Presentation: State of the city 

Greenville City Manager Shannon Lavrin delivered the third annual “state of the city” address, highlighting Greenville’s continued growth. The presentation provided a recap of the work completed by the city in fiscal year 2025. Lavrin also highlighted key initiatives and projects that will be focused on during the upcoming fiscal year. 

The city has made significant progress on planning the multi-million-dollar renovation of Greenville City Hall. Lavrin said replacing the existing building would cost two to three times more than the planned renovation. Preliminary design plans for the project will go before the city’s Design Review Board on June 18. 

Plans were also announced in March for creating a downtown conference center as part of the Falls Park Conference District. More than $500 million in public and private investment is planned to transform more than six acres east of Falls Park into a new mixed-use district. Lavrin said the project will require substantial investment of time throughout the next year. 

The Greenville Police Department plans to launch a real-time crime center this year. This will provide a centralized, technology-driven hub for the department at the Public Safety Campus and Municipal Complex on Halton Road. Lavrin said the center will serve as mission control for public safety, providing officers with real-time data and support for more coordinated decision-making. 

Creating more parking in Greenville’s West End remains a priority for city leaders. In 2025, the city entered into a development agreement with RocaPoint Partners, the developer creating the $1 billion County Square project, for a new public parking garage on Howe Street. Lavrin said construction on the 400-space parking garage is slated to begin any day now. 

Progress has been made on designing the city’s new wheelsports park next to the Greenville Downtown Airport. The new park will consist of a bicycle playground, a pump track and a skate park. The city plans to look for a construction manager for the project this summer. Lavrin said the goal is to finalize the project’s design plans this year and start construction in early 2027. 

Several projects relating to the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail are also moving forward. Construction of the $4.7 million pedestrian bridge over Verdae Boulevard is expected to be completed by early fall. This project will allow for the trail to be extended to the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research. Lavrin said Greenville County has promised to have the trail paved upon completion of the bridge. 

“We hope that we have the Swamp Rabbit Trail extension completed by the end of this year,” Lavrin said. “The bridge is expected to be completed no later than October.” 

Additional trail projects that the city will focus on include:

• Airport Loop Trail: Five miles around the Greenville Downtown Airport
• Swamp Rabbit Trail rehabilitation: One mile between River Street and Unity Park
• Halton Road Shared Use Path: Three miles extending off the Swamp Rabbit Trail Green Line
• Zoo Trail: One mile between the Greenville Zoo and downtown Greenville
• West Village Connector: One mile connecting Unity Park and West Greenville

City staff will continue to work on upgrading the community centers in Viola and West Greenville. Construction of the new Viola Community Center is underway and expected to be finished by the end of 2026. Lavrin said the design vision for the West Greenville Community Center is also anticipated to be completed by the end of the year. 

Other key initiatives the city plans to work on in the next fiscal year include:

• Selecting a land planner for the city-owned property in Haynie-Sirrine, with construction aimed to begin in 2027 
• Creating infrastructure plans for the Greenline-Spartanburg neighborhood
• Potentially launching a pilot modular housing initiative to help with affordable housing
• Collaborating with a private developer on a missing middle housing pilot project
• Completing the city’s first Urban Forest Comprehensive Plan
• Improving the infrastructure, appearance and functionality of Court Street
• Transforming the alleyways in front of the Greenville City Design Center and at One City Plaza. 

Approved: State accommodations tax funding designations

City Council approved designating $2.4 million from the state accommodations tax fund to provide financial assistance for events and projects that promote tourism within the city. The events and projects receiving the funding were selected by the city’s Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee.

VisitGreenvilleSC will receive the largest total award amount of $1.6 million in state ATAX funding. The funding will be used to increase overnight visitation in Greenville and to support the organization’s tourism program for fiscal year 2026-27. 

The Metropolitan Arts Council was also awarded $300,000 to market and promote the arts community in Greenville. Other entities that received funding include Artisphere, Falls for Greenville, South Carolina New Play Festival, the South Carolina Children’s Theatre, Upcountry History Museum, the Children’s Museum of the Upstate and more. 

Approved: $2M for public space upgrades, safety improvements

The city received $20 million in earmarked funding from the South Carolina General Assembly in fiscal year 2023-24. The funding went towards a specific list of public space upgrades and safety improvement projects. 

City Council gave initial approval to appropriate $2 million in additional funding to four capital projects. This will reimburse the city funding previously set aside for these projects with additional state-earmarked funds. 

