Downtown Greenville
That depends on whom you ask, but one thing is certain: The counties that compose this region hold surprises at every turn. From the arts scene in downtown Greenville to the recreational wonderland in the Blue Ridge foothills, there’s a cultural and natural richness that’s hard to beat.
Snuggled against the broad shoulders of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the 6,026-square-mile triangle that defines the northwest corner of South Carolina is home to more than 1 million people. As the Upcountry’s largest city, Greenville lies between Charlotte and Atlanta on I-85, about 30 miles from each of its neighboring cities: Spartanburg to the northeast and Anderson to the southwest. And all around, you’ll find placid lakes, rushing waterfalls, the Chattooga National Wild and Scenic River, and the 112-mile Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway, which traces a former Native American footpath past some of the state’s best parks. With four distinct seasons and an average of 220 sunny days a year, the Upcountry’s mild climate encourages outdoor recreation year-round.
Before exploring Spartanburg, Greer, Anderson, and the surrounding countryside, most visitors begin their Upcountry tour in Greenville. Driving into downtown, the hazy indigo silhouette of the Blue Ridge Mountains rises in the distance. Turn down Main Street and prepare to be wowed. “People come to Greenville expecting to find a sleepy Southern textile town,” says Calder Ehrmann, senior associate at Furman University’s Riley Institute, who has lived in Greenville for 30 years, “but when they see all that the city and the surrounding Upstate has to offer, they are simply astounded."
For starters, there’s Falls Park, home to a 60-foot waterfall that tumbles through downtown, spanned by the 335-foot-long pedestrian Liberty Bridge. Then there’s Main Street itself, 12 blocks of chic boutiques, artists’ studios, international restaurants (Persian, Greek, Thai), sophisticated hotels, and even a baseball stadium, Fluor Field. “Between facilities such as The Peace Center for the Performing Arts, Falls Park, and mixed-use RiverPlace complex, downtown Greenville is a tapestry woven by public-private partnerships,” says Greenville Mayor Knox White.
Next stop: Spartanburg, boasting its own hip, new downtown Grain District. Named for the grain mills that used to operate there, it’s now home to RJ Rockers Brewing Company (locals love the spring/summer brew, Son of a Peach), Hub City Bookshop, and the Hub-Bub performance space, all of which have sparked a new burst of life downtown. “There’s an exciting vibe in Spartanburg now,” says Amanda Mathis, the city’s economic development coordinator. “Since 2006, 40 restaurants have opened downtown. That speaks volumes for our central business district.”
A few miles down the road, Greer counts a pizza place, an oyster bar, and a cool tapas restaurant among the eateries, shops, and antique stores concentrated in a 12-square-block area of the city’s historic heart. Likewise, Anderson’s downtown is blooming. “We’re very progressive in terms of our development,” says Cindy Hopkins, executive vice president of the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce. The result? A boutique hotel, The Bleckley Inn, just opened in March, and plans are in the works for an elegant green space on the former Belk department-store site just off Main Street. Plans call for the new area to comprise an open-air pavilion, a prominent water feature, and an amphitheater for alfresco performances.
“People here have a tremendous sense of pride in their cities that I’ve never seen anywhere else,” explains Taryn Scher, a public relations expert who moved to Greer in 2007. To top it off, the people are welcoming, and the high stress level and heavy traffic that plague larger cities are conspicuously absent. “There’s a step-back moment when people come here,” Scher says. “You can feel the slower pace of life.” Yet this transplanted New Yorker never feels that she’s missing anything.
With everything the Upcountry has to offer, it’s no wonder people are catching on. Since 1990, the region has experienced a 27 percent growth rate from Greer to Greenville. “There’s an amazing diversity of ages, nationalities, incomes, and interests here that make our community vibrant,” says Greer Mayor Rick Danner. The city’s downtownlandscape, which includes the new greensward of City Park, continues to attract families. A bit farther south on I-85, Anderson has enjoyed its own growth spurt during the last decade, as the explosion of commercial and retail business along Clemson Boulevard can attest.
In the past 20 years, Greenville’s urban development has marched steadily down Main Street through the West End, beginning with the completion of the Peace Center in 1990. Meanwhile, the nearby Pendleton Street Arts District is revitalizing a former mill community bordering the West End. It’s part of what Mayor White calls “the community’s evolving ethos.” Fired by a passion for regionalism and a desire for managed growth, the Upcountry is positioning itself to compete for new investments in the 21st century. “There’s strength in numbers,” says Carter Smith, executive vice president of the Economic Futures Group at the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce. “By working together, the communities of the Upstate bring more resources to bear and garner more recognition than they would by standing alone.” Ben Haskew, president and CEO of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, agrees. “The wonderful thing about our region is while there is a unique character to individual communities, we act in a very collaborative way,” Haskew says.
What sets the Upcountry apart? The answer can’t be distilled to just one thing. It’s the combination of natural lands, accessible parks, arts and culture, diverse population, and a big dollop of Southern hospitality—all rolled into the northwest corner of South Carolina—that makes this region extraordinary. So toss aside any preconceived ideas. You just have to experience the Upcountry for yourself.
adapted from an article in Spirit Magazine, May 2011
Back
News Home
