28 Sep Upstate Headlines: New office complex planned along Reedy River downtown
A collection of the top Upstate headlines for the week of September 26, 2016
New office complex planned along Reedy River downtown
A towering fixture could rise alongside the banks of the Reedy River as a largely glass office and retail complex is planned on prime real estate tucked next to the Main Street bridge. The complex would be on a fraction of the three-acre of property that is home to the Bowater parking garage and Nexsen Pruet law office building. The developer — Atlanta-based Wakefield, Beasley & Associates, which is also overseeing the redevelopment of The Greenville News site into the expansive Camperdown project — is asking the city’s Design Review Board to approve the design at a meeting on Oct. 6.
The $211 Million Shipment 
After three years, the Greer inland port has shattered expectations – and is the catalyst for the SCPA’s expansion into Dillon. More than 200 miles separate the 100-acre site from the Port of Charleston, a hub of activity for massive ships carrying materials that feed Upstate industry and ferry cars, automotive parts, tires and other goods to worldwide markets. When the $50 million inland port was launched in 2013, officials said it had the potential to handle up to 100,000 containers annually by 2018. But usage by customers, including BMW, Michelin, Adidas, Tennessee-based Eastman Chemical Co. and others, has pushed the inland port to nearly reach that capacity in less than three years.
Greer retail sales set another record
Gross retail sales within the city of Greer grew nearly 12-percent to well over $1 billion in fiscal year 2016, marking the sixth consecutive year of an increase to a record amount. The total of $1,154,134,956 includes more than $711 million in sales in the portion of the city located within Greenville County, and it signals a healthy, still-growing local economy, officials say.
Michelin announces $270M distribution center in Spartanburg County, plans to create 350 jobs
Greenville-based Michelin North America officially announced its plan to invest $270 million to build a 3.3 million-square-foot distribution center and add 350 jobs to Spartanburg County. The center will be on 460 acres near the intersection of Highways 101 and 417. Michelin said it plans to begin construction later this year, with the first phase of the center opening in late 2017. The company expects the center to be completed in early 2019.
New restaurant Pokérrito headed for downtown Spartanburg 
A restaurant craze springing up in major metropolitan cities like New York and Los Angeles will soon arrive in downtown Spartanburg. Nicole Sophabmixay and her nephew, Benny Chen, plan to open Pokérrito, a concept that blends Hawaiian cuisine with sushi, in the 2,700-square-foot space at 119 N. Church St. next to Growler Haus. Sophabmixay said the eatery could open by the end of December or early January.