The funded projects include:

• $541,349 to the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan project
• $357,992 to the Cultural Corridor project
• $575,778 to the Stone Avenue Corridor project
• $598,594 to the Augusta Street utility undergrounding project

Approved: $241K for Hudson Street and Townes Street projects

City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance to appropriate $241,976 to improvement projects on South Hudson Street and Townes Street. The funding comes from the city’s previous sale of right-of-way and temporary easements to the South Carolina Department of Transportation for the bridge replacement project on Hudson Street. 

The city’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department will use $45,000 to complete landscaping work on the right-of-way area affected by the bridge replacement on South Hudson Street. The remaining $196,976 will be used by the city’s Engineering Department to complete a road diet and improvements on Townes Street between West Elford Street and West Park Avenue. 

Approved: Annexation applications

City Council gave final approval to four annexation requests, including an application for two land parcels consisting of 7.56 acres off Conestee Road and Spanco Drive. Park District (PK) zoning will be applied to the parcel on the north side of the Reedy River, owned by the Conestee Nature Preserve. 

Lake Conestee Dam Restoration Project owns the second land parcel, which encompasses the newly constructed Conestee Dam. The portion of the parcel containing the dam will be zone PK. The other section, located south of the Reedy River next to the historic Conestee Mill, will be rezoned Mixed-Use 3. 

The other approved annexation applications include:

• 7 acres of open space on Grove Road and West Faris Road, with the proposed city zoning of PK
• 0.78 acres of land at 201 Edwards Road, with the proposed city zoning of Residential House B District (RH-B)
• 0.31 acres of land at 116 Otis St., with the proposed city zoning Residential House D District (RH-D) in the Greater Sullivan Neighborhood Revitalization Overlay District

Additional items

• City Council approved a resolution to amend the city’s procurement procedures. The amendment will increase the limits for acquisition and procurement methods from $2,500 to $5,000.
• City Council gave final approval to rezone an approximately 0.24-acre property on Pine Street from RH-D to Residential Neighborhood A District (RN-A)

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Long-awaited upgrades are being made to one of the branch’s youth sports fields and the parking lot over the summer. YMCA staff, board members, donors and community supporters celebrated the start of renovations at a groundbreaking ceremony on June 8. The Caine Halter Family YMCA is located at 721 Cleveland St. in Greenville. 

The facility’s youth sports fields sit at the lowest elevation on the 26-acre campus, often becoming waterlogged from stormwater runoff after heavy rain. Jaime Johnson, executive director of the Caine Halter Family YMCA, said water can sit on the fields for up to two weeks, resulting in canceled practices and postponed games. 

The renovation project will solve this problem by raising the sports fields, creating an underground stormwater retention pond and adding new artificial turf. This will ensure the field can be used year-round. The parking lot will also be extended next to the sports field, creating 110 additional parking spaces for families and spectators. 

With the field upgrades, it will also be able to serve more children through its youth sports program. Sam Franklin, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greenville, said the nonprofit organization has doubled the size of its youth sports programming since 2017. Approximately 13,000 children were served in the YMCA’s youth sports program in the past year, with ongoing waitlists.

“Since COVID, we’ve had 200 plus kids on the waitlist for spring and fall soccer, probably another 100 in flag football,” Franklin said. “It was because of the field, we just didn’t have the space.”

The enhanced sports field will allow for six new youth soccer teams for the age group with the greatest demand: children ages three to seven. More than 120 additional boys and girls will be able to participate in the branch’s sports programming. Johnson said the improvements would also allow the branch to potentially add new adult sports programs. 

The youth sports field and parking lot renovations represent the latest project of the Caine Halter Family YMCA’s $8.5 million “Building a Brighter Tomorrow” capital campaign. The public phase of the capital campaign kicked off in October 2023. Since then, the campaign has raised $6.7 million and supported several other improvement projects at the 66-year-old branch, including:

• Installing a retractable enclosure system over the branch’s outdoor pool
• Renovating the branch’s original gymnasium 
• Upgrading the branch’s tennis center to add three pickleball courts

Field 1 will be closed over the next few months while renovations are underway. The branch’s three remaining fields will still be accessible. According to the YMCA, a portion of the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail behind the sports field will be temporarily closed in mid-June for the project. Renovations are expected to be completed in August. 

The final phase of the “Building a Brighter Tomorrow” capital campaign will be installing a new community pavilion next to the youth sports field. The pavilion would feature restrooms, gathering space, a picnic area and storage. Franklin said they also hope to raise more funding down the road to re-turf the other three youth sports fields. 

For more information, visit ymcagreenville.org/caine-halter-capital-campaign. 

History and Facts

The YMCA of Greenville was founded in 1876 in downtown Greenville. The Caine Halter Family YMCA, previously the Cleveland Street YMCA, was constructed in 1960. Today, the YMCA of Greenville serves more than 85,000 people across its branches and programs.

