Neighborhood Meeting Summary – February 2025

The meeting was held on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 from 6-7pm at The Preserve at Logan Park.

The meeting was well attended, with a number of neighbors attending in person and via Zoom. City Council Members Dorothy Dowe and Ken Gibson were present. City Manager Shannon Lavrin and members of the City staff also attended.

Update on the City's Purchase of Land in Haynie-Sirrine

In December 2024, the City of Greenville closed on its purchase of 36 parcels of land—a combined 6.27 acres—for $10.7 million. The City plans to use the land to further the 3 main goals established in the GVL2040 Comprehensive Plan: affordable housing, open space & the environment, and transportation & mobility. The City plans to improve connectivity in the area, and City Manager Lavrin said affordable housing is the City’s top priority for the land. The City has committed to preserving the neighborhood's vision for the area.

City Manager Lavrin is requesting funds in the FY2025-26 City budget to move forward with the project. Over the next 12 to 18 months, the City will hire an urban planner, develop a Small Area Development Plan, and select a single master developer that will have overall responsibility for the property. The master developer will work with other private developers on specific aspects of the project.

Council Member Dorothy Dowe emphasized that the City’s purchase of the Haynie-Sirrine land was possible because of strong financial policies and because the City prioritizes funds every year for its established goals. Council Member Dowe explained that each year, the City sets aside about 20% of its annual budget as cash reserves that can be used for capital projects. Though the land purchase was an unplanned expenditure in the 2024-45 fiscal year, the City was able to buy the land in cash. The purchase was funded through multiple sources, including the City’s capital projects fund. Council Member Dowe emphasized the importance of fiscal responsibility, noting that the City of Greenville is the only municipality in South Carolina with an AAA rating from all three major credit rating agencies.

The City plans to rezone the newly acquired property according to the Haynie-Sirrine small area plan, then work with the community to rezone the rest of the neighborhood in 2026. 

Proposed South Downtown Trail

The City Manager said the City is exploring the potential development of a pedestrian trail connection through Haynie-Sirrine that would connect the neighborhood to the Swamp Rabbit Trail network. The proposed half-mile South Downtown Trail would run from Sirrine Stadium through the Springer Street tunnel on to the Swamp Rabbit Trail through the new County Square development via Howe Street. This would connect the South Downtown Trail to Falls Park.   

In conjunction with the South Downtown Master Plan, the City will conduct a feasibility and engineering study in late 2025 and early 2026. The City will assess the results of the study as well as construction costs to determine if the trail connection is feasible. Potential funding for the project would most likely be determined in the 2026-27 fiscal year budget process.

Haynie Street Townhouse Development

Bob Barreto of Haynie Howe Venture, LLC., provided an overview of the proposed Haynie Street townhouse development. The property will be split into 6 lots, each with a 2,300 sqft 3-story townhome with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a private rooftop deck, and a rear-entry garage. The townhomes will have a Hardie board exterior and will be painted to match the homes in the neighborhood. Construction could start as soon as this summer, depending on permits. 

Church Street Bridge Rehab Project

Council Member Dorothy Dowe discussed the Church Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project and the potential neighborhood traffic impacts. She emphasized that this is a South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) project, not a City of Greenville project. The City will, however, be very engaged with the project and with managing impacts on local neighborhoods. The projected completion date of the project is July 31, 2026. Council Member Dowe shared that there are financial incentives if the project contractor completes the work ahead of schedule and penalties for exceeding the schedule.

Residents are encouraged to visit churchstbridgerehab.com to learn more about the US 29 Church Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project. The Construction Sequencing Visualization Video on the Project Resources tab shows how lane closures will work and includes a map of detour routes.

City Police & Fire Department Updates

City Police and Fire Department representatives provided a neighborhood report. Law Enforcement Officer Kyle Bowdoin has been assigned as the neighborhood police liaison to the Haynie side of the neighborhood. He reported that there have been only a few incidents in the last month that required police attention, including one burglary and one theft. The Fire Department representative reported on a small number of fire-related incidents, none of which were serious.