Development Finance Initiative, said jobs will be generated by businesses located in the office building and the retail spaces. Possible workforce housing, units that charge below market rate prices, also would benefit the community, Jones said.
Kiesha Becton asked the consultants if housing will be available for long-time west Greenville residents.
"It will start there, but there are abandoned houses they (the city) are tearing down," she said. "Then they'll start building." She worries the Imperial project is the first step in a gentrification movement that will drive west Greenville's long-time minority residents from the community.
Marion Barnes agrees.
"They are bringing it to us but it's nothing we can benefit from," Barnes said. "I feel this area may turn into a predominately white neighborhood, being it's the center of the (East Carolina) university and the School of Medicine."
Barnes also questioned why the city held two meetings that were designed for two different groups of people. Huggins wondered if city officials and developers where giving different presentations to the different groups.
Lockamy said a Tuesday afternoon meeting was for the city's downtown business owners, individuals involved in historic preservation and development. About 60 people attended.
"We heard a lot of good feedback and comments about the preservation of historic properties, about putting more open space in the plan," Lockamy said. The current plan calls for a half-acre park in the center of the development.
Alice Arn, a member of the city's Historic Preservation Commission, said the design lacked green space. She proposed locating it along Bonner Street, the proposed location of the market-rate apartments.
"The reality is the (development) in the middle area won't be revenue-generating," Egan said. The office space and apartments must be built first, on the acreages borders, to lure retail business to the center.
Another design proposal, bisecting the area by extending Eighth Street from Clark Street past the railroad tracks may be problematic, Lockamy said. The railroad requires two existing crossings be closed anytime a new crossing is opened, he said.
It is up to city officials to make sure there are opportunities for people with different means to live in and around the city center. It cannot be a place for only medium and high income residents. Its not easy, ask Durham, but it is what is best for the city. The fear of gentrification though should not be a reason to do nothing.
There are NCHFA financed apartments (low to moderate income) directly adjacent to the GTAC being built in that area.
There are lots of tax credits available if you put in some low income...the city can just require that within the development...Kittrell Farms has a few buildings like that.
As for abandoned homes in West Greenville...they are abandoned for a reason and should be torn down. There is nothing wrong with increasing property values in an area...especially an area that was abandoned like the Dickinson Ave/Imperial area.
There are NCHFA financed apartments (low to moderate income) directly adjacent to the GTAC being built in that area.
There are lots of tax credits available if you put in some low income...the city can just require that within the development...Kittrell Farms has a few buildings like that.
As for abandoned homes in West Greenville...they are abandoned for a reason and should be torn down. There is nothing wrong with increasing property values in an area...especially an area that was abandoned like the Dickinson Ave/Imperial area.
I do agree with most takes on this issue. Like you said, Nathaniel Village is directly across from the GTAC and the Dickinson area. Not to mention all of the affordable housing for everyone in West Greenville. I believe the future developments will benefit the city as a whole, especially anyone living within a 5-10 minute walk of this area (which covers most of West Greenville). One option includes artist lofts (which will basically be low-rent/low income housing). I would assume that the city could/would work with developers that want to build in this area to allow for a certain percentage in each development to be reserved for subsidized housing for low income residents. So with the 340 unit market-rate apartment that is proposed, they could easily have low income residents apply for assistance for 40-50 of those units (or more).
Yes, the city is tearing down abandoned buildings, as they should. Isn't that one of the ways the city and the church group are able to bring the supermarket/office development to West Greenville? I understand the idea that people in the area are worried about gentrification, but I feel like the city has done a great job overall of bending over backwards to spark development of all types in West Greenville and Dickinson Ave. I think a good idea would be to help get PCC in that area with continuing education / job training classrooms. People from West Greenville could simply walk to classes or take the bus to the GTAC and walk another block to classes. I am guessing the fear is that the area will turn into nothing but $1200/month apartments and $80 steaks and $100 t-shirts. I think there will be a place or two like that, but I foresee mostly affordable options for people of all incomes.
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Gander Mountain bankruptcy