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The two educational institutions signed an agreement on June 4, allowing the school district to use welding space at the college’s Brashier Campus in Simpsonville. The space formerly housed Greenville Tech’s welding program. It will be used by the school district’s Golden Strip Career Center starting the 2026-27 school year. 

High school students will be able to complete two years of welding classes on the Brashier Campus with access to hands-on class activities at Greenville Tech’s new Center for Welding and Automation Excellence. The college’s welding program will move into the new 44,000-square-foot facility in August. 

“By partnering with the district to use our former welding space, we expand access to welding education and give students a seamless way to follow pathways that advance their professional credentials and earnings,” said Larry Miller, president of Greenville Technical College. 

An average of 300 students apply for the school district’s welding program each year. GCS currently has 100 welding booths across its four career centers. Greenville Tech’s former welding space will provide 120 additional booths, plus the 300 booths created by the new Center for Welding and Automation Excellence. 

This partnership represents a 350% increase in the school district’s welding program capacity to help address the ongoing workforce shortage of welding technicians. According to GCS, there are currently 400,000 welding job openings nationwide. 

“By expanding access to welding education at a time when skilled trades are critically important to our economy, we are creating more opportunities for students to graduate with valuable industry credentials, college credit and clear pathways to high-demand, high-wage careers,” said Superintendent Burke Royster. 

In April, GCS Board of Trustees authorized the transfer of $455,000 from the district’s general fund for one-time facility upgrades and five-year operating costs to use Greenville Tech’s welding space. The board also authorized the lease agreement for the space at its regular meeting on May 26.

Students in 10th through 12th grade at any of the district’s 15 high schools are eligible to take the new welding course at Greenville Tech’s Brashier Campus. One morning and one afternoon course will be available, serving 20 students in each session.  

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The bridge will be closed for the rehabilitation project starting June 15. A detour route has been established, directing traffic onto Interstate 385.

Only local traffic will be allowed on East Butler Road. SCDOT advises motorists to go slow, pay attention to signs and be mindful of work crews when driving through the area. 

The East Butler Road bridge is expected to reopen by Aug. 6, weather permitting. 

For more information, visit projectportal.scdot.org/S-23-107overI385. 

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The planning document will outline strategies for enhancing the public transit system’s services over the next five years. Greenlink’s current Transit Development Plan was adopted in 2018 and updated in 2021. 

“The transit development plan is our roadmap,” said Katerina Moreland, transit finance and compliance administrator for Greenlink. “It defines our goals, objectives and our next steps as we look to continue to improve our system across all of the greater Greenville area.”

Greenlink kicked off the planning process at the beginning of the year with consultants from Montreal-based engineering firm WSP. Initial public input was collected from a community survey and a 70-person focus group. 

Potential bus route improvements have been identified in five areas within Greenlink’s transit network, based on collected community input and data analysis. The proposed changes were presented at six public meetings held June 1-3. Community members are invited to complete an online survey to provide additional feedback on the recommendations. 

Bus improvement areas

Changes have been proposed to Greenlink’s bus routes serving the Woodruff Road and Mauldin areas. A new route is recommended to provide public transportation to Bridgeway Station and the new GE Vernova Park in Mauldin. Greenlink is also exploring extending service coverage further down Woodruff Road with a new route to reach the Walmart Supercenter, Aldi and Publix. 

“We want to get people to places where they work, go to school, get food or access healthcare,” said Andrea Gray, public engagement manager for Greenlink. “We’re trying to make sure people can get around our city in a very efficient way.”

Another proposed improvement would be extending Route 509: Haywood along Pelham Road to the Walmart Supercenter in Greenlink’s East Greenville service area. The public transit system is also considering updating Route 505: Rutherford to provide more services along Pleasantburg Drive and extend to the Greenville State Farmers Market. 

Read more Greenlink news

One of Greenlink’s loop routes, Route 506: Woodside, is recommended to be split into two routes to provide more efficient service to Berea. Transit users would be able to ride the bus on either the Cedar Lane Road or Old Buncombe Road routes from downtown Greenville to Food Lion in Berea. The proposed route along Old Buncombe Road would also provide service coverage to Heritage Green on College Street.

Greenlink has proposed extending Route 503: Poinsett farther north to downtown Travelers Rest and the Prisma Health North Greenville Hospital. Gray said the updated route would provide service to the Walmart Supercenter in Travelers Rest, which was a request made by students at Furman University. 

