Spartanburg City News
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Official podcast of the City of Spartanburg
Episodes
- How Downtown Manager Jamie Smith Creates Connections in a Changing Downtown Spartanburg
While City Staff from across a wide swath of departments have always worked to keep Downtown Spartanburg humming, our recently added Downtown Manager, Jamie Smith, has brought a new level of coordination to those efforts. Coming to the rol…
- How Spartanburg's ARPA funding is creating new affordable housing
In 2024, City Council allocated $5 million of the City's federal ARPA (American Recovery Plan Act) dollars to facilitate development of new affordable housing. The move served as both a recognition of an obvious need in our city, namely mo…
- Yes, there's plenty of convenient, affordable parking in Downtown Spartanburg
On this episode of the City Podcast, we're taking a peek behind the curtain of our marketing operations to talk about a campaign we put together last year in response to some big changes we knew were coming to the Downtown Spartanburg park…
- Why Downtown Spartanburg Growth Matters
On our last episode, we took a look back at the recent history of Downtown Spartanburg growth and development, examining the pivotal moments and projects that set the stage for the headline-grabbing, precedent-setting investments we're see…
- A Recent History of Downtown Spartanburg Growth
It's tough to miss the signs of dramatic change in Downtown Spartanburg these days. With $800 million of development underway on a handful of blocks west of Church Street, the landscape looks a lot different than it did a few years ago and…
- What is a Council-Manager Form of Government?
When we first launched the Spartanburg City Podcast in 2012, things were a bit different in our city. Having recently emerged from the worst effects of the Great Recession, downtown's redevelopment was just starting to regain some its lost…
- Angels Charge marks 10 years assisting women in finding new lives after incarceration
In 2014, Pastor Nannie Jefferies saw a need in Spartanburg that no other organization was filling. After visiting with and ministering to incarcerated relatives of her parishioners, Pastor Jefferies was struck by the lack of assistance and…
- A conversation on the City's response to Hurricane Helene
It was a storm unlike any in living memory in Spartanburg, and while the damage our region experienced from Hurricane Helene far exceeded everyone's estimates, the City and the community came together to put us on the road to recovery. Tod…
- Duncan Park Lake open to boating and fishing for first time in decades
It was identified during the Duncan Park Revisioning Plan as a priority by a steering committee of nearby residents and stakeholders, and now for the first time in decades, Duncan Park Lake is open to non-motorized boating and catch and re…
- Fire Chief Pierre Brewton reflects on his journey back to Spartanburg to lead department
It's been almost four months since City Fire Chief Pierre Brewton returned home to Spartanburg to lead the department where he first honed his skills as a firefighter. Returning after serving for four years as Fire Chief for the City of Al…
- Hello Family shares transformative results, expands countywide
In a little more than two years, Hello Family—a unique collection of support systems for young children and their families—has gone from an idea to scale up and build capacity for early childhood services utilizing an innovative "pay for s…
- Homebuyer Seminar to be held at Dr. T.K. Gregg Community Center, Saturday, June 29
Buying a home is one of the most important decisions many of us will ever make, and getting started in that process can be daunting. So what do you do if you have questions about qualifying for a mortgage, downpayment assistance, where to…
- MySpartanburg app lets residents request city services, follow progress on reported issues
Today on the podcast we're discussing MySpartanburg, our new City app allowing residents to easily and conveniently report service requests directly from their smartphones. Available through the Apple App store and Google Play, the app let…
- Community Health Awareness Day at Carver Middle School, June 1
Community Health Awareness Day returns to Spartanburg on Saturday, June 1, 2024 from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Carver Middle School (467 S. Church St.). This free community event offers an array of services, resources, entertainment, and activ…
- H.E.A.R.T program addresses needs of those experiencing homelessness in Spartanburg
As part of ongoing efforts by the City and partnering organizations throughout the Spartanburg community, the Homeless Engagement and Response Team (H.E.A.R.T) program was launched in partnership with the United Way of the Piedmont in 2022…
- City lead-based paint remediation program tackles dangerous health concerns in 38 Spartanburg homes
Back in 2020, the City was fortunate to receive a Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Grant from the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The purpose of these funds…
