In a unanimous decision, Greenville City Council has approved an up to $7.2 million dollar public-private partnership to build the new Gateway Project, with construction expected to begin in September. The site—250 N. Church Street, where the former Memorial Auditorium once stood—has sat vacant for the past 28 years.
A Miami-based development group will invest more than $130 million into the development.
“The project will serve as a bridge, better connecting the Bon Secours Wellness Arena to downtown...,” said Mayor Knox White.
The 29-story building will be the tallest in both Greenville and South Carolina. It will feature 327 apartments, commercial and rental space, and a parking structure. The project is expected to create more than 100 jobs.
The City of Greenville says both residents and visitors will see direct benefits from the partnership — including improved sidewalks and crosswalks, enhanced landscaping, and even a new public art gallery.
City of Greenville Press Release below:
GATEWAY PROJECT
City Council Approves Public-Private Partnership
Construction to Begin in September at the Site of the former Memorial Auditorium
City Council unanimously approved an up to $7.256 million public-private partnership as part of a new development agreement at 250 N. Church St. As part of the agreement, the City will cover improvements to the pedestrian experience while the development group will invest more than $130 million into the project.
Greenville visitors and residents will see direct benefits from this partnership, including improved sidewalks, crosswalks, landscaping, a public plaza and a public art gallery, all at the site of the former Memorial Auditorium that stood vacant for the past 28 years.
“By transforming a site that has sat vacant for nearly three decades into a lively, connected space, we are honoring Greenville's history, while creating new opportunities for residents, businesses and visitors alike," said Mayor Knox White.
The 29-story building will be the tallest in both Greenville and South Carolina. It will include 327 apartments, roughly 8,500 square feet of commercial and rental space and a parking structure. The publicly-funded improvements will knit the new development into Greenville’s urban fabric, linking Bon Secours Wellness Arena more directly to downtown Greenville and improving the experience for event-goers. For drivers arriving on I-385, Gateway will also contribute to the official entrance to downtown.
"The project will serve as a bridge, better connecting the Bon Secours Wellness Arena to downtown and demonstrating that finding common ground between public and private priorities improves Greenville’s downtown for everyone," Mayor White added.
The work will extend beyond 250 N. Church St., to include areas along Church Street, North Street and Beattie Place. In addition to aesthetic upgrades, the funding will provide a public plaza and art gallery while also addressing essential infrastructure needs such as storm drainage improvements, underground utilities including a sanitary sewer extension and new public lighting.
The majority of the City’s infrastructure funding, $6.4 million, will come through a mix of grants and economic development resources. The remaining $850,000 will be paid from the Wastewater Fund. In turn, the development will strengthen the City’s tax base by generating new property taxes, business license revenue and likely hospitality taxes, helping support community priorities in the years ahead.
The project is expected to generate more than 100 jobs. The Gateway is a venture of Miami-based NR Gateway Greenville, LLC Investments, with design work by Johnston Design Group.