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Looking ahead to 2017 in Spartanburg Dec 28, 2016

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With a new hotel recently topped out and massive historical redevelopments announced for the Montgomery Building and former Aug W. Smith building, 2016 was one of the most exciting years in Spartanburg's history on the downtown development front, and with new restaurants like Pokéritto, Mezcal, and the new Miyako's space all well underway, 2017 is already a year full of promise for Downtown Spartanburg. Combine that with important progress expected on the Northside as well as our city's parks and outdoor recreation options, and it sounds like we've got the makings of a pretty interesting podcast, previewing what we know and speculating about what might be around the corner for Spartanburg. So kick back and get ready to send 2016 off in style with the dulcet tones of two local government dorks musing about the coming year.

2016 a big year for Downtown Spartanburg redevelopment Dec 21, 2016

Show notes

Another winter is upon us, and as the year ends and the cold turns us all into reflective hermits, it's time for what has become something of a tradition on the City Podcast, our look back on the year that was. So what has 2016 been like for the City of Spartanburg? If we had to pick a word, we'd go with groundbreaking. For years, the bureaucrats roaming the corridors of City Hall had identified two historic buildings as the most important potential downtown historic redevelopment sites, the Montgomery Building and the Aug W. Smith building (former home to Bishop Furniture). If 2016 had brought an agreement to renovate either of those buildings, it would've been a huge win for us in city government, a huge win for downtown, and a huge win for the entire city. We got both. Add that to the future AC Hotel rising in our skyline and the other development projects and business openings that commanded so much of our attention this year, and it's tough to conclude that the "Downtown Jump" predicted a year ago in our "look ahead" podcast isn't well underway.

What does the City Fire Department's top protection ranking mean for you? Dec 13, 2016

Show notes

At Monday's City Council meeting, Fire Chief Marion Blackwell announced an achievement for our city's fire department that places it among the nation's leaders, as the Insurance Services Office (ISO) has recognized the city's fire protection services as Class 1, up from its previous Class 2 rating. The classification, known as the Public Protection Classification (PPC) program, assesses the fire-protection efforts in a particular community. ISO collects information on municipal fire-protection efforts in communities throughout the United States. In each of those communities, ISO analyzes the relevant data using its Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS). The company then assigns a Public Protection Classification from 1 to 10. Class 1 generally represents superior property fire protection, and Class 10 indicates that the area's fire-suppression program doesn't meet ISO's minimum criteria. The ISO 1 rating is validation of the superior services City residents receive. Only 204 of nearly 47,700 — 0.4 percent — fire protection service agencies in the nation have earned the ISO 1 rating. Today on the podcast, we're talking with Chief Blackwell about the new rating, and what it means for city residents, both for their pocketbooks and for their safety.

Historic E Main redevelopment to add 46 downtown apartment units, ground floor retail space Nov 30, 2016

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It's been a property near the top of City Staff's potential historic redevelopment list for a long time, and after City Council's approval of a develoment agreement at their meeting on Monday, a building that was once one of Spartanburg's anchor department stores is on its way to a new life, bringing new residential options and ground floor retail space to downtown on the move. Located at 174 East Main Street, across from Denny's Plaza, the former home of Bishop Furniture and the Aug W Smith Department Store is slated to become 46 upscale apartment units and ground level storefront space after an extensive interior and exterior renovation project undertaken by Blue Wall REII, LLLC, a Greenville-based developer set to purchase the building. Today on the podcast, we're taking a deeper dive on this historic renovation and how it fits into the larger downtown redevelopment story.

Why your voice matters in local government Nov 23, 2016

Show notes

it's become something of a tradition on the podcast for us to take on broader topics and themes during the holidays. Partly it's the slow news time, partly it's that we tend to get a little philosophical around this time of year, but mostly it's that we like imagining all of you, gathered with family and friends around the old bluetooth speaker, listening to the dulcet tones of a deeply nerdy local government podcast. It's a fun fantasy for us. On this week's podcast, served up just before you stuff your face with delicious Thanksgiving food, we're talking about the importance of your involvement in local government. With it not only being a holiday week, but also one following after a contentious national election, we thought it might be important to remind all of you why your voices matter here, and why, if we're being totally honest, Spartanburg's future depends on it. So sit back, try not to think too much about that overstuffed belly of yours, and listen to why you matter to us.

