Guided by a select steering committee of local leaders, downtown stakeholders and area residents, the design for the future of Morgan Square provides an opportunity to maximize the space's potential as downtown Spartanburg's premier public gathering space. (City of Spartanburg image)
Downtown Spartanburg, S.C., might look a lot different by the end of next year as the city is gearing up for several major development projects.
At their last meeting of the year Dec. 11, city council members were given an update on Spartanburg's Morgan Square redevelopment.
Construction on the new project is supposed to begin sometime next year, WHNS-TV reported, but Chris Story, Spartanburg's city manager answered the questions on everyone's mind: How much will it cost, and who will pay for it?
"We will have significantly increased pedestrian activity in that area, and we want there to be a coherent and logical connection," he told the council during his presentation.
The effort, Story said, is all about making Morgan Square an easy pitstop for other big downtown projects like the new minor league baseball stadium that broke ground in November.
Morgan Square's construction will take place in two phases with the initial work likely to cost approximately $15 million to bring the design concept to life.
Story said the plan is to pay back construction costs using the city's 2 percent hospitality tax charged on all meals and beverages in Spartanburg. Typically, those monies are used to fund tourist-related services.
"There might be some private interest in making sure that this is executed at the highest level," he explained.
Story also told city leaders that Spartanburg will need to seek federal grant funding to bring the redevelopment to fruition.
Phase 2 of the project will span from the historic Spartanburg Town Clock, at the intersection of West Main Street and Spring Street, southwest to Daniel Morgan Avenue. The plan is to reposition the clock to make the road straighter and add more street parking, according to WHNS-TV.
Cost estimates for that phase of the work will be announced later.
Morgan Square's New Designs Approved in August
Guided by a select steering committee of local leaders, downtown stakeholders and area residents — representing the culmination of months of sustained public outreach and engagement — the design for the future of Morgan Square provides an opportunity to maximize the space's potential as downtown Spartanburg's premier public gathering space.
The Morgan Square Enhancement Committee, an ad hoc panel of 13 area professionals, was established by the Spartanburg City Council in July 2022 to pilot a design and public input process for physical improvements to the downtown square in order to meet the changing needs of the city's residents, business owners and visitors.
Upon completion of its work, the committee approved a final design which was presented to the city council just this past August.
Enhancements include permanent pedestrian access along sections of West Main and Dunbar streets in the square, according to the project page on Spartanburg's website. Municipal planners also want to create festival streets to both increase the functional size of Morgan Square and give the space a cohesive feel.
In addition, Spartanburg leaders have envisioned an enlarged performance lawn at the square's eastern end that will have public restrooms, a staffed visitor kiosk, and a new stage orientation to allow upwards of 800 audience members to enjoy performances. Once complete, the outdoor theater space will continue to serve as the home of long-standing city events, such as Music on Main.
Other highlights of the approved designs include lounging terraces, a programmable water feature, bench swings, an outdoor dining zone for adjacent restaurants and a 70 percent increase in Morgan Square's total green space.
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