The final recommendation involves splitting Route 504: Anderson into two separate routes running to the southwest area of Greenville. The route change would add more bus service along White Horse Road, reducing the need for transit users to cross the busy road. Gray said bus service would also be added back for the Staunton Bridge neighborhood. 

Next steps

Greenlink and its consultants plan to examine the financial feasibility of the proposed bus route changes presented at public meetings. Moreland said this will determine how much funding it would take to implement changes in coming years. 

The recommended transit improvements will be further refined based on these findings and public comments. A draft version of Greenlink’s 2026 Transit Development Plan will be developed over the summer with updated recommendations. Greenlink staff expect to create the final planning document in fall. 

For more information, visit https://www.greenvillesc.gov/2738/Greenlink-2026-Transit-Development-Plan.

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A $3 million project aims to revitalize the park’s playground area next to the Greenville Zoo. New playground equipment, picnic shelters and landscaping will be added, along with enhancements to the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail. 

The city of Greenville broke ground on the playground revitalization project on June 3. Greenville City Councilmember Wil Brasington said the project aims to enhance what has always been a great playground destination for children and families. 

Cleveland Park’s playground area and a section of the Swamp Rabbit Trail will be closed while renovations are complete. Brasington encourages families to visit Cleveland Park’s other amenities this summer while the playground renovations are underway. 

According to the city, the project is expected to wrap up by the beginning of October.

Park improvements

Minnesota-based Landscape Structures helped the city redesign the playground area in Cleveland Park. Design plans show two new playgrounds, one with age-appropriate equipment for children ages two to five and the other designed for five to 12-year-old children. Playground features include a 27-foot tower with slides, a ninja-style obstacle course and 10 swings with built-in shade. 

Children visiting the revitalized playground area will also be able to enjoy new play elements inspired by the Greenville Zoo, such as a “Seek and Find” adventure, animal educational panels and other animal-themed features. 

Two new picnic shelters will be constructed on either side of the new playgrounds. The project will also realign walkways, improve the land grading and add new landscaping around the playground area. 

In addition, the city plans to realign and widen the portion of the Swamp Rabbit Trail that runs next to the Cleveland Park’s playgrounds. Bike parking and water fountains will also be added at the entrances of the picnic shelters. 

The city of Greenville received a $500,000 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for the playground revitalization project. Greenville City Councilmember Dorothy Dowe said the city was required to start the renovation project now due to federal grant’s guidelines. 

Additional hospitality tax, neighborhood infrastructure bond and trail funding will be used for the playground revitalization project. Brasington said the project demonstrates the city’s continued investment in its parks and recreational offerings.

Other improvements have been made to Cleveland Park in recent years. The city opened its first inclusive playground in the park September 2025. A $1.66 million renovation was also completed to the park’s recreational courts, creating new tennis, pickleball and basketball courts. 

“We’ve got wonderful parks positioned throughout the city,” Brasington said. “Every time we make an investment, every time we make an intentional enhancement on one park, we want to make sure all other parks follow suit and stay at the same level of excellence.”

For more information, visit https://www.greenvillesc.gov/2795/Cleveland-Park-Playground-Renovations.

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Approximately 0.8 miles of new sidewalks were added to the roadways from Wade Hampton Boulevard to Lotus Court. Sidewalk improvements were also completed along Gallivan Street and a portion of Kerry Street. This represents the largest sidewalk installation the city has completed under a single project. 

Construction kicked off on the sidewalk infrastructure project in January 2025 and was completed in May. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the project was held on June 2. 

Residents in the surrounding North Main, Dellwood and Stone Lake neighborhoods spent years advocating for sidewalks along Chick Springs Road and Mohawk Drive. Greenville City Councilmember John DeWorken said the lack of sidewalk infrastructure and pedestrian crossings along the roadways created a divide between the neighborhoods. 

“Today’s a celebration of bringing communities together,” DeWorken said. “Today’s a celebration of adding quality of life to the very people who live here in Greenville.”

The $2.1 million project was funded through the city’s neighborhood infrastructure bond. Greenville City Councilmember Dorothy Dowe explained that sidewalks are one of the most expensive pieces of infrastructure the city installs. She said more than $23 million has been invested in sidewalk projects throughout the city. 

Additional pedestrian safety measures and streetscape infrastructure were completed along Mohawk Drive and Chick Springs Road, including adding pedestrian lighting, landscaping, stormwater upgrades, on-street parking and planters. A speed table was also installed at the intersection at Mohawk Drive and Kerry Street. 

Eddie Littleton, an assistant city engineer, said construction recently began on a separate traffic calming project to create a roundabout at the intersection of Mohawk Drive and Chick Springs Road. The project is expected to take approximately two months to complete. 

