Chronicle: Destination Downtown explores booming Upstate growth

no on Chronicle. Downtowns are the heartbeat of any community. The attraction of downtown. This is a spot that people love from the hustle and the bustle of city streets. I mean it has everything you could need to, the small town charm. It's more like a family relax and what lures people downtown. That's why so many cities come here to see what we've accomplished and what keeps them coming back, the entertainment. They love the vibe down here. They love the food. It's a destination. It's a place where you want to go. It's a place when your family comes into town, you wanna breathe them downtown. Now on Chronicle destination downtown, Welcome to Chronicle. I'm jane roe below. If you want to find the heart and soul of a community, go downtown from bustling city streets to quaint small towns. Each one of them has a personality of its own and it can be delightful to explore those unique and local flavors, but often extend beyond the center of the city. I'm in Noma Square. This is kind of the birthplace of modern downtown Greenville. Back in the 19 sixties and seventies Downtowns were dying. Then mayor max Heller led the effort to build the Hyatt hotel and a parking garage right here at this crucial corner, four lanes of main street became two trees were planted and the renaissance began and now the whole world has taken notice tourists want to visit it. Other cities want to replicate it. Developers keep laying new footprints on it and are Michael Cogdill down the pulse of it and it's a rhapsody in green. I want to live here. So many moving parts. Got that small town feel moving the pulse. This is different here. You can feel it. We didn't do things to attract tourist. Just walk in the main, built our downtown for ourselves, for us to enjoy that artery from North Main crossing the Reedy river surging west, so full of life that actually lives here. We tried to stay at the mary. I think this is where we're gonna live. Hammond mike. Hastings moved to downtown Greenville from new york. It's much nicer, much nicer and open and not guarded and friendly. Mayor Knox white wanted to wake the neighbors to come downtown to realize the wonderful personality to our downtown and the town woke up the world and then the tourists come. Mhm, its down home. It's not pretentious to me as a country place and consider this a little over 15 years ago, there was no four field, no green monster outside boston, no liberty suspension bridge. Falls park was pretty much under a highway and back then up on the roof didn't mean anything quite like this. And when night falls, the pulse quickens, calling for tuxedos, not uncommon, Tommy hall of halls, restaurants at charleston boy loves the feel of this green. A little bit of everything in this town. You go have a good cold beer. Also have a great glass of champagne. The lights come on such a great walking city. Everybody feels right at home. It's my neighborhood. I'm in the suites business come daylight. A sweet reminder, walk ability is good business. I refer to myself as the mayor of the West End, that self described mayor of the west End bobby Doherty expanded old europe pastries here from Asheville because he felt so welcome. My new Green will one from a cultural standpoint too, business friendly and number three, they continue to draw people from all parts of the country here. So for me it was not really a very difficult decision, so much coexistence why people from everywhere going to come in live the rhapsody. That is Greenville plays on. We are not just as so southern, you know, bumpkin kind of town. We're doing some really good stuff and we got a lot of things to be proud of. Pulse is strong, a town that's going to embrace you and make you feel welcome. It's real Michael Cogdell, W. I. F. F. News for Greenville. That vibrancy an attraction that you find in downtown Greenville didn't just happen. It's the result of decades of partnerships and planning, but it wasn't until the new millennium that tourists seriously took note and leaders from other cities did too. Greenville has a formula, a recipe for its secret sauce and mayor Knox white is happy to share it. You know, why did somebody just the other day come up to me and say your city is dazzling. I thought, well, dazzling but accurate. Downtown Greenville has a vibrancy. That's unique, putting it on many national magazine's list of best cities, tourists have discovered Greenville and so have other cities eager to create the same. It's just being able to inspire other communities to make their downtowns better because downtowns are the heartbeat of any community Since about 2005, the city and the Chamber of Commerce have shared this secret sauce with towns big and small all across the country. Do most green billions. No, that were being copied. No, I'm sure they do that. Her list is this long now of cities that have taken very overtly taking a elements of our road map if you will and apply them to their cities. And it's a wonderful thing As a result, Fort Wayne indiana now has a baseball stadium. Mhm. That looks much like a certain stadium in Greenville's west end, downtown Greensboro north Carolina right now is updating its streetscape with public art. The swamp rabbit trail inspired. The Central Arkansas Greenways trail system that is apparently in the works Metro plans trail system will connect towns throughout four Arkansas counties. Yes, we looked at Greenville's like, wow, this, this is awesome and we want