Since our readers are what drive us here at GVLtoday, at the beginning of January we asked you what you wanted to talk about this year. We’ll be using your questions + conversation topics to create our content in 2019, helping you be more entertained, informed, and engaged.
We were blown away when we heard from so many of you, who gave us 350+ ideas.
Protip: We’ll be adding links to articles we put together in the coming year to answer your questions. Bookmark this link + look for a green checkmark ✅ to see the answers as we tackle them here with you.
Here are 5️⃣ of our favorites:
- Greenville County funding versus Greenville City funding--who does what and where are their jurisdictional lines?
- Helping Make Greenville more Green. We have so many beautiful parks and trails but every time i’m on the swamp rabbit or near the Reedy River I see so much litter.
- Developments and changes in DT Greenville, and how the public can be involved in shaping the conversation. Especially changes that happen related to new opportunities and Unity Park.
- The diversity of individual community culture and dynamics—the unique qualities of each—and how they enrich Greenville as a whole.
- How Greenville’s infrastructural schedule is managed, how requests can be made to address various city infrastructural needs, and who the main point-of-contacts are for these areas.
What do you want to talk about this year?
- Environment
- Gentrification in the GVL area
- Helping the community
- New Developments in and around Greenville
- Quality of schools (elementary mainly). As a teacher coming from FL, schools here are way behind, but they don’t seem to think so and are slow to change ( if at all). Would love an honest comparison and dialog to hopefully enact change.
- Finances
- Building a better Quality of life; Countywide future plans; countywide zoning
- Software Startups trying to get going in Greenville
- Road repairs. With all this growth don’t forget the older roads. i.e. Laurens Rd.
- Anything besides downtown Greenville. There is a lot more to this area than what is going on downtown.
- How can we move forward with a way to recycle glass? We are spending so much money on development while leaving the fundamentals of a civilized first world society behind.
- Future developments, crime, homeless sleeping in downtown areas and what’s to be done about it, getting more nonstop flights out of Greenville, better shopping in Greenville ex: Nordstrom, West Elm. Love to see a Houston’s Restaurant here. BETTER SCHOOLS! Convention Center to promote tourism and support downtown establishments and promote potential future growth.
- Activities to do with kids. Where to access high quality, trained functional medicine/naturopathic doctors in the Upstate. How to eat locally when on a limited budget.
- New restaurant
- Roads/Traffic in and around the city, new developments in and around the city, good food
- Warehouses that are becoming available for rent and their rent/triple net costs should be highlighted
- The Greenville Water System
- Sports
- Education
- Things to do around GVL and surrounding areas- free, unique, new
- Lauren’s Rd development. Churches in the area.
- A number of Transportation Services assuring safe travels for Seniors to and from medical appointments, etc. Services for seniors in walking distance, banks, postal office services, CVS, Quality Food Markets in walking distance, if not driving...... Thanks!
- local music scene
- New developments for public transportation
- Creating a city more walkable: longer downtown trolley season from Augusta with more stops to decrease vehicle flow to downtown and parking needs, slowing traffic on Augusta, making crosswalks on Augusta, Church, Cleveland, and more street arteries safer for crossing for all pedestrians. I see runners, children, bicyclists, older people and myself struggling to cross safely. Many of the pedestrian crossing lights provide too little time to cross, don’t have chirping for the visually impaired, are non existent, malfunctioning, or never repaired after vehicular damage. While there have been many improvements (Augusta’s bike lane to downtown & sharrow lane), I believe there are still solutions for continued improvement.
- Focus on not only downtown but southern Greenville county.
- With all the development in the area, it would be great to continue keeping us up to date on what is coming/going
- These maybe beyond your mission, your ability, your interest—perhaps too scholarly. But, they’re important. And, you’d do a great service by tackling them. OK - Here’s a challenge for you. Write about the underbelly of the community—homelessness. BUT, do it in a promising way—i.e., what’s being done to help; what’s planned. It’s realistic. It’s problematic. Your objectives? Understanding and Responsiveness.
- story of Grand Bohemian Hotel construction, new Federal Court House, residential building in Village of West Greenville
- Good local news
- new developments coming to town....upcoming events .....
- I love knowing all about Greenville! (Events, things to do, recommendations, etc.)
- Developments and new businesses/restaurants coming to GVL
- Past lives of Greenville Street performers.
- The city of Greenville appears to be growing to capacity. What other cities surrounding it will look to grow their downtown’s to fill that small, charming, foodie city void?
- I’m new to Greenville, one area I don’t know much about is important people in town... like the mayor, chief of police, or college presidents or organizational CEO’s... you get the idea... but a weekly article about an important person might be a good idea...
