Greenville SC Homes and Real Estate Blog

Carbon Fiber Manufacturer Coming, Greenville Hospital System Hiring, Hiollingsworth Park Growing, SC SAT Scores

2011-09-29T14:42:00.000-04:00

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Carbon Fiber Manufacturer Carbures Coming

An established carbon fiber manufacturer with European ties will open a new plant in Greenville to accommodate the specialty fiber market for Lockheed, Boeing, BMW, Proterra and others. Carbures, LLC will be located on Perimeter Road near the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center ( SCTAC, formerly known as Donaldson Center), which houses Lockheed. The Spanish company has a long history of serving major customers such as Airbus and saw great opportunity in expanding into the American market. The Upstate provided just the right mix of top tier work force, business climate, and access to businesses using carbon fiber structures in the defense, aerospace and automotive industries. They expect to add 50 jobs over the next five years.

Greenville Hospital System Hiring

The largest employer in Greenville County, the Greenville Hospital System, is hiring 120 full time positions. Most of those will be physicians or support staff for general surgery, ear-nose-and-throat, urology, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, and pain management positions. The University of South Carolina and GHS are still working on an agreement to expand the USC medical school onto the Greenville campus, which will potentially bring more physicians to the area. GHS also announced that an additional MD360 office for urgent and primary care will be located in Greer. Two other newer facilities are located at Scuffletown Rd. in Five Forks and Verdae Blvd in Greenville. For more information on Greenville SC click here.

Hollingsworth Park Adds Commercial Space

The construction of Legacy Square, the commercial district within Hollingsworth Park, has begun with three buildings in the works. Hollingsworth Park is an upscale residential neighborhood off Verdae Boulevard that took off with a roar a few years ago, but stalled with the economic slowdown. The development has big plans though, and the commercial buildings are the next step toward placing merchants and vendors near the residents. The current construction project is for phase one and will be located at one corner of Rocky Slope Rd and Legacy Park Rd, which is central to the community. Phase one will consist of about 30,000 square feet of commercial space, with the first three buildings being built by Holliday Dental, N & H Enterprises, and Verdae Development. At least two of the buildings will have restaurant space on the first floor. The Verdae building will also feature a rooftop space overlooking Legacy Park that will be available for events. For more information on Greenville area communities Click Here.

SAT Scores Statewide

School reports for SAT scores came in with favorable results for the Upstate. Riverside High School, a perennial favorite, was the number four high school in the state, topped only by the two governors schools and an academic magnate school. Greenville County came 15th out of the 86 South Carolina school districts. Our county neighbors just to the west fared well too…Pickens was the 3rd ranked district and Anderson 1 was 5th.

Greenville Weather
Nice clear weather is forecast for this week with sunny days and nice fall weather. Highs should be in the 70s and lows in the 50s. Check your blankets though…look for a cold front to come in over the weekend with highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s.

Greenville SC #1 Micro City, SC Employment Improving, New Park for City of Greenville

2011-08-05T11:29:00.000-04:00

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#1 Micro City

Greenville continues to make the news in a variety of ways. FDI Magazine recently published a list of top cities in the Americas based on economic potential, human resources, cost effectiveness, quality of life, infrastructure, business friendliness, and in promotion strategy of the city. These cities are the big boys: New York, Chicago, Montreal, Santiago; but in the micro city category, with a population of less than 100,000, Greenville is number one. Other top five finishers were Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada; Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; Greenville, NC; and Bismark-Mandan, ND. Click Here for the full article.

Greenville is also in the top ten cities that have resisted declining values from the housing bubble, according to CNBC.com and a Zillow based study. The based their findings on how these cities compare to U.S. averages since the peak values of June 2006. Nationally, the average price drop is 29.5%; the number of homes that have negative equity (value less than the mortgage, or “underwater”) is 28.4%; and the number of foreclosure re-sales are 22.9%. At number 10 on the list, Greenville is -2.1% below the national value decline, 6.7% below the underwater mortgages, and 1% below foreclosure re-sales. Counting down the list are Knoxville, TN; Durham, NC; Rochester, NY; Pittsburgh, PA; Yakima, WA; Little Rock, AR; Tulsa, OK; Oklahoma City, OK; Fayettville, NC. See the See the CNBC Site for the whole comparison. for the whole comparison.

Employment Looks Rosier

Job creation in the Upstate has played a pivotal role in keeping Greenville among these elite cities. This seems especially poignant when the recent ISM manufacturing report for July indicates that national manufacturing growth declined in that month and is a 2-year low since the recession ended in 2009.

GE is hiring 120 new workers to keep up with their global demand for gas turbine engines. A new Kohl’s at the new Easley store is hiring 130 and kicks off a new mall to the west of Greenville. BMW is hiring 100 new professionals and will add an undisclosed number of production employees in response to a new production goal of 270,000 vehicles this year. Last year BMW finished a plant expansion with a goal of 240,000 vehicles, but that number has since increased with global demand. They are also building a $5M family health center to provide medical services to their associates. Prettl Electronics is launching a new operation to produce inverters for the solar panel industry and expects to hire 80 at their current location in Greenville. For more information on Greenville SC click here.

New Park for Greenville City

Greenville just got a new public park, compliments of the Verdae Development Inc. Legacy Park is 20-acre in size and is located in the center of the Hollingsworth Park Development, off Laurens and Verdae Roads. It was built in 2008 as part of the development of a sizable tract formerly owned by the textile magnate John. D. Hollingsworth. The park was designed by Tom Keith of Arbor engineering as smaller version of New York’s Central Park and includes extensive walking trails, sidewalks, bikeways, greenways, two fenced in playgrounds and a pavilion with granite counters and outdoor grills.

For more information on Greenville area communities Click Here.

Greenville Weather
It’s been hot the past week with highs in the 90s, but with humidity at a moderate 50%. We can expect more of that this week but with higher chance of thunderstorms, especially over the weekend.

Electric Car Charging Stations in Greenville, Walmart FLW Tours, Blue Way Along Saluda River, Woodruff Rd Zoning

2011-02-02T14:24:00.000-05:00

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Charging Stations for Electric Cars

Photo By Can Atacan

For drivers of the new wave of electric vehicles, Greenville City has led the way in South Carolina by installing 16 charging stations around town. They are part of more than 80 locations statewide installed by Plug In Carolina, a nonprofit sponsored by major utility companies. Preparation of the infrastructure for a surge in electric cars over the next three years is probably the biggest challenge facing public adoption of these cars, and this is the start to the process.

The charging stations in Greenville are mostly located in parking garages around the city and will be free for the first three years as the demand ramps up. The parking fee more than covers the charging costs, and promotes garage usage. On average it will cost less than $1 to charge an electric hybrid car and $2-4 to charge an all electric one. Charging at a public station is faster too, taking about 4 hours for a Chevy Volt which is a hybrid model. Theses types of cars also will be able to find the charging stations by their navigation systems. Get ready for the future America: these electric stations are 100% domestic – all the equipment and power comes from a US source.

Fishy Business

Three years after the Bassmaster Classic brought in a lot of anglers and attention to Greenville and Lake Hartwell, another big fishing event is on the calendar. The Walmart FLW Tours, which rivals the Bassmaster tournament, will take place March 23-27 on Lake Hartwell. There will also be trade show and daily weigh-in at the Carolina First Center in Greenville. The even is expected to draw 300 anglers, 500 support staff, 5,000 fans, and should generate $2.5-4.0 million in economic impact.

Blue Way along Saluda River

There's discussion among county managers for a blue trail along the Saluda River that will start at the Saluda Dam and eventually run 63 miles all the way to Greenwood. A push for an initial 27 mile section from the dam to Ware Shoals is being led by Anderson County Parks and Recreation, who have already purchased land for two access points to the river and are working with land owners for portage access agreements. ReWa, the Greenville County water utility suggested that the water treatment sites along the river could act as potential put-in and take-out points. Since budgets restraints are common right now, the project may take some time to complete, but what a pearl the Upstate will have when it's finished!
For more information on Greenville area communities Click Here.