to bring it back to central Arkansas. Greenville's modern success can be traced back to a plan by a nationally known landscape architect. I keep on my desk, the 19 oh seven Greenville plan. It's actually a very good plan in 19 oh seven. Inside that plan was the game changer for downtown Greenville to reclaim the reading river and in particular reclaim Red River Falls. But it took almost a century to make that happen. The four lane camper down bridge that obscured the falls had to come down and money needed to build the 26 acre park had to prove to be a good investment and it did five times over if we messed it around $18 million dollars for false park. Within just a few years, we had over $100 million dollars in private investment. Greenville entered the new millennium with the centerpiece of its personality, the waterfall, the park and the Liberty Bridge. That's the summation of everything I would tell of the cities is, is, you know, do the mix of activities, but above all, above all else find your waterfall and forge those partnerships with the private sector. That's what gave birth to Greenville's peace center for the Performing arts, the baseball stadium and the bon Secours wellness arena, breathing vibrancy into the city's restaurant and hospitality scene. Getting the residential downtown is critically important and for many cities including Greenville, it doesn't happen naturally. You have to really work it. The work began by offering an ugly 19 seventies city parking deck to a developer who wrapped parking with residential that welcomed people to live downtown, putting folks on city sidewalks after five p.m. We have the beautiful trees, but they weren't lit. We have lights in the trees and we fill the downtown with public art. We even have public art for Children with mice on main. And that's amazing too because it creates a bond between Children and their, their city. Greenville makes those connections to the future while being intentional to preserve the beauties of its past. The points at hotel opened in 2000. We committed ourselves not letting those buildings be torn down anymore. So it gives authenticity to a city one of a kind. This recipe has benefited not only the lands far away and so from Greer to travelers rest to Simpsonville and on you can see the mix of uses the attention to green space residential in the downtown downtown Greenville a destination for families and fun and also a model for change and success. Greenville's recipe traveled north to travelers rest. It was once considered off the beaten path. But now as our Nigel Robertson shows us the swamp rabbit trail has become that path. Opening opportunities to showcase the treasures within. Tr welcome. It's just blossomed. It's just ballooned and so lots of things to bring you downtown to travelers rest Jeb. I mean it's an absolute gem. Where did the name come from? It was a place where I think they were driving some animals down and they would rest here before they made on on their journey. Their journey from the breathtaking Carolina mountains to the north on their way to Greenville, just minutes to the south for decades. There wasn't much here, kind of a small town for sure. You know, it was uh, the railroad was still running an active railroad right outside sun rift adventures. It shook the whole building kind of because it's so close that railroad was turned into a 22 mile, multi use walking and biking trail, A trail that continues to be a major highway if you will, drawing countless numbers of people into the city using their own two ft. Yeah, there definitely was a Tr before the trail, a Tr after Shanice chris is a member of travelers rest city council. But yes, the trail is bringing in so many people. It's awesome travels arrest is really, really bloomed since at least the last time I've been here restaurants, bars, shops and more along Main Street and beyond the food again is great. That's the reason I got business here has never been better. Especially when you can experience it. Trail sign, just ask the owner of Pink Mama's ice cream people now are, that's what they're looking for. Something that's not normal, something that's a little bit different. This is one way to experience from Greenville all the way to Tr, there's so many little stops along the way and it's all really small businesses and the cool thing about tr small businesses, most of them are women owned, which is amazing. Just a few blocks away from the swamp Rabbit Trail is what's being considered the next big thing for the city. This is the pine stone development behind me. Used to be a large warehouse that has been removed. What's coming next? Take a look. Yeah, It's gonna be a large development and I think it's going to change the way that travelers rest looks. It will have around 250 apartment units, 120 single family homes, 77,000 square feet of office space. And even a trail leading to downtown and back to the swamp Rabbit Trail itself. And just off the trail, another new concept for the city and the upstate treehouse living called station, trailside cottage and it's going to be right on the swamp Rabbit Trail when you enter travelers rest, it's gonna be short term rentals and they're gonna be like small tree houses. The vision is a kind of Airbnb where, yep, you guessed it travelers can ride into the city and rest. It's awesome. It's fantastic bringing us back to the very name of the city and all the new things just up the road. Nigel Robertson, W. I. F. F. News four travelers rest travelers rest