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The second and final reading of the budget was held after a public hearing on June 1. The approved budget, which will go into effect on July 1, 2026, does not include a tax increase. Superintendent Burke Royster said the FY27 budget prioritizes attracting and retaining quality teachers and employees. 

“We are dependent on our employees throughout the organization,” Royster said. “It requires people putting forth tremendous effort, performing quality work to ensure our students have the opportunities they need to have and we believe that’s why its most fitting that we fully recognize that and reward them appropriately within our ability to do so.”

Salary increases

Several adjustments were made to the FY27 budget following its first reading on May 5. Teachers will receive a $2,700 salary increase – a jump from $2,550 approved at first reading – on top of an annual step increase for years of experience. A 38th step will also be added to the teacher salary schedule, raising the highest pay for a GCS teacher to $111,221. 

The annual starting salary for a first-year teacher will be raised from $51,841 to $54,606. GCS currently ranks 11th in the state for starting teacher pay. Royster said the school district’s ranking is expected to increase to 5th place with the approved salary increase. 

The board initially approved a 3.5% salary increase for non-teacher employees at the first budget reading. After the final budget reading, all non-teacher employees will now receive a 3.75% salary increase or a step increase, whichever is greater. 

After the 3.75% salary increase is applied, an additional $2,000 will be added to the principal salary schedule beyond the first step. This is an increase from the $1,000 initially approved at the first budget reading. The school district also plans to adjust the salary schedule and increase entry-level pay for assistant principals. 

Royster said the adjustments ensure the school district maintains an appropriate distance between the average teacher salary, assistant principal’s starting salary and starting salary of a school principal. 

Funding has also been set aside to support GCS’s special education services and personnel. The pay scale for special education aides will be raised by $2 an hour, up to $20-$23.5. Special education aide substitutes will also receive a 6% pay increase, raising the hourly rate to $17.46.

The school district set aside funding in the FY27 budget to hire four special education specialists, 10 special education aides, three behavioral specialists, five behavior support liaisons, one school psychologist and one occupational therapist. In addition, the salaries of 15 existing mental health counselors in the school system will now be covered by the district.

The approved budget allocates funding to hire 15 additional permanent substitute teachers for the schools that struggle to fill teacher absences. In addition, non-certified and certified substitute teachers will receive a 6% pay increase. 

The first reading of the FY27 budget included a new state-mandated line regarding proposed changes to paid parental leave legislation in South Carolina. The school district initially set aside $1.6 million to fund these potential changes. However, the item has not been passed by the General Assembly, so the district removed the line item from its final budget. 

Other expenditures in the school district’s FY27 budget include:

• $1.36 million for the increase in state health insurance premiums for July to December 2026
• $955,000 for salary increases for teachers who attain an additional degree or a certificate upgrade
• $723,000 for increases to existing service and supply contract costs 
• $618,000 for additional teacher and instructional aide positions at Reedy Laurel Elementary
• $335,000 for transportation technology costs due to loss of federal E-Rate funding
• $262,000 for district property and liability insurance premiums 
• $258,000 for existing academic contract costs
• $111,000 for bus driver compensation based on years of experience

The approved budget features several expenditure reductions, including a $15.5 million reduction in personnel costs. This reduction reflects the school district’s realignment of staffing positions for the 2026-27 school year in response to the projected drop in student enrollment. According to GCS, no employees will be laid off to complete the adjustments. 

Another expenditure reduction was made to the FY27 budget in response to changes to how the district’s career and technology staff positions are funded through the State Aid to Classrooms program. Approximately $7.9 million was moved from the general fund budget to a new special revenue fund where the state funding will be now transferred. 

For more information, visit https://www.greenville.k12.sc.us/News/main.asp?titleid=2606budget.

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The Central-based nonprofit animal welfare organization unveiled the estimated $5 million project on June 1. The new clinic will be located at 1130 Greenville Highway in Central. 

Margaret Thompson, founder and president of Clemson Paw Partners, said the expansion aims to give families more options for veterinary care and create access to low-cost services. 

“Too many pet owners struggle to afford care or find available appointments,” Thompson said. “Our goal is to provide compassionate, affordable services while helping reduce pet overpopulation across our region.”

The new facility will provide affordable spray and neuter services, vaccinations, microchipping, heartworm testing, flea and tick prevention and feral cat management support. 

Clemson Paw Partners intends to complete the project without incurring debt. The nonprofit purchased the land for the project outright. Fundraising, grants, donations and community support are planned to cover the project’s construction costs. 

“This project represents an investment in the long-term health and well-being of pets throughout our community,” Thompson said. “By remaining debt-free, we can keep our focus on affordable care and reinvest resources directly into services for animals and families.”