Woodruff Road Zoning

The latest controversy over how to use residential property at Woodruff and Godfrey Roads ended Tuesday after Greenville County Council voted to allow an office development plan, albeit a smaller version than the one requested. Council approved a 3,500 square foot development rather than the 18,000 square feet in the original plans, which falls in line with the East Woodruff Road Area Plan approved in 2008. The area under consideration has long been considered a residential area but is along a busy four lane Woodruff Road, with prominent commercial pockets within a half-mile at both Five Forks and Highway 14.

Greenville Weather
Last Saturday was one of those WOW days in the winter as the temperature hit 70 and the sun was brilliant. It looks like we'll see the southern edge of the tremendous winter storm that is raking the north, but expect only rain and colder temperatures above freezing. Clearing up for the weekend with highs in the mid 50s though!

Roper Mountain Planetarium Upgrade, Roger Milliken, I-385 Construction Begins

2011-01-07T11:23:00.000-05:00

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Happy New Year Ya'll!
The holidays are over and everyone is back to the usual hustle and bustle of life. We had a couple of unique events over the past two weeks that are notable. First, Greenville had the first white Christmas in many years as we got about two inches in the afternoon of the December 25th. The last time there was any snow on the ground for Christmas was in 1963 when there was little left over from 1.4 inch storm two days earlier. Going back to the 1940's, records show only traces of snow and a couple of ice storms, so this year was a rarity indeed. The kids had a lot of fun in the yards, but the roads were clear.

Roger Milliken Passes

Also notable was the passing of Roger Milliken at the age of 95. He was an international textile magnate and visionary who played a major role in the economics of the Upstate of South Carolina. After moving the family business to Spartanburg in 1954, he became a major employer in the area building one of the top privately held companies in the U.S., regularly winning national awards for excellence in the workplace. The Milliken campus houses one of the largest textile research facilities in the world; they hold over 2,300 patents in the U.S. alone. As jobs began disappearing to overseas competitors, he lobbied long and hard in an effort to keep textile jobs in the United State and started the "Crafted With Pride in the USA" campaign. Never an idle man, he was instrumental in pushing for the creation of the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) in 1962 and was the chairman from it's inception until his death. He helped to shape the Republican Party in South Carolina and was a philanthropist too, especially to Wofford and Converse Colleges in Spartanburg. Roger Milliken was rare business icon that blessed not only South Carolina, but the entire nation.

Roper Mountain Planetarium Upgrade

The Roper Mountain Science Center's planetarium is back in the fast lane with a high-tech projection system that will debut this week. The first show is "Astronaut" and portrays the life of an astronaut in training on the 50-foot dome. The $300,000 state of the art digital projection and sound system guarantees that the show will boggle the mind with sensations. The new system was funded entirely by private funds as grantors stepped up to make the transition happen... not an easy task in today's economic climate. Roper Mountain has the eighth-largest telescope in the U.S., the largest planetarium dome in South Carolina, and functions as a training center for the state’s science teachers. For more information on Greenville area communities Click Here.

Interstate Construction Begins

The I-385 widening project between Simpsonville and Mauldin is under way and is expected to take about 30 months to complete. The 5.5 mile section north of West Georgia Road will be widened from four to six lanes, with most of the work being done at night. That should really help out the daily commuter traffic from Simpsonville and the southern portion of Greenville County. A two mile section of the highway between Woodruff and Roper Mountain roads will also be repaved. Plans for a complete reconstruction of the I-85 / I-385 interchange are still being considered and should be finalized in the next year or so, but that project won't get started until 2013.

Greenville Weather
This week the weather looks like clear and a bit colder with highs in the mid 40s and lows in the upper 20s. Might even be a chance of snow late in the weekend.

Sunday Alcohol Sales, Artisphere in Greenville, Community College Enrollment Records, high Speed Rail Funds, Aircraft Services Merger

2010-11-09T09:58:00.000-05:00

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Sunday Alcohol Sales
Voters in Greer and Simpsonville have spoken clearly by passing a referendum to permit Sunday alcohol sales in their cities. The new law will apply only to bars and restaurants that already have a permit to sell alcohol during the rest of the week. However, it does not apply to grocery and convenience stores within those cities. The change will certainly help Greer and Simpsonville in a tough economic climate, but they will still be at a competitive disadvantage to Greenville who allows grocery sales within the city limits. In Simpsonville the vote passed with 59% in favor and in Greer about 57%. For more information on Greenville area communities Click Here.

Artisphere in Demand

Artisphere, Greenville's annual street art fair, is gaining national popularity as indicated by the increased applications for the 2011 show. This year 784 applications are in and that's up from 682 last year. Not only are they seeing more interest, but the applicants are higher in quality and more diverse, coming from as far away as Hawaii and Israel. Despite a tough economy and the number of artists increasing from 100 to 120 this year, the average sales for an artist has held steady at about $4200. Ninety-one of the artists from this year have applied for next year. The event gained attention by reaching a Top Ten ranking in Greg Lawler's Sourcebook for arts shows nationwide. You can search for real estate in greenville sc now!

Community College Enrollment set Records

Local colleges are setting enrollment records and expanding to handle the increased load. New comer Brown Mackie opened in the fall of 2009 with 25,000 square feet of space in downtown Greenville's Liberty II building, but is doubling that space one year later. The growth is not limited to new schools; Anderson College has been around for 99 years and is investing $3 million to create two new residence halls, expand another residence hall, and add a restaurant. Tri-County Technical College and Spartanburg Community College have also set records for enrollment and are considering expansion plan.

High Speed Rail Funds

Georgia has received $4.1 million in federal funds to be used to plan a high-speed rail system from Atlanta to Charlotte, which is part of a longer route extending to Washington D.C. The funds are to be shared with North and South Carolina, and Greenville is right in the middle. Competition for these funds is stiff around the country; the Federal Railroad Administration received 132 applications from 32 states, but only 54 projects in 23 states were approved.

Aircraft Services Merger
At the Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU), Jet Centers has bought its competitor TAC Air and created the largest Fixed Base Operator (FBO) for general aviation in the state. FBOs provide aircraft with fuel, maintenance, and repairs, plus assist visitors. At GMU they now have 17 hangars with a total of 226,000 square feet to handle the state's busiest general aviation airport. Jet Centers also has a service center in Camden and at the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center (formerly Donaldson Industrial Park).

Awesome Fall Weather
It was unseasonably cold the last couple of days, but this week we should see fantastic fall weather with highs around 70 and lows in the 40s. Many of the trees are still sporting nice colorful foliage so it's a great time to be out side enjoying the clear skies.

BMW Jobs, Downtown Greenville Improvements, New Humane Society & Medicare Tax on Home Sales?

2010-10-11T11:16:00.000-04:00

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More Pedestrian Areas Downtown
Brown Street is a little known back alleyway just off Greenville's pedestrian-friendly Main Street. But that will be changing this fall as it receives a makeover designed to increase foot traffic and spur on retail and restaurant growth. The signature look will include a piano theme sidewalk that has been widened to 12 feet for on-street dining. That fits in well with the iconic Brown Street Jazz Club and creates an ambiance similar to Printers Alley in Nashville. Look for the project to be completed by the summer of 2011. Brown Street runs from the Corner Pocket at E. Coffee St to Dixie's Tavern at E. North Street. View homes for sale in Downtown Greenville SC.

BMW Hires Another 600

More good economic news comes from local manufacturer BMW as they announced that 600 more contract jobs will be added. That is in addition to the 1,000 jobs created in August and September, and some of those contract workers will be converted to full-time employees. BMW has a strong worldwide demand for exports, especially for the X5 sports activity vehicle and the X6 sports activity coupe. Plus, the new X3 is being released in Europe which will be followed by its American release at the end of 2011. The Upstate should also see a ripple effect with increased jobs at second and third tier suppliers of the automaker. You can search for real estate in greenville sc now!

Medicare Tax…a Sales Tax on Home Sales?