is also a college town. In 2013, the city voted unanimously to annex furman University into the city. And yes, the swan private trail runs right through campus. It's expanding all the time and turning into a really great place what's giving Anderson, that electric field plus the Clemson, you might not know. It keeps on catering around families investing in outdoor spaces and its youngest generations coming up next on chronicle. At least one city in our area can lay claim to a national first and traces of that legacy live on Anderson. It's in its nickname and it's reflected to in its plan for the future. Carol clark takes us to the electric city Anderson, the first city in the us to light up the town with a continuous supply of electricity. In the 1890s, William Wittner used hydro electric power to like the city and operate a few businesses. One of the jokes that the plant was that they had electricity running out on the floor. They were creating so much power that it could hardly be used. Now the energy continues plugged into making the downtown a powerful draw. We have a master plan that's called shot. This block Shock. This block builds on revitalization projects that began in the 1990s. It identified seven specific gateways to downtown. Examples. The south end with a new hotel parking garage walking that put a crimp poached pear, new restaurants, North Main a calhoun the A and P plaza project with the brewery restaurants. Green space. It's like quaint and small but has like good eating places and um, it's just a, you know, a wholesome environment for families and stuff. Places like Carolina wren park. I do like that. It's got some things to do, especially out here. The splash pad, great for the kids, especially on hot summer days. The park has outdoor performance space for productions like Mamma Mia, a musical that brought in capacity crowds every night. It played this summer. And we just so happen to be adjacent to the largest man made lake in the region. So that helps to Lake Hartwell provides another gateway to downtown. There's a lot of economic investment we have from having the FLW and Bassmasters here and you know, the Bassmasters continually says, this is one of their favorite places to be The Bassmaster classic is the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing, bringing an estimated $25 million dollars to the region, the hotels and motels along Clemson boulevard provide another entry point to the city Playing host, especially to Clemson fans during the football season. We're really excited about Anderson University in 2020 for they're gonna be having their football program here with the trojans and they just hired their head football coach often talked about how green will the green will drive made a difference in upstate and I think Au and Au football that's how green will drive. There's growth and expansion. We know we're hot right now. We know that there's investors and there are people that don't want to relocate here. So we want to do this right. For many people doing it right means not losing sight of what makes the city unique. What I love about it here, I love the super cool restaurants, the amazing people that you get to see uh do the chocolate shop. That's always a favorite. Uh just that it's expanding all the time and turning into a really great place plugged in to replace that still has that electric field In Anderson Carol. Clark Wbff News four. Yeah, the north main calhoun street project is the latest in the shock. The block master plan, it's restaurant, open space and magnetic South Brewery set to open sometime this fall. A new destination. Well, Clemson could be the most popular city in our area. Thanks to those Clemson University tigers. But it's just because of that, that the city is facing an identity challenge. Our Nigel Robertson takes us to Clemson to show us how the city is growing. Even when the university students aren't in town. Welcome to Clemson. It's an oasis that a lot of people don't know is, here we are talking about this comes in, we're talking about this one. We want to share our story as a city. We know that we have a lot to offer. Meet robert half acre. I'm the mayor of the city of this city is one of the fastest growing parts of the upstate to national championships will bring a lot of attention to our community, which we're very thankful for, but also brings some challenges from traffic to parking, to dealing with the population that doubles, even triples for nine months out of the year, but the city is investing heavily in a number of things it says are constant and generational. Take for example, Littlejohn, they always think of the coliseum, not this one, but this one. Little john community center, it's a safe haven where we can come In, showcase our talents. Um Littlejohn has been around 25 years here. People of all ages can take part in community programmes. We cook here, we play, we educate just up the road in the heart of the city, Clemson offers a food scene from all corners of the globe. Plus over the past few years, the city and surrounding area has had an influx of development apartments, hotels and more popping up as far as the eye can see, the thing about the Clemson areas, it seems to be available and open at all seasons, right? There's no, there's no beginning and there's no end to what you can do. The city and surrounding community investing in the outdoors in a very big way. They're adding hiking and biking trails connecting everyone to the great outdoors. But we also