- Where does our recycling go / what happens to it?
- Mental Health initiatives in Greenville Count and in SC.
- public transportation and making our roads more bike - friendly.
- Things to do in Greenville with easy access for people with mobility issues. Thank you!
- Keeping local govt accountable and transparent. Ask questions until you get real answers.
- Zero waste
- politics - what is our local government and state government working on
- The SC legislature and their handling of our states road repair/new construction projects and associated costs/taxes. Currently, their is too little accountability and transparency coming out of Columbia.
- Religion in the upstate
- College search for High School students, Field trips for homeschoolers that incorporate history and science requirements
- Continued fun things to do in the upstate, as you have been doing; new ideas for unique activities; more details about Swamp Rabbit trail spurs and activities along the trail, future plans
- How to preserve what we love about GVL while understanding that the megalopolis is coming. People I talk to “wish people would stop moving here” and “wish they’d stop building so many apartments” but the reality is that it’s a larger trend than just downtown Greenville. I think the conversations need to start with the reality of what IS coming, and figure out how to solve the problems it is bringing without resorting to “wishing” it were different.
- Pelham Road Traffic
- Animals - As a growing community, how can we educate ourselves about responsible ownership, spay/neuter, overpopulation in shelters and rescues, cruelty...?
- How young professionals can get involved more/volunteer while also making lasting connections and friendships
- Local events
- Volunteer opportunities and helping our community more and getting the word out more about organizations that need help
- Upgrades around town
- Growing smart and protecting our green spaces. Not in a complete tree hugger way, but being intentional about smart growth.
- Family activities for all ages, youth to senior. (A continuation of what you already do, but more family oriented).
- The county’s plan to handle the increase in traffic brought on by all the new development.
- Is there an opinion that Greenville is approaching “the tipping point” ? Is our quality of life and access to natural and commercial resources vs cost to use/purchase and time needed to access competitive with other top cities of our size? Is this access commensurate with majority of local wages?
- Involvement
- Helping Make Greenville more Green. We have so many beautiful parks and trails but every time i’m on the swamp rabbit or near the Reedy River I see so much litter. This town seems to care a lot about outdoor space but no one is talking about the litter issues or cleaning up.
- more Fountain Inn
- Food!
- Let’s talk about the traffic barriers the city has put in over the last year.
- New Developments in Greenville
- New Developments! Best Restaurant Deals!
- Local politics & news
- I would like to see the city’s infrastructure--roads, street lighting, sidewalks--specifically the development and repair schedules for these areas addressed regularly. I live just south of Furman in San Souci Heights. There’s a ton of exciting things happening there--as well as in San Souci to the south. Homes are being flipped, neighborhoods improved, etc. However, there’s an almost total lack of knowledge about what’s happening with roads, sidewalks, and lighting in the neighborhood--trucks just show up at random times and things may / may not be addressed. I’ve talked to many other neighbors and associates who’ve expressed similar frustration. We know when EVERY hotel and EVERY new restaurant is opening. We’ve no idea when that crater-sized pothole or a lack of lighting on a busy street will be addressed. You guys do a tremendous job reporting and informing--acting as an “information central” for each topic you cover. Helping the average person in Greenville better understand what’s happening with the city’s daily infrastructural needs--or even where they can go to express concerns--would be a highly relevant talking point in 2019.
- More news and info about the surrounding areas outside of the Downtown bubble.
- Growth
- I’d love to learn more about trivia/board game nights in the Greenville area!
- Kudzu is destroying more trees than conservation groups can plant. Trees which screen unsightly areas like power substations are being killed. Creek and river beds which should hold ferns, trillium etc are bare dirt and kudzu. Gateways highways like 385 are among the worst!
- I would like to talk about real estate values
- You know what, I just love that you are asking us that question! You guys are already fantastic at covering a broad range of subjects and your newsletter is something I read religiously every morning. It keeps me informed and I’ve already learned so much. So thank you for what you have done and are continuing to do for our community! :)
- Keep doing restaurant reviews!
- Things to do (beyond restaurants and bars)
- New developments
- New restaurants- always, new activities, saving money, Adoption,
- All the happenings in the downtown area + day trip opportunities.
- How the city and county plan to adjust and prepare for all of the growth, traffic, and protection of our citizens in the future.
- what are our elected leaders doing? we have a first term congressman and we need to hold him accountable. What are elected officials in Cola doing and how will it affect life in the upstate?
- Health, wealth, social events without booze, cheap flights to destinations, great running and hiking trails, music events!
