Watkins Farm

Greenville, South Carolina

Greenville is part of the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Combined Statistical Area (CSA), an 8-county region of northwestern South Carolina, known as "The Upstate". Greenville has been described as Athens, Georgia for adults. With its historic homes and modern office towers, Greenville has been described as where "Old South" meets "New South".

Downtown

Once the retail center of the region, Greenville's downtown district began to languish in the 1960s, so in response to the growing region, the City started a downtown renewal project. Initially focusing on improving its image through streetscape and traffic improvements, the city worked with consultants to develop and implement a downtown master plan. The city redeveloped a languishing industrial area into an arts complex that incorporated historically significant buildings. It stabilized a stagnant historic district with a mixed-use project of shops, restaurants, and offices, which in turn encouraged residential use of vacant upper stories and former church classrooms. The National Trust Main Street Center awarded Greenville a 2003 Great American Main Street Award.

Since the Downtown is a center of business, culture, and entertainment, not surprisingly it has also become one of the most desirable residential districts in and around Greenville. In coming years, the unique benefits of living Downtown will attract more and more residents, giving the Downtown area an even more well-rounded character. Initially, Greenville's buildings were demolished and rebuilt fairly frequently. Greenville has one of the last Frank Lloyd Wright homes ever built.

Housing

Greenville has a rich history of diverse living environments and neighborhood identity, and offers housing options within traditional older neighborhoods, historic districts, suburban areas or the heart of a bustling downtown. In ten years (1992-2002), Greenville experienced over $160 million in new residential construction and an additional $100 million in renovations in the City's older neighborhoods. The city's downtown is experiencing a boom in new housing development as the demand increases for urban living. New housing construction in the downtown area is now averaging more than $200 per square foot. Currently planned residential development projects offer price points ranging from $65,000 to over $500,000 for individuals and families of all income levels.

Neighborhoods

Like most metropolitan areas, Greenville is divided into almost 80 'neighborhoods,' and a number of historic districts including: Ascot, Augusta Road, Barrington Park, Bellemeade, Berea, Brandon, Brookside Forest, Bradley Station, Canebrake, Chanticleer, Cleveland Forest, City View, Coach Hills, Collins Creek, Del Norte/Eastgate, Devenger Place, Devenger Pointe, Dove Tree, Downtown (Augusta Street, North Main, Washington Street, East Park Historic District), Dunean, East Faris Road, Eastover, Elsie, Edwards Forrest, Faversham Circle, Forrester Cove, Forrester Creek, Forrester Farms, Forrester Heights, Forrester Woods, Foxcroft, Glenn Road, Gower, Gower Estates, Green Avenue, Greenline-Spartanburg, Hampton-Pinckney, Haynie-Sirrine, Hudson Forest, Keowee, Judson, Laurel Lake, Mallard Creek, Marshall Forest, Marifield, Midtown, Monaghan, Nicholtown, Otis-Wilkins, Overbrook, Pebble Creek, Pelham Falls, Pelham Woods, Pleasant Valley, Pleasantburg Forest, Ridgeland, Riverside Chase, Riverside Drive, Red Line District, Shadow Moss, Silverleaf, Southernside, Sterling, Stonehaven, Sugar Creek, Sugar Mill, Thornblade, Traxler Park, Viola, Wade Hampton, Waterford Park, West End, West Greenville, Westville Heights, White Oak, Windsor Forest, and Woodside.

Economy

Once known as "The Textile Capital of the World," Greenville's economy is now headquarters for a number of companies. The city is the North American headquarters for Michelin and sole manufacturing for BMW outside of Germany. Recently, the International Center for Automotive Research (ICAR) has been created by a consortium including Clemson University, BMW, Timken, IBM, Microsoft, Michelin, and the Society of Automotive Engineers International (SAE).

Surrounding ICAR along Interstate 85 a large office park, The Millennium Campus, has been built to attract more investment by large companies and their headquarters. Among the first to locate on the campus is Hubbell Lighting, Inc., a major manufacturer of commercial lighting systems. Lockheed Martin Aircraft & Logistics Center is a large aircraft maintenance facility located in Greenville at Donaldson Center Industrial Air Park, a former U.S. Air Force base. Donaldson Center is also home to 3M, Honeywell, and Stevens Aviation.

Education

Greenville County has the largest school district in the state, with more than 57,000 students. Greenville is home to the International Baccalaureate Program, the Roper Mountain Science Center and the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts & Humanities, an important landmark of education.

Eight magnet academies offer unique educational opportunities at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Each academy offers distinct programs in foreign language, communication arts, pre-engineering and health professions, international studies, science and technology, or year-round education. Greenville also has a number of highly accredited private schools. Christ Church Episcopal is an independent, Episcopal, co-ed day school serving more than 950 students in grades Primer - 12. It is one of only five schools in North America to offer an International Baccalaureate Program curriculum in grades K-12.

Greenville is home to several colleges, universities, and technical schools: Furman University, Bob Jones University, North Greenville University, Greenville Technical College, ECPI College of Technology, ITT Technical Institute, University Center of Greenville, and Webster University.