have metals park, metals park is expanding. We actually acquired An additional 90 acres within the last year. And so we're real excited about the wreck facilities. The sports, you name it again, it keeps home catering around families. Our youth, we look at it, it's a generational vision and then there is this, it's a constant magnet that draws people in the city is currently annexing 12 Mile Beach. This will provide public access to Lake Hartwell in a way Clemson has never seen before. It became available to the city for recreational use for the community at large and they've done an incredible job fixing it up, cleaning it up, making it ready for any and all that want to be here. There will be beach access boat ramps and places to just sit and relax right on the banks of the lake and again, all within the city limits when you have like a Clemson football game or a concert or heck their business trips here all the time. And you got boating, you've got jet skis, you've got rowing, you've got sailboats. There's world class fishing here. In other words. Now you can't tell the story of the city of Clemson without talking about the water. A city where the land meets the water and the water meets that Clemson Sky, Nigel, Robertson WBff News Four Clemson, we knew what a gym that it was, but it needed to be polished from sending goods out to luring tourists in. How Greer is becoming a destination in its own right plus good eats and fascinating culture. People that live here love it when chronicle continues for most of its history, the city of Greer sent things that it produced out into the world, shipping cotton textiles and peaches. The products may have changed over the years, but Greer is still a sender now, it's becoming a receiver to, of tourist carol clark on the city's plan to be a destination. Yeah. Many cities and towns begin as a wide spot in the road. Rear began as a wide spot for the rail road. When the railroad ran through James Greer's Farmland in the 1870s, he put up a train station, it became a shipping hub for upstate cotton that brought lots of money. So much so a special bank fault had to be installed at the post office. Downtown flourished along with the textile industry, we saw people coming to service that industry from all over the world because the textile machinery required. That sounds like a familiar plan. It's a century later, when automaker BMW chose Greer as the site of its north american plant. It also brought supporting businesses attracted to buy that reputation as a place that shipped to the world. The Greenville Spartanburg Airport, The inland port with a direct rail line to the port of charleston, both in Greer, we can't even begin to calculate how important that is to this area, but between the prosperous past and the promising present came a hard time for Greer In the 70s and 80s textiles dried up downtown to, we knew what a gym that it was, but it needed to be polished. So Greer turned to its treasures were very, very fortunate. We have got the quintessential turn of the century Intact downtown from the late 19th century into the 20th and most are on the historic register. So from under old plaster emerged painted signs from a century ago. And in 1998, a plan to preserve all that and make greer a destination up first, a new city hall bordering a downtown park that host attractions like Greer's freedom blast festival in july next the streetscape project, pedestrian friendly streets, brick paving, no curbs, festive lights overhead. Easy access to the shops and restaurants along Trade Street close parking, electric trolley carts like coming down here. We're going to get a little something to eat over at the oyster place. We like to go to the park, walk around john metric likes it so much. She's moving to Greer from Long Island. We fell in love with it. Um, it's an unbelievable place to raise a family wholesome place. God and country streetscape thing has just been incredible. I mean, if we get new customers and people in all the time. Mm hmm. Mhm Smith and James has been on Trade Street since 1916. This story is the oldest retail store in Greer. He grew up watching his dad run this store and then after college began running it with him. It's a family thing right next door. His sister owns a boutique in a thriving mini mall and my sister cuts hair three doors up. So the whole family works on this side, Same side. The sense of community builds loyalty and many who grew up here and lures newcomers I've just been so thrilled with is to see a city that is growing and thriving and building and doing so with a really deep sense of their roots, a family atmosphere in a town determined to remember its past while it looks to the future in Greer, carol clark, WBff News four and Greer continues to make plans part view. Greer is in the works that development will overlook city park and feature retail space, a brewery and a restaurant now down the road of it. Downtown boom continues in Spartanburg, longtime locals and newcomers to our proud to say that that country hometown feel isn't going anywhere are patrick cushion caught a ride downtown for an inside look at the culture, the growth and what's in store for Spartanburg. The hub city Real estate. Us News says it's one of the top 25 places to live in the country, home to Milliken and company Denny's headquarters, delicious chili dogs and nearly 40,000 people downtown. There are so many exciting things downtown Janice pack has lived here for over 70 years and today we're on a quick three