Plans unveiled for former ‘Baby Bi-Lo’ site on North Main in downtown Greenville

The future of the “Baby Bi-Lo” site in Greenville’s North Main neighborhood has been a mystery for more than a decade.

Several projects have been proposed for the mostly vacant shopping center at 505 N. Main St., but none have come to fruition. A new development team now hopes to transform the site into a premier shopping and dining destination within the city.

Greenville-based Oxford Capital Partners, in a joint venture with Northpond Partners, a Chicago-based real estate developer, purchased the property in April. According to the Greenville County Register of Deeds, the approximately 3-acre site was sold for $6.75 million.

Extensive renovations are planned for the 40,044-square-foot shopping center to create high-quality, Class A commercial space. Desired tenants include a small grocer, restaurant, coffee shop, retail stores and more. The revitalized plaza will also have a new name: N. Main.

“My vision for N. Main is an all-day, every day gathering place for our neighbors in North Main and an amenity for the city of Greenville,” said Harrison Horowitz, owner of Oxford Capital Partners.

Real estate investor Oxford Capital Partners has completed several redevelopments of retail centers across the country, including The Shops of Overbrook at 1633 E. North St. in Greenville.

The site of the future N. Main development is commonly referred to by locals as the “Baby Bi-Lo,” referring to a small store the defunct grocery chain once operated in the location.

Greenville Mayor Knox White said the property, bordered by North Academy Street, North Main Street, West Park Avenue and Townes Street, serves as an important transition between downtown Greenville and the North Main neighborhood.

“I think it’s fair to say that neither the neighborhood nor the city was fully enamored with many of the past development ideas and proposals,” White said. “We really didn’t want to see another high-rise, multifamily project on that site when there’s an obvious need for quality, neighborhood commercial in this area.”

Site improvements

Planned facade changes to the two-story structure include extending the building’s storefronts out to the existing brick columns, creating a more appealing street presence. Horowitz said this will also increase the building to 44,194 square feet. The building’s central tower structure and gabled roofs will also be removed.

Other improvements include upgrading the existing brick facade, adding new lighting, installing new signage and renovating the building’s outdoor stairs. The site’s parking lot on North Main Street and parking deck off Academy Street will also be upgraded, along with the property’s landscaping.

The building’s floor plans feature 12 commercial spaces, ranging from approximately 366 to 15,870 square feet. Horowitz said the total number of tenant spaces is still a moving target. The development team hired Collett, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based full-service commercial real estate firm, to find a mix of national and local tenants for the upgraded shopping center.

“As the only traditional shopping center downtown with surface-level parking and a limited amount of space to lease, we are actively curating a collection of the best names in men’s and women’s apparel, home décor, fitness, and dining to include local Greenville favorites,” Horowitz said.

Next steps

The former “Baby BI-LO” site at 505 N. Main Street from 2024. Photo by Megan Fitzgerald

The development team will present design proposals for the revitalized shopping center at the city of Greenville’s upcoming project preview meeting Aug. 26. The drop-in-style meeting will be from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Prisma Health Welcome Center at Unity Park.

Residents who attend the meeting will have the opportunity to review the design plans and talk with the development team. Greenville City Councilmember John DeWorken said the North Main community is excited about the opportunities this new development brings.

“‘Good things come to those who wait’ rings true here,” DeWorken said. “Because we were patient, we now have a developer who will activate a space that will be welcoming to the neighborhoods that surround it.”

Following the project-preview meeting, the project’s design plans are expected to be reviewed by the city’s Design Review Board in October. Horowitz said he hopes to start renovations in early 2026 and be completed by mid-to-late fall.