- Discussing a programming approach for Morgan Square with Dan Biederman of BRV
With a redesign plan for Morgan Square poised to be taken up by City Council in the coming months, one question many may have is how the space can attract more visitors on a regular basis. Long a focal point for some of Downtown Spartanbur…
- Discussing the history of Spartanburg City Hall
First opening its doors in April of 1961, Spartanburg City Hall will soon be no more, making way for the construction of a new joint municipal government facility to be shared by the City of Spartanburg and Spartanburg County. As the City…
- Discussing the new Morgan Square design
On the heels of the recent Council update on the City's plan to enhance Morgan Square, we recently sat down with representatives from the design firm responsible for creating the square's new design, Brenda Diaz-Flores and Darren Meyer wit…
- Getting to know new Assistant City Manager, Kevin Limehouse
Recently, we welcomed new Assistant City Manager, Kevin Limehouse to the City's leadership team. In a move designed to grow the City's leadership capacity, Limehouse's emphasis will be on innovation and operational efficiency, joining City…
- Discussing the 2023 fiscal year budget with City Manager, Chris Story
It's the most important statement of values for any government, and for the City of Spartanburg, the 2023-2024 annual budget is about investing in our city's future. With the largest outlay of capital expenditures in recent memory and a ne…
- New River Birch trail extension to feature 'Creativitrees' public art installation
Another important piece of "The Dan" trail system is ready for its official ribbon cutting. A new segment of the River Birth trail will celebrate its opening on Thursday, June 29 at 4:30 p.m. (Parking for event attendees will be available…
- Next steps in bringing minor league baseball back to Spartanburg
Local baseball fans were so excited last month with the announcement that the Down East Wood Ducks would be moving to Spartanburg from their current home in Kinston, NC that they could practically smell the hot dogs. Once here, the team wi…
- Keep OneSpartanburg Beautiful takes on litter, beautification in Spartanburg
It's never hard to find folks willing too share their opinions about litter, and thankfully for those of us in Spartanburg, it's also not hard to find folks willing to put their time and energy into combatting it. Thanks to the work of Kee…
- City Boards and Commissions offer residents an opportunity to serve
One of the most overlooked ways a civic-minded Spartanburg resident can choose to get involved in shaping the future of our city is by serving on one of our City Boards and Commissions. Maybe you're a local architect interested in helping…
- Urban tree health and the future of Morgan Square's canopy
If you've had the opportunity to view the three preliminary design options for the enhancement of Morgan Square, you've likely noticed that all of the proposals include an abundant amount of tree canopy. Owing to feedback from residents an…
- Noble Tree Foundation brings expertise, biodiversity to Spartanburg's urban canopy
If you've walked down Wall Street in Downtown Spartanburg lately, you've likely noticed the new tree plantings installed earlier this year. While you may have admired the new trees and considered the shade they'll one day provide for visit…
- Exploring the new City of Spartanburg website
It's been over 10 years since the last significant update to our website, which is something close to a century in website years, and while the launch of a new municipal government website isn't going to reach many people's threshold for i…
- Community Health Awareness Day at Dr. T.K. Gregg Community Center, April 22
It began as a way to bring people in Spartanburg together and removing barriers to health care access, and after a hiatus of several years, Spartanburg's Community Health Awareness day is back this year and coming to the Dr. T.K. Gregg Com…
- Hello Family releases first annual report
It's been a little more than a year since Hello Family—a unique collection of support systems for young children and their families—began operations in Spartanburg, and the capacity-building approach the initiative has brought to early chi…
- Getting to know Highland Project Manager, Jamie Smith
If you're at all familiar with complex community redevelopment plans (or you're inclined to listen to podcasts about them) you know that an incredible plan without a strategy for implementation runs the risk of becoming little more than a…
- A new cohost joins the team
It's been a number of years since the City Podcast has had a cohost to share the work of keeping our listeners informed on what's going with City government and the broader Spartanburg Community. As we ramp up our podcast production this y…
- Discussing options for the City's federal ARPA funding
It's a level of federal funding not seen for many years in Spartanburg, and for City Council and staff, that means the task deciding how to allocate our community's $16.5 million in American Rescue Plan: Coronavirus State & Local Recovery…
- New trail extensions near completion
