Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Yep. For example, look what he did when he went to surrounding towns and cities and got their support for the Quad East interstate concept, which ballooned and eventually resulted in eastern NC getting I-42, I-87, I-587, and ensuring I-795’s extension from Goldsboro south along US-117 to I-40 near Faison. Three out of those four were made High Priority Corridors by Congress.
To say that Thomas added value is a big understatement.
I miss him but good to still see him ingrained in our community.
That is unfortunate. What about the Science building? Feels like mo is slipping away from Greenville...
The Business building is supposed to be on track. Keep in mind that the 10th St connector needs to finish where that corner of Evans is having work done.
How is momentum slipping? The Student Center is set to open on 10th St next semester. The Theater is almost finished. The Proximity complex is set to open for fall of 2019. And the 10th St connector is getting closer.
Those are big projects that have a significant effect on Greenville. Not to mention the Stadium addition set to open for fall of 2019.
That is unfortunate. What about the Science building? Feels like mo is slipping away from Greenville...
The Bio-Sciences building is funded by the NC Connect Bond that was passed some time ago and there should be no problem funding it. Most other schools in the UNC system have already built or are in the process of building the projects that bond funded. I believe the project is scheduled to kick off next summer, so it'll be underway relatively soon.
The Business building is supposed to be on track. Keep in mind that the 10th St connector needs to finish where that corner of Evans is having work done.
How is momentum slipping? The Student Center is set to open on 10th St next semester. The Theater is almost finished. The Proximity complex is set to open for fall of 2019. And the 10th St connector is getting closer.
Those are big projects that have a significant effect on Greenville. Not to mention the Stadium addition set to open for fall of 2019.
All good things yes and I'm probably being a touch dramatic, but we've also lost the hotel that was to be adjacent to the student services building that is now on hold... and what has happened to the Imperial site development?
I do agree a bit with you FrancisDrake. Yes, many projects are still ongoing or near completion. But a few of the larger projects that have been mentioned are now canceled or in limbo. The theater should have been done months ago. A couple of those ECU buildings aren't being built. We've heard nothing of that student complex that will be built on Charles near Harris Teeter. That stuff does hurt.
Some of it is just taking longer than expected. I'm not saying we've lost momentum, but we certainly aren't going as fast now as it feels like we once were. I do think that it's a natural ebb & flow. A huge wave of new construction started all at once over the last 3 years. There has been a lack of large project announcements over the last several months. But I think we're still moving in the right direction. I'm not panicking...yet.
Continued development on Dickinson is important. The taproom/bottle shop will help. Stumpy's is opening soon. I'm sure more restaurants and shops will be announced within the next few months. I went to the Dickinson Avenue After Dark event a couple of weeks ago and had a great time. There was a great turnout and I imagine that this will be an event that gets bigger and better every time. I hope that more events like this happen. It appears that they are. There was a Jazz in the Park event this past weekend that seemed to be a solid turnout.
I noticed last weekend that several store fronts on Dickinson next door to Stumpy's are boarded up. Probably for reno and rehab I would imagine.
I really hope they address the connectivity across the railroad tracks from Atlantic to Albemarle. Doing so makes that area much more appealing to development. Perhaps more importantly it connects those neighborhoods to the businesses on Dickinson potentially bring in non-student foot traffic.
Also don't forget that the Dickinson Avenue streetscape project is still coming.
Greene Hall renovation is also well underway.
I would not say momentum is slowing, I would say that construction and financing could not keep up with plans. 3 new student complexes opened at one time. That's too many at one time. Opening one every year is more than enough for redevelopment purposes. But Greene and Proximity are going to open back up for fall 2019. Really no need to start another student complex until next spring or summer if you are going to build one.
New hotel financing is always very slow, with hotel renovations taking precedence. The Quality Inn and Comfort Inns on Memorial Dr just got extensive renovations. Some others have had work done too. New Fairfield Inn just opened by the Hospital. Likely overall demand that is taking time to build for a new downtown hotel. I believe the City was looking at options for the Imperial site that would have maybe included a hotel. They also have to figure out parking in that area, which would seem to go hand in hand with office or hotel type developments.
As far as I’m concerned, I’m not satisfied with any of the three proposals for the Imperial Site. I’ve advocated in the past for a phased approach, but after reviewing the proposals again a week or two ago, I believe it’s time to go back to the drawing board completely. None of the three proposals are daring in any sense of the word nor do they scream “artistic” as the Dickinson Corridor is allegedly going to become (still, as far as I know, only one artist operates in the corridor).
I think it would be wonderful if we could bring in some creative minds (hell, go to ECU and consult with students if need be) to actually use the small remaining portion of the imperial site for something as opposed to tearing it down entirely. One of the proposals has a building that must be designed by the same architect as Dickinson Lofts/U. Edge; I feel such uniformity is boring for the area. Plus the amount of surface parking in every proposal is unacceptable. Again: be daring.
When is the last time we had a major job proposal in Greenville? Uptown is cool and all, and building more and more student housing complexes is genius, but what about an actual job announcement? Losing momentum? When we did ever even have it? Student housing, at least in my opinion, isn’t classified as momentum nor is adding more retail space on Dickinson. It makes us “cooler” as a city to one extent or another, but in no way does it suggest dramatic change or “momentum” as a whole.
And before I am attacked, in no way am I saying Uptown shouldn’t be improved nor that adding a residential base in the area is a bad idea, but rather we continue to neglect our city and county by obsessing over the appearance of progress being made though reality is a much different story.
As far as I’m concerned, I’m not satisfied with any of the three proposals for the Imperial Site. I’ve advocated in the past for a phased approach, but after reviewing the proposals again a week or two ago, I believe it’s time to go back to the drawing board completely. None of the three proposals are daring in any sense of the word nor do they scream “artistic” as the Dickinson Corridor is allegedly going to become (still, as far as I know, only one artist operates in the corridor).
I think it would be wonderful if we could bring in some creative minds (hell, go to ECU and consult with students if need be) to actually use the small remaining portion of the imperial site for something as opposed to tearing it down entirely. One of the proposals has a building that must be designed by the same architect as Dickinson Lofts/U. Edge; I feel such uniformity is boring for the area. Plus the amount of surface parking in every proposal is unacceptable. Again: be daring.
When is the last time we had a major job proposal in Greenville? Uptown is cool and all, and building more and more student housing complexes is genius, but what about an actual job announcement? Losing momentum? When we did ever even have it? Student housing, at least in my opinion, isn’t classified as momentum nor is adding more retail space on Dickinson. It makes us “cooler” as a city to one extent or another, but in no way does it suggest dramatic change or “momentum” as a whole.
And before I am attacked, in no way am I saying Uptown shouldn’t be improved nor that adding a residential base in the area is a bad idea, but rather we continue to neglect our city and county by obsessing over the appearance of progress being made though reality is a much different story.
Disagree with a few points, but overall agree with your post.
Housing in the CBD is most definitely "momentum"...any kind of housing. Puts people living next to the businesses, which can only help the businesses. Also added parking decks to that housing, so those folks living there dont need to use "city" parking. Also adds to the festivals and other events in the CBD.
As well, with that housing came commercial space. It will take time to open with businesses. No businesses yet with the Lofts commercial space, but the Boundary has seen some.
Downtown had the Trillium announcement/renovation in terms of jobs. That building was an empty space. Would be nice to see more, but ECU owns all of the land down Reade St, so there arent many available places to build. Millennial campus plans seem to be moving slow, but I know they have some big employers in tow. I think for those looking at it every day it seems slow, but in actuality for a City the size of Greenville, the output is significant.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
