Spartanburg City News

After a record-breaking 2015 that saw more than 70,000 people attend training camp, the Carolina Panthers, coming off their NFC Championship season, are set to return to Spartanburg on July 28. Getting things started for the team's stay in town, the Lowe's Kickoff Party will be held at 4:30 p.m. at Gibbs Stadium on the campus of Wofford College. Events include the Mayor's Ball Run, on-field perfor...

It has been a problematic area within the city's north side for years, and after City Council voted unanimously to approve $1.9 million to purchase Oakview Apartments for the future construction of a new Dr. T.K. Gregg Community Center. The purchase marks the end of a long struggle to acquire the property from its owner, Related Companies, a New York-based real estate firm owned by multibillionair...

Yet another downtown construction project is ready to get underway after the City's Design Review Board voted 3-0 to approve plans for a five-story mixed-use development for the corner of W Main Street and Daniel Morgan Avenue. The building will bring 30 new apartment units as well as 3,000 square feet of ground floor retail space to the prominent downtown corner. A development agreement for the b...

Walking down the western side of Magnolia Street will be a lot less claustraphobic pretty soon, as our latest streetscaping project is underway between Dunbar and W Saint John streets. The Magnolia Street project is the third of the City's $2.3 million streetscaping plan, passed by Council in 2014. Designed to improve storefront visibility, create additional public space, and significantly improve...

Officially, summer hasn't actually arrived yet, but you'd have a hard time guessing that if you've spent anytime outdoors lately. Looking for a unique way to beat the heat this weekend? On Saturday, June 18 consider that heat beaten thanks to our friends at Hub-Bub. Slide the City, a one-day event offering the chance to slip and slide down a 1,000-foot section of Daniel Morgan Avenue in downtown S...

June is here, and in the world of local government that normally means one thing: budget time! At their most recent meeting, City Council gave first approval to the $37.2 million fiscal year 2017 budget, which includes no tax increases and includes a four percent projected increase in General Fund revenue, the largest growth rate since end of the recession. Still, even with positive signs for futu...

For many, the Downtown Memorial Airport is likely one of those rarely visited gems, something most locals know exists but may not know much about. Looking for a chance to take a look around one of Spartanburg's lessor-known amenities, and maybe get a view from above while you're at it? Then you definitely don't want to miss Airport Fair at Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport on June 4, 10 a.m.–4...

It's been three years since Kathy and Michael Silverman were announced as one of three winners of our first Main Street Challenge, helping to pave the way for what has since become a staple of downtown Spartanburg's eastern end, The Local Hiker. Having made that investment, and with a few years under their belts as successful downtown business owners, you wouldn't blame the couple for resting on t...

For the 10th consecutive year, Spartanburg has earned recognition from national non-profit KaBOOM! as a 2016 Playful City USA community for its efforts to increase play opportunities for children. The city is one of fewer than 20 cities and towns across the country to earn the distinction every year since the program was created in 2007. The recognition comes on the heels of $2.5 million in recent...

In just three years it's managed to become one of the most anticipated annual events in downtown Spartanburg and for year four, a move to Morgan Square promises to up the ante even more as Hub City Hog Fest gears up to bathe downtown in the mouth-watering smell of delicious barbecue, April 15 and 16. With 48 teams competing in three categories, opportunities to sample some of the smokey goodness w...

It's been nearly two years since Allen Smith took the reins as President & CEO of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce. A lot has happened at the Chamber since then, including a new marketing push and a new publication to go with it. A lot has happened in the larger community as well, with downtown Spartanburg's accelerating redevelopment adding a new dimension to our county's economic story....

It's been nearly two years since Allen Smith took the reins as President & CEO of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce. A lot has happened at the Chamber since then, including a new marketing push and a new publication to go with it. A lot has happened in the larger community as well, with downtown Spartanburg's accelerating redevelopment adding a new dimension to our county's economic story....

On Tuesday, voters in Spartanburg School District 7 approved a $185 million building plan that will bring a host of facility improvements, including two new schools, a new elementary school to replace Houston and Chapman elementary schools and a new Spartanburg High School to be built on E Main Street at the site of the old Lan-Yair Country Club. The building plan referendum, which passed overwhel...