Construction of the new facility is expected to be completed by the summer of 2027. The nonprofit organization will prioritize completing the facility’s spray and neuter clinic to operate those services during the remainder of construction. 

Clemson Paw Partners was established in 2017 to serve low-income pet owners in Pickens County and its surrounding communities. The nonprofit organization opened its first low-cost clinic in Central in 2022. 

For more information, visit clemsonpawpartners.org.

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Bryson’s family announced his passing in a statement, according to the Variety. Multiple media outlets reported on Sunday, May 31 that Bryson was hospitalized after suffering a stroke.

Born April 13, 1951, Bryson grew up living in both Greenville’s Southernside neighborhood and on his family farm in Mauldin. According to the city of Greenville, he started performing with Moses Dillard and the Tex Town Display at Mayberry Park when he was 14 years old.

Greenville City Councilmember Lillian Brock Flemming recalls growing up in Southernside with Bryson in a statement following his passing.

“I am saddened by his passing after his stroke,” Flemming said in a statement. “His presence and God given talent will be greatly missed by this world! I thank God for the opportunity to play together and share our lives as young people. I am praying for his family!”

The R&B singer was best known for recording the theme songs for two Disney films in the early 1990s. Bryson won two Grammys for his duet “Beauty and the Beast” with Celine Dion and “A Whole New World” with Regina Belle. Both tracks won Academy Awards for Best Original Song. 

Bryson was given a key to the city by Greenville Mayor Knox White during his performance at The Peace Center in May 2023.  At the show, state Sen. Karl Allen also presented Bryson with a sign representing a section of North Academy Street that was named in his honor. A mural celebrating Bryson was also unveiled on the wall of The Commons at Unity Park in September 2024.

“Peabo Bryson had an unmistakable voice that touched people around the world and a deep sincerity on and off stage,” White said in a statement. “His many lifelong friends in Greenville are a testimony that his character was as genuine as his talent.”

Details will be announced at a later date for the celebration of life and memorial arrangements for Bryson.

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Nearly 400 community leaders, volunteers and survivors attended the annual event held May 15 at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The theme of this year’s Upstate Heart Ball was “A Southern Palm Soirée.”

The Upstate Heart Ball marks the culmination of a year-round campaign focused on expanding research, advocacy, education and access to care for those affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. The raised funding directly supports the American Heart Association’s mission “to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.”

“Through this community’s outstanding support, we are advancing access to lifesaving education and care, powering groundbreaking scientific discoveries, advocating for better policies and health outcomes and building a stronger, healthier Upstate for all,” said Ashley Coleman, American Heart Association Upstate executive director.  

Local survivors, caregivers, researchers and community leaders shared their personal stories during the Upstate Heart Ball. The event’s honorees included

• Mary Burton Wilkins and Will Wright, congenital heart defect survivors and Open Your Heart honorees
• Trey Morrow and Emily Koon, heart disease survivors
• Sarah Key Wrenn, Miss South Carolina
• David and Susan Wilkins, 2026 legacy chairs
• Lekesha Benson, community advocate
• Boone Norris, a five-month-old open-heart surgery survivor

Walt and Donyelle Wilkins, chairs of the 2026 Upstate Heart Ball, said it has been an honor to lead the campaign and unite the community to support more lifesaving research and education.

“As parents of a heart survivor and friends to many others personally impacted by heart disease and stroke, we understand how important it is to continue advancing this work,” Walt and Donyelle Wilkins said. “We could not be more proud of how the Upstate community has rallied together to help save lives.”

For more information, visit https://ahagreenvillesc.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/20252026GreenvilleSCHeartBall/tabid/1552808/Default.aspx. 

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This idea stands at the center of the experiential nonprofit organization’s new partnership with the Prisma Health Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Hospital in Greenville. The hospital provides inpatient and outpatient care for those with spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, amputation, multiple trauma, cancer and other neurological conditions. 

Premier Arts Collective began hosting bi-monthly therapeutic art workshops at the hospital in March. Elizabeth DuBose, administrator of Roger C. Peace, explained that the workshops offer patients, caregivers and staff an opportunity to connect, reflect and engage in recovery beyond traditional therapies.

“At Roger C. Peace, rehabilitation is more than physical recovery – it’s about supporting the whole person,” DuBose said. “Partnering with Premier Arts Collective allows us to integrate creativity and self-expression into the healing process in a meaningful way.”

The new therapeutic art workshops were inspired by Brad Carraway, a therapeutic art facilitator with Premier Arts Collective, and his daughter, Katarina. In 2021, Katarina Carraway became a patient at Roger C. Peace after being involved in a traumatic accident that left her paralyzed from the chest down. 