There has been a lot of discussion and misunderstanding of the 3.8% Medicare tax on the sale of real property, which will take effect January 1, 2013. This is neither a "sales tax" nor "transfer tax", but a tax that applies to the GAIN on your house – not the total sales price. If the home is your primary residence and you have lived there for three out of five years, the current capital gain exemption ($250,000 single filer and $500,000 couple) still applies. Any gain over these thresholds, combined with meeting the "high income filer" status below is subject to the 3.8% tax.

The tax applies only to "high income filers" with Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) over certain threshold amounts: $200,000 (single filer) or $250,000 (married couple). The tax is calculated on the lesser of either net investment income or income over the above AGI limits. Investment income includes capital gains, rents, dividends, interest, and business income earned by shareholders or partners not active in the business. Net investment income is investment income minus any allowable expense deductions.

For the sale of a second home or investment property, the 3.8% tax applies only to the portion of the gain that brings AGI above the $200k/$250k limits. For rental income, only the portion of net rental income that exceeds the $200k/$250k AGI limits will be subject to the 3.8% tax.

New Humane Society

The Greenville Humane Society will get a new home near Haywood and Laurens Roads and is designed to be more service-oriented facility. The three-phase project will include two surgical suites for spay and neutering services, an adoption center, and a finally a pavilion for birthday parties and training classes. Greenville County owns the current facility at Furman Hall Road near Cherrydale Mall, which will continue to serve as a shelter for strays so that the new facility is not overrun with animals. The new site has not been finalized yet, but the Humane Society hopes to be in the new facility by the spring of 2011.

Awesome Fall Weather
It's been great fall weather that will extend into the upcoming week. Highs will be in the low 80s with lows in the mid 50s. There's a chance of rain Wednesday and Thursday but the weekend looks nice.

Greenville Fall Events, Pro Cycling Championships, Blue Ribbon Award to Charter School, GSP Parking Cost Down

2010-09-16T13:45:00.001-04:00

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Fall Outdoor Events
September is here, the weather has begun to cool down, and outdoor events are beginning prick up speed. Greenville has plenty of activities for every kind of appetite over the next two months. Euphoria is a food festival with a bit more spice: it brings together top chefs, winemakers, and musicians on September 24-25. The expanded Saturday Market on Main Street in Greenville shows off the fall harvest and is a popular morning activity. Fall for Greenville is another big, family-friendly street fair with a focus on food by local vendors, running October 8-10. The West End Art Festival is September 18-19 (this weekend), and will feature local visual artists at the Pendleton Street Art District. For more artwork, you can catch the Trillium Arts Festival on October 2 at Gateway Park. The Moonlight Classic Movie Series at the Peace Center Amphitheater continues on Wednesday nights and with the days a little shorter, starts at 8:00.

Big Time Cycling

Cycling fans, start your engines. The fifth annual Pro Cycling Championships is back in Greenville this weekend and promises to bring in some exciting racers as well as a few road closures for motorists. Local racer George Hincapie will be back for this prestigious race, defending his title from last year. There will also be a cadre of talented professional cyclists who have been competing in events all year and are finishing up the season with the Big One of American races. Saturday the time trial action will be focused on a 6.9 mile course at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research campus, where riders compete against the clock. On Sunday, the longer road race features teams making several loops from downtown Greenville and over the challenging Paris Mountain. There will probably be about 50,000 spectators scattered around the course, with the heaviest crowds downtown and on the climb up the backside of the mountain. Get out and shake those cowbells Greenville!

Charter School Gets Kudos

Greenville Tech Charter High School has won the National Blue Ribbon Award, which puts them into an elite category of public schools around the country. Students are allowed to work on college credit course while earning their high school diploma, and wow, they really hit those college books hard. More than half of the students in this year's class had at least 24 hours or college credits hours! But students must excel too, posting at least an 80% score to pass a class. Challenging yes, but everyone in the 420-student body graduated this year except for one who still got a GED and is now at Greenville Technical College. Tech joins four other SC schools achieving the award, and is the first charter school in the state to do so. Congratulations are also in order to nearby Powdersville Elementary, one of the other four recipients; they are located just outside Greenville in Anderson County.

GSP Parking Fares Down

If you plan to leave your car at Greenville Spartanburg Airport for few days, you will be in luck after October 1. Rates on long term parking will then be only $4, down from the current $7. That puts GSP into a competing price range with Charlotte for uncovered parking, which is a little farther from the terminal. However, one difference is that you can still walk to the GSP terminal in just a few minutes while Charlotte is a bus ride. Of course, if you want closer parking at GSP under cover, the rates are going up a few dollars. Look for more announcements from GSP as they ramp up renovations in preparation of Southwest Airline’s arrival sometime in 2011.

Awesome Fall Weather
Fall weather is here at last and you gotta love it with the relative humidity down into the 30-70% range. You can expect mostly clear weather for the next week with highs about 90 but temperatures dropping into the 60s at night. Get out there and enjoy the great outdoors!

New Website for Greenville SC Homes

2010-08-06T08:15:00.000-04:00

Wow. What a crazy week. We have opened up our new website for http://www.greenvilleschomesales.com/ earlier then we had intended because a lightening strike took out our old site before we were quite ready with the new site...everything is here from the old site, but the search features are not working yet. It should be ready any day now and we thank you for your patience. In the meantime i will be adding extra special information about Greenville, SC so you can start to get aquainted with Greenville if you are not already. Even if you have lived in Greenville your whole life there are so many neat new things going on that you might learn something.

Thanks for your patience, please check back later to search. :)

Southwest Airlines and Expansions Come to GSP, New Reirement Community, New Recreation Park, I-385 North Open

2010-08-03T13:21:00.000-04:00

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Southwest Airlines and Expansions to Come to GSP
The Greenville Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) has gotten a lot of press lately after the announcement that Southwest Airlines would offer flights here. But for some time, they have quietly been laying plans for a major expansion and upgrade that will bring GSP into the 21st century. The plan includes a total revamping of the terminal core to improve traffic and security, centralize ticketing, connect the two concourses, plus add five new gates and a full service restaurant. There is also a commitment to a more eco-friendly campus that includes harvested rainwater, skylights and solar panels to reduce the power consumption by 70%. Under the leadership of Dave Edwards, who was recently hired away from Asheville Regional Airport where he made similar quantum leaps of progress, GSP is ready to start phase one without incurring any additional debt. Edwards believes that GSP will obtain $30 million in grants from the FAA, EPA, TSA with the remainder coming from airport reserves. Work on phase one will probably start in 2011 and completed in 2012.

New Retirement Community Plans

Near GSP at Highway 14 and I-85, the often touted and debated development project to attract a Bass Pro Shop is officially dead, but the City of Greer has other ideas. In place of the 200-acre mega Bass Pro project, they have begun marketing a new conceptual plan dubbed Infinity Place that would create 75 acres of medical, office, hotel, residential, and retail space. A 15-acre portion has been proposed for a phase called Hospital Walk, and will include an upscale retirement community that will have walkways to the nearby Village at Pelham Hospital.

New Recreation Park

The destiny of the abandoned Municipal Baseball Stadium on Mauldin Road has finally concluded with the announcement that the city of Greenville will create a huge recreational baseball complex. The city will rent the land to the Greenville County Recreational District, who will renovate the old stadium as well as add four additional baseball fields that will become the home of the local Little League program. The project is part of a visionary recreational area that will include the adjacent 400-acre Lake Conestee, a connection to the Swamp Rabbit Trail, and other urban park possibilities on 200 acres owned by Renewable Water Resources (ReWa, the regional sewer authority). There is also a 150-acre parcel owned by the city that could be made into a golf course or green space. So by the summer of 2011, you can expect to see the fields complete and more parking available, and a lot of happy Little Leaguers running around. Check out Greenville SC real estate by schools!

I-385 North Open

Travelers heading northbound on I-385 will be pleased to note that the freeway is has reopened after a construction detour rerouted traffic for several months. There is still a lot of work being done to upgrade the highway, but beach goers and truckers can both breathe a sigh of relief.