As a dedicated City Podcast listener, you've likely already heard that City Council unanimously approved two major downtown development projects at their meeting earlier this week. We've already discussed one of those projects, a five-story mixed-use development featuring 30 apartment units and 3,000 square feet of ground floor retail space to be built on the corner of W Main Street and Daniel Mor...

If you've tried to get an apartment in Downtown Spartanburg recently, you've probably encountered some trouble finding a place. In fact, in our last survey, around 98 percent of all our downtown residential units were filled. However you look at it, there seems to be more than a little pent up demand for new downtown living options in Spartanburg. The good news? More units are on the way. On Monda...

As announced earlier this month, due to significant changes in the recycling marketplace, glass will no longer be accepted as of March 1 at Spartanburg County recycling centers or through the City of Spartanburg’s residential curbside recycling collection program City residents should stop putting glass in their blue rollcarts following their final collection day in February. The changes are in la...

Here at the City, we're always on the lookout for new ways to engage with Spartanburg's residents and fans. This week, two things in that vein made it into our podcast. First, in a test run of what we hope will be many future uses to come, the recording of this podcast was live-streamed on Periscope, a video streaming app that allows users to watch events in real time. Check us out there. We're pl...

There's no doubt about it. For Downtown Spartanburg, 2015 was one seriously great year. In the course of those 12 months, the good news just kept right on rolling in, whether it was the announcement of a new 10-story downtown AC Hotel by Marriot, new streetscaping projects that changed the look and feel of some crucially important downtown areas, a citywide $2.5 million parks improvment plan, or a...

It's New Year's Eve, a time to look back and reflect on the year that has been as it slips away forever into the past before thoughts turn to the year ahead. What better way to spend part of the last day of 2015 than to catch up on some of this year's highlights in Spartanburg. With announcements like a new 10-story downtown Marriott AC hotel and streetscaping projects that have increased vibrancy...

Thanksgiving week is here and the holiday decorations are up in Downtown Spartanburg, and that means it's time for two local yuletide favorites to make their annual return. Skating on the Square returns to Morgan Square on Wednesday, November 25, with Dickens of a Christmas scheduled to take over downtown on Tuesday, December 1, 6 p.m.–9 p.m. Today on the podcast, we're talking with City Special E...

The good news just keeps coming for Spartanburg. Yesterday, the the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation's largest philanthropy dedicated solely to health, named Spartanburg one of eight winners of its Culture of Health Prize for 2015. Spartanburg County is being recognized for leveraging its unique strengths and rallying community partners around a shared vision of health. Efforts have resu...

A lot has changed since RJ Rockers moved their brewery to its then-new location inside the old Salvation Army building on the corner of W Main Street and Daniel Morgan Avenue in 2009. Not that long ago, watery macrobrews filled seemingly every tap in Downtown Spartanburg, but today the options for those thirsting for something a bit more flavorful have never been more abundant, and with our city's...

In a move nearly as brilliant as when that Reese guy decided to put chocolate and peanut butter together, Greenville restaurant group Table 301 has partnered with downtown craft beer hotspot Growler Haus to bring their Papi's Tacos concept to Spartanburg. Located upstairs at Growler Haus' location at 113 N Church Street, the new eatery features authentic tacos and nachos, as well as chips served w...

It is perhaps the most iconic park in Spartanburg, a once vibrant public space where generations of our community's parents have brought children to play and enjoy one of the city's most picturesque scenes. For many, Cleveland Park is a place awash in happy memories of sunshine-filled childhood days. Punctuated by the charming pond spilling itself gently into a stream that burbles through the larg...

From craft beer to acupuncture and smoothie stores to Russian groceries, the newly released Volume 2 of “The Underground Guide to Spartanburg” has the lowdown on plenty of unexpected treasures and trips inside Spartanburg County. There are more than 60 new entries in this 112-page guidebook, published this week by Spartanburg’s Hub City Press. If you’re looking for late-night music, anti-gravity y...