She became involved in an outpatient support group program with the hospital for people with spinal injuries. Brad Carraway started offering therapeutic art-themed events for his daughter’s support group and expanded to working with other outpatients at Roger C. Peace. He later connected the hospital with Premier Arts Collective to create an inpatient therapeutic art program. 

“I’m very excited about this opportunity,” Katarina Carraway said. “I love to encourage others to explore their creativity in ways that feel accessible and empowering, while also advocating for more inclusion and accessibility.”

Therapeutic art workshops

Alison Hughey, a board-certified music therapist, led the most recent workshop at Roger C. Peace on May 29. During the workshop, patients sang along to classic songs like Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” to Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” The workshop also allowed patients to work on their physical therapy goals while playing instruments.

One of the patients who participated in the music therapy workshop was Ken Hurt. Hurt has been undergoing rehabilitation at Roger C. Peace since early May after suffering a stroke. He enjoyed the camaraderie formed during the workshop with the other patients. 

“I wouldn’t typically sit in a room like that, but I would go out to a bar and do the exact same thing that we did,” Hurt said. “It helps remind you that this is semi-normal. It’s an odd location but a normal experience – interacting with people, singing some songs, laughing a little bit and telling some stories. That’s good – anything that can lift your spirits.”

Premier Arts Collective provides therapeutic art and music programs across Upstate South Carolina and beyond. Logan Rice, the organization’s vice president, said the patients at Roger C. Peace are one of the many populations that the Premier Arts Collective serves, from survivors of sexual assault to underserved children and youth.

“The arts are so versatile, and in environments like this at Roger C. Peace, there are just so many ways they can be beneficial to this population,” Rice said. “We’re looking to do five programs at the hospital over the course of 2026 and then – Lord willing – keep going in the years to come.”

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The new planning document will help the public transit system enhance its services to meet the community’s future transportation needs. Greenlink’s last transit development plan was adopted in 2018 and updated in 2021. 

Community members are invited to review and provide feedback on the plan’s recommended transit improvements at an upcoming open house. Six public meetings will be held June 1-3 at different locations across Greenville County. 

Greenlink’s open houses will be held at:

• Mauldin Cultural Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on June 1
• Greenville Technical College Main Campus from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on June 1
• Greenville Technical College Northwest Campus from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on June 1
• Taylors Library Burdette Branch from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on June 2
• Greenlink Transit Center from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. on June 2
• Greenlink Transit Center from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on June 3

The collected public feedback will be used to develop the draft of the new transit development plan. The draft plan is expected to be presented and finalized in August and September. 

For more information, visit https://www.greenvillesc.gov/2738/Greenlink-2026-Transit-Development-Plan/.

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The city’s Planning and Development Department is exploring ways to expand Greenville’s housing supply by promoting the creation of missing middle housing. This concept refers to house-scale buildings containing multiple residential units. Examples include duplexes, triplexes, four-plexes, townhomes, cottage courts, courtyard apartments and similar developments.

Mary Douglas Hirsch, the city’s director of planning and development, said missing middle housing is “gentle density” that can be used for infill development within the city. Missing middle housing is ideal in walkable neighborhoods near retail, food, open space and other amenities. These housing types sit between detached single-family homes and high-rise apartments on the housing-density spectrum. 

“We’re dusting off this concept as we’re looking at a variety of tools to achieve more housing. This is not the silver bullet,” Hirsch said. 

Construction of these housing types has been widely missing in the United States since the early 1940s. Existing examples can be found in neighborhoods and historic districts across the city of Greenville, including in Hampton-Pickney, Greenline-Spartanburg and the West End. 

Missing middle housing can appeal to a range of demographics, from empty nesters looking to downsize to young professionals. Greenville City Councilmember Tina Belge explained that this housing type can also provide more attainable options for middle-income households and create homeownership opportunities. 

“We’ve gotten pretty imbalanced in our homeownership and rental in our city and homeownership is just not attainable for so many people,” Belge explained. “More missing middle housing is not only to lower price points so they can rent at a more affordable price, but maybe also purchase.”

Greenville housing study and planning

The concept of missing middle housing was reintroduced by Daniel Parolek, founding principal of California-based Opticos Design, in 2010. In 2019, the team at Opticos Design completed a two-part study of the regulatory barriers to creating these housing types in the city of Greenville and Greenville County. The study results and recommendations were presented to the Greenville City and County Councils in 2020. 

