Greenville City Council voted on Nov. 9 to purchase the former Greenville Cultural Exchange Center property at 700 Arlington Avenue, according to the Greenville Journal. The two‑story, 0.29‑acre building, once an African‑American history museum founded by the late Ruth Ann Butler in 1987, is owned by Jordon Construction Co. under a separate LLC. The construction firm completed renovations in May, and the city plans to preserve the landmark for community and cultural uses.
Funding for the acquisition comes from three sources: $579,500 in state funding, $70,500 from the local accommodations tax, and the remaining $200,000 from district dividend funds contributed by councilmembers Lillian Brock Flemming and Ken Gibson, as reported by the Greenville Journal.
The council also gave initial approval to a public‑infrastructure improvements agreement with Verdae Development, the developer behind the Bolden Street District—a billion‑dollar mixed‑use project within the city’s 223‑acre tax‑increment financing (TIF) district along Laurens Road. Under the agreement, Verdae will fund and build public infrastructure and affordable housing, with the city issuing bonds that will be repaid from additional property‑tax revenues generated in the TIF district.
Voters approved a 1% municipal sales‑tax referendum by a 66.6% margin, according to the Greenville Journal. The tax, set to take effect on May 1, 2027, will add a penny to every dollar spent on eligible purchases, exempting most groceries, prescription medicines, and gasoline. The city expects roughly $56 million in annual revenue to finance capital‑improvement projects and provide property‑tax credits for owner‑occupied homes. City Manager Shannon Lavrin said the first quarterly disbursement from the South Carolina Department of Revenue should arrive in July or August, and staff will develop an implementation plan over the next several months, with tier‑one construction slated for fall 2027.
In addition, council directed staff to draft new residential infill‑lot‑width standards for the RH‑A, RH‑B, and RH‑C zoning districts after a prior proposal was rejected in September. The Planning Commission will review the draft at its Dec. 3 meeting, and the first reading of the amendment is scheduled for Dec. 14. Further study of infill development issues will be presented to the Planning Commission and council in summer 2027.
The council also took the first reading on five annexation applications, including 6.12 acres on North 6th Street near Woodside Mill and 6.63 acres of adjacent right‑of‑way, to be zoned Community 2 District (RC‑2). Four additional parcels, ranging from 0.22 to 2.68 acres, were slated for Neighborhood A District (RN‑A) zoning.
Other items included an update on the city’s first parks, recreation and tourism master plan—expected before council in December—a second reading of a revised ordinance appropriating $786,350 toward a $1.57 million settlement with the Parker Sewer and Fire Subdistrict, and final rezoning approval for the 15.13‑acre Costco property at 1021 Woodruff Road.
What’s next: Staff will finalize the infill‑lot‑width standards for the Dec. 3 Planning Commission meeting, and council will consider the first reading on Dec. 14. The sales‑tax implementation plan will be drafted in the coming weeks, with the first quarterly revenue expected by August. Construction on tier‑one capital projects will begin in fall 2027, and the Bolden Street District infrastructure agreement will move forward as bond financing is secured.
Sources: greenvillejournal.com
