Travelers Rest staff outlines progress on subdivisions, multifamily and new commercial projects

Jay, a Travelers Rest city planning staff member, began the commission's annual project review with a map-based update on active developments and permitting progress.

"They have a total of 54 units [at Spring Park] ... they're at 27. I think I just signed a plat today that'll be the 28th," Jay said, reporting that work behind the hospital is advancing with plats and building permits. He said White Hawk Meadows (near the YMCA) has phase 1A about 77% complete and phase 1B platted with 87 lots and several building permits pulled.

The presentation covered a range of residential projects. Jay described The Refuge on Highway 276 as a Rimry custom-home subdivision with two started houses; Villas of North Valley as a 55+ community awaiting its first building permit with Lenar Homes as the builder; and Leva (formerly Hemlock) as a 32-lot townhome project that has completed pre-construction meetings and paid into the tree mitigation fund. Jay said a planned concrete trail along Beaver Dam Creek is intended to link Plaza Drive back to Main Street and Pinestone.

On multifamily housing, Jay said a previously zoned multifamily site will have about 20 garden-style apartment units and that apartments and townhomes are expected to be constructed at the same time. To accommodate grade, the developer proposed a three-story building with a four-story split on the downhill side; Jay described the approach as a way to reduce retaining walls while meeting fire-access requirements.

Commercial projects in the Station area include a revised hotel design with a food-hall-type ground floor and additional units above, and a relocated event space closer to the Swamp Rabbit trail. Jay said the hotel design expands housing units on that site and adds basement service space. He also reported a planned first commercial building on a vacant parcel near South End Circle is on hold pending resolution of an encroachment/permit issue with DOT, while nearby warehouse renovations and leasing efforts for retail incubator space are moving forward.

The commission discussed the Valsetti parcel adjacent to Highway 25, which Jay described as an oddly shaped C2 property where securing an encroachment onto the limited-access corridor will require extra coordination. Commissioners also noted the former George Coleman Ford site is bank-owned and that no firm development plan was specified yet.

Transportation and pedestrian improvements were a recurring theme. Jay said the traffic signals planned at Pointe and Tub Mountain are ready but dependent on contractor scheduling; striping and crossing relocations on Main Street (including diagonal striping near the Michael Haney Center) will follow signal work. He also confirmed a new crossing at the Gold Line would use green pavement marking with DOT approval. The commission welcomed grant-funded, solar-powered lighting planned for parts of the project area.

Why it matters: the mix of single-family, custom homes, 55+ lots, multifamily apartments and expanded commercial uses signals growth pressure across Travelers Rest neighborhoods and near trail and school crossings. Several projects rely on coordination with Greenville County and DOT for roads, encroachments and signal timing, which will affect traffic flow and pedestrian safety as housing units and retail space come online.

Next steps: many projects are at the plat, permitting or pre-construction stage; staff said encroachment and DOT permit issues will need to be resolved before some commercial phases start grading and construction.