Unity Park construction, “Wings of the City” statues, a new $27 million public safety complex in a former Fluor building and illegal Airbnbs were some of the key stories for 2021 out of the City of Greenville, including continued controversy surrounding masks.
Unity Park takes shape
Referred to by the City as a park more than a hundred years in the making, Unity Park — in the area along the Reedy River once known as the Hudson Athletic Fields — began taking shape this year. The 60-acre park straddles the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail and is intended to be both a nod to the history of the surrounding neighborhoods and a forward-focused cultural nexus and affordable housing hub. Cost estimates are in the $70 million range.
As such, 2021 saw a lot of activity in and around the area as large-scale work began on the park’s overall concept followed by installation of the park’s three footbridges over the Reedy River.
The latest update? A giant rabbit sculpture for the park near The Commons along the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail.
City Council gave go-ahead for $27 million public safety complex
Greenville City Council members approved the purchase of a $27 million public safety complex at a former Fluor building at the corner of Halton Road and Mall Connector Road. The move came as firefighters, police and municipal courts were crammed into decaying buildings with substandard infrastructure and a lack of parking.
The 126,000-square-foot building will bring police, fire and municipal courts under one roof in a much larger complex with more parking. The building’s price tag is $18.9 million with another $8.1 million needed for renovations.
‘Wings of the City’ statues stir controversy
The controversy over the “Wings of the City” sculptures by Mexican artist Jorge Martin seized the city in April, with some saying the partially nude figures were “indecent.” Greenville County Council members received a number of complaints about the statues. County Council’s Finance Committee on May 10 voted 4-1 to shift $7,500 in county funds away from the nonprofit Hispanic Alliance which was promoting the display.
The statues were praised by some, hated by others and vandalized by a few, but the traveling statues eventually moved on to Raleigh, North Carolina. The city gave the statues a send-off in September. The exhibit helped the Hispanic Alliance by raising $70,000 in donations during ‘Wings” time in Greenville, according to information shared during the ceremony.
Masks remain a reality
As COVID-19 cases seemed to ebb toward the middle of 2021, the delta variant became a major concern, which caused city leaders in August to issue mask mandates again for city-owned meeting rooms and common areas. The mandates were based on recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and applied to everyone, vaccinated or not.
This was after Greenville City Council had extended its mask ordinance in April. At the time, there were more than 70,300 cases in Greenville County. The policy remains in place.
Granicus hired to crack down on unlawful Airbnb’s
The city got serious about cracking down on illegal Airbnbs and VRBOs that skirted zoning laws. The City of Greenville hired outside firm Granicus to enforce policies on short-term rentals. Granicus specializes in digital public service solutions for governments, including services related to municipal zoning regulations.
Unpermitted short-term rental operators can be subject to a zoning violation, which typically results in a fine. With some special exceptions, the rentals are prohibited in most of the city’s residential zones.