Current Weather
After the heat wave of July which was one of the hottest on record, we are off to a cloudy and cooler August. Expect mostly cloudy skies this week with a chance of thundershowers. Look for highs in the low 90s.

New Electric Car Manufacturer, Hockey in Greenville, Trader Joes Coming to Wodruff Rd, New Water Parks

2010-07-06T13:49:00.004-04:00

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New Electric Car Manufacturer
The automotive cluster of manufacturers is growing in the Upstate. CT&T Korea Ltd. has announced that they will build a "mega" site in Spartanburg that will be an assembly plant for small electric cars and will also supply components to a series of upcoming sites around the U.S. They expect to hire 370 for this facility. Their zero-emissions electric vehicle can run up to 35 mph for a distance of 80 miles before needing a recharge, which meets the demand from police, military, and Americans that use a car mainly for short trips. CT&T acknowledged that the presence of Clemson University's International Center for Automotive research in Greenville had a big influence over their decision to locate in the Upstate. The company is also planning a 50-worker research center in Greenville, probably at the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center, and formerly known as the Donaldson Center. In related news this year, electric hybrid bus maker Proterra Inc. is also building a plant on the ICAR campus and expects to hire 1300 over the next seven years.

Road Warriors Hockey

Professional Hockey is back in town and will be known as the Greenville Road Warriors. The name of the team and logo was recently announced after a "Name Your Team Sweepstakes" brought in more than 2,000 original names and Mark McLamb came up with the winner, alluding to Greenville's automotive industry, bicycling community and the history of car racing in the area. With 400 season tickets sold, The Road Warriors are looking for more fans to start the ECHL season on October 21 at the Bi-Lo Center.

New Grocer - Trader Joes

Trader Joes grocery is coming to Woodruff Road next to the new Academy Sports after months of speculation. The popular west coast chain has almost a cult following and is known for its discount pricing, organic products, and variety of inexpensive wines that are great taste for the value. The nearest Trader Joes are in Charlotte where they have three stores; this location will be the first in South Carolina. The location on Woodruff Road builds on the commercial corridor that is already popular with shoppers. Nearby is the new Rooms To Go furniture store which is part of the Magnolia Center that is revitalizing the old Greenville Mall.

New Water Parks

Summer is here and kids in Greenville County will appreciate the two new water parks built by the Greenville County Recreation District. Otter Creek is north of Greer out highway 290 and 7th. Inning Splash is south of I-85 on Piedmont Highway at Lakeside Park. These two projects are the results of a 2% hospitality tax on prepared food and beverages in the country that have filled the GCRD's coffers. That has worked out well for contractors and the district alike: more competitive bids coming in on these jobs and more work for the contractors. There have been $29 million worth of projects completed since 2008 and County Council has approved more than $9 million in additional work. You gotta love The CGRD for providing more places to play!

Hot Weather
The heat is upon us this week with highs in the mid to upper 90s. No thunderstorms are predicted, so be sure to put on the sunscreen. It should cool off over the weekend with highs back in the high 80s.

Fourth Of July in Greenville, Woodside Mills Redevelopment, Matrix Technology Park, Roper Mountain Planetarium

2010-06-25T12:15:00.004-04:00

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Woodside Mills Redevelopment
Redevelopment of Greenville's west side is stirring with a North Carolina developer's announcement to refit the famous Woodside Mills which is just outside the city limits. Built in 1902, Woodside mills was once the largest cotton mill in the world, but finally abandoned operations in 2006 as textile jobs exited to overseas locations. But it looks like there may be new life coming for this historic mill that includes 500,000 square feet of factory on 14 acres and 343 surviving mill houses. Developer Josh Parker wants to convert the factory space into market rate apartments, office, and retail space. This could really kick off economic development in an area that is very near to the popular downtown Greenville scene. The City of Greenville has agreed to annex this property, which will qualify the project for the HUD 220 program that aims to help regenerate urban areas hit hard by economic and industrial changes. Adjacent to Woodside Mills, the newly opened and very popular Swamp Rabbit pedestrian/biking trail is seeing a lot of use; these types of trails usually bring developmental interest to the area through which they run. In other news around the west side, Parker High School will see renovation in the fall of 2010, and The Westside Family Grocery opened this year in a former Winn Dixie site that had been empty for years.

Fireworks Downtown will be Huge

July 4th will be upon us in a couple of weeks and the City of Greenville is a planning their usual gala of fireworks downtown. Not only are the fireworks the largest in South Carolina, but you’ll find several musical events and a Kid Zone starting at 5:00. The Greenville Symphony Orchestra will perform at the Peace Center amphitheater but seating is limited, so you might want to get there early for first-come first-serve seating. This has been a popular event in the past and with 75,000 expected to attend, YellowBook.com ranked it in Southeast's top ten fireworks displays.

Matrix Technology Park Set to Attract Businesses

The Matrix Technology Park has been certified by the South Carolina Department of Commerce as a S.C Certified Cite, which identifies it as "shovel ready" for industries seeking immediate development. This is an important step for the 1,100-acre master planned industrial park which has struggled over the years due to economic downturns. Businesses looking for an industrial, warehouse/distribution, R&D, or headquarter campus site will find the The Matrix very competitive. AT&T, Duke Energy, and Piedmont Natural Gas partnered with The Matrix to offset the costs associated with the certification process.

Roper Mountain Planetarium

If you've been to the Roper Mountain Science Center’s Planetarium for presentation of Starry Nights, you would have noticed that the show seemed a bit antiquated on their 23-year old projector system. That should change later this year when exciting new full-dome projectors are installed, enabling the center to utilize high definition digital technology that will resemble an IMAX theater with a dome and surround sound. Plus, data can be downloaded daily as new features to the star field are updated from the 9,000 satellites orbiting Earth. The facility is owned by the Greenville County School System and is used to train teachers state-wide as well as produce public programs. However, no public funds will be used for the projector upgrade and all monies for the project will be from the Center’s charitable arm.

Current Weather
Wow, it's a heat wave out there this week. Look out for highs in the mid 90s and a high heat index. We'll probably see some localized thunderstorms through Saturday that might cool things off a bit.

New Tourism Center in Greenville, Greenville Top 5 Places to Retire and Live, Bicycling Championships, Simpsonville Farmers Market

2010-06-09T13:28:00.006-04:00

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New Tourism Center in Greenville
The "March Up the Reedy River" with new, exciting public developments continues with the City's proposal to create a tourism complex next to Linky Stone Park. That's located under the Academy Street bridge over the river and at the start of the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Dubbed "Reedy Square" it would create a new central attraction acting as an "adventure concierge" where visitors get acquainted with things to do around the Upstate, set up tours, and rent bikes or kayaks. With Chicago architect Jeanne Gang's concept of geometric wooden boxes set with glass along the scenic Reedy River, the complex could be a major attraction connecting the Falls Park area with the Swamp Rabbit Trail which leads to the new Kroc Center. One of the central motives for the city is increasing tourism awareness for Greenville, increasing spending downtown and creating a showcase that will help court new businesses to the area. There is substantial funding in place from the hotel tax revenue, but it still needs private funding and federal tax credits. If the project falls into place, construction could start in 2011.

A Great Place to Retire and Live!
Fortune Magazine has ranked Greenville as one of five great places to retire in a recent on-line press release. The article focuses on the affordability of Napa, Ann Arbor, San Antonio, Palm Coast, and Greenville, but also considers the other appealing factors such as culture, tax rates, and health care. Fortune examined data from Moody's Analytics to evaluate attractive areas where prices have fallen but probably don’t have much farther to go. While Greenville may not have had such a dramatic decline in real estate prices compared to Palm Coast for example, there are still good values here. With these market conditions in their favor, soon-to-be retired seniors are laying strategic plans and are purchasing second homes in Greenville and the other cities in anticipation of relocation in the next few years.

In similar news, Greenville also made the top 10 in Relocate America's both retirement and affordability cities for 2010. It's also on their "Top 100 Places to Live!" This is the ninth year Greenville has bee on their list and cites beautiful weather, low cost of living, and quality of life as attractive features of the area.