Hirsch said the study set the stage for the creation and adoption of the GVL2040 Comprehensive Plan in 2021. The plan promotes missing middle housing strategies and outlines areas within the city suitable for this housing type, such as around downtown Greenville, Augusta Street and the Village of West Greenville. A five-year update of GVL2040 is currently underway.  

The city also overhauled its zoning and land development regulations to adopt the new Greenville Development Code in 2023. Existing zoning barriers restricting the creation of missing middle housing were removed from the new code. A new zoning category, Neighborhood-Scale Zoning Districts, was also created for these housing types. 

Neighborhood-Scale Zoning Districts allow low-intensity housing options ranging from 2.5 to 3 stories tall. These buildings can accommodate between 4 and 12 residential units, with a 16-unit max when the development bonus is applied. This zoning type can be found in pockets throughout the city, often as a transition between single-family residential neighborhoods and commercial areas.

Despite the new zoning framework, city staff have not seen many missing middle housing options, outside of townhomes, being created in Greenville. The city invited Tony Perez, senior associate with Opticos Design, to visit Greenville in May to meet with city officials, developers and the community about missing middle housing. 

Perez led a housing workshop with the city’s Planning Commission on May 13. Commission members discussed the current barriers that prohibit developers from building missing middle housing, such as financing issues, utility fees and building codes. Hirsch explained that the city will explore ways to mitigate these barriers for developers.

Planning staff is also interested in completing a pilot project for missing middle housing on city-owned land in partnership with a home builder. Hirsch explained that the project would help test out building this housing type to work through any hurdles. The pilot project would also create new housing for the community. 

“Over the summer, we’re going to be exploring this more and figuring out what our next steps are, but planning will be following up with other departments at the city and our city council on next steps,” Hirsch said. “We’ve got good momentum and interest, so I’d like to continue the conversation.”

Definition of missing middle housing

“House-scale buildings with multiple units in walkable neighborhoods.”

Source: Opticos Design

Examples of missing middle housing

• Duplex
• Triplex
• Cottage court
• Townhome
• Multiplex
• Courtyard apartments
• Accessory dwelling units
• Live/work building

Missing middle housing study

Opticos Design, the architects behind the missing middle housing movement, completed a two-part study of the city of Greenville and Greenville County in 2019. The study was commissioned by Impact Greenville, a coalition consisting of the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors, Upstate Forever, the Greenville Housing Fund, Greenville Community Foundation and the city of Greenville.

Population growth

The city of Greenville had a total population of  79,396 residents in 2025. By 2030, the city’s population is projected to reach 85,616 residents.

Source: City of Greenville

***

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied units

Year: 2025

• Renter occupied: 56%
• Owner occupied: 44%

Year: 2030 (projected)

• Renter occupied: 54.5%
• Owner occupied: 45.5%

Source: City of Greenville

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Clemson’s Board of Trustees formally selected Guskiewicz during a special-called meeting held May 27. He received a five-year contract with a $1.2 million base salary from the university. Guskiewicz will succeed longtime president James P. Clements, who retired in December 2025 after 12 years at the university. 

“I am deeply honored and incredibly grateful to accept the opportunity to serve as Clemson University’s 16th president,” Guskiewicz said. “To be entrusted with leading a university as respected, ambitious and beloved as Clemson is both humbling and inspiring.”

Guskiewicz brings more than 30 years of experience in higher education to Clemson. He has served as Michigan State’s president since March 2024 and was the chancellor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2019 to 2024. According to Clemson, he represented both institutions through leadership roles in various national higher education, research and civic organizations. 

In addition to his leadership experience, Guskiewicz is a renowned neuroscientist and researcher in sports medicine. In 2022, he received the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship for his work surrounding sports-related concussions. Guskiewicz said Clemson has the opportunity to further elevate its research enterprise and national profile. 

“Clemson is a university with tremendous momentum,” Guskiewicz said. “It’s already considered an outstanding public research university, but what excites me most is its potential for what comes next.”

The search for Clemson’s new president began in December. A presidential search committee was formed by the university’s board, which worked with Funk Associates, a Texas-based higher education leadership recruitment firm.

Search Committee Chair Cheri Phyfer said in-person conversations were conducted with the university’s various constituents, including faculty, staff, students, alumni and community leaders, to help guide the search process. She explained that Guskiewicz was selected from a strong and talented pool of candidates. 

“Dr. Guskiewicz brings authenticity, steadiness and a genuine kindness to his leadership style,” Phyfer said. “He brings both vision and humility to the role, and we are confident his leadership will guide us to even greater heights.”

According to Clemson, Guskiewicz’s official start date is still being finalized. Guskiewicz said he anticipates starting sometime in August to help ensure a smooth transition for Michigan State University. 

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