- Public transit, affordable housing and gentrification
- Events
- Affordable housing. I’m a local born and raised in Greenville. I love Greenville, I grew up here and went to college in Charleston. All of my time in Charleston I missed greenville haha. My wife and I then went overseas for missionary work for a year and are now coming back. A lot has changed! I am now a law enforcement officer in the area and it seems like the city I love so much has left me behind. I’ve appreciated yalls outlet to somewhat get a grip on what’s going on, but to be honest I’m tired of a restaurant going up every week somewhere, and don’t get me started on car washes or storage facilities..... I just want to know I can find a place to live with the budget I have, but it’s tough.
- Keep updated on the new construction projects and new businesses
- Best wings in Greenville
- New restaurants, stores, other businesses
- Whether or not the toll road is going to become public!
- I’d like to see a Greenville/upstate bucket list... so more than just what to do in a weekend, but the classics, and some hidden gems
- Why is there no gay rights ordinance in the City of Greenville?
- Openings. A spotlight on ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Their is a crossing guard at east north academy that is the brightest star in gvl. My kids don’t even go there but I drive passed it twice a day and she is always out there smiling waving to everyone. And EVERYONE seems to know her. Random people that walk their dogs are out there just chatting with her.
- Events for moms + kids
- Greenville history.
- Kids eat free restaurants?
- Best ways for 50+ newcomers to meet new people
- Continue the conversation on all that is going on downtown, new construction projects and new business coming to downtown.
- Events going on in Gvlle, new restaurants opening, Fun things to do, good deals (like the happy hour piece) gvlle happenings
- When public transportation is going to expand in the County? Public transportation between counties? What the city and county are doing to bring affordable housing to Greenville? Will GSP ever get direct flights to Europe?
- Financial planning, budgeting, where are all the different bookstores in Greenville? What classes are offered at the Art Center, Hobby lobby, and other places? How much do they typically cost?
- Economic mobility and race
- Better Services in area near, Dunbar Street, as on Augusta Street area.
- Revitalizing E North St between Stone & Pleasantburg (Overbrook area). So many opportunities for new business and growth! Along with the work on Wade Hampton, it could be Greenville’s next “it” neighborhood.
- Levels of health care.
- What are some of the downsides and costs associated with TIF districts?
- events in Greenville that aren’t obvious - like FFG & Artisphere. What else is out there?
- Greenville’s history, the good and the bad.
- Improving the roads and public transportation system
- Developments and changes in DT Greenville, and how the public can be involved in shaping the conversation. Especially changes that happen related to new opportunities and Unity Park.
- Affordable Housing
- More food & restaurant reviews
- List of interesting things to do/restaurants to go to for GNO, date night, or just for fun
- More things to do solo around Greenville
- Tell me where to get the best dirty martini 🍸
- Running trails
- What does 5G mean for Greenville? When? From who?
- Vegetarian restaurants, places to have with friends which aren’t too expensive, activities to do with families
- Clubs and communities to join to meet new people around town.
- Live music
- Local places to work remote – coffee shops etc.
- Local activities beyond downtown - events in Greer, Simpsonville, TR
What can we help find out for you?
- What is Greenville and its residents doing to help our environment?
- Volunteer opportunities
- New tax laws that go I’m to effect in 2019
- Are we going to maintain our natural areas and farms while providing more homes. So, can we grow and still look like greenville and not Charlotte
- Food, beer, events
- Functional/naturopathic doctors. Do they exist in the Upstate??
- What’s being built where
- What is being built or done where any construction that is happening. This is ALWAYS interesting and catches my attention.
- New job postings
- It’s considered to be the best quality tapwater in the Country, maybe the world. Tell us why we have it so good, and why that benefits us in several ways.
- How I can participate in rev sports and what sports are available to watch
- More about fun evening / weekend classes in town from cooking to history
- Keep up what you’re doing and do more of it!
- Why is everyone moving to GVL? What makes GVL different from other cities? Demographics of GVL? (Age, gender, race.)
- Affordable Housings for seniors and Families on fixed income in the downtown Greenville location?
- Who’s responsibility is it to keep sidewalks cleared of overgrown vegetation from homeowners landscape and can anything be done about it.