Bicycling Championships Return
Bicycling is part of Greenville's culture and once again it has been awarded the USA Cycling Professional Championship this September. This race is the Big Daddy of races in the US and will feature all the major riders, many of whom will have participated it the Tour de France. There's a little extra flavor: local resident George Hincapie will defend his title in the 112-mile road race over Paris Mountain. The September 18-19 dates are a couple of weeks later than the previous four races we have had here, but judging from the support in past years, we can expect to see another big turnout.

Fresh Food Anyone?
Simpsonville is following along with other area cities by organizing a farmers market to provide local produce to a growing marketplace. The location will be in the parking lot for the Cotton Mill Place at West Curtis and Green Streets… just look for the towering old mill smokestack. It will be there every Thursday afternoon from 3:30 to 6:30 this summer and currently has at least 37 vendors providing great veggies. The neighboring city of Fountain Inn has also started a farmers market at their new building at 110 Depot Street.

Current Weather
The fresh cool air that blew in yesterday was quite a treat, but you can expect a warmer trend later this week with a chance of thundershowers. Highs around 90 and lows in the upper 60s.

Scottish Games in Greenville, Southwest Airlines at GSP, More Jobs in Anderson

2010-05-25T13:55:00.010-04:00

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Get Your Kilts Ready!
The Greenville Scottish Games are upon us again on May 28-29 and the organizers have really outdone themselves this year with a landmark event. The BIG NEWS is that His Royal Highness The Prince Edward of Essex will be here in the parade and around the games on Saturday. His presence is the first time a senior British royal has visited a Scottish games outside of Scotland and the first time a royal has visited the Upstate. Getting Prince Edward to come has attracted far more contestants and big names than in the previous years. The Great Scott Parade has been ramped up with other celebrities including the 2010 Miss America, Miss South Carolina, and Miss South Carolina Teen, plus more Earles, Barons, and pipe bands than you can shake an axe at. The fun in kilts continues after the parade with Celtic rock bands performing outdoors behind the Peace Center. The Saturday games will have more of everything for the entire family, including a the classic heavy athletic events, pipe band competitions, British Car show, border collies, and Wee Scotland for the kids. Our event has grown in such size and quality over the past four years that the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs (all very big Daddies) has ranked the Greenville Games as one of the finest in the world. And to make sure the world knows about it, a film documentary of the weekend will be produced that will be marketed to cable channels in the US, Britain and Canada. Don't miss the action on May 28-29!

Southwest Airlines, At Last!
More good news arrived last week when Southwest Airlines announced that in 2011 they would begin serving the Upstate at GSP airport and Charleston. That brings a sorely needed discount airlines to our area that will force competition among other airlines and make it easier to attract businesses to the area. And Southwest is a big, consistent player – serving 68 cities in 35 states, they are the largest US carrier based on domestic passengers. Local corporations really came together to entice Southwest; when more than 200 Upstate companies pledged to use Southwest, the deal looked pretty appetizing for the airline. And best of all, Southwest did not demand any government subsidies as incentives. The arrival of Southwest represents a game-changer for economic development in the Upstate. Mayor Knox White stated that several past discussions with corporate leaders considering a headquarter relocation to the Upstate fell apart over GSP aviation costs. Stay tuned and get ready to pack your bags…they fly free with Southwest.

First Quality Tissue Coming to Anderson
Anderson County also got as big boost when First Quality Tissue announced that they would create 1000 jobs with a $1 billion investment of a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. That's the largest single investment project ever in Anderson County and the largest in the Upstate since BMW. In a county hard hit by the loss of textile jobs and 12.5% unemployment, that is big news indeed, with production jobs paying more than $17 per hour. Located on the site formerly occupied by Shaw Industries, production of various non-woven and traditional paper products should start in the third quarter of 2011.

Current Weather
Looks like there is a chance of thundershowers early this week, but clearing is expected toward the weekend. Highs should be in the 70s and 80s with lows in the 60s.

Google Fiber in Greenville, Artisphere 2010, Main @ Broad Complex Now Leasing, Discount Airline at GSP

2010-05-04T10:43:00.010-04:00

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Google Fiber in Greenville?
Google Fiber is planning on installing a Fiber To The Home (FTTH) ultra high speed fiber optic network to some deserving US city and has been running a 30-day on-line contest to see who can garner the most votes. Our fair city of Greenville started out very strong and was pulling away from the competition, but Asheville has managed a comeback that will probably put them in first place at the end of voting today. City supporters have done all kinds of publicity stunts; Greenville staged a night time display of "Google" spelled with glow sticks which you can see on YouTube. The FTTH system changes the last mile of connectivity to the end user with optical fiber, which will increase speed of transmission and signal fidelity. You'll end up with a whopping 1Gbps of transmission speed that will either shorten your time surfing or increase it since you're having so much fun.

Artisphere 2010
Artisphere, Greenville's popular art festival is back for the sixth time this week and will have 120 artists displaying their wares along Main Street from Broad Street to Augusta Road in the West End. There's a lot of fun stuff going on for all ages at this event and the format will remain unchanged from previous years. You'll find a variety of artistic genres, plenty of live music, food, and Kidsphere for the wee ones. Don't miss Brian Olson's Art in Action where he creates large scale paintings of iconic pop figures with his characteristic energetic style. This festival has secured a top 20 ranking by the Southeast Tourism Society for two years in a row, acknowledging Greenville's ability to attract culturally-minded visitors. It also ranks 46th out of 600 Fine Arts Festivals across the United States by Greg Lawler's Art Fair Sourcebook. The brand new Courtyard Marriot and Nantucket Grill at Main and Broad will host an opening gala on Thursday night, while the main event launches at 4:00 on Friday.

Main @ Broad Complex Now Leasing

Speaking of the new Main @ Broad complex, which houses the Courtyard Marriot, it just opened last week after surviving the economic downturn that shuttered most large development projects around the country. The Marriot has 135 rooms going for about $160 and a nice public courtyard featuring a waterfall and public restrooms. There is even potential for an ice skating rink here. Restaurateur Rick Erwin just put his corporate headquarters at this complex as well as opened the Nantucket Grill, which will feature quality seafood. You can't beat the location, which is centrally placed along Main Street, sandwiched between City Hall and the Peace Center for performing arts. Developer Bo Aughtry is pleased with the leasing prospects for the building and anticipates having three or four stories leased in the next 60 days.

Discount Airline Still Possible at GSP
The Greenville Spartanburg International Airport is still in the hunt to land a discount carrier after the South Carolina Senate gave approval to a key incentive bill last week. The bill had been blocked by Midland senators who feared a loss of business to Columbia's airport, but after a unanimous Senate approval last Thursday, the Upstate may still have a chance, subject to final approval in legislation. Southwest Airlines is the prime carrier that everyone is courting, and they have expressed very serious interest in GSP. According to the Greenville News, Southwest Vice President Dave Ridley states that Southwest has a gap in coverage over the Carolinas and Georgia, and that GSP meets many of the characteristics that Southwest looks for in an expansion market.

Current Weather
Boy, the last few days seemed like the topics with rain and warm temperatures. It will clear up this week, but there is a seasonally uncharacteristic layer of warm weather over us where we expect to see highs in the mid 80s, and lows in the 60s. It should be clear weather into the weekend.

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2010-04-30T20:16:00.001-04:00

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USC School of Medicine in Greenville, I-85 and I-385 Reconfiguration, IMAX in Simpsonville, Jones Gap State Park

2010-04-14T16:04:00.006-04:00

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USC School Of Medicine In Greenville
The Greenville Hospital System is working on a plan to expand their current medical training facility and call it the University of South Carolina School of Medicine – Greenville. They plan to train first and second year medical students in the USC system as well as third and fourth year students that they have been working with for the past 20 years. A fully ramped up program should be complete in 2016, with 400 medical students studying in Greenville. The plan will help supply more physician training in an era where the nation expects to see a shortage of doctors over the next 10 years. By leading the pack in this type of training, GHS expects to establish more research facilities in the area, which will attract downstream businesses such as device manufacturers and software developers.

