Spartanburg City Council members agreed with a recommendation from city manager Chris Story to hold off on a long-awaited project to redevelop Morgan Square.
That’s because several other downtown construction projects are looming including a hotel, office building, and apartments – all part of the Johnson Group’s Project Core development – as well as a new joint city-county government center.
The government complex will situated on the corner of Church and West Broad Streets directly behind a number of Morgan Square business.
Morgan Square, looking west: Spartanburg City Council members have agreed to hold off for now on plans to redevelop the square. Business owner Brian Greene applauded the council’s decision to allow for other downtown development to take place before reconstruction of Morgan Square takes place.
If the Morgan Square renovation began in the coming months, that would make for disruption “at the front door and the back door of businesses at the same time,” Story said.
He said it would be “reasonable to time that project on a different schedule.”
Council member Jamie Fulmer agreed that too many disruptions could “stunt growth and negatively impact businesses that have invested in our downtown.”
“It makes sense to me that we not do all of this at once,” Fulmer said.
Other council members concurred, though Erica Brown said she was “beyond frustrated” that the Morgan Square redesign had not already happened.
“We started talking about this back during Covid,” she said.
To enable downtown restaurants to serve patrons outside during the pandemic, the city shut down the stretch of West Main Street along Morgan Square. The road closure was popular with business owners and the public.
In 2023, a committee comprised of local business owners, elected officials, and other community leaders approved a plan to redesign the square.
“Morgan Square should be rockin’ and rollin’ by now,” Brown said.
Fulmer said he was disappointed that the project hasn’t come to fruition yet, but he hopes the delays have given city leaders valuable time to examine options and better understand Morgan Square’s role in downtown’s future.
Among other projects, he mentioned the opening of Fifth Third Park. “We’re getting a chance to see how the stadium and the Spartanburgers change the mosaic of downtown,” he said.
Brian Greene, a partner in the Morgan Square Hospitality Group, attended the July 14 council meeting. His company owns Delaney’s Irish Pub.
He was glad the city council decided to wait on the Morgan Square renovation.
“I would prefer that was already done, but considering the timeline, it seems like a prudent thing to do to put off,” he said.
Downtown clock tower also affected by development
Construction projects in the downtown area will also affect the small island of land at the intersection of West Main and Spring streets.
Story recommended making the intersection a traditional four-way stop to allow for the new hotel on the old Herald-Journal property and to improve current traffic flow and pedestrian walkways through the area.
He said city planners have “prioritized pedestrians and usable public space.”
Story said the plans could result in the dismantling of the city’s clock tower, which was first installed at the intersection of Main and Liberty streets in 1979 and moved to its current location on the western edge of Morgan Square in 1986.
Development projects in downtown Spartanburg are likely to affect the small island of land where the historic clock tower stands. Spartanburg City Council members are weighing options for the clock tower’s future.
The clock tower’s history dates back more than 100 years, having been a feature of the county courthouse on Magnolia Street.
Designs for the new city-county complex include a clock that Story said would “appropriately recognize the original history” of the tower, which many community members now see as an essential downtown landmark.
He added that the pieces of the current clock tower could be preserved as part of a display to honor its place in the city’s history.
Several council members expressed hope that the clock tower will be moved in its entirety to a new location.
“It’s important to people,” Fulmer said. “As we age, the tower takes on a level of historic significance.”
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Spartanburg City Council considers Morgan Square, clock tower futures
Morgan Square, clock tower, downtown construction projects, city manager, downtown restaurants, Jamie Fulmer
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