- New developments coming anywhere, including spartanburg, Greer, etc
- Moving from a city that created atmospheric dining, coffee spots, lunch, wine spots, etc. from already existing structures (either historical or residential), why is it that it “seems” that most new opportunities are new structures, new builds, or gut the interiors to create an aesthetic experience, rather than a cozy, warm, dim lit, less seating, comfortable, homey yet classy atmospheres? For example, why can’t we have a quaint coffee/lunch stop along Jones/Cleveland near the Cancer Park in an old house? Is there something about new business, especially eateries, and zoning that prohibits some of the homes nearby be utilized as a beautiful opportunity? (Wish List: I envision a small, quaint French bistro with mismatched chandeliers and velvet banquets that seat very few, less impact to the neighborhood, parking, etc. or a walk to coffee shop with breakfast/lunch items in an old home with long community tables, comfortable seating, to invite more community conversation.)
- What’s going on, what restaurants are coming to SGC
- Perhaps monthly or weekly updates on volunteer opportunities in the area to continue to encourage people to be active in their communities
- The organization and workings of our government—the “whole enchilada”—e.g., departments, responsibilities, officials and their salaries, elected and/or appointed, how they interact, what’s working, what isn’t, etc., etc,
- Interesting day trips
- what new places are coming to vacated locations
- The Conestee Mill-what’s going on? Last I heard, it was going to be renovated into apartments. This was over a year ago, and I haven’t seen any movement. I think something along the lines of a Hampton Station-style renovation would be awesome!
- What is coming in behind the Whole Foods on Woodruff Rd that merits all the new hotels being built
- Interview the Street performers.
- What is the goal of the new highway work that’s being done? Will it ease the traffic on Woodruff Rd., will it bring new business to the area?
- Anything new (or maybe old) that people need to know about...
- Love the restaurant reviews... so more of this would be good!
- Is there a printed brochure or map for the “water tower pathway” or “old mill pathway” for interested tourists? Is there a map or brochure identifying locations of dog parks in city and county?
- Things to do in Greenville that have easy access for people with mobility issues. Thank you!
- For example, why do County Council members — who work PART TIME at best — get benefits AND pensions from County Govt??? Why do most of them make more than rookie County cops? (Ask former County Council member Jim Burns, and you might get candid answers, but he has to get along with County council and City Council for his development projects, so don’t expect him to agree to be openly quoted, just on deep background.)
- Is there a place you can recycle textiles in the upstate? With the textile industry in the area, it seems like there should be! What about electronics?
- i love hearing about all the new development activity
- Since South Carolina has historically been considered part of the “Bible Belt”, to what degree is this still true? Maybe some kind of survey of belief in our city would be helpful.
- spotlight colleges (pros and cons of each in state school)--something different than looking at a website where it can be very impersonal, college fairs, etc. Also, historical sites in SC that homeschool middle school students can learn about especially being new to the area. With so many people moving in, they may not be aware of the history our state has to offer.
- How things run behind the scenes, like Greenville employees handling details for events, set up/clean up - shadowing a person’s day who works behind the scenes, even a “day in the life” of a Gvltoday team member - I think this could be a cool regular feature
- Why the standing water at the end of my street (Glenn Street) isn’t being addressed? It’s a mosquito breeding ground. Seems like the city wants to say it’s a county road, and the county wants to say it’s a SCDOT problem, and no one wants to actually fix it. The larger issue: When there are jurisdictional overlaps (special purpose districts, state/county/city, etc.) how do you get it sorted out to actually solve the problem?
- If you have ever been stuck between hwy 14 and i85 during lunch hour, or between 5 - 6pm you know it is unbearable it can literally take 30 minutes to move 1 mile... I live Less than 5 miles from the office, and it can take me 25-40 minutes to get home each day. There are a number of large employers (Scansource, Synnex, Corley, Baush + Laum, American Motor) in that small stretch of the road and with the new development of Top Golf we anticipate it only getting worse. Are there any plans to re-time the lights over the highway, or review the traffic pattern?
- Best young professional groups to join
- best family photographer
- Live music events
- Why are there no bike racks along the swamp rabbit near downtown? Tried to bike from the zoo > downtown > swamp rabbit cafe but couldn’t park downtown due to no bike racks. Sure there’s lamp-posts but that’s annoying.
- Can Greenville really sustain all of the new restaurants coming to town? So many openings and closings! What is there to do in Greenville on a rainy day?
- Senior volunteer opportunities.
- What is # of visitors to Paris Mountain State Park and how many bicycle - pedestrian collisions are there? How many dogs off leash reports? How many dog attacks? Any car accidents related to people driving the curves outside their “lane”? Any plans to put a solid line in place on road inside the park? Any plans to monitor speeds of motorists?
- New to city- how to get involved- professional organizations, charities, etc.
- I’d love some investigation into whether any GVL restaurants offer Whole30 approved options... other than Chipotle. :)
- How did they get the McPherson barricade through even though the process was incorrect? Who decided on the McDaniel ave. death bunkers?
