A Greenville neighborhood re-imagined. This SC community may get a complete makeover. Here’s how

The Greenline-Spartanburg neighborhood sits about a mile from burgeoning downtown Greenville.

In fact, some areas have a nice view of downtown.

But Greenline-Spartanburg is a neighborhood in despair, neglected and narrow roads, a creek that bisects the community and floods when it rains hard. In fact, the creek is a barrier between the Greenline and Spartanburg sections. Back in the day, residents placed large boulders to get across.

Kudzu was cited as a big problem by residents. Some homes have fallen into disrepair or have been torn down, leaving large empty tracts, many of which are owned by the city or investors.

An ambitious master plan to counter all that has been developed for the city by Aracdis, a design, engineering and consultancy company. It not only touches on ways to improve the community, but also endeavors to avoid gentrification, which has begun, and to keep residents in their homes and celebrate the community.

“While years of neglect to the community’s infrastructure cannot be denied, it is not just the roads and creek banks that are in danger of completely vanishing,” the master plan says. “The stories and culture of this area are at risk of being forgotten.”

The draft plan was months in the making and included neighborhood meetings that sought input from young people, who had a series of suggestions, such as movie night under the stars, a big greenhouse and a multigenerational books club.

The draft was presented to Greenville City Council members Monday. It will go to the Planning Commission Dec. 5 and if approved, will go back to council for a vote Dec. 8.

All council members expressed support Monday.

The plan envisions adding 481 housing units — both single- and multi-family — to the 248 existing units. About 44% of 215 units would be considered affordable housing.

“The existing road conditions of the neighborhood are some of the worst in the City of Greenville,” the plan says. “Narrow lanes, broken pavement, and speeding are all highly concerning to the neighborhood residents.”

Sometimes during high traffic times, it is hard to get in or out and there are no neighborhood signs.

The plan calls for all that to be improved, closing one road, improving many. It also calls for extending Chestnut Street with a bridge to connect the two sides.

An intersection at East North Street, a main thoroughfare into the downtown, and Chestnut Street would have a traffic signal and be the gateway to the community.

Lack of lighting would be addressed by more street lamps at the pedestrian level and a spur to the Swamp Rabbit Trail wold be built.

The plan also calls for what the consultants are calling Storyline Strollway, a series of swings along a walkway that would tell the story of the neighborhood.

“The stories and memories will be lost if not recorded and celebrated in some way,” the plan says. “The idea for neighborhood swings came from a young girl in the neighborhood, Sentarrah Mennazz. She shared early on in the public planning process that she would like to have swings in her neighborhood.”

The plan also recommends that the neighborhood keep its name as Greenline-Spartanburg.