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.
ECU mentioned in their pitch to the UNC BOG for the Millennial Campus that they wanted the area near Blount Fields at Charles and the Blvd. designated because the foresee the area turning into a "North Hills-y" type situation (Live/Work/Play/Stay).
Publix shopping center appears to be step 1. Extensive GVL mall renovations have been rumored for a while (at one point I heard something crazy like an eventual $90 million investment, which is what caused Mellow Mushroom to locate there).
Who knows...
I was thinking about that when they talked about a championship aquatics center in the area...what better way to foster that redevelopment than a partnership with the City/ECU. Could end up with a hotel in the whole deal...which would be great for ECU near the athletics complex.
Very interesting indeed! I have a feeling a lot of announcements will be coming out over the next several weeks in relation to this retreat. That Cultural/STEAM Center has me intrigued most of all, simply because I haven't heard anything about it at all.
Now I may have misinterpreted what he said, but it sounds like they won't begin work on the sidewalk development project until GTAC is near completion?
On another note, the apartment complex across from Fire House 1 at 5th st & Pitt St is starting to go up.
A new brewery opening this weekend hopes people will get “hopped” up about the craft beer scene In Greenville.
The Uptown Brewing Co., 418 Evans St., will be open for business on Saturday.
“We are so ready to open and get things rolling,” Benjamin Self, brewmaster and co-owner of Uptown Brewing Co., said. “People have been stopping by and asking when we will be open. ... I’m happy to say the wait is finally over.”
Self worked as a quality control consultant for breweries up and down the East Coast before working at the Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery in Farmville. After about 18 months with Duck-Rabbit, Self said he and his business partners — brothers Donald and Billy Dunn — started looking to open a brewery in downtown Greenville.
"The craft beer scene in Greenville is starting to take off, and we thought this was a perfect time," Self said.
Co-owner Donald Dunn said he and his partners “couldn’t be happier” about the brewery’s location at 418 Evans St., a building that has stood vacant for 30 years.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better location ... especially with what all that is happening in Uptown Greenville,” Self said. “We think that our business will be a great jumping off point for people that are coming to Uptown Greenville to have dinner and a few drinks or catch a show when the theater is opened.”
More than $460,000 is being invested in the building on Evans Street. A few moths ago, the brewery qualified for a $60,000 Building Reuse Grant, which is intended for the renovation of vacant properties. Under the grant’s terms, Uptown Brewery Co. must commit to creating at least 12 full-time jobs during the next two years.
Greenville's economic development manager Roger Johnson, who helped the Uptown Brewing Co. obtain the grant, said craft breweries add to the vibrancy of the downtown area and attract other businesses to the district.
“Property values around these businesses almost alway go up,” Johnson said. “And they often locate in a building like the one on Evans Street and turn it into something really nice.”
Uptown Greenville Director Bianca Shoneman said the Uptown Brewing Co. is a “perfect fit” in the redevelopment efforts of downtown Greenville.
“This business will create a draw in the area,’” Shoneman said. “And it adds another thing to the ever-growing list of things people can do in Uptown District. I’ve been in there and was blown away of what they have done with the building ... it is a great example of repurposing space.”
Self said the brewery originally expected to open in the fall, but there was a delay in getting some brewing equipment shipped from overseas.
“That delayed us a little and then there are always a few unexpected things that come up when you are doing a complete renovation like this,” Self said. “We also wanted to make sure that we took our time and got everything right before we opened to the public.”
Uptown Brewing will start out with four year-round beers that will be brewed on site: a pale ale; a wheat ale; a coffee stout beer; and an IPA or India pale ale, a hoppy beer style known for its strong and bitter taste.
“These will be our main beers that we will start with,” Self said. “We also have a lager. and a lighter type of IPA for Saturday’s opening. The lighter IPA is for people who might not like the hoppier IPAs.”
On Wednesday, the Uptown Brewery hosted the local “Girls Pint Out” event and will be hosting an Uptown Greenville event for local merchants tonight, Self said. On Jan. 20, the brewery hosted a brewer’s reception for visiting brewmasters that came to Greenville for the Jolly Skull Beer and Wine Festival on Jan. 21.
“These events are the ‘stress test’ for our employees to help get ready for this weekend,” Self said. “I have a feeling that Saturday is going to be crazy in here ... and that will be a great problem for us to have.”
The Uptown Brewing Co. will be open from 2-10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 2-11 p.m. on Fridays, noon to 11 p.m. on Saturdays, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
Now I may have misinterpreted what he said, but it sounds like they won't begin work on the sidewalk development project until GTAC is near completion?
On another note, the apartment complex across from Fire House 1 at 5th st & Pitt St is starting to go up.
I didn't get that interpretation from that article. I'm hoping that the Sidewalk development starts soon. I wonder if they are waiting on the city to vacate the parking lot so they can start construction.
All of the people that I know who have already been to one of the soft openings of the Uptown Brewery have have positive things to say. I'm really excited about this place, it should really be a great asset to Uptown.
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.