Hub-Bub hosting 'The Community Table,' Saturday, Nov. 19 Nov 16, 2016

Show notes

Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, a time for food, family, togetherness, and awkwardly looking down into your plate to avoid making eye contact with that uncle who wants to talk politics. Wouldn't it be great if to have a different sort of gathering leading up to the annual food coma that kicks off the hectic holiday season? Well, make plans to be in downtown Spartanburg on Saturday, November 19 for Hub-Bub's Community Table. From 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Spring Street will be closed-off (between Broad and Main streets) 150-foot table, a proper mass-communal artifact if ever there was one, will be set up. The meal will be chili, provided by Café Around the Corner (with vegan option available), and the event will also feature live music and games. Tickets are $10 in advance, and you can buy them by following this link. And after you've got the holiday season started the right way, be sure to mark your calendars for December 10 and 11, as Hub-Bub brings an outdoor holiday market with art, crafts, and gifts from local makers as well as food, drink, and live entertainment to Wall Street, letting you get your holiday shopping done in a new way that doesn't involve nightmarish trips to big box stores where you'll be buying the same gifts everyone else buys. For more details on these events, check out our podcast with Hub-Bub's Eric Kocher and Tim Giles below.

'Yarn bombing' public art installations planned to kick-off Downtown Cultural District grand opening Nov 09, 2016

Show notes

Some of the most revered Southern works of art hang near those created by a deep well of talented local artists. Live music from one or more of two dozen outdoor and indoor stages can be heard nearly every night of the week. A ballet company, a philharmonic, and a theatre company provide big-city productions year-round. Another organization's artist-in-residence program brings artists live and make art for months at a time.Murals and sculptures dot the streets and make postcard-ready backdrops. Downtown Spartanburg is a vibrant, dynamic home for the arts, boasting the $45 million Chapman Cultural Center, some of the best art galleries in the South, and an independent press and bookshop respected throughout the literary community. Indeed, surprises are seemingly around every corner, including every step of the 2-mile Hub City Music Trail that chronicles Spartanburg's significant musical heritage. That's why basically all of Downtown Spartanburg —every street and every block — has been designated a cultural district by the South Carolina Arts Commission. Today on the podcast, we're talking about a great public art installation that will help us kick off the official opening of Spartanburg's newly designated Downtown Cultural District, taking place November 17, 4:30–8 p.m. on Morgan Square. Artist Ashleigh Shuler has planned a series of "yarn bombs" for locations around downtown, and also a community build for those who'd like to get involved, scheduled for Sunday, November 13, 1–4 p.m. at the Chapman Cultural Center.

Connecting the dots between downtown and neighborhood revitalization in Spartanburg Oct 26, 2016

Show notes

We spend a lot of time (a whole lot) of time thinking and talking about downtown revitalization and redevelopment on the Northside. That's probably not the most shocking revelation ever to come from this podcast, but one thing we maybe don't talk enough about is connection between the two, as well as another redevelopment effort in its infancy in Highland. Why is that where our efforts are focused, and why is the effort to improve these targeted areas something that will ensure the future health of our city and benefit all of our citizens, now and in the years to come? Today on the podcast, we're tackling that very question.

Dr. Ann to present 'The Happiness Diet' on National Food Day, Oct 24 Oct 21, 2016

Show notes

On National Food Day, Spartanburg will get a lesson in nutrition from The Mary Black Foundation when Dr. Ann Kulze, renowned authority, and motivational speaker in the areas of nutrition, healthy living, and disease prevention, presents "The Happiness Diet at the Chapman Cultural Center on Monday, October 24, 5-7 p.m. Dr. Ann has been featured in a number of national media outlets including the Dr. Oz show, Oprah and Friends Radio, Time Magazine, NPR, WebMD, CNN Radio, Prevention, and Redbook, among many others. She was the national spokesperson for Ruby Tuesday's SMART EATING initiative and is a regular guest on the Midwest's WBCL's mid-morning program. The Happiness Diet presentation transforms the compelling body of science as it relates to diet and brain health into a program that is simple, fun, delicious, and completely straightforward. The audience will be wowed by Dr. Ann's passion, and will walk away with take-action-today inspiration and all of the nutrition guidance needed to beat stress, boost happiness, and unleash the brain's full potential. Because the brain is the most demanding, discriminating, and fastidious of all organs when it comes to nutrition, if the brain's nutrition needs are met, the remainder of the body is more than taken care of. Today on the podcast, we're talking with Dr. Ann about her upcoming visit to Spartanburg, and about what folks can expect from this informative presentation.

Pokérrito bringing new sushi concept to downtown Spartanburg Oct 13, 2016

Show notes

The restaurant announcements just keep coming in downtown Spartanburg, and at this past Monday's City Council meeting, another new concept got a big thumbs-up as Council approved a development agreement to bring Pokérrito to the 119 N Church Street. The concept, a fusion of Hawaiian and Japanese cuisines, has exploded in popularity on the west coast and is not only new to Spartanburg, but new to South Carolina, and brings new life to another long-vacant storefront in the city's central business district. Today on the podcast, we're talking restaurant momentum in downtown, as well as taking a look at the other action from this week's City Council meeting.

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