Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Councilmember reports takeaways from Greenville, S.C. study trip on downtown revitalization
Summary
A councilmember who traveled with a 19-person Portsmouth delegation summarized lessons from Greenville’s downtown revival: small public–private facade grants, converting second floors to residences to boost foot traffic, focused landscaping and maintenance, and a dedicated housing fund to address homelessness.
A Portsmouth councilmember who traveled with a delegation to Greenville, S.C., reported to the commission on lessons learned for downtown and waterfront revitalization.
The presenter said 19 leaders from Portsmouth — including the mayor, three council members, and several EDA and city staff — toured Greenville meetings with the city manager, mayor and regional economic development officials. Key takeaways included targeted façade‑improvement grants and small public–private partnerships to coax private investment and infrastructure improvements; converting second‑story space above main‑street retail into residences to create a downtown living population; and consistent streetscape maintenance (landscaping and power washing) to improve walkability and appearance.
The delegation also discussed workforce and economic development lessons: Greenville retrained workers for manufacturing anchors (BMW, Michelin) and used regional partnerships to attract employers, though local conditions in Portsmouth differ (less land for large factories, hotels across the water in neighboring cities). The presenter noted Greenville has a dedicated Greenville Housing Fund used in part to invest in affordable housing as a strategy to address homelessness, and stressed that homelessness remained a significant challenge for Greenville despite downtown improvements.
The presenter closed by urging commissioners to consider how smaller‑scale investments, consistent maintenance and public–private collaboration might be applied in Portsmouth’s downtown and waterfront planning.