- The best new places to have dinner in Greenville.
- Best wings in town
- Greenville’s schedule for addressing infrastructural needs, as well as where to go to request infrastructural items be addressed.
- Leaders or who’s behind local decisions that impact all fo us
- Like to find out what the homes are selling for downtown
- 1) Best employers in the GVL area 2) Interesting 5k races (Spartan, Polar Plunge, etc.)
- Available land within a mile of downtown
- New or favorite counter-service restaurants. Loving the new Barberitos in Greenville. The friendly staff are quick to learn customer faves - tofu grilled a bit for my tacos makes them addictive. :)
- What are new restaurants, businesses, and services in the Greenville area.
- why doesn’t the county have its own recycling center to collect and sort recyclables? (b/c we think our garbage company simply takes recyclables to the trash dump)
- all the membership costs of all the fitness classes: yoga, boxing, cycling, etc.
- What are the updates on the Woodside Mill and Judson Mill projects. Both were supposed to begin construction Summer 2018 and there seems to have been no movement on either project. Here is the company that is doing Woodside-- http://www.jdavisarchitects.com/projects/woodside-mill/ Here is the article from last spring saying construction was starting in the summer https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/2018/02/17/woodside-mill-become-apartments/338786002/
- I’m mostly interested in family friendly events
- Best wings in Greenville
- what services are available (ex: recycling of various kinds, ways to find babysitters, petsitters, house cleaners, etc.)
- Doggy daycares/dog parks/dog friendly places
- Why is the Upstate Gay Pride Parade only in Spartanburg?
- Construction updates
- Keep us in the know with new restaurants/ stores
- Senior discounts in Greenville. Best places for breakfast Ethnic restaurants in Greenville
- Activities available for VERY senior citizens and assistance for their caregivers.
- Is there a crossing light planned for Blueridge Rd. At the Swamp Rabbit Trail? They installed one where the train car is and it is so helpful, much safer to cross.
- new restaurants
- I would like to know about activity in the SC General Assembly: bills introduced, what committees will deal with the bill after it is introduced, when a bill is scheduled for 1st, 2nd, final reading, etc.
- What are some of the downsides and costs associated with TIF districts?
- ways to save money in GVL - where can we get cheapest groceries, cheapest dinners & drinks, inexpensive activities or times when there’s a sale/special. Also ways to get involved in serving/volunteer work in the community. What needs are out there? How do we get involved? Also a comprehensive list of fun activities, where they are, and how much they cost would be cool - escape rooms, top golf, sparetime, disc golf courses...what else is out there?
- Being a new resident to Greenville and to the state of South Carolina I’d like to know how the property tax for vehicles is calculated. Coming from a state that had a flat rate of $70.00 for vehicle stickers to here where I’m paying $438.00 for my 3 1/2 year old Toyota was a little surprising.
- Where to drink beer and listen to bluegrass. Where to meet people under 30.
- Are there any plans or changes coming to Project Host on Academy St.? I heard that they were going to be opening a bakery? How can neighbors get involved in their mission and projects?
- Why aren’t the percentages of new builds/apts etc.... more than 10%? Who determines this equation?
- Updates on new developments, buildings, lots.
Want to know how something works?
- Yes, when we see zoning signs, what is the best way to find out exactly what someone is requesting
- How does the state support good development decisions at the local level?
- How local officials campaign and run for office, and how progressive Greenville folks can challenge the establishment by effectively using the political apparatus.
- Monthly city council meetings and the topics they plan to address
- City government
- GVL facts and history
- Return the Greenville Bus and Greenlink System closer to the ridership in and out of State downtown, Greenville SC?
- City tax allocation
- I would love to understand the recycling process better, and what the city says are the most common items put out for recycling, that are not actually recyclable
- Your call....
- Greenville Transit system
- No
- sure
- I would love to know how the street sweeping works in Greenville county. We’ve gone through more tires in the past few years than we have in the 30 proceeding them. It seems that items collect in the center medians and keep moving towards the intersections. Accidents happen and the tow truck drivers dont sweep the street before driving off with the cars either.
- Bus system, train to ATL... what fights come in and out of GSP and when,
- City and County government, from a consumer perspective.
- How do they set up the Friday night fireworks at Greenville Drive games? What computer program is used to design the shows?
- How do other cities seem to make public transportation work for everyone, and we can’t seem to figure it out, or come up with a sustainable model? It’s so much better even in Clemson than it is in GVL.
- Public safety. Like why are there no shoulders on most side streets?