mile trip with her Destination downtown. There's something for everyone in 1974 Janice wrote a letter to city leaders describing what a struggling Spartanburg could and should become streetlights and hanging baskets and sidewalk cafes and music on every corner. Then she waited for change for decades. But now we just needed to burst open. That's what's happening. It's awakening. It's an awakening that sees more people moving to the area. Ed Dylan Hunt says diverse options. Downtown brought him here. And the quietness to it's very comfortable here. It's, I mean, if you want to spice up country and city, it's right in between it Quiet. Yes. But nowadays just look and listen, it's clear. City leaders understand the importance of people living. Downtown people are moving downtown like crazy. They're building apartments and places to live. At last count there nearly 1200 apartment units proposed planned or under construction. Downtown stopping in for a quick bite Janice meets up with a group of lifelong friends, a former florist shop business at blue moon, specialty foods is blooming and Spartanburg. Pride is always on the menu, tremendous price. I think we want people to know, Hey, you know, we've got a great downtown. We've got the art, You just can't moves if you love art. Spartanburg has now been designated a cultural district by the State Arts Commission. And folks, I talked to say that growing diversity is yet another source of pride in Spartanburg. I've seen black owned businesses specifically opened up downtown where we didn't have those. You know, we have small cakes we have at stevens, we have James and James is open in the Montgomery building. So it's good to see businesses that look like me. They've got it going on and I'm so proud of the future and the future is bright. Yeah. And it's even brighter as you look up with the addition of more hotels, making out of towners comfortable and putting heads in beds is becoming easier. It's a reality Janice hoped for and wrote about nearly 50 years ago, my vision for Spartanburg was just like it's become, I mean, I couldn't be happier is exceeded my expectations. What is home mean to you? Home is a place that you love where you live. People that live here love it. We're just gonna keep on going. It's exciting in Spartanburg. Patrick, Hussian, Wbff News four. And the push for wider diversity continues Downtown Spartanburg will begin its business accelerator program in september it's designed to identify, prepare, empower and sustain african american entrepreneurs who are looking to open or expand a business there. The downtown with a lot of personality. Some people would say that it's weird the weirdness of Asheville that has folks coming back for more were undiscovered general chapstick and a revival for some smaller towns coming up next on Chronicle. Welcome back to Chronicle the beauty of Western north Carolina helps Asheville keep its spot as a top tourist destination. The city's minor league baseball team is even called the tourists and the locals are proud to call it home. But Gabrielle Komarovsky discovered that it's a unique mix that continues to draw people to Asheville. The land of the sky in this part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Mm hmm. It's all about that view. Every piece of the, in his position to draw in the view. It's been more than 100 years since E. W. Grove built the Grove Park Inn. Yes, ma'am. I've got those doors for you. Even in those days, Asheville was seen as a wellness destination. You came here for rest, relaxation for your health and to get better. The promise of wellness attracted some of the country's wealthiest George Vanderbilt opened his massive biltmore estate in 18 95. The estate is one of the area's largest employers and largest attractions. It's incredible. I mean, we're just lovers in 2019, 1.5 million people visited the biltmore estate data from the Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau shows that the number of people making overnight trips to the Asheville area went up by 17% from 2015 to 2019. They come for the clean air and mountain breezes. So the weather is really nice. The scenery is really nice. I just love it here and not far from the retreat of the mountains downtown. There's a beat on the street. I would say it's a little different. We've heard the phrase keep Asheville weird. Some people would say that it's weird. So we asked the Mayor of Asheville what that means. It's a place where people can sort of be themselves and that comes in a lot of different flavors. More than 120 independent restaurants downtown, more breweries per capita than anywhere else in the country have earned Asheville the nickname Beer City. Usa, there's a lively art scene and the weekly drum circle were funky town. Weird is good because weird is unique and unique draws people and so much of this area's uniqueness comes back to nature. It's something that we're drawn to naturally were drawn to. Water zen tubing gives people the chance to experience the french broad river on a tube and it is fun. They can do this trip and feel really comfortable and relax and enjoy the beauty of the river. On an average weekend day, about 2000 people spend the day floating on this three mile stretch of the french broad river and this isn't just about going with the flow. There are major efforts to take care of this water. I mean the french Broad is the lifeblood of this area. Asheville Green Works is dedicated to keeping the french broad river clean, but we