These guidelines are used to manage the design, character and function of downtown Greenville as it continues to grow and evolve. New projects in the city’s downtown design district must comply with the standards outlined in the document, which cover everything from building massing to architectural detailing. 

The first draft of the updated downtown design guidelines was presented during the city’s project preview meeting on May 26. Community members are invited to review and provide feedback on the draft guidelines on the city’s project website. The guidelines were last updated in 2017. The existing guidelines  prioritize enhancing walkability, green space and pedestrian activation in downtown Greenville.   

The adoption of the Greenville Development Code in 2023 expanded the boundary of the city’s downtown design district, bringing in new neighborhoods, districts and zoning types. The expansion required the city to update its guidelines. 

City staff started working on the downtown design guidelines update in May 2025 with consultants from Cooper Carry and ADP Urban Planning and Development. Edward Kinney, a principal landscape architect with the city, said the updated guidelines incorporate most of what was already in place, with a few additions. 

For example, the draft guidelines outline four specific character districts found within the general downtown area of Greenville. Each district has unique design priorities and standards to ensure new development reinforces the area’s existing characteristics.

“We wanted to find tools that would help guide design to address the unique areas of downtown,” said Allison Bickers with Cooper Carry. 

The Halprin District incorporates the area on the north end of downtown Greenville. It is named for Lawrence Halprin, who redesigned Greenville’s Main Street between College and Broad streets in the 1970s. The draft guidelines prioritize preserving the district’s historic and natural features while strengthening the retail storefront experience. 

The proposed boundaries of the West End District stretch from South Academy Street down to the intersection of Augusta and Dunbar. Priorities outlined in the draft guidelines include protecting the district’s historic commercial character and public spaces while welcoming adaptive reuse and appropriate infill development.

The Unity Park District focuses on the area surrounding the city’s 60-acre park, including Mayberry Street, South Hudson Street and Welborn Street. Some of the proposed priorities for the character district include promoting park-centered architectural designs, strong pedestrian infrastructure, flood mitigation and expanded tree canopy. 

The final character district contains the Village of West Greenville and the Pendleton Street corridor. The draft guidelines focus on maintaining the district’s artistic character, promoting mixed-use growth and adding gathering spaces. 

The updated downtown design guidelines also include a new section for residential projects that fall within the expanded downtown design district boundary. Specific design standards have been created for four residential building types:

• Small-scale multi-family housing
• Single-family detached housing
• Single-family attached housing
• Existing single-family housing

Following the project preview meeting, the city’s consultants will analyze the collected public feedback to finalize the draft downtown design guidelines. The Design Review Board is tentatively scheduled to review the updated guidelines in August. The guidelines will also need to be reviewed and approved by the city’s Planning Commission and Greenville City Council for final adoption. 

For more information on the city’s downtown design guidelines and to submit online feedback, visit greenvillesc.gov/2676/Downtown-Design-Guidelines.

Design principles

The first draft of the updated downtown design guidelines includes a revised list of design principles. These principles reflect the city’s vision for the continued development of downtown Greenville. 

• Contextual fit
• Design quality
• Human scale
• Variety and adaptability
• Pedestrian priority
• Green infrastructure
• Strengthen connectivity
• Comfort and activation

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City staff have been working with consultants from Cooper Carry and ADP Urban Planning and Development since May 2025 to update the downtown design guidelines using public and stakeholder feedback. The city of Greenville’s Design Review Board and Planning Commission held a joint meeting on Feb. 26 to review preliminary recommendations for the updated guidelines. 

The updated downtown design guidelines will reflect the expanded downtown boundary created with the adoption of the city’s new development code in 2023. New areas such as the Village of West Greenville and