Massive development will change the entrance to this booming SC city. Here are the details

A 90-acre development of businesses, homes and entertainment is planned for a section of Laurens Road, one of the entrances to the city of Greenville.

Verdae Development announced this week the property will be called Bolden Street District and groundbreaking will take place next year.

“Bolden Street District has the DNA of Greenville,” said Dan Klausner, chief executive officer of Verdae Development. “It shares in Greenville’s city spirit and love of the outdoors. But it’s not attempting to be another downtown. Bolden Street will very much be its own kind of place.”

The land was once owned by eclectic textile entrepreneur John D. Hollingworth, who left most of his estate to Hollingsworth Funds when he died in 2000. Verdae Development is a subsidiary of the fund, which has $394 million in assets, according to its most recent IRS filing.

The nonprofit fund also provides annual grants to Furman University, the Greenville YMCA and other Greenville charities.

The Verdae Development website says they needed to rethink how the property, zoned for commercial businesses, should be developed.

“Step by careful step, creating a walkable, close-knit, diverse, connected, trailside district,” the website says.

The property is on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a bike and walking path through Greenville County, and is close to downtown Greenville and the Greenville Downtown Airport.

The name comes from the word embolden, “meaning to encourage, give confidence to or make bold,” the company said.

It will include apartments, condominiums and townhomes as well as retail, restaurants, entertainment, personal and professional services, medical and professional offices.

Build out is expected to take 10 years or more.

The Urban Land Institute, the city of Greenville, community and business leaders worked with Verdae on the project, which has been years in the making.

This story was originally published May 3, 2025 at 6:00 AM.