Today’s Note

Please excuse our dust. We’re currently working to bring you an even better newsletter. Over the next couple weeks, you may see some things that are still in the works. We’re excited for you to see what we’ve been up to.

A new downtown entertainment district

Designs for the Greenville Gateway (aka Gracie Plaza) entertainment district have been updated

A pedestrian bridge could lead to The Well. | Rendering by Johnston Design Group

Picture this. Your favorite artist is coming to Bon Secours Wellness Arena on a Saturday night, so you plan to dine with friends, enjoy the concert, and go for a nightcap after the show.

That experience could become a reality with a new entertainment district proposed for the “Greenville Gateway” — a site with a history for fizzling projects since the Greenville Memorial Auditorium was demolished in 1997.

Located at North Church and East North Streets as you first enter downtown Greenville from I-385, the designs feature:

Two towers (one 16-story and one seven-story)
294 apartments
8,000 sqft of restaurant and retail space
Creative studios
A 300+ car parking garage

GVL_Greenville_Gateway_Gif_MAR2023 — What the Greenville Gateway could look like. | Renderings via Johnston Design Group

It’s what plans show between the two towers that sets this development apart:

A public plaza and courtyard
A pedestrian bridge connecting the development to The Well

Miami-based NR Investments, which helped develop Miami’s Arts + Entertainment District, says it fell in love with Greenville when visiting and told WYFF 4, it hopes this project is “a new district that will have its pillar as the arts and as the entertainment.”

“This will be the match that will light the whole area,” Mayor Knox White told WYFF 4. “They came back with a whole new vision of the area; instead of seeing it as a gateway, they saw it as a destination.”

The plans go before Greenville’s Design Review Board on Thursday, April 6. If all goes as planned, the developers hope to break ground by the end this year or early next year.

Asked

What do you think of the designs for the Greenville Gateway?

Let us know

Events

Friday, March 24

Jurassic Quest Dinosaur Show | Friday, Mar. 24-Sunday, Mar. 26 | Times vary | Greenville Convention Center, 1 Exposition Dr., Greenville | $19-$36 | Walk through this larger-than-life dinosaur herd.
2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Regionals | Friday, March 24-Monday, March 27 | Times vary | Bon Secours Wellness Arena, 650 N. Academy St., Greenville | $20-$42 | Experience March Madness in Greenville at the Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament Regional.
Andrew Lloyd Webber 75th Birthday Celebration Concert Weekend | Friday, March 24-Sunday, March 26 | Times vary | Greenville Theatre, 444 College St., Greenville | $40 | Celebrate composer Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 75th birthday with this concert event.

Saturday, March 25

An Immersive Sound Healing Experience | Saturday, Mar. 25 | 11 a.m. | The People’s Tap, 250 RiverPlace, Greenville | $18 | Bring your mats, pillows, bolsters, and blankets for a holistic healing session with sound bowls.

Sunday, March 26

Music in the Galleries | Sunday, Mar. 26 | 2-3 p.m. | Greenville County Museum of Art, 420 College St, Greenville | Free | Enjoy live music from Greenville’s own Quatrophonics saxophone quartet as you browse the gallery.

Monday, March 27

Trailside Blazers | Monday, Mar. 27 | 6-9 p.m. | The Commons, 147 Welborn St., Greenville | Free | Take a skate down the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Tuesday, March 28

Pitch-Space LIVE | Tuesday, Mar. 28 | 4:30-6 p.m. | Furman 101, 101 N. Main St., Greenville | Free | Watch live business pitches with feedback from a panel of investors and open networking to follow.

Wednesday, March 29

ARTalk: it’s all around us with Dawn Stetzel | Wednesday, Mar. 29 | 4-5 p.m. | Greenville Center For Creative Arts, 101 Abney St., Greenville | Free | Join “it’s all around us” exhibiting artist, Dawn Stetzel for a guided walkthrough of the exhibition.

Plan Ahead

Shop Sans Souci | Saturday, Apr. 1 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | Parking lot of St. Mark’s Church, 306 N. Franklin Rd., Greenville | Free entry | Shop this local makers market and yard sale, plus enjoy live music, face painting for the kids, and coffee for purchase.
Alley Twenty Six Cocktail Demo | Saturday, Apr. 8 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery, 205 Cedar Lane Rd., Greenville | Free | Learn how to impress with homemade drinks at this cocktail demo.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

Click here to have your event featured.

