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I jut moved to Greenville recently. My wife is from Greensboro and I have visited there countless times. I have mentioned to her that Greenville and Greensboro are very similar in many aspects.
The Triad population is little bigger (1.5 million vs. 1.2 million). The weather is similar (but I do think that Greenville has more ice). Greenville is a bit closer to the mountains (very short drive to Asheville - there is a beautiful mountain backdrop just north of Greenville.) Greensboro for the most part is flat (or gently rolling). Job opportunities I think are similar. HondaJet, Dell, and Fedex are in the Triad. BMW, Michelin, and ICAR are in the Upstate (I hear Volkswagen may be coming to Anderson). The level of shopping/retail is very similar (though Greensboro does not have a Publix ). Currently, Greenville wins with their downtown area - it is spectacular (see Greenville's Downtown (http://www.greatergreenville.com/development/dtn_map.asp - broken link), Falls Park, Greenville, SC). Also, under construction (in downtown Greenville) is one of the largest children's museums in the country (opening in December, The Greenville Children's Museum). (As a side note: I am VERY impressed with the mayor of Greenville, Knox White - see: YouTube - Greenville Mayor Knox White: Part 1, YouTube - Greenville Mayor Knox White: Part 2, GSA Technology Council » Presentation: Greenville Mayor Knox White) However, Greensboro is making significant strides with downtown revitalization. I think the taxes (state income and property) would be a bit more in Greensboro (SC just recently cut property taxes by half).
Both cities are great for families. Would be a difficult choice. Good luck.
(You may want to post on the Greensboro sub-forum as well, I am a little biased ).
From what I can tell, based on very little comparison of the two cities, Greenville, SC, is much further along in its downtown urban revitalization, which is most notable by looking at its established and extensive gentrification comfortably woven into the fabric of everyday urban lifestyles. This has provided a significant (priceless) boost to the steadily growing Arts scene downtown, which I would definitely say is better. The metro area of Greenville is home to many more international businesses as well.
Greensboro, NC's, main advantages currently seem to be the fact that the Atlantic Coast Conference's (ACC) headquarters is located there, along with the ACC's home arena/colliseum, which is larger than the BI-LO Center in Greenville. As a result, Greensboro plays host to more annual sporting events than Greenville at this point in time.
Thank you drfranklin, and skyliner I can always count on your expertise!
What I love about the Carolinas are the benefits of having both city and country access. The citizens determination to preserve the beauty of the land and stop massive overgrowth is truely amazing and wonderful. S. Fl is so overbuilt that they are now building up as most all the land is taken. This building up is blotting out the amazing views and maiking room for the million plus coming here year after year after year. The publix supermarket in Hallandale FL has so much traffic that the police are there because of auto accidents in the parking lot, "mostly elderly drivers". I am looking forward to my move with great anicipation.
tcar509
Perhaps I can provide an outsiders opinion. I just visited Greenville, in preparation for a Relo there in April, and I LOVED the Downtown area. I can't think of any other older downtown area I've been to recently that is seeing such an upswing of growth and revitilization (sp?). So my family and I are certainly looking forward to the move to Greenville. It's been years since I've been to Greensboro, although my family's from the Wilkesboro area so I know the region fairly well. My impression is that Greensboro is more progressive than most of its sister-cities in NC (with the exception of Asheville, which is a place all its own), mainly because of the corporate growth that has brought "outsiders" into that area. When I was a kid, Greensboro was just like any of the other mini-metro areas in the Tarheel state. I'd say it's probably expanded well beyond that now.
They're both very similar but Greenville does have a nicer downtown and is further along in terms of retail/restaurants available in the area. This will especially be true in late 2009 when Magnolia Park opens.
From what I can tell, based on very little comparison of the two cities, Greenville, SC, is much further along in its downtown urban revitalization, which is most notable by looking at its established and extensive gentrification comfortably woven into the fabric of everyday urban lifestyles.
While I would give the edge to Greenville when it comes to downtown revitalization (which I believe is more extensive than Greensboro's), I'm not sure if I'd say that Greenville is much farther along than Greensboro--which has much to showcase as well--in that regard. Elm Street (downtown's main street) is quite pedestrian friendly, and is absolutely bustling at night (similar to Main Street in Greenville)--I was pretty amazed when I first saw it myself. Greenville created its signature urban park first (Greensboro's new Center City Park, smaller than Falls Park, has so far been a big hit), but Greensboro's ballpark was constructed a few years before Greenville's. Greenville's major downtown advantage is the Reedy River. I would say that Greensboro's is NC A&T State University. Greensboro also has its version of downtown "gentrification" (the Southside neighborhood), except in its case, the original residents aren't really being forced out by steep housing price increases as is typical of gentrification in many cities across the country.
I'd say the differences between the two cities come down to the college population (Greenville's isn't as large as Greensboro's) and the number of conventions/meetings in Greensboro, as Skyliner mentioned. Other than that, I think they both have a similar "Piedmont feel" to them.
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). Currently, Greenville wins with their downtown area - it is spectacular (see Greenville's Downtown (http://www.greatergreenville.com/development/dtn_map.asp - broken link), 
).
Greenville vs Greensboro
