Greenville's Main Street wins "Best Places in America" Award

The American Planning Association (APA) announced that Main Street in Greenville, SC has been designated one of 10 Great Streets for 2009 by APA's Great Places in America program. APA Great Places exemplify exceptional character and highlight the role planners and planning play in creating communities of lasting value.
Main Street is singled out by APA for Greenvilles strategic vision, plan and implementation steps that have transformed the street during the past 30 years from being lined with vacant buildings to a commercial and social magnet. Its many man-made and natural features both small and large have created a unique sense of place that invites residents and visitors to join in the plethora of activities taking place here.
Main Street exemplifies our long-term commitment to honoring the special assets we have in Greenville and to creating inviting public spaces, which attract residents and visitors alike, said Mayor Knox H. White. Destinations such as Falls Park, with its spectacular falls, gardens, and stunning suspension bridge, complimented our already unique Main Street and changed forever how we define our city.
Main Street is a celebration of people and their stories, said Mayor Pro Tem Lillian Brock Flemming. The city rejoices in this recognition that honors a place brought back to life over three decades.
"Were very excited to single out Greenvilles Main Street as one of this years Great Streets, said APA Chief Executive Officer Paul Farmer, FAICP. "The street demonstrates just how important it is to the Greenvilles social vitality and economic prosperity. Greenvilles well-developed and executed revitalization plan has brought back not only Main Street, but also much of downtown. The city, its elected officials, business leaders and citizens are all to be congratulated, he added.
Part of Greenvilles 1797 original town plat, Main Street was named by the owner of the land grant, Lemuel J. Alston. Development along the street advanced as the town expanded. Today 19 of the buildings from the streets first 130 years have been preserved or adapted for reuse and placed in the National Register of Historic Buildings. Mostly at the southern end of the street, these structures vary in style from Victorian and Romanesque Revival to Beaux Arts and Art Deco.
Besides its building architecture, there are several distinguishing features that make the street unique. Falls Park, with its $4.5 million Liberty Bridge, provides a quiet retreat from Main Streets bustle. Twelve feet wide, the pedestrian bridge has a 214-feet horizontal curve radius and offers majestic views of Reedy River Falls.
Also contributing to Main Streets popularity and economic vitality is Fluor Field, home of the Greenville Drive. Relocated in 2006 from six miles outside downtown, the new baseball stadium has brought one million consumers to the street since it opened. The stadium was designed without parking to encourage people to utilize strategically placed parking garages, walk or use the Main Street trolley.
Initial planning efforts to improve the street occurred in 1978. The Main Street Streetscape Plan called for street trees, angled parking, landscaping and wider sidewalks. At this time, Main Street was narrowed from four to two lanes to accommodate these changes and slow traffic, thereby making the street safer for pedestrians. Downtown master planning occurred in the 1980s through the next two decades and led to public-private partnerships that have since spurred development along Main Street and the rest of downtown.
Far from being a strictly commercial corridor, Main Street boasts more than 400 residential units. Drawing residents and visitors alike to Main Street are 60 restaurants and cafes -- the highest concentration of dining options in Upstate South Carolina.

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Education

Tags:

• Main Street Greenville SC
• Greenville SC
• City of Greenville
• APA
• American Planning Association
• Best Places in America award
• Best Streets award

[commisar44]

Im glad i live here.

[munawaralishah1]

i wish i live there because there is live for living, its my dream

[Hawkins48]

i wish i lived there, awesome town, beautiful

[ajhfohu]

Greenville is very nice...looks better than Columbia...a lot better

[luiseuc]

I live in greenville

[tgold1968]

The rest of SC could learn a lot from Greenville and Charleston. SCDOT and legislature, please please please get on the pedestrian and transit bandwagon. We can't replicate Greenville's success unless you are totally on board.

[Alexe84]

Goooo Greenville! Can't wait until this years Christmas, when I'm able to visit my extended family there!