‘Spartanburg is exploding’: 9 development projects to keep an eye on in 2021 – Spartanburg Herald Journal

Genna Contino|Herald-Journal

Though COVID-19 changed a lot of our original 2020 plans, one thing that continued to shine through the year was development in Spartanburg.

"Spartanburg is exploding, particularly downtown," County Councilman David Britt told the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. "This is the first time in 25 years, you've had apartments being built downtown."

Downtown revitalization: Spartanburg prides itself on a thriving downtown. But how did it get to where it is today?

As we head into 2021, many downtown apartments, multi-use, and government buildings will continue construction or finish up in the new year. Here's the latest on those projects.

1. County courthouse and city/county municipal complex

If you've driven down Daniel Morgan Avenue lately, you've probably seen the bigcrane and progress on the SpartanburgCounty courthouse project. The parking deck and nearby central energy plant will be completed by June 30, 2021, Britt said.

After the courthouse is complete, a new joint city/county municipal building will be built as part of the same project funded by a penny sales tax.

Britt said the courthouse and new municipal complex will be a good"adrenaline spurt for downtown merchants. It'll make it so much more walkable for our associates at the county and in the city. And it will be a big complex."

"The courthouse, when it's complete, it will be as big as the Montgomery Building."

Impact study: Joint Spartanburg courthouse, municipal complex project to bring nearly 2k jobs

2. Liberty Street Apartments

Construction is underway at the Liberty Street Apartments at 215 E. Daniel Morgan Ave. behind the downtown Spartanburg Marriott.

Developer Peter Collins of Tampa, Florida-based Forge Capital Partners said they're about 30 days behind schedule due to COVID-19 related issues and needing to excavate some old city infrastructure they found underground at the site.

"When you get a site as old as that, you know, some of that stuff is bound to happen, but there was quite a bit that we had to deal with there," Collins told the Herald-Journal.

Initial report: 200-unit downtown Spartanburg apartment complex eyes spring 2021 opening

3. Kennedy Street Apartments

In early December, 132 downtown Spartanburg apartments planned for the corner of Kennedy, Union, and Advent streets received preliminary Design Review Board approval in early December.

We can probably expect to see the apartment plans return to the Design Review Board in early 2021 for final approval, as developers are hoping for a late April or early May groundbreaking for the project. The project received mostly positive feedback from the Design Review Board members.

Read more: 132 downtown Spartanburg apartment units receive preliminary Design Review Board approval

4. Northside projects

The Northside Development Group has several projects in the works to keep an eye out for in 2021.

Dive deeper: Here's the latest on Northside Development Group's projects

5. Highland Transformation Plan

The Highland Transformation Plan was approved unanimously by the Spartanburg City Council on Nov. 23. The first project that the Highland Neighborhood will see pre-development of in the first year is the Cammie Claggett project.

"This project is a mixed-use area that creates a transition from SouthDaniel Morgan Avenue into the neighborhood through Highland Avenue," the transformation plan reads. "It will create a welcoming gateway into the community while providing a diversity of housing options for new and existing residents."

Urban renewal: Several Black communities were bulldozed in the '70s. Some want the city to apologize

6. The Danmor

The Danmor is a residential building planned for South Daniel Morgan Avenue that received preliminary approval from the city's Design Review Board in August.

August report: The Danmor moves from mixed-use to all residential

7. Former Mary H. Wright Elementary

The former Mary H. Wright Elementary School received final approval from the city councilfor arezoning and development agreement with Montgomery Development Group to transform the school into 53 apartment units, 11 of the units being workforce housing.

Opponents of the project can point to what happened in the past on the south side as reasons to be wary. In the 1970s, many Black-owned businesses and homes here were razed and lost forever with federal money intended for urban renewal.

But others are excited about the change. The $11 million redevelopment plan would be the largest investment in Spartanburg's south side in more than a decade.

Dive deeper: Addressing fears of gentrification, City Council approves Mary H. Wright apartments

8. Bon Haven apartments

The Bon Haven apartments on Spartanburg's north side are in the framing process and are expected to be completed by late summer of 2021, according to Mark Stuermann,the executive vice president of development at Arlington Properties, the project's developer.

"Were very pleased with the construction schedule," Stuermann told the Spartanburg Herald-Journal in October.

October report: Bon Haven apartments in Spartanburg on track for summer 2021 opening

9. Robert Smalls apartments

Robert Smalls at Midtowne Heights, the townhomes in which Norris Ridge residents are expected to relocate, are set to break ground in 2021.

Site prep work is underway and a groundbreaking event is expected to be planned in March or April of 2021.

The future of Norris Ridge: Robert Smalls townhomes set to break ground soon ahead of Norris Ridge relocation

Have a question about a project?Contact Genna at gcontino@shj.com or on Twitter @GennaContino.

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'Spartanburg is exploding': 9 development projects to keep an eye on in 2021 - Spartanburg Herald Journal