If you like to get outdoors to walk, run, or bike in Spartanburg, the coming weeks promise to be an exciting time as two popular local trails are set to see extensions completed soon! First, Spartanburg's most used recreational amenity, th…
- The History of Morgan Square
Morgan Square has been the most important public gathering space in Spartanburg almost since its beginnings in 1787. Arguably the birthplace of Spartanburg County after having been selected by four state-commissioned judges as the county s…
- Discussing Downtown Spartanburg pedestrian spaces, midcentury to present
Whether you're getting in some steps at the Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail or strolling through Morgan Square after dinner, it's fair to say there are more pedestrians moving in and around Downtown Spartanburg than at any point in living…
- New committee to guide Morgan Square redesign process
At their last two meetings, Spartanburg City Council took a pair of actions to move discussions of Morgan Square's future forward, first creating a committee to guide a public input process and make recommendations regarding upgrades and t…
- Taking a look at the City's upcoming fiscal year budget
At their most recent meeting, Spartanburg City Council gave final approval to the upcoming fiscal year 2022-2023 budget in a 7-0 vote. This year's budget includes no significant operational changes and no increases to City taxes or commonl…
- New outdoor gathering space, Fretwell opens along Rail Trail
If you're a frequent user of the Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail, chances are you've seen Fretwell's construction progress over the past year near the trail's intersection with Marion Ave. Recently opened, the new mixed-use gathering spac…
- Discussing Spartanburg's planned joint City-County government complex
In April, both Spartanburg County Council and Spartanburg City Council approved the site of the current City Hall on W Broad Street for construction of a new joint city-county local government complex. Expected to be around 180,000 square-…
- Discussing the 2021 crime stats report and the City's innovative approach to policing
Last week, Spartanburg Police Chief Alonzo Thompson and department leadership gave a presentation on the latest report on crime statistics in our city. Mirroring a similar nationwide uptick in violent crime over the past year, Spartanburg…
- Community planning process to create vision for Duncan Park improvements
Last month, Spartanburg City Council approved a resolution authorizing the City to pursue $300,000 in federal Land and Water Conservation Fund matching grant for improvements to trails and clearing of invasive species in wooded areas of Du…
- Proposed apartment project would be first affordable housing development in Downtown Spartanburg
At their last meeting, Spartanburg City Council gave approval to a property sale that could pave the way for Downtown Spartanburg's first-ever apartment development composed of entirely affordable units. Located adjacent to the Kennedy Str…
- A look at the biggest decisions ahead for the City in 2022
We've been recording podcasts previewing the year ahead for the City and for the Spartanburg community for a long time now, but even a short glance at that list for 2022 would make it clear that this year will be filled with more significa…
- A look at Downtown Spartanburg development in 2021
With its restaurants routinely filled and its sidewalks bustling with activity, it's not hard to see these days that Downtown Spartanburg is on an upswing. Explaining just how large an upswing though takes some contextualizing, especially…
- 'Hello Family' program to support parents, young children launching in January
It's been on the City's priority list for years, and in January, an innovative, first-of-its-kind coordinated group of support systems that will seek to improve outcomes for young children and their families in Spartanburg will become a re…
- Northside Rising: The road from master plan to inclusive development
Note: Later this year, the Northside Development Group will mark its 10th year since it was founded to be a land bank to guide development and protect the community's interests on the Northside. The NDG partnered with the Northside Voyageu…
- What's next for Morgan Square?
At their meeting on August 23, Spartanburg City Council voted to continue the closure of W Main Street to vehicle traffic in front of Morgan Square for 12 months, during which time the City will engage in a community-led planning process t…
- Northside rising: Laying the groundwork for a community-led neighborhood master plan
Nowhere in any community redevelopment expert's notes will you find "bring a medial college to your neighborhood" listed as a strategy to spur a holisic rethinking of an area plagued for decades by depopulation, decaying housing stock, con…
- Northside Rising: Neighborhood history from origins to construction of VCOM
Following on the heels of last week's release of the first part of our new series of articles and podcasts, Northside Rising, where we take a look back at the story of Spartanburg's Northside neighborhood, today on the City Podcast, we're…