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GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – A California-based developer plans to build a new student housing and professional apartment complex in Uptown Greenville.
It will be built where the old city bus station and a Pugh’s Tire Shop is located next to City Hall.
Developer Bob Perdue said preliminary plans call for 121 units, 16 of which will be market-rate apartments while the rest of it will be student housing.
A gym, theater, central courtyard and a coffee house will also be included in the project.
On Wednesday night, Perdue went before the Greenville Board of Adjustment to get permission to include four-bedroom apartments in his project due to city limits on the number of unrelated people living together.
Walter Council, who lives a few hundred feet away from the proposed site, opposed the plan because he believes it will increase student foot traffic in front of his property.
He claimed students in the past trashed his property.
“They’re always throwing empty and even full beer cans on my property,” Council said. “You’re crowding the few of us that still live there. You crowded us out because of all these other individuals coming in.”
Perdue promised zero tolerance when it comes to any tenant’s misbehavior.
The Board of Adjustment unanimously approved the four-bedrooms.
Perdue hopes groundbreaking will take place in April or May 2016 with an estimated completion of 2018.
wow - I was hoping something nice would go in that spot & get rid of the Pugh's tire place. Downtown is really going to be a nice area in 3 years. The amount of students & individuals living in the area is going to explode which will increase the commercial businesses that locate down there. I'm very excited about it.
I am sorry for Mr. Council, I understand his frustration, but the economic impact of something like this is going to out weight a few individuals who live in the area currently. Might be time for him to move.
I also wonder with all this student development located downtown, what will become of the old student complexes that are on the outskirts like North Campus Crossing, 33East...seems they are going to have to either become cheaper options for students in order to survive or just become ordinary non-student housing.
Is Enough Thought Being Given to Downtown Development?
I'm totally supportive of ECU and have wanted to see downtown developed for a very long time. However, I have questions about the new developments downtown. First, are there requirements for a certain percentage of street level retail in these residential developments? If not, even though there will be people living downtown, what downtown attractions will get them out of their residences and attract other people downtown? How much surface parking are these developments going to be allowed to have? Isn't the idea to create density in the downtown area so that there can be a lot of foot traffic that will support a vibrant retail district? Of the information that can be found on Rael's student housing developments, only one incorporates a parking deck. Third, do we want the whole downtown area to become mostly an extension of campus? Or do we want downtown to be more age diverse and have a good mix of office, retail, and residential?
I love that there is interest in developing downtown and I'd like to see it happen sooner than later, but I wonder if the planning regulations are in place to create a great downtown and whether or not the city is moving too quickly and is too willing to take anything that comes along? (BTW, of the new developments and redevelopments proposed or undertaken downtown in the last three years, all of the developers are new or have limited experience in the kind of development they have proposed. Doesn't that raise flags for anyone?)
I'd be interested to hear what any of you think about these questions.
I'd rather the next downtown housing development be 100% non-student. Living next to campus is an easy choice for a student. A real test will be to see how many people want to live downtown for the sole purpose of living downtown.
I'd rather the next downtown housing development be 100% non-student. Living next to campus is an easy choice for a student. A real test will be to see how many people want to live downtown for the sole purpose of living downtown.
Ah, now that's actually a very good observation and test that needs to be made. We all now that ECU has demand for new housing, let's get on board with actually building housing for downtown for the "normal folks." I like it, Phil.
I'm totally supportive of ECU and have wanted to see downtown developed for a very long time. However, I have questions about the new developments downtown. First, are there requirements for a certain percentage of street level retail in these residential developments? If not, even though there will be people living downtown, what downtown attractions will get them out of their residences and attract other people downtown? How much surface parking are these developments going to be allowed to have? Isn't the idea to create density in the downtown area so that there can be a lot of foot traffic that will support a vibrant retail district? Of the information that can be found on Rael's student housing developments, only one incorporates a parking deck. Third, do we want the whole downtown area to become mostly an extension of campus? Or do we want downtown to be more age diverse and have a good mix of office, retail, and residential?
I love that there is interest in developing downtown and I'd like to see it happen sooner than later, but I wonder if the planning regulations are in place to create a great downtown and whether or not the city is moving too quickly and is too willing to take anything that comes along? (BTW, of the new developments and redevelopments proposed or undertaken downtown in the last three years, all of the developers are new or have limited experience in the kind of development they have proposed. Doesn't that raise flags for anyone?)
I'd be interested to hear what any of you think about these questions.
I'm not going to directly answer your question, but offer my input regarding downtown becoming an extension of ECU. Personally, and I've said this many times throughout this thread, I believe Downtown should be "surrendered" to ECU; I don't mean signing over deeds to ECU, but instead: ECU and their students should be allowed to consider that "their district." The area near Dickinson, I'm guessing it's called the Tobacco District/West End, should be highlighted as a district for RESIDENTS but as ECU has officially deemed that "Millenium Campus", I guess the entire Uptown is now ECU.
Ah, now that's actually a very good observation and test that needs to be made. We all now that ECU has demand for new housing, let's get on board with actually building housing for downtown for the "normal folks." I like it, Phil.
Nothing has come along that offers diversity to make downtown a destination for adults and families. No ballpark plans, concert venue plans, etc. It's still all ECU and students - except for GoScience, which will be mainly grade school field trips.
I'm all for the recent developments, but I think we need to move on to the next level; and not just saturate our very small downtown with student complexes.
Nothing has come along that offers diversity to make downtown a destination for adults and families. No ballpark plans, concert venue plans, etc. It's still all ECU and students - except for GoScience, which will be mainly grade school field trips.
I'm all for the recent developments, but I think we need to move on to the next level; and not just saturate our very small downtown with student complexes.
I agree. I think downtown should be for everyone. I love ECU, but there are different directions that ECU can grow in. Downtown is a relatively small area and I think there should be an effort made to create jobs downtown for adults of all ages. I'd love to see office workers, shoppers, downtown government and business clients, and students all working, living, eating, and playing downtown.
IMO, all towns should have a central business district that provides for all of its citizens, else you end up with a dysfunctional town.
I imagine that until one of these new complexes opens that has some market rate apartments and shows that they can be rented out rather quickly, it's going to be hard to get apartments built that are 100% market rate. I think it will happen, it'll just take a little time. The Taft spot on 1st street, with the talk of it being a retirement apartment complex, that becomes more interesting going forward. That would be a different population age in the area.
I expect if they can get the Hilton built and it stays fairly booked a few more hotels will come as well.
I still haven't heard anything about businesses for the spots below the boundary. They are about done with that place...would like to see some legit places open up shop there.
I imagine that until one of these new complexes opens that has some market rate apartments and shows that they can be rented out rather quickly, it's going to be hard to get apartments built that are 100% market rate. I think it will happen, it'll just take a little time. The Taft spot on 1st street, with the talk of it being a retirement apartment complex, that becomes more interesting going forward. That would be a different population age in the area.
I expect if they can get the Hilton built and it stays fairly booked a few more hotels will come as well.
I still haven't heard anything about businesses for the spots below the boundary. They are about done with that place...would like to see some legit places open up shop there.
Hilton is going to open a downtown location? Seems odd to hear.
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Is Enough Thought Being Given to Downtown Development?