actually pump out 25% of our water here in Nashville to be used as our drinking water. So we try to, we try to say to folks, we all have a connection to the river here. There is a special connection to the nature in a thriving growing city. We want to make sure that there's opportunity for everyone here and that they can enjoy a good quality of life in Asheville, a place where people feel free to enjoy the beach or just relax In Asheville Gabrielle Komarovsky Wbff News four. The scenery and the vibe of these beautiful mountain counties is a great draw. Gabrielle now takes us to Henderson and Transylvania County's each brings that special downtown field but also a uniqueness and a few surprises on Main Street. We're having a really great time out in front of tempo music. I am a builder of the home drums in downtown Hendersonville. There's a huge energy here to the mountains. That energy is heard and felt. They love the entertainment, they love the vibe down here, they love the food and they love this small town field cruising up and down the street is a trolley, that's the oldest soda fountain in western north Carolina Eva richie is the voice. They all came up here basically for one reason, historic Hendersonville tour, that's why cab Calloway came here and Jack Dempsey, the reaction has been oh my goodness, I never realized how much there is in Hendersonville bobby go slow and we go by the aquarium including pieces of the ocean. I think the biggest personality fish wise we have is our stingray charlotte, She loves attention. This is the aquarium and shark like have two sharks right now by team Echo most people are really shocked that there's an aquarium in the mountains. The goal is to teach the beach, especially the kids that don't get to see it and don't get to go to the beaches or the ocean. So it's always fun watching the kids get to experience it for the first time. Tva's trolley also stops at the train depot. The railroad arrived here in 1879 and that's when the population ramp just went up and people keep coming here. I'm talking to people who are from Greenville South Carolina and from Tennessee and from Florida. This is a spot that people love Tourism numbers from 2021 show people visiting the Hendersonville area are staying longer. It's the weather and I think it's the slower pace of life. You know, people come here and they can relax, It's easier. Just about 15 minutes from downtown Hendersonville is Dupont state recreational forest famous and loved for its rushing waters. The little river here connects Henderson and Transylvania County's and people are drawn to this natural beauty that's accessible not far at all from Main Street I think for a sheer volume of trout water that's available. It's probably up there with anywhere else in the world, wormy worm Davidson River outfitters in brevard helps anglers access these beautiful fish. Don't live in ugly place, peaceful spots. Generally. There aren't a lot of people around in those places to cast and catch the native Appalachian brook trout. That's our one native trout in this area. They say the appeal of angling has grown more. People get out and appreciate and enjoy public lands like that. The more people are invested and wanted to see those lands protected. And just downstream is downtown brevard Main Street has a theme. He starts telling us about the white squirrel and I said a white squirrel. That's not realistic. That brings people here. The famous white squirrel, top of brevard north Carolina, It's been here for 35 plus years. The rain Scalia is the owner. We have over 2000 white squirrels right here in brevard. She says almost 100 years ago, white squirrels escaped from a circus caravan in florida. They were brought to brevard. Well, they're kind of territorial. They stick together like baths and they multiplied. Lorraine says the squirrels come to her yard. They show up every morning and there's at least 12 of them that come every day. Visitors who don't see one can buy a squirrel souvenir. They find anything from uh, an umbrella to a nail file numbers show visitor spending is growing faster in Transylvania County than nearly every other county in north Carolina who are very friendly and I like the stores because it's a down to earth kind of hometown field. There's something very genuine about it all and plenty to do in these friendly towns with breathtaking backdrops. Gabrielle Komarovsky WTF News for, for every big city in our area. There are dozens of small towns figuring out how to thrive on that hometown feel. Stephanie trotter takes us to one such town Elberton Georgia. If I had to describe Albertans in any way I would call it an old soul. The pace in Elberton is much like the granite. The town is famous for smooth, reliable As other rural towns fadeaway. Albertans successes etched in stone Withstanding the one foe, you just can't stop time. A few steps off the town square. Mhm Addison Scarborough prepares for the day at the peach Petunia. I'm definitely proud of the, of the growth that we've made. The fashionista opened her boutique during Covid and has watched second year sales almost double. Growing up in Alberton, she had to drive an hour away for a decent pair of jeans. I definitely want Elberton to grow. I don't know, I do like the small town life. I don't want to live in a big city is, there's nothing wrong with that. I just enjoy small town life. Good morning. Thank you for calling Samuel Albert Hotel. That life goes on one block away as housekeepers, fluff fold and