Usually in July, the Greenville Design Review Board does not meet. But since the Greenville Drive wants to get on with their renovations and there were some other things to talk about, the DRB decided to go ahead and hold a meeting. Really, it’s too hot outside to do anything else, anyway.
Fluor Field/Greenville Drive baseball stadium renovations
I talked about this in last month’s DRB front row story, and the Greenville Journal covered it when the official announcement was made earlier this month, so I won’t go into too much more detail on this project. Suffice it to say there are some very cool renovations coming to Fluor Field.
A redesigned Main Street entryway and rooftop club are some of the improvements. The entire front entrance plaza area will be re-graded to make it a single, gentler slope to be more ADA compatible. New ticket offices and will-call windows will reduce queue lines, said Bob Carlson, an architect with the DLR Group. An elevator tower will be constructed on the adjacent office building (where Liberty Tap Room is located), new signage will be added at several points and seating installed atop the “Green Monster” wall. The whole idea is to make it look like there wasn’t an addition and that it all melds in, said Carlson.
The DRB agreed that the improvements look good and will be well received. There was some discussion about the new digital sign proposed for the Main Street entry. But even though it doesn’t fit into the regular sign guidelines, it’s within scale and usage of the overall facility, the board said. The application was approved unanimously.
New Southern Tide store
This application is for exterior modifications and signage for the new Southern Tide store planned for the former Charleston Cooks space at 200 N. Main St. New paint, new wood-look tile and railings are proposed to “animate and give character and branding” and bring an “urban look recalling the beach” to the store, said Jake DeMint, architect with LS3P. The application was approved unanimously.
Vardry Condominiums
During informal reviews, developer Terry Birch presented a new condo project on Vardry and Augusta streets, near Fluor Field. The property is about 3/4 acre and the design showed one building intended to look like an old textile mill. There would be four levels of residential units over two levels of parking with a fifth-story rooftop with amenities that may include a pool, fitness center and flex space.
Condos are proposed to have 13-foot ceilings with open ductwork to look like renovated lofts and to give it an old mill-type feel, said Birch. Approximately 72 one-, two- and three-bedroom units are planned. Square footage will be 900 to 1,700 with prices ranging $300,000 to $500,000, which is a gap and underserved market.
It’s a narrow site, said Birch, who is working with Norfolk Southern on a railway easement for the site to “beautify” and landscape the area for residents. A photo of a similar project along the light rail in Charlotte was shown.
The DRB suggested the developer and architect work on the old mill design a bit and suggested a little more updated and modern interpretation. The DRB agreed the railroad easement will be very important to make the project successful and also suggested working with the Department of Transportation to see if something can be done on the intersection to make it easier for resident access.
That’s it for the July meeting. Next month the DRB will be electing officers. The board also expressed thanks to Michael Kerski, the city of Greenville’s planning and development director, who has now moved on to Minnesota.