Reconfiguration Of I-85 And I-385 Interchange
The SC Department of Transportation's announced some of their options regarding the reconfiguration of the I-85 and I-385 interchange last week, which got a lot of businesses speaking their mind. The scenario generating the most debate centers on an option to build another road south of the current interchange that would provide access to the busy Woodruff Road commercial area. That would dramatically affect the flow of traffic past vendors such as Cracker Barrel and Drury Inn, who position themselves for easy access for the consumer. The proposal would however give engineers more land to work with and provide a boost for The Point and the Verdae development. The planning for this project is in the initial stages and ground breaking is not scheduled until 2013, so there will be plenty of time for all parties to voice their concerns.

IMAX In Simpsonville

Great Escape 14, the long awaited IMAX theater in Simpsonville is about ready to open their doors this month after construction delays over the winter. There will be 14 movie screens utilizing digital projection, with three of those able to feature 3-D movies. The IMAX auditorium will seat 400 and feature a high-tech sound system that allows every seat to pinpoint where the sound came from on the screen. It will also be able to project 3-D films, as will three other screens. In addition to the typical refreshment area, there will also be a bar serving wine, beer and finger food snacks. The nearest IMAX theaters are Atlanta, Charlotte, and Charleston, SC.

Jones Gap State Park Tries To Gain More Ground
The Nature Conservancy is trying to add to Jones Gap State Park with the purchase of 301 acres to the east called the White tract. The purchase will conform to their long range goal to protect the Blue Ridge escarpment from Table Rock to the North Saluda with a wilderness bridge of land. The White tract will add to the Jones Gap trail system and provide some overflow parking for the park, which often has limited parking for visitor during busy days. The Nature Conservancy has a long history in the Upstate, where in 1976, they purchased 2,000 acres to establish Jones Gap State Park.

Current Weather

Nice spring weather is here this week and continues from last weekend. The trees are leafing out, flowers are doing their thing, and the grass suddenly need cutting. Expect clear weather this week with highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s.

Real Estate in Albuquerque NM

2010-04-08T16:43:00.001-04:00

Very helpful information on Albuquerque MLS and Real Estate in Albuquerque NM

in reference to:

"Albuquerque"
- Albuquerque Real Estate - Albuquerque MLS - Homes for Sale (view on Google Sidewiki)

Bass Pro Shop in SC, Magnolia Park, Greenville Federal Courthouse, Northwest Park, Updating Kid's Planet

2010-03-29T15:01:00.007-04:00

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New Debate on Bass Pro Shop Legislation
The state legislation to lure a Bass Pro Shops "type of extraordinary retailer" to the Upstate with large tax incentives is still on the table despite opposition that killed it on the House floor earlier this month. Legislators are reconsidering the bill if such a mega retailer can be held accountable for their end of the bargain. The bill allows the retailer to use 75% of the sales tax they generate over 20 years to pay for their infrastructure and buildings. In return, they must build within two miles of an interstate highway, attract at least 2 million visitors per year with at least 35% of them coming from more than 50 miles away, plus spend more that $50 million in development.

Magnolia Park Plans
A proposed mall at Highway 14 and I-85 that is currently stalled has been the most talked about site for an extraordinary retailer. Now, the developers of Magnolia Park on Woodruff Road see their site as a viable option and have jumped in, promoting the bill. Magnolia Park is the site of the former Greenville Mall which is largely empty now, but on the verge of an upswing and near the flourishing activity of Woodruff Road. Rooms to Go is finishing up construction of their new building at Magnolia Park which is anchored by Regal Cinemas, Costco, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Old Navy.

Greenville Federal Courthouse Location Finalized

The new federal courthouse in downtown Greenville has been announced after more than a year of debate over the proper site. And the winner is… across the street from the Greenville County courthouse on East North Street, where a parking lot currently exists. Since the lot is relatively small, the building will probably be fairly tall, but will fit into the City's master plan. The lot was chosen over the AGFA office at Academy and W. Washington because of a more central location to legal professionals, parking, and the current courthouse.

Northwest Park Mega Sports Complex
The Greenville County Recreation District recently opened a new mega sports complex at Greenville Tech's Northwest campus on White Horse Road. The partnership between the two groups has really produced a gem of a facility and includes four Little League baseball fields, a collegiate baseball field, and two football / soccer fields. There is also a two story structure that houses a scoring tower, restrooms and concessions. Greenville Tech donated 38 acres of its campus and the county funded most of the expense out of the hospitality tax.

Updating Kid's Planet
If you have kids in the Greer SC area, chances are you've been to the Kid's Planet at Century Park. The popular playground features an elaborate wooden structure with multiple walkways, towers, portals, ladders, and swings. Kids love the wild scrambling hide-n-seek that typically ensues. The park is now 10 years old and needs a bit of maintenance, so this year's Leadership Greer class is organizing a volunteer day to spruce things up. On April 17, the equipment will be brought up to code, the wood resealed, and all the sand and mulch replaced. If you don’' make the cleanup day, be sure to check it out afterward; it's a classic shady park setting with sure fire fun for the kids and adults alike.

Current Weather
Spring showers have been here for the last week, but it looks like clear weather is headed our way this week. Expect highs in the 70s and lows in the 40s after rain on Monday.

Downtown Greenville Events, Downtown Travelers Rest Upgrades, US Airways Highlights Greenville, More Jobs in SC Upstate

2010-03-16T13:39:00.011-04:00

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Downtown Greenville Events
The Downtown Alive free musical events that have been a popular attraction for several years are kicking off this week. This year, we have new sponsor names and a common location. Piedmont Natural Gas Downtown Alive and the BB&T Main Street Fridays will both be in the Hyatt Regency plaza deck around the fountains, and still have the laid-back enjoyable atmosphere that we have grown to love. Downtown Alive will be on Thursdays from 5:30-8:30, run from March to the end of August, and feature various blues, rock and funks bands. Main Street Fridays will be 5:30-9:30, feature a wide a variety of music that will differ from last years Main Street Jazz format, and run March to September 24. The Friday event will still feature a children's play area as well as a new interactive tailgating game area known as The Player Zone. The City of Greenville will also take over management of both events. For more information, go to the City's special event site.

Nice Upgrades in Downtown Travelers Rest
If you have not been through downtown Travelers Rest lately, you'll be surprised at the street-side changes that have taken place over the past couple of months. The city has put in new paver sidewalks, fountain, gazebo, and classy streetlights along Highway 276 where the Swamp Rabbit Trail comes into town. This part of the trail is the most complete and it has been a real hit with pedestrians and bicyclists. Some are local to Travelers Rest, but many come from the greater Greenville area to enjoy a quaint town with mountain views to the north and pleasant riding back toward Furman University. For a map and more information on the trail, check out the Greenville County Recreation District site.

US Airways Highlights Greenville

US Airways showcases Greenville this month in their in-flight magazine and defines what is really great about our fair city. You know something is up when the frontispiece starts out, "This is not your average downtown". Included is a nice review of the art scene, restaurants, the renovated Westin Poinsett Hotel, Fluor field, and a lot more. If you're not flying anytime soon and would like to see the online version, click here.

More Jobs for the Upstate Area
Job seekers got some good news with announcements from a variety of local employers. Both Michelin and BMW have already starting hiring and expect to continue into 2010. Astra/CFX is setting up a Greer facility to supply tire and wheel assemblies for BMW's X3 sports utility vehicles; they expect to add about 50 contract jobs with 100 more in the future. Bosch Rexroth plans to expand their hydraulics manufacturing business, located in Fountain Inn, and add about 50 jobs. Kemet Corporation signed a $31 million contract with the U.S. Department of Energy to research and produce capacitors to enhance batteries for electric drive vehicles. This should add 110 jobs in S.C. and fits in with electric bus manufacturer Proterra who will begin production in Greenville next year.