straighten at the Samuel Elbert Hotel. The historic building had sat empty on the town square for 15 years when the city acquired it and pumped $5 million dollars into restoring its tutor splendor with modern touches after it had been revived and, and people are parking on the square again and staying here. They're here at night. You can see life here and that draws more life into downtown from monotone to vibrant color. Native linear done has witnessed the squares evolution across four decades. Yes, the trends will change. The clothing will change. The services will probably change, but I think our geography and and are the look of our downtown would be much the way it is today and that's what we want to hold on to. The city's next big project is to renovate the Masonic temple. It's the oldest building here on the square that was built just after the civil war. The plan is for two shops to go on the first floor with apartments up above increasing and growing and thriving. Leslie Friedman leads the Chamber of Commerce, Guiding business growth. Almost 10% this past year. There's an instant sense of community that you don't always get other places and people, people thrive on community. A community that's growing. I like the small town field at a pace that allows the granite capital of the world to stand as strong as the cities monuments. The heart of Elberton is its people. Stephanie, Trotter, wbff news four albertans in the upstate of south Carolina. The town of Lawrence goes way back, it's named for a patriot of the american revolution. Henry Lawrence couldn't see then what was in store. Michael Cogdell now from an old town experiencing a new revival on a summertime friday night. Oh, who would guess this is a really old mill town Lawrence is becoming a destination spot. Ray reader works at Palmetto Brothers Dispensary. The watering hole in the town square took a blow dryer and a comb and I tease it a little bit. Still had some hair when the mill shut down in the nineties. Just a sense of humor about it. And it gives it that full body, you know, that people have come to expect since the pride is showing and how downtown Lawrence found its way back, brought people of Lawrence back together and they've got a meeting spot now, all helped along by the hip young mayor. I mean of the mayors in the state, I'd say I'm one of the hipper mayor Nathan Sin in the downtown merchants helped to create that. Nightlife were undiscovered. Jim of the upstate, he found his way back to his hometown from another old city. He loves charleston's. I hope we've brought a little bit of charleston here where we value our historic structures meaning like charleston. Lawrence's charmingly old. What Disney had in mind only real, the real life version of walt Disney was trying to create with main street America at walt. Disney world and You know, there's no place like home. Bear at home should know. The military took him all over the world before he came home to Lawrence he owns and preserves pieces of the town now. These are the pine floors that were here in the 1880s, Just cut a new legacy. The beadboard ceilings are still there. These are the original plaster walls, all the brick, everything is original to the building, the 1880s and with that new legacy building here in the downtown, Lawrence is shedding part of its past that used to be a storefront, a business called the redneck shop. Now it's anything but fact sign out front reads rehab hate dot com. It's sort of been an albatross that's hung around their neck that the locals don't identify with. The mayor will tell you most of the locals never liked the rednecks shop, but they love a man from far away from here. I was born northwest of Syria in a kurdish area. Given yussef opened Roma's italian restaurant on the square in 2003, friday saturday here is booming years before the boom. He was the only place open past five. He'll tell you how Lawrence opened its heart to him when we go anywhere. As soon as I get close to Lawrence, I feel peace. It became home in many ways. Lawrence is becoming an old home to the new south. We are seeing a lot of diversity and the people that are owning our businesses and they're all being successful locals like Jonathan Iraq and others succeeding in bringing new life around that square. We're seeing probably more young people coming downtown on the weekends and in the evenings and we've seen and probably the last 20 or 30 years. They're old mill town becoming more of a thrill town for everybody. It's not just the mayor. It's not just main street. It's everybody working together to make us special. Michael, cargo wBff News for me. Lawrence how this fast growing city is keeping its small town field. You want to feel like you belong that you always have a friend here coming up next on chronicle. Greenville's recipe for success headed straight down I 3 85. And now the Golden Strip is enjoying some of that same fortune as its neighbor to the north. Our destiny chance shows us around Simpsonville. All right, you're welcome. Even though it's changed over the years, it still feels like Simpson building me simply home. It's still a friendly town. We still wave at each other whether you know somebody or not. A one small town dating back to the early 1800s. Simpsonville is now booming in 2010 I believe we were sitting right at 75,000 and we are projecting to be right around 105,000 by 2024. It's a growing small town as I guess it's about the best way to describe Simpsonville right now that it's still got the, a