- How does the mayor’s relationship with developers work? Are there checks and balances in place to make development an equal playing field? Are their incentives for smaller local developers to get a chance to swing and hit the ball? Are these large developers working, with intention, to create true affordable housing for those being displaced by their monster projects? How many agencies and/or churches serve the homeless in town? What percent increase in homelessness in GVL?
- How to sell a house and buy @ the same time. Advice would be helpful.
- I’d like to know the best time of day to navigate Woodruff Road.
- How do I get a speed bump or something that slows down traffic in my neighborhood? (in the County, not the city limits)
- Summer camps for children (with working parents)
- Greenville County funding versus Greenville City funding--who does what and where are their jurisdictional lines?
- City and County government. Keep an eye on developers
- Who to contact when pedestrian crossing lights are out downtown.
- how to start a business in Greenville, SC.
- Farmers markwt
- Greenville local government, school districts
- Explain restaurant week to us. How does it work? We are new.
- What are some of the downsides and costs associated with TIF districts?
- What should someone do when they have an issue with the construction that is happening in their neighborhood? Development is awesome and construction is essential, but it isn’t always pretty, and they aren’t always the best neighbors... how should someone handle a situation that comes up with it? Is there a city office or department overseeing all of it?
- How long does it take for an abandoned home to be either refurbished or torn down.
- Woodruff rd and I85/385 goal. What’s it gonna be like when it’s done???
What can we help you understand?
- Why is controlling sewer expansion the lynchpin to abating sprawl and saving farms and natural areas
- Events and meetups that bring startup entrepreneurs together to increase chance of success of launching in Greenville.
- Build it and they will come! Why do we not have a convention center?
- How to vote on certain issues the city faces
- Education
- GVL facts and history
- Help with understanding the details of the Bus Schedule, Uber or more Yellow Cab Services!
- Why it seems the bulk of the city tax dollars are going to Downtown i.e Main St and maybe 1 block off of Main.Get 3 blocks away and the sidewalks and streets are in very poor condition.
- We moved here while launching off kids at the same time. They say they don’t feel connected to other early 20 somethings here. They “find old people (like us!!) and lots of young families, but hardly others their age”. Help!
- Another tough one: The diversity of individual community culture and dynamics—the unique qualities of each—and how they enrich Greenville as a whole.
- continued vacancy of the old Greenville Memorial Auditorium site
- City council
- The housing market in GVL in 2019
- The city of Greenville was going to expand the city limits a couple years ago. Is that still in the works?
- A day trip or overnight trip to Charlotte, Saluda, Asheville, Brevard. Etc...
- Local government initiatives
- Why traffic lights stay on red so long in some intersections, especially when there isn’t much traffic on the opposite road
- What are the current applicable codes/policies about dogs in the city or county? (Barking, containment, housing, etc.) My neighborhood has lots of barking dogs, and it keeps outdoor living from being as enjoyable as I’d expected. Also sometimes when I ride my bike around, dogs leave their property to chase. What’s the process to trigger enforcement of codes?
- If you’re new to Greenville, what do you need to know to be successful.
- Is there a plan by mayor/city council to maintain local vendors (restaurants/retail) downtown or is it just free-for-all; highest bidder wins?
- getting involved in the city to help it grow and become better
- What the I-85/I-385 Project is going to help with traffic at that intersection.
- What decisions and who is making them.
- How to find a good doctor in GVL
- How local politics works- not only local offices (job responsibilities, how they are elected), but what each candidate’s platform is too!
- Why there isn’t a noise ordinance to make walking more pleasant and safe for pedestrians, especially downtown.
- Why the Greenville County School District continually resists adjusting to the demands of closing schools throughout the county during snow and ice? What about considering “weather zones”?
- how we can make greenville more green
- What are southern traditions/ culture that new comers can learn and appreciate!
- Best wings in Greenville
- demographic composition of the greater Greenville area
- Help me understand why there are no places for those in the LGBTQ community to meet.
- Greenville housing market
- The different levels of local government
- Advice on buying a new vehicle
- Need help understanding the care provided at the various health care facilities. It would be very helpful for the public to know what type of facility to go to for any given problem. Are all emergency rooms set up to actually manage emergencies or are they more like health clinics. More education may help the public to use the various levels of urgent, emergent, intermediate, and emergency room care appropriately thus making all levels of care function at the level or was intended and expedite care in true emergency situations. Thank you
- What are some of the downsides and costs associated with TIF districts?
- The trains that run through downtown... are they on a schedule or just random? Why aren’t there any lights or signals where they cross Rhett St? Don’t get me wrong, I love the trains, and the sound of the trains, just curious.
- Why some people continue to let houses go to ruin and disrepair.
