A 'reimagined' Morgan Square moves forward with City Council approval. Here's what to expect.

A "reimagined" Morgan Square took another step toward becoming reality Monday.

Spartanburg City Council voted unanimously to approve a contract for design services with MKSK, a nationwide planning, urban design and landscape architectural firm with a Greenville location.

City Manager Chris Story said the contract enables the city to spend up to $260,000 with MKSK for the plan, which he estimated will take six to nine months to develop.

He said 10 design firms submitted proposals, and three were invited to meet with members of the recently formed Morgan Square Redevelopment Committee. MKSK stood out above the others, he said.

"We were very impressed with their … approach," Story said. "We just felt they really understood how to engage the community."

He said MKSK staff members will meet with the committee this Friday, then will hold a public presentation of the design process at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, at the Chapman Cultural Center and to "get everyone's juices flowing about the importance of public spaces."

Big plans for Morgan Square

For years, city leaders and business owners have looked to Morgan Square as an even bigger central gathering spot and focal point for revitalization.

"I'd like it to be unique, something that's going to make it a welcoming spot for our children," Raj Patel, co-owner of Cribbs Restaurant and Main Street Pub, said Monday. "Ultimately, it's for our children."

Patel has previously called Morgan Square "the Central Park of Spartanburg ‒ a place for events and gatherings."Patel is one of 11 members of the city's Morgan Square Redevelopment Committee that was created in July. The committee's role is to weigh public opinions and report back to City Council by early to middle of next year with recommendations about what Morgan Square's future should look like.

Story told City Council Monday that MKSK will provide the committee the details it needs to form a recommendation.

The central location of Morgan Square

Morgan Square is in the 100 block of West Main Street, bounded by Magnolia, Dunbar and Church streets in downtown Spartanburg. It is where numerous community events such as Spring Fling and (Ice) Skating on the Square are held, as well as concerts. Recently, Spartanburg's own Marshall Tucker Band performed there, drawing thousands of visitors downtown.

West Main Street at Morgan Square has been closed to vehicle traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic initially, and later by popular demand and council votes, since May 2020.

In August, City Council voted to keep Morgan Square closed for the next two years while work on its redesign continues.

Since being closed to vehicles, downtown restaurants have been offering outdoor dining and have noted an increase in business, according to Brian Greene, co-owner of Delaney's Irish Pub.

A survey last year revealed a majority of respondents, or 55.24%, want Morgan Square closed to vehicles indefinitely for expanded pedestrian use, while 18.25%, said they want West Main at Morgan Square open every day to vehicle traffic.

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Kathy Silverman, owner of The Local Hiker and Hub City Scoops, was among those in favor of reopening Main Street to vehicles, saying there are several other businesses besides restaurants that need the street to be open.

On Monday, Silverman said she hopes the design firm approved by City Council takes into account the interest of all businesses downtown, not just restaurants.

"I would like to see a community green space for anyone to use, rather than just patrons of the restaurants," she said. "It's important for the town to provide opportunities for everybody to have a space downtown, to read a book, play with kids or enjoy Music on Main."

MKSK experienced in downtown plans

MKSK has produced designs and plans for many municipalities in the U.S., including neighboring Greenville County with its 20-year comprehensive plan.

The firm also developed a master plan for the Tulsa, Oklahoma, downtown entertainment district "into a dynamic downtown neighborhood by focusing public and private investment to leverage its signature attractions," according to MKSK's website.

Also, MKSK designed a redevelopment plan for the Van Aken District in Shaker Heights, Ohio, by transforming an existing underutilized strip shopping center "into a dense and vibrant neighborhood.

"The heart of the development, the centrally located 'Living Room,' provides an internal park element that is supportive of adjacent uses and provides space for seasonal community special events," according to MKSK's website.

Three years ago, a group of Spartanburg business leaders visited Fort Worth, Texas, to gain ideas for Morgan Square.Fort Worth's redeveloped Sundance Square preserved the historical integrity of buildings, made the downtown pedestrian friendly, attracted new business and investment, and is home to outdoor concerts, according to a Fort Worth official.

Back in Spartanburg, a 2019 OneSpartanburg, Inc., study concluded that a redesign of Morgan Square that features more events could attract more foot traffic, drive up property values and bring in more taxable revenue to the city of Spartanburg.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Morgan Square changes move forward with Spartanburg council approval