Downtown Greenville: Developer seeks final approval for 19-story tower near old BB&T building

Macon Atkinson, Greenville News
·3 min read

The Beach Company is seeking final approval on details for a 19-story tower with 264 market-rate residential units and 2,000 square feet of retail space next to the former BB&T building at 301 College Street, according to plans submitted to the city's Design Review Board.

Once approved by the city, the developer plans to begin construction in the fall.

The College/Academy/Buncombe residential building is intended to create "an elegant architectural anchor" at a prominent location on the new Cultural Corridor, a city road improvement project which will include street resurfacing, landscaping, multi-use paths, traffic signal upgrades and pedestrian lighting.

Plans for the project first surfaced on the city's review board agenda at the end of 2022. The board granted its approval in January, and the developer is now looking for a final sign-off on finishing touches like specific building materials before they begin construction, said Dan Doyle, The Beach Company's chief operating officer.

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A birds-eye view of the new residential tower proposed at 301 College Street, the site of the old BB&T building in downtown Greenville. The Beach company wants to build a 19-story building with apartments and retail space.
A birds-eye view of the new residential tower proposed at 301 College Street, the site of the old BB&T building in downtown Greenville. The Beach company wants to build a 19-story building with apartments and retail space.

Here are the potential plans for a 19-story building in downtown Greenville

The building, which would be located on 2.37 acres of land, would have a lobby and retail space on the first floor fronting College Street, as well as a rooftop terrace with a pool, meeting facilities, an exercise area, bicycle storage and repair, and multiple levels of parking for approximately 480 vehicles.

The land is zoned for the central business district, meaning there is no limit to how tall a building can be.

The proposed architecture has a contemporary loft vernacular, similar to The Beach Company’s new mixed-use property, Canvas Lofts, located across Buncombe Street. This new building, however, would have a more modern aesthetic, the company said, incorporating floor-to-ceiling window walls for the residential floors.

A view of the proposed project from College and Academy streets. The city wants to bring street improvements to the area to make it safer and more pedestrian-friendly.
A view of the proposed project from College and Academy streets. The city wants to bring street improvements to the area to make it safer and more pedestrian-friendly.

"In addition to improving and activating streetscapes on all public right-of-ways, the building will set itself apart from the surrounding buildings with this unique loft expression," the company wrote in their application.

The tower will go in place of an existing parking garage, which doesn't meet the needs of the existing building on the property, Doyle said.

More importantly, the Beach Company believed they should make "a bold move" and demonstrate that the Canvas project area is part of downtown, too, Doyle said.

"The cultural amenities that we have in Heritage Green are so rich," Doyle said. "What can we do to help bring people over there?"

The Beach Company is the company behind two well-known mixed-use apartment projects in Greenville: SouthRidge on Church Street and Main + Stone on North Main Street and East Stone Avenue.

The newest building would include brick pilaster and spandrel components and expansive windows offering views of downtown. The roof of the parking deck would also have a pool amenity deck, offering outdoor opportunities and "spectacular views of the surrounding area," according to plans.

The new tower would sit behind the mural of Pearlie Harris, a Greenville County educator whose work was commemorated on the Canvas Tower.
The new tower would sit behind the mural of Pearlie Harris, a Greenville County educator whose work was commemorated on the Canvas Tower.

With a September or October start date, construction would last just over two years, Doyle said.

The new building would dwarf the Canvas Tower next door, also known as the old BB&T building, which now has a massive external mural project dedicated to Greenville County educator Pearlie Harris. The mural, completed in 2020 by Australian artist Guido van Helten, has a theme of racial diversity and education to honor the 50th anniversary of Greenville schools’ desegregation.

Beach Company acquired the former BB&T building in 2017 and planned to redevelop it into apartments before pivoting their plans to office space. BB&T moved to consolidate services in Mauldin.

In 2020, Mashburn Construction and The Beach Company completed Canvas Lofts, another mixed-use development on the corner of Buncombe and Whitner Streets across from Heritage Green, Greenville’s cultural epicenter.

The proposal is slated to go before the city’s Design Review Board April 6.

Macon Atkinson is the city watchdog reporter for The Greenville News. She's powered by long runs and strong coffee. Follow her on Twitter @maconatkinson. 

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Downtown Greenville: Charleston developer seeks approval for tower