- Why is there no high end donut shop or pastry shop/bakery in town????
What about upcoming developments or construction you’ve seen around town?
- Seems like too many apartments. Why not condos where people are invested in their property?
- Number of new homes on the market
- Compelling event updates on road construction. There’s a lot of it, and would love to know when changes might affect traffic flow and congestion.
- The Big Dig?
- More information about construction in Five Forks, Pelham Rd, Simpsonville, Mauldin, etc...
- We do not need more apartments or breweries!
- What are they building on Hwy 14 ( about 1/2 mile east of SC 417) just north of Simpsonville? It’s big.
- Opportunity Zones
- Better Parking Facilities and Access from Rain to arrive at the, Peace Center...... Covered Walkways, etc.
- Is there no restrictions on the blocking views of the surrounding mountains?
- Launched kids have trouble holding a job, going to college, and affording housing on their own nearby - they are forced to live away from us based on outpriced housing. Are we going to create new construction, safe, with less amenities of the outpriced housing for a generation that is in the early launch stages for themselves?
- You bet. And, around the county. Including futuristic “stuff”—e.g., visit UCICAR...
- Definitely curious about what’s happening behind the Whole Foods! I know some is probably more apartments, but that can’t be all!
- Keep doing what you are doing!
- Have downtown building codes changed as far as setbacks are concerned?
- There is increasing chatter about a bubble that could burst. Is that a valid worry?
- Yes, always enjoying learning about those - and cover the surrounding towns, too
- Why are parking garages allowed to be built that aren’t wrapped with retail or otherwise disguised? The one at Academy Street overpass and the new one at Church Street bridge are particularly egregious. I thought there were supposed to be codes that kept those kind of eyesores from happening! Also, what’s the status of the Swamp Rabbit Laurens Road overpass/extension? Is this going to happen in our lifetimes?
- updates on the 85/385 construction
- Keep covering that!
- How many more “box” style developments are planned? What percent are condos vs apartments vs commercial? How are they reviewed by city council? What are specific and/or minimum aesthetically complementary architecture specifications to the other historic building architecture points/variables are requested of a developer? Are there behind the scenes negotiations after public invitation to discuss project? Are there any kind of covenants and restrictions by the city and/or county for the “vinyl village” product popping up all over town? Why do these national builders and regional builders get access but the small local guy doesn’t have opportunity? Is this also highest bidder wins without any restrictions on development of land? Is this the only form of single family affordable housing readily available for home buyers? Do these developers have any responsibility in improving roads and surrounding infrastructure? Is there a way to bring several local builders together to create an affordable project that doesn’t strip the land and brings architectural integrity to the area?
- There is a warehouse building being worked on near my apartment and I’d love to know what the plans are for it. It is right on the swamp rabbit trail between the children’s garden and the croc center. It would be prefect for a brewery or restaurant.
- More info always!
- The West End has been really growing lately. I love to learn about all the new things coming to the West End.
- You guys do a tremendous job keeping your readership up-to-date on this area.
- Too much concrete not enough green space
- Barberitos is worth a review. We’ve enjoyed their restaurants in other cities, but our new store is cleaner and friendlier than most. Try their seasoned tofu, ask them to do a quick grill-warming before adding to your taco or burro, makes it great!
- All of the Greenville area. You are doing a great job, already!
- A good overview of proposed rezoning and hearings planned.
- apartments or buildings on church street near Wade Hampton?
- Woodside Mill. Judson Mill. Pace Jeweler parking lot
- Yes! In simpsonville too :)
- West greenville development
- Yes! I always love to hear what’s under development
- Stone and Wade Hampton
- Taylors Mill
- What is the new building on Cleveland St. Two spots down from Sidewall pizza. No sign posted. Looks like it could be another restaurant .
- Whats the new building across the swamp rabbit trail from the back side of Trailside Apartments? What is the big building they are working on downtown with the big crane?
- What are some of the downsides and costs associated with TIF districts?
- 385/85 - I’m fascinated with how it will turn out. Do we have a graphic of what it’s supposed to look like at the end? What’s the timeline/update on how the project is going?
- Is there going to be a bar or restaurant in the new Homewood Suites that will he open to the pubic? I would love to see a “behind the scenes picture tour” the multiple developments on Markley St. and in the West End.
- How tall are the new building go into be.
- Yes! Behind Whole Foods/REI???
What don’t you know that you’d like us to investigate?
- The city and county residential subdivision development process
- Efforts to revitalize old strip malls and buildings around Greenville
- An Art/Independent Movie Theater
- A visual calendar of events would be awesome highlighting events, games, concerts, comedians, etc
- Opportunity Zones
- Reader questions/ inquires are fun to read
- Return Quality Entertainment, such as a movie theater, upscaled and Safety with better street lights.... downtown Greenville SC!
