16 Mar Upstate Headlines: Amy Schumer coming to Greenville
A collection of the top Upstate headlines for the week of March 14, 2016
Amy Schumer coming to Greenville
Those who love Amy Schumer know she is brash, frank, and just about anything but politically correct. Schumer is bringing her irreverently funny act to Greenville on April 29th at the Bons Secours Wellness Arena. Schumer is the creator, star, writer and executive producer of the Emmy and Peabody Award winning ‘Inside Amy Schumer.’ Schumer has also starred in feature films including ‘Trainwreck’ and ‘Seeking a Friend for the End of the World’, as well as a ‘Live at the Apollo’ comedy special released last fall.
Retailers see challenges, opportunities from downtown growth
Location, location, location. That’s one of the cardinal rules for any retailer. As Greenville continues to garner accolades and top “best of” lists, more visitors are discovering our city. In addition, more people are now living downtown. So what does all of that do to downtown retail? For some retailers, it means higher rent. Others are benefitting from more pedestrian traffic. Certainly it means a different mix of retail is needed. The downtown retail landscape is changing. But is it changing for the better?
Is a city tax increase necessary for $25.6 million public works move?
The first step in clearing the way for a signature park on the west side of downtown Greenville is closer to realization as city leaders appear to have agreed in principle on a $25.6 million plan to move the city’s aging public works campus. The move is a massive one — and it has taken two years of financial planning to make a case for pushing other projects down the priority list. In the end, a majority of City Council members have expressed support for the move and are scheduling a special meeting on Monday to get the project going.
Spartanburg voters say yes to District 7 building plan
Spartanburg School District 7 voters overwhelmingly agreed to pay for the district’s $185 million building plan Tuesday. The final vote total showed a higher-than-expected turnout of more than 23 percent. A total of 4,524 people, or 63 percent, voted for the plan. A total of 2,667 people, or 37 percent, voted against the plan and its 10-mill tax increase. The vote totals will be officially certified by the Spartanburg County Elections Office on Thursday.
Front row: Greenville Design Review Board Urban Panel
A new hotel in the West End and an apartment building for the Camperdown project headlined the March meeting of the Urban Panel of the City of Greenville’s Design Review Board. This application is for an exception to the sign standard ordinance. The gas station, soon to be under redevelopment, wants to retain the existing signage but with some modifications, and incorporate it into a larger entrance sign to the Village of West Greenville. The new entrance sign/sculpture will “identify the off-the-beaten-path commercial area of the Village of West Greenville,” city staff said.
New Spartanburg hotel to showcase influential art movement
The new AC Hotel by Marriott coming to downtown Spartanburg in September 2017 will feature influential selections created by students and faculty from the historic Black Mountain College. The current plan design for the hotel, which may change, will showcase approximately 70 works drawn from The Johnson Collection (TJC), which include paintings, prints, sculptures and textile art.