small town field. The Simpsonville area Chamber of Commerce says, according to a 2019 survey, 79% of homes are family households. One of many reasons why scott cause he chose to raise his family in Simpsonville with my wife's great uncle started it in 1934. So yeah, so she uh, we had no idea we would ever work here much less on it, situated in the heart of downtown, across the historic clock tower cause he and his wife owned Howards Pharmacy. One of the first businesses in Simpsonville. This area has too much character. The building has too much character in history about it and inside the pharmacy even more history, original woodwork in bricks and look at this original medication vials. We were so lucky with the bones that we had here. I think it lends to just the overall aesthetic right next door to Howard's is sweet sipping. Well, excitement is buzzing because this is Simpsonville is very first rooftop bar, making it the perfect destination for an intimate glass of wine, craft beer and live music in the downtown area, julie Redman says she became an entrepreneur years ago creating a chocolate and toffee business. She built relationships with local vendors and wanted to expand into wine. Hence sweet sipping. You want to feel like you belong that you, you always have a friend here. Those same friendly customers have continued to support her, especially during the pandemic Red man is originally from Canada and has traveled all over the world. She says there's no community quite like the Simpsonville one so diverse geographically socio economically. There's so many demographics that really believe in supporting, they're small businesses and their community members. I'll do the regular opponents definitely think during Covid for sure, people have realized how important a small businesses for the community and that appreciation is what keeps this community tightly knit even as it keeps evolving. People care about each other. Um, they know you, they shake your hand, they look you in the eye when they're talking to you in Simpsonville, Destiny Chance, W. Y. F. F. News for four and we're taking lessons learned from downtown sustaining and growing success. We have to be intentional, we have to do the work, roll up our sleeves, successful cities looking to the future. Next on chronicle. Seeing cranes on the skyline often means prosperity on the city streets below here in Greenville, the hum of new construction is constant, but each downtown has its own blueprint for future success. Yeah. A bustling downtown breathes new life into the local economy, but it takes planning and perseverance. And so we were committed to staying in a downtown setting refurbished. Are building back then and so glad we did part of downtown Greenville's modern day success is the commitment of its big churches to stay put even through the decline of the late 20th century city fathers are telling us that in the next 10 years we can expect 500,000 people and we are seeing that growth here as a congregation that is quiet in our hearts together And first Presbyterian is now committing to the future with a $34 million dollar expansion. Those partnerships from the past are Greenville's path to the future, which now includes growing even more green. So now we're working in a, in the creation of Unity Park just up the river and we're taking lessons learned from downtown. One lesson learned, be intentional about accessibility and affordability. The city is using its own property surrounding the park to build affordable housing. Community park is just down the street, neighboring mountain View baptist church. We stand in your presence a citizen since 19 oh eight, we give you all the break is investing in that same goal. We have to be intentional. We have to do the work, roll up our sleeves and figure out how to keep this accessible for all families. The name of it also suggests that you are making sure that a part of the community is not forgotten or left behind in an area that at one time was a classic example of segregation, where you had a black park in the white part and we're bringing them all together and enlarging the park and that that is indeed what it's called. Unity Park, its economic mobility, it's helping people move up, reach up and live up in Greenville south Carolina in a way that says, quality of life is important for all of us. These vibrant downtowns from big and booming growth can be very healthy, but it needs to be done with balance too small and cozy. Our passion is to continue a family oriented type. Area cities that boast beautiful natural backdrops are protecting those vistas for future generations to enjoy and travelers rest. That means getting codes in place. Today we make sure that buildings have to be a certain height and they can't go over those heights. And those chefs from Greenville, the ones with the secret sauce, they say a dash of perseverance will keep the recipe fresh, stay in it for the long haul and you can make significant strides in developing your downtown and making a transformational change in your community. Having a vibrant downtown that attracts people to come explore it. Come invest in it and live in it. Well, that's a winning combination for a successful future for everyone who calls that community home. Thank you for joining us for Chronicle. We hope that we've inspired you to find your destination downtown. I'm jane Rabello. Goodnight. Mhm. Okay. Yeah. Mhm. Yeah. Mhm. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. Oh, thank you. Mhm.