- Why is it that it is common for 3 + cars to go through after the light turns red?
- Options within an hour drive for kayaking
- How is population growth actually affecting us—not in numbers only but in quality.
- How many total apartment units are there in downtown, how many total condominiums are there in downtown
- There is a small section of Mountain Creek Church Rd. between Rutherford Rd and Stallings Rd where some people feel it’s a dumping ground for some reason. It seems one person in particular that stops at Chick-fil-A daily just feels it’s okay to through the drink, bag and everything else out the window for someone else to clean up. There’s a wrecked scooter on the side of the road for days and two dilapidated buildings (looks like an old school and a bio diesel plant) that I believe may be owned by the city (not sure) that makes people believe that it truly is a dumping ground area. One person threw there used Christmas tree in the clogged storm drain. Downed trees, trash and limbs clog the drainage ditch causing flooding. There’s even I sign at the beginning of the street that says it’s sponsored by a local group but we’ve never seen this group cleaning the area.
- You are pretty open for readers to email you to ask as things come up... I love reading this!!! How about adding Sat and Sunday???
- Why the roads in Greenville county are not being better taken care of.
- Very curious to what degree the upstate/South Carolina is still functionally a part of the Bible belt. Thank you!
- Why don’t more construction sites put up signs saying what’s coming to that spot? Is the mystery more important than generating interest?
- There used to be enforcement of noise ordinances, so that loud motorcycles on Main Street and the overall Central Business District were ticketed. Why isn’t that done anymore? You cannot have an al fresco dinner without it being interrupted by three or four idiots gunning their motorcycles at the stoplight.
- More support for the homeless community
- Would love to see what is being done in local government and zoning laws to allow for new businesses and spaces to continue to open up in vacant buildings or vacant land rather than completely developing a new area.
- What areas to avoid due to construction.
- Percent and/or # of local investor development groups (ie. Hughes Investments/Halter Caine) vs non-local investor development groups? What relationships do these development groups have with our mayor and our city council members? How are these members connected to other local/state (SC) money/influencers? How far and wide, as well as frequency of YeahThatGreenville ads are placed in travel magazines, other travel and leisure/hobby magazines/journals and how many press releases do they anticipate this year?
- I am not religious and would love to volunteer somewhere. However, all of the soup kitchens and things like this around town seem to all be affiliated with a church. Are there any organizations in Greenville that are committed to helping the community that are not necessarily connected to a church?
- Any cool airbnbs around you’d like to feature?
- How to report traffic issues on my own street.
- You can investigate anything you want. That is fine with me.
- Why are the sidewalks on Augusta (between taco bell and main) so small and crappy?
- How Greenville’s infrastructural schedule is managed, how requests can be made to address various city infrastructural needs, and who the main point-of-contacts are for these areas. Thank you--you guys do a great job.
- Don’t really are about the Top 7 places to get a taco.
- Where can I recycle typical non-recyclables (textiles, computers, hazardous waste)
- Why the water feature across from The Lazy Goat isn’t working.
- What is going on with Verdae Rd?
- the formation of the town of fiveforks which is said be the 30th largest town, by geographical area, in the country.
- best options for leaving your dog behind when you go on vacation: at home service, boarding, rover, etc.
- Plans for adding sidewalks and walking paths in rapidly developing (previously rural but now suburban) areas.
- Best wings in Greenville
- opportunities to learn about and interact with other cultures, international businesses
- Why is the City of Greenville missing out on openly welcoming the LGBTQ people to our city. This is a group of people with greater than median income which typically measures 8-10% of the general population. Why are there no gay bars in Greenville? I don’t know of another city of this size that does not have at least one gay bar (I don’t drink, but it would be nice to have a place to meet others!)
- Why the mall sucks.
- Regular announcements of new or closing businesses
- Where are the homeless shelters we can lead people to? Do they take donations? Of what?
- Improve the East End area in and around Dunbar Street to provide services in walking distance for many Seniors and Families in the area?
- What are some of the downsides and costs associated with TIF districts?
- Where can I take my dog that’s dog-friendly? Where’s a cheap place to get him his yearly shots?
- With all the new hotels being built downtown, are downtown rates projected to drop?
- Why don’t they fund the roads. Why Duke is so corrupt.
- There are a number of empty/unused buildings and spaces in Greenville, who owns them and what are the plans for them?
- Is there an end to apartment building?
- Plans for expansion of bike routes