100+ more events

Travel and Outdoors

3 reasons to plan a trip to Columbia, SC

Presented by a GVLtoday Partner

From rivers to restaurants, there’s plenty to pack a weekend with during a trip to Columbia. | Photo by Forrest Clonts

Ready for a springtime road trip? Here are three reasons you may want to pack a bag, hop in the car, and make the drive to Columbia, SC:

Abundant outdoor activities | Head to Congaree National Park, the Three Rivers Greenway, or Lake Murray (just to name a few).
A hopping beer scene | Sample the seasonal offerings at Steel Hands Brewing or the rooftop views at Hunter-Gatherer Brewery at the Hangar.
New developments | From shopping districts to local restaurants, there’s plenty to discover. *

More reasons to visit

News Notes

Weather

84º | Mostly sunny | 10% chance of rain

Development

In addition to the Greenville Gateway, two other developments are set to go before the Design Review Board on Thursday, April 6. Read up on 319 Rhett St. — with plans for multifamily housing, a hotel, and 5,000 sqft of retail space — and 301 College St.,featuring residential and retail space along the cultural corridor. (Upstate Business Journal)

Traffic

The SC Department of Transportation (SCDOT) presented plans for I-85 near Highway 178 in Anderson County, where a Buc-ee’s plans to open in 2025. SCDOT says it wants to speak with locals about what their daily experience on the road as it moves forward with the project. (FOX Carolina)

Biz

Das Döner (located inside Growler Haus West Village) expanded its hours and is now open six days a week. Stop by for sandwiches, wraps, plates, and more (read: fries and homemade sauces) Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Announced

“Essentially Alice” — a new musical by late playwright Michael Friedman and and Annie Weisman — will premiere at the SC New Play Festival on Saturday, August 12 at the Gunter Threatre. Also announced, a cabaret performance from “Hamilton” and “Ain’t Too Proud” star Nik Walker at the Westin Poinsett on Sunday, August 13. (playbill.com)

Civic

Construction on the 125-ft Honor Tower at Unity Park is scheduled to begin this August and last 12-14 months, which means views from the 10-story structure could debut next year. (The Post and Courier Greenville)

Number

8,000,000. That’s how many gallons of water the City of Greenville says it saved in 2022. A task force dedicated to improving the city’s sustainability identified opportunities to fix water leaks and breaks, install rain sensors to irrigate parks less, and turn off fountains and water lines during freezes to prevent bursts.

Edu

On Friday, February 24, Greenville Federal Credit Union made a big announcement: Greer High School will soon become home to the credit union’s second student-run high school branch, bringing real-world financial literacy and education to students in the Greenville area.*

Family

Looking for a fun, educational, and play-filled summer camp experience for your child? Each camp day at TCMU-Greenville is infused with STEAM-based learning and museum exploration for rising Pre-K to 5th grade learners. Bonus: Caregivers can book morning or afternoon half-day camp or full-day camp. Learn more and register.*

Health

Did you know? Patients can address mental health concerns during primary care visits. Learn more in this ~4-minute listen from MUSC Health.*

Featured Deal

Don’t let this deal fly by. Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is offering $20 off round-trip flights on Avelo with code FLYGSP20 now through Sun., Dec. 31. Avelo Airlines now offers low fares and nonstop flights from GSP International Airport to Orlando, FL and New Haven, CT, with flights beginning in June. Snag the deal.*

DYK

Did you know today is the last day to enter our Six & Main Spring Forward Contest? The winner + two of their friends will receive a prize from one of our coffee/tea brand partners. Spring on over to Instagram to learn more.

Membership

Culture

News worth shouting

Have exciting news? Get ready to shout it out in the newsletter. | Photo provided by 6AM City

Today, we’re sharing exciting news with our GVLtoday family. We’ve launched a new shoutout section in our newsletter just for you.

We’re offering our most passionate and loyal readers (yep, that’s you) the opportunity to support local journalism through our GVLtoday membership program, where you’ll gain exclusive access to have your voice included in the newsletter.

Your voice is valuable, and so are the special moments in your life. Shoutouts allow us to celebrate job promotions, anniversaries, and exciting experiences right here in Greenville. All you have to do is submit your shoutout, and we will take it from there. Already a member? Go ahead and send an email to secure your shoutout now.

Other membership perks include exclusive birthday deals, shoutouts + discounts in our online shop (Six & Main).

We can’t thank you enough for your continued readership and support. Ready to take your love for GVLtoday to the next level? There’s a shoutout with your name on it waiting for you…

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