Greenlink is planning to rehabilitate its bus transit center in downtown Greenville and is studying the possibility of a mixed-used building up to 20 stories tall.

Background

The Greenlink Transit Center at 100 W. McBee Ave. was built in 1989 and last upgraded in 2014. It is two levels, with a ground level bus loop topped by a parking deck. According to the city of Greenville, the existing facility has safety, accessibility and operational challenges that need to be addressed.

“After 35 years, our transit center no longer reflects the level of professionalism and dedication our staff bring every single day,” said Greenlink Director James Keel in a statement on the city’s website.

Grant and Plans

The Greenville Transit Authority recently received a $4 million federal grant for the rehabilitation of the transit center. The grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant Program.

The federal funding will be used to complete the planning phase for the rehabilitation project. This will include assessing the feasibility of constructing a 12- to 20-story structure with retail, office, residences and parking above the downtown transit center.

Other improvements planned for the Greenlink Transit Center include redesigning the terminal’s circulation patterns, enhancing ADA accessibility, adding better lighting, upgrading stormwater management and more.

Greenlink will use the BUILD grant to complete conceptual designs, benefit-cost analysis, environmental analysis and other pre-construction activities for the project. Keel and his team hope to start the planning process within the next year.

Original reporting: Greenville Journal — read the source article.