Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Level's Bar downtown is now The Side Bar. It looks like it is the same owners of the building, but not sure what the atmosphere is (The last incarnation of Level's was a gay bar).
Farmville Blvd is starting to look VERY empty. The DOT contractors are knocking down everything around there! It really will be something once that building at the intersection of Farmville and 14th Ave gets the ax.
The new Emergency Operations Center will have a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 17th. It is located behind the Fire Station on 10th Street, near Copper Beech.
What would you do with the current one? And what block(s) would you raze to put a new one?
I agree a new one downtown would be better, but I don't see it happening now.
I don't see it happening either. I just think the city threw in the white towel on downtown 25 years ago when they decided to accommodate the two nice hotels rather than forcing the hotels to come back downtown to be near the new convention center. If the city had sacrificed the third most western part of the Town Common for a center and a hotel, we'd have a different downtown already. Another hotel could have built where First St Apts are now, and then maybe one or two others could been opened in the heart of downtown. I mean, how'd they not see it? The airport is just a couple of minutes away and ECU is right there too (the hospital ain't all that far either). I'm still willing to sacrifice the western portion of the Town Commons - or the top half and no parking on First - for this, or possibly build it on the Pugh's block, with a parking garage on an adjacent block (with a skywalk, of course). I'd rather sit on the current center as is for several more years and build a new one downtown later, rather than invest more dollars away from downtown.
As for the current center, if the city can't find a use for it, I'd sell to a private company, ECU, PCC, anybody with the stipulation they not use it for conventions or entertainment. Convert it to offices, a museum, an urgent care, whatever...
What type of expansion will they be doing? Adding a large arena space? I feel like the current convention center has enough space for 98% of the events that they would like to have at the center. However, adding a large space for an arena would add more value but would have traffic problems galore on the current site of the convention center.
If they are looking for a larger center, they should build a small arena (5-6k). Either in a downtown area, or somewhere on the outskirts of the city with access to highways and land for parking . Possibly near the future Greenville SW Bypass or the current bypass.
More concerts, basketball, and hockey games could be held at this new arena. They could bid to bring back the NCHSAA basketball tourneys to this location.
There are many mid-size cities across the country that have arenas or Civic Centers. I did some searching and found a proposed arena in Idaho Falls, ID. Their city population is 56k and Metro area is 136k. Greenville's city population is 86k and Metro is 192k. Not to mention the surrounding areas within an hour drive that would come to Greenville to go to future concerts and sporting events.
A center like this would do very well in Greenville. A center like this in Downtown would be an immediate shot in the arm for the city. Anywhere else would be a boost to the immediate area as well.
What type of expansion will they be doing? Adding a large arena space? I feel like the current convention center has enough space for 98% of the events that they would like to have at the center. However, adding a large space for an arena would add more value but would have traffic problems galore on the current site of the convention center.
If they are looking for a larger center, they should build a small arena (5-6k). Either in a downtown area, or somewhere on the outskirts of the city with access to highways and land for parking . Possibly near the future Greenville SW Bypass or the current bypass.
More concerts, basketball, and hockey games could be held at this new arena. They could bid to bring back the NCHSAA basketball tourneys to this location.
There are many mid-size cities across the country that have arenas or Civic Centers. I did some searching and found a proposed arena in Idaho Falls, ID. Their city population is 56k and Metro area is 136k. Greenville's city population is 86k and Metro is 192k. Not to mention the surrounding areas within an hour drive that would come to Greenville to go to future concerts and sporting events.
A center like this would do very well in Greenville. A center like this in Downtown would be an immediate shot in the arm for the city. Anywhere else would be a boost to the immediate area as well.
East Carolina has a plan for a Performing Arts Center downtown, where the Willis Building is now on First Street. I assume it wouldn't be designed for basketball use though.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