Current Weather
The weather seems a bit unsettled, as spring often is, and we expect a chance of showers early in the week. Look for clearing Thursday. Highs in the 60s, lows in the 40s.

CU-ICAR, Housing Recovery, Future of Old Allan Bennett Hospital, Downtown Greenville Airport

2010-03-02T14:54:00.010-05:00

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More To Come At CU-ICAR
Sage Automotive Interiors recently acquired the automotive body cloth division of nearby Milliken Co., and will build a new headquarters at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR). Milliken is well known for their textiles research and Sage takes over a strong company with 1000 employees at the South Carolina plants of Marietta, Abbeville, and Spartanburg, plus Toccoa, GA and Brazil. Sage makes materials for automotive seating, door panels, and a segment they want to focus on growing, headliners. Locating at the CU-ICAR complex keeps their headquarters close to their manufacturing base and provides synergy with Clemson, also well known for textile research and education. The Sage development comes on the heels of an announcement that electric bus maker Proterra will put a manufacturing facility at the CU-ICAR campus this year.

Housing Recovery
According to Builder Magazine Online, the Greenville Upstate area made the top 20 list of areas that will lead the housing recovery in 2010. They based their findings on several factors, but primarily on the number of housing starts in 2009 and forecast starts in 2010. The number of starts in the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson area jumped 13% in the fourth quarter of 2009, with a total of 1,591 for the year. That is forecast to increase another 20% in 2010 for a total of 1918 starts. Other factors that put Greenville into the 19th spot include affordable housing with a median sales price of $139,000 last year, a strengthening job market, strong population growth and prime location on I-85 between Atlanta and Charlotte. The top three areas in the study were number one Austin, TX, followed by Raleigh and then Charlotte, NC.

The Future Of Old Allen Bennett Hospital

The City of Greer is working on a plan to redevelop the old Allen Bennett Hospital on Wade Hampton, left empty after the new facility on Buncombe Road went into operation. The current proposal is to convert the existing building into an assisted-living facility, with adult and child day-care services, pool, shops, and gardens. Negotiations are still underway, but if approved, this phase one redevelopment could be finished by 2011. Additional phases could include a 90-room hotel and a skilled-nursing center. The redevelopment would bring more activity to that area of Wade Hampton as the economy picks up as well as put more tax dollars into the city coffers.

Downtown Greenville Airport A Family Spot?
If you are an aviation buff, the Greenville Downtown Airport may soon be a better place to enjoy aircraft activity. The Airport wants to add a restaurant and park next to one of the busiest runways, making it a nice public destination. The proposal is modeled after Atlanta's restoration of the Peachtree Dekalb Airport which has been a hit with families. The plan includes a hangar for parties, playground, walking trail and retired aircraft displays. In other aviation news, the Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport plans to renovate and expand their terminal, add two T hangars, and improve the landscaping.

Current Weather
Wow, it's snowing again as I look out the window. That's such a rarity for this area, but indicates the El Nino weather pattern is still affecting us when spring is normally here. The kids will be happy to hear that 2-4 inches is possible in Greenville today and school will probably be out tomorrow. With highs predicted into the upper 40s and sunny weather in the next few days, that snow won't last long.

Proterra in Greenville, City of Greenville, Mauldin Beautifying Roadways, Peace Center Expansion

2010-02-09T11:33:00.014-05:00

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Proterra in Greenville
The making of Greenville SC into a world-class automotive cluster has taken another step forward with the announcement that Proterra, a manufacturer of hybrid electric buses, will set up shop here. They plan on building a $68 million manufacturing plant and research facility at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research, starting in the spring of 2010. That should lead to about 1300 jobs over the next seven years with an average wage of about $60,000 per year. The move not only adds to the growing local automotive expertise, but also marks a trend into alternative energy R&D, something that South Carolina has already begun with hydrogen fuel technology at the Savanna River site. Much of the research will focus on developing a long range battery capable of running a large vehicle all day. Proterra's current battery range is about 30 miles with a recharge complete in six to 10 minutes.

City of Greenville - Things to Come
In a related move, the City of Greenville has entered into an agreement to purchase the former Hitachi building at 575 Mauldin Road, which could fulfill their agreement to provide Proterra with temporary space. The Hitachi building is located near the CU-ICAR campus and houses 40,000 square feet of office space and 509,000 square feet of shop or warehouse space. The site could also provide the city with a relocation site for the downtown Public Works Operations Center that is in a flood plain adjacent to the new A.J. Whittenberg Academy. Moving the Public Works away from the Reedy River opens up more possibilities for downtown revitalization, which as already been started with the Whittenberg Academy, the Salvation Army Kroc Center and the pedestrian-cycling Swamp Rabbit Trail that runs by them. The City's due diligence on the purchase or the Hitachi building has been extended into March, so we’ll hear more then.

Mauldin Beautifying its Roadways

Just down from the entrance to CU-ICAR on Laurens Road, the City of Mauldin is planning an upgrade to the five-lane arterial with landscape and roadway plans that will make the entrance into the city more pleasing to the eye. They have received $678,000 in federal transportation enhancement funds but are still figuring out how spend it. The four primary target areas are Forrester Drive at the northern end, Murray Drive at the C.F. Sauer plant, between Owens Lane and Sunset Drive near the city center, and at the Highway 276 / State 417 split at the southern end of town. In addition to plants and trees along the road, they plan to bury overhead power lines, create new sidewalks, and install lighting.

Peace Center Expansion
The Peace Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Greenville SC has been packed lately with great acts such as the Broadway production "Wicked", bringing in an audience from miles around. The venue has plans to expand the building and create more of a community gathering spot by enlarging the lobby into the front driveway area. A glass façade will give it a modern, inviting look and provide patrons a little more shoulder room between acts. They also plan to add new space to the back of the building for private parties, and create a landscape similar to Falls Park.

Current Weather
It was nice weather this weekend, but it looks like the cold weather that has settled onto most of the country will stick around for another week. Expect some cold rain on Tuesday with clearing and cold later in the week. Highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s.

Greenville had an unusual taste of winter weather at the end of January. The Peace Center is featured below...

Greenville SC New Construction, Greenville Neighborhood Recognized, Greenville's West End, GSP Airport Expansion

2010-01-25T15:27:00.008-05:00

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New Home Inventory Going Up in 2010
The number of Upstate residential building permits in 2009 reversed the downward trend of the past couple of years and may indicate that the momentum has changed. According to The Market Edge, more permits were issued in the second half of 2009 than the first, a rarity since in a typical market, 60% of the permits are in the first two quarters. Builders have recognized that the current tax incentives for first time buyers and some owners will spur sales in the first half of 2010, and they are getting ready. You can expect the new home inventory to increase over the next few months. Also, lots that had been held off the market due to bankrupt builders have finally become available as legal issues have been resolved and investors have jumped on the bargains. The Upstate region is categorized as Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg Counties; of the 2623 permits issued in the Upstate region in 2009, 1006 were in Greenville County.

Viola Street Recognized
The Southern Living Magazine has recognized downtown Greenville's Viola Street neighborhood as one of 10 comeback neighborhoods in the South. The area is nestled against the popular North Main area just outside the downtown business district, and has undergone a remarkable transformation from small unheated shacks to modern homes. It all started in 2000 when a phalanx of volunteers pulled together to make it all possible. The developer managed the construction for free, a businessman funded scholarships and tutoring programs increased the skills of the current residents that enabled job growth. The end result is 86% owner occupancy, a community center, and a close knit neighborhood. This is one of the revitalization projects in the Greenville area which has proven successful. The other areas noted by Southern Living include North Chattanooga, TN, the Wilmore/South End in Charlotte, NC, Baltimore's Patterson Park, and Holy Cross in New Orleans.

West End's Changing Face

There are a couple of holes in the downtown Greenville storefront lineup as a result of two demolition projects. In the upper end of Main St. next to Piazza Bergamo, the old building is gone with plans to expand the green community area behind the archway leading to the Bank of America building. Locals will also notice the absence of the Army Surplus store farther down Main St. at River Street in the West End. That store has been a mainstay in the West End for almost 40 years, surviving while other businesses failed during the early days of revitalization. The building goes back to about 1870, but was too deteriorated to repair, so has been torn down. In its place, a similar style 4-story building will appear, maintaining the west end architecture.

GSP Expansion Project
The Greenville Spartanburg International Airport has just opened a new general aviation terminal that is LEED registered project. The building was designed to be energy and water efficient with large windows for more light and a water collection system on the roof. It should use 30% less energy and 70% less water than a traditional building, with about a 2% increase in construction cost. Stevens Aviation maintains aircraft at GSP and operates as the fixed base operator, supplying fuel, food and services for general aviation aircraft.

Current Weather
Boy, it really poured rain this last weekend, but it looks like we'll see some clear skies this week with highs in the 50s. Still fairly cool though, with lows in the 30s, and more precipitation later in the week. It's been an abnormally cold winter, but spring flowers are only a few weeks away!

Interstate 385 Closure, Foreclosures, Short Sales and New Government Incentives, New Dog Park

2010-01-05T11:02:00.013-05:00

Interstate 385 Closure
One of the immediate changes for traffic this year is the widening project on I-385 that has already begun near Clinton. For the next eight months, be aware that the northbound lanes from I-26 to Gray Court will be closed and the best route is north to I-85 at Spartanburg and then west to Greenville SC, adding about 45 minutes to your journey. Of course there are several other rural routes on smaller roads, but they might not be as time efficient due to added congestion. The southbound lanes will be open for traffic as usual. There's been a lot of political finger pointing as to why an alternative route was not devised along the construction route to save time, but since we're stuck with it now, enjoy the drive!

Foreclosures Greenville SC
The Greenville SC foreclosure market keeps chugging along in our area with approximately 185 properties sold in the fourth quarter of 2009, which is consistent with what sold in each quarter last year. There are about 100 active Greenville foreclosure properties listed currently, which is down about 15% from an average over 2009. The median price of foreclosures sold in the 4th quarter is $80,000 and has also remained steady. Many of these lower priced properties were purchased by investors for rental, or fix-up and resell, but there are a variety of opportunities of nice homes for those who intend to occupy the home. The good homes go quickly, so be ready to act fast when they hit the market!

Short Sales and New Government Incentives

In addition to foreclosures, the inventory of "short sales" on the market has been increasing. These distressed properties are in the pre-foreclosure stage and the owner is asking the bank to accept less than what is owed on the property. These types of transactions have been extremely hard to close in the past two years because the banks have not been prepared for the tidal wave of loan defaults that is predicted to continue into 2012. However, the U.S. Treasury has put pressure on banks to effectively process short sales, thus cutting down on the amount of foreclosures in the market and stabilizing values. For a more detailed discussion on the new incentive program click here for Greenville short sales and how they work . If you know of a distressed homeowner facing foreclosure and looking for an alternative that will save their credit and perhaps even their job (e.g. employees with a security clearance), have them call The Cunningham Team. We are Certified Distressed Property Experts (CDPE) and are doing our best to help homeowners through their life shattering situation.

New Dog Park
Dog lovers will be able to enjoy a new Greer SC dog park in about 2 months thanks to the Greenville County Recreation Department, who are starting the project after a series of delays. Located at Highway 14 and the Enoree River, the 3.5 acre park will feature a maze-like course, ramps and balance beams for canine entertainment. The former Pelham Mill site is quite nice with a dam built in the 1800's. The Recreation department also just completed a restoration of Campbell's Covered Bridge and created a new park there. Built in 1909, the bridge is the only remaining covered bridge in SC and is located in northern Greenville County near Pleasant Bridge Road and State 414.

Current Weather
Cold weather has been on us since New Years Day and will continue with unusually cold temperatures through the week. Lows will be in the 20s and highs in the 30s. There's even a chance of snow flurries on Friday and warmer weather won't be back until next week.

Please visit our websites at Greenville SC Real Estate and our second site at Greenville SC Homes
For information specializing in Greer check out our Greer SC Real Estate website.

The frozen waterfall photo below is from a recent hike.
Raven Cliff Falls and Caesars Head State Park.

Greenville SC Distressed Property Press Release

2010-01-04T14:41:00.003-05:00

On Jan 1st 2010 The Cunningham Team sent out a press release on Programs the Treasury Department is instituting to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. Lee Cunningham recently attended a meeting with Dave Liniger, RE/MAX founder, in which he detailed methods he advised the Treasury department to institute in order to forstall a greater financial crisis with more foreclosures. Currently we have only seen listed less then a third of the foreclosures that are in process. In order to prevent them all from being foreclosed it is recomended that they try to take advantage of a process called short sales. It is a process where the homeowner sells the house during the foreclosure process and if the amount owed is greater then the amount the house sold for then the bank will often forgive the debt...under the right circumstances. Read our press release for more information: Greenville Foreclosure Options or contact us directly to talk to Lee our Certified Distressed Property Expert. Our website: Greenville Real Estate, our phone (864) 679-0707

GHS Orthopedic Research, More Jobs in Greenville, CU-ICAR First Graduate, Downtown Greenville Master PLan

2009-12-15T10:03:00.007-05:00

GHS Receives Orthopedic Research Grant
The Greenville Hospital System is planning on becoming a major player in orthopedic research and a $5 million grant from Smith & Nephew Biologics & Spine is paving the way. The grant has kicked off the Center for Economic Excellence in Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Sciences at the GHS Patewood campus in Greenville. The Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas is an outstanding orthopedic clinic that has become a centerpiece of this arrangement after moving its operation from Vail, Colorado a couple of years ago. It's a subsidiary of GHS and has partnered with the University Of South Carolina School Of Medicine as a research and treatment facility for orthopedic injuries and treatment. The USC School of Medicine is planning to increase the number of medical students they send to GHS in their third and fourth years of study. Clemson University is in on the action too; they plan to develop a major bio-engineering program in the same building on the Patewood Campus. The goal of this collaboration is to establish orthopedic services and research that will be second to none; indeed, with the organization they have now, they are well on the way.

More Jobs Coming to Greenville

AVX, a manufacturer of electronic capacitors currently located in Myrtle Beach, SC has announced that it will move its corporate offices to Greenville over the next few months. That will bring about 150 employees to town while the production unit in Myrtle Beach will remain unaffected. AVX's parent company is Kyocera Corp., who has a Kyocera Mita plant in Fountain Inn with unoccupied office space. Details have not been released, but this might the location of the new headquarters.

Clemson University ICAR's First PhD Graduate

The Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research here in Greenville started its innovative programs in 2006 and will graduate its first PhD on December 17. Along with John Limroth as the first doctorate in the program, nine others have graduated with masters degrees this year. According to Peterson's guide to colleges and universities, this program is the only one of its kind in the United States and is something these graduates as well as Greenville can be proud of. Mr. Limroth has already begun a job with local employer Michelin as a tire-performance research engineer.

Downtown Greenville's Master Plan Launches Next Week
The City of Greenville is launching a Downtown Streetscape Master Plan next week and the public is invited to participate. This program is designed to compliment the Downtown Master Plan by improving the aesthetic appeal of Main Street and the major side streets. Public input is welcome at the Walkability Workshop on December 15th, a Public Open House on the 16th, and a presentation by "walkability" expert Dan Burden on the 17th. Glatting Jackson Klercher Anglin, an international urban planning firm has been hired to oversee the project. Click here for more details.

And if you are downtown checking out the streetscapes you may see the start to a demolition project of the building at 702 S. Main St, at the intersection of River St. Next week will be the asbestos removal, and the demo project should be complete by the end of January.

Current Weather
Wet winter weather has been on us for a couple of days, which should continue through Tuesday. Lows will be about 40 with highs near 60 with showers likely. It should clear up mid week and temperatures will come down to near freezing with highs in the 50s.

HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY HOLIDAY EVERYONE!

Please visit our websites at Greenville SC Real Estate and our second site at Greenville SC Homes
For information specializing in Greer check out our Greer SC Real Estate website.