Unity Park Archives - GSP UPDATES

May 2019 Newsletter

I couldn’t help but notice that GSP development headlines are fewer and farther between these days. I still see plenty signs of activity (i.e. construction), but I wonder if backlogs are continuing to grow or if we are just working our way though projects already in the pipeline. I’d be interested in your feedback.

Spartanburg
Glendale Mill site is for sale. (GoUpstate) This site has tremendous potential. I’d like to see a much scaled-down version of the US National Whitewater Center (USNWC) take hold here. For those needing help visualizing this, watch this video.

Greenville
Work begins on Unity Park. “On Thursday, May 2, the City of Greenville began what may go down as the most ambitious endeavor in its history–the construction of the 60-acre Unity Park on the city’s west side…” (Greenville Business Magazine)See also, 10 images of Unity Park (Greenville Online)

Upstate
The city of Greer uses VR to show off a downtown streetscape project. (WSPA) H/T Greenville Business Mag. On a slightly related note, here’s a fly-over tour of Ancient Rome. (Smart History) H/T Ben Evans

The State
A space in which industrial property and public recreation (think nature trail) are combined. (Post and Courier)
The tax break for the Panthers nears passage. (AP News)

The Bigger Picture
The WSJ has an interesting piece on site selectors: “As communities across America race to win such marquee projects, these middlemen have quietly become some of the most powerful consultants in corporate America.” (WSJ)

Guess what? When sugary drinks cost more, people buy less sugary drinks. RE: soda tax. Evidence that taxation can influence consumer behavior. (JAMA) H/T Morning Brew

Street lights reduce crime (by 36% in this study). (National Bureau of Economic Research) H/T The Collaborative Fund

On voting for the least bad option (Seth’s Blog)…And while we’re on the topic, Microsoft released a tool to allow voters to track their ballots. (NPR) H/T TCF

The Great American Rail Trail plans to connect Washington (DC) to Washington (state). (Rails to Trails) Think Mary Black Rail Trail, but longer….like 3,700 miles longer.

My Blog
How we spend our lives. Making every day count. (jpfaris.com)

November 2018 Newsletter

Spartanburg

The Northside continues to gain momentum (Upstate Business Journal)

A new downtown hotel may be in the works (GoUpstate)…but it has already hit a snag with the design and review board. (GoUpstate)

What happened to the Co-op? (GoUpstate)

Greenville

Greenville’s new downtown plan may include an innovation district and more pocket parks. (Greenville Journal)

A town of engineers…

“Today, nearly 11,000 engineers work here in fields including aerospace, agriculture, chemical, mechanical, electrical, nuclear, and biomedical, among multiple others.” (Greenville Business Magazine)

Unity Park is expected to begin construction at the end of 2019. The first phase of the park is estimated to cost nearly $41.2 million. (Greenville Journal)

Upstate

Greenville Tech partners with KUKA for robotics training. (Greenville Business Magazine)

Passenger and Cargo activity hit new highs at GSP, with passenger activity up 10.8% in September – it marked 12 consecutive months of increased traffic and the best September on record. (Greenville Business Magazine)

The State

Aerospace plays an important role in the state…

Currently, the aerospace cluster maintains an employment multiplier of 2.7. This means that for every 10 jobs created in the aerospace sector in South Carolina, an additional 17 jobs are created elsewhere in the state, Von Nessen says. “That is evidence that the supply chain in South Carolina is continuing to grow and develop.” (Greenville Business Magazine)

What impact will Brexit have on SC?

“I want British business to be thinking Southeast,” Staunton said. “I want them to be thinking South Carolina.” (Post and Courier)

The Bigger Picture

International e-commerce is posed to take off. (Supply Chain Drive) Could GSP Airport capitalize on this opportunity?

This while the share of global online consumption conducted cross-border is growing at an even faster rate. By 2020, U.S. retailers will sell nearly $485 billion in goods to the world and will buy $140 billion in goods directly from overseas sellers, according to Tompkins International. For context, these totals equal approximately 96% and 27% of projected 2018 total online retail spending in the U.S., respectively….

To satisfy this demand for faster delivery, a growing share of global direct-to-consumer shipping is shifting to air freight….

In the face of terminal (excuse the pun), unresolvable congestion at legacy leading air cargo airports and permanent surging inbound and outbound flow, carriers and their customers will have to establish operations at alternative airports. Centers not thought of as leading air cargo facilities today that choose to invest strategically in building capacity inside and outside airport boundaries can create tremendous opportunities to attract surging demand in the future. (emphasis added)

June 2018 Newsletter

Spartanburg

Spartanburg County landed 21 projects in 2017 = 1,789 new jobs / $885 million

Sidewall Pizza is opening its fourth location – in the Montgomery building.

Greenville

Unity Park is a 60-acre west-side park in GVL. The $40 million park will be funded through a public-private partnership.

“Gather GVL, the shipping container food hall planned for Greenville’s West End on Augusta Street, now has eight of 13 units under lease with letters of intent (LOI) on four additional units.

Current tenant partner concepts include chicken, biscuits, and doughnuts; burgers; pizza; tacos and burritos; poke bowls, sushi, and hibachi; ice cream; coffee; and craft beer.” Source: UBJ

“The creation of Cancer Survivors Park, Greenville’s newest and perhaps “most unique” park, in many ways mirrors the journey of those whom it is meant to serve.” Source: Greenville Journal

GSP

GSP airport enjoyed its 6th consecutive month of increased passenger traffic in March.

American Airlines will offer two daily nonstop flights from GSP to Miami International Airport (MIA) beginning Dec. 19.

The World Equestrian Games will have an impact…

“The 2018 Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Equestrian Games, hosted at the Tryon International Equestrian Center, is expected to draw half a million visitors to the region from Sept. 11-23.”
“Equestrian center and N.C. Department of Commerce leaders estimate the games could have up to $400 million in total economic impact on the region.” – Source: GoUpstate.com

Greenville-based automotive parts and engineering company JTEKT North America is expanding its existing production facility in Oconee County (56 Jobs / $19.4M)

The Port of Charleston ranks No. 7 among U.S. ports.

Charleston Harbor Deepening Project Receives $49 Million in Federal Funding.

Teijin breaks ground on its new carbon fiber production facility in Greenwood.

“Santee Cooper recently approved a $3.25 million loan for an industrial building at the Hunter Industrial Park and a $385,000 grant to help provide critical infrastructure at the Clinton 26 Commerce Park. Both industrial parks are located in Laurens County.” Source: Greenville Business Magazine

Arthrex Inc., a global orthopedic medical device company projects that its manufacturing facility will create more than 1,000 new jobs in Anderson County over the next several years. (1,000 Jobs / $37M)

The Bigger Picture

“Atlanta is exploring an innovation center at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to test new ideas for aviation and other industries using the airport’s resources” Source: SmartCitiesDive