With so many multi-use development announcements + new businesses growing along Main, it’s easy to wonder if there’s an overall vision guiding the development downtown. Meet the Downtown Greenville Master Plan – it outlines exactly what the city wants GVL to look like + where the best opportunities are for growth.

But it was created in June 2008, making the plan nearly ten years old... so it’s time for a new master plan in 2018.

The City of Greenville has put out a Request for Proposals (RFP), meaning firms are getting together their portfolios, references + best ideas for future GVL. A few things they’ll need:

5 examples of previous successful master plan projects
Analysis of Greenville’s physical environment (building heights + density, number of developments, green spaces, pedestrian access)
A look at our current market – How should we balance retail/dining/residential space? How can we retain downtown’s character while growing? Should downtown’s boundaries be expanded?
A funding plan (future projects can no longer rely heavily on public investments)
An implementation strategy with specific actions + timing

What is the City hoping to see? The goal is for the plan to reflect the desires of those affected by the changes. It’ll be compiled with public input throughout 2018, and one of its objectives is to be a “frequently referenced document by the community.”

A big indicator of a firm’s philosophy + approach will be its SWOT analysis – what are downtown’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats?

We’re in downtown aaaalllll the time + know you probably are too, so we want to know how you’d break it down. Where could Greenville do something great? Where do you think it’s falling behind?

The City wants Greenville to grow with the community, not against it. When opportunities come up next year for the public to get involved with the new master plan, we’ll let you know + be right there with you sharing our input.

– Kendall

Some feedback from our readers:

Traffic is awful. Stone avenue is set to be a parking lot when North Pointe is completed and Poinsett Highway entrance is nightmare at five. – jwj

With respect to the GVL Master plan... what I see is concerning. You have growth in high-end housing and businesses, but at what cost? The mom/pop establishments that built Greenville, or brought it back to life, are being squeezed out in favor of these high-end places. Our uniqueness is in danger of alienating the little group responsible for the very foundation of our city. Big bucks are important, but little bucks do add up quickly. And little buck spenders do, oftentimes, outnumber those big spenders. Little buck spenders will also be the ones that remain or rebuild if the economy should crumble. - Karen B.

Weakness, no affordable housing for older people. Would be nice to see Greenville get something similar to "Century Village" at Deerfield Beach Florida, a condo housing for 55plus. Very affordable for people 55plus, which is very helpful when you're single, divorced, widowed and older with limited income. You can check it out at www.centuryvillage.com. - Dee N.

Why are only businesses asked to respond to the RFP? They are based on money and will make their ideas such. Where as the people will have totally different ideas to keep the city's incredible living style. More emphasis on controlled growth, than short term, temporary financial growth. Just look at the number of shops and restaurants that open and close way to quickly, or, loss of more established businesses that are runoff due to high rents/leases. - Jim F.

More affordable housing. The gentrification of Greenville threatens the diversity and character of this very nice city. Make strides to control greed in overdevelopment that harms everyone. - Linda

Make some space for trees. If every square inch is made of condos and apartments, there must be some balance with nature. Also, more affordable housing must be developed. - Mary Margaret D.

W/T - What type of cultural awareness and considerations are we bringing to this conversation? Who's being asked what "we" need or want? Another W/T - improve pedestrian + bike ride experience. Stop building parking garages start creating + improving bike lanes throughout downtown. - @amescashin

A better Public Transportation system for sure! And I am not talking about the downtown Trolley's, I am talking about actual Public Transporation like Greenlink. Spend money on it! - Diego A.

Greenville better pump the brakes on all the residential and hotel buildings going up. The infrastructure is not in place to support what we currently have. Downtown, for as beautiful as it is, is losing its charm. I also fear that rent, for downtown businesses, is getting to the point where sustainability is becoming an issue. - @bkenna23

Strengths: good PR, variety of things to do, scenery, friendly people, location to get to mountains, larger cities, or ocean in a reasonable amount of time...and GVLtoday.
Weaknesses: a bit too fast of growth, more affordable options for food/housing being displaced downtown, traffic and traffic management (i.e. light sequences);
Opportunities: to weave art, greenery, and unique activities in between the "standard" city growth; manage traffic/parking flow, retain small town charm with larger city benefits; to seek out the viewpoints of a diversity of people, younger and older than millennials as well as millennials, people of different cultures, etc.
Threats: losing small town charm; losing inexpensive options to eat/play downtown; becoming too cookie cutter of a city; being too concerned about being "tops in the nation" too often in press. - Beth L.

A film festival!!!! A new cinema or a few, and have a great annual film festival like Savannah or Nashville, doesn't need to be a Sundance or TriBeCa prestige. - @zachlovesspam