Greenville wins $4 million federal BUILD grant to modernize downtown transit hub; mixed-use tower potential to be evaluated

A $4,000,000 BUILD grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will fund design, assessment and public engagement to modernize Greenlink's downtown transit facility, a city briefing said. Henry Coburn, a city staff member speaking for the City of Greenville, announced the award and outlined planned improvements.

"A $4,000,000 build grant from the US Department of Transportation will support design, assessment, and public engagement," Coburn said. He listed pedestrian-safety upgrades, improved lighting, enhanced bike and scooter facilities and ADA-compliant boarding as elements the funding will help cover.

Coburn also said Greenlink will "evaluate adding a 12 to 20 story mixed use building above the center with retail, office, residential space, and park," a study-level option that the city plans to explore during the design and engagement phases. The city did not provide a development timeline or commit to construction; Coburn described the item as an evaluation funded by the grant.

City officials framed the project as a combined transit and development planning effort: the grant pays for technical assessment and outreach, and any proposal for above-center development would require subsequent design approvals and public review. The briefing did not specify an expected completion date for the design phase or capital construction schedules.

Next steps identified by the city include using the federal funds for the design and assessment contract, conducting public engagement as part of the planning process, and reporting back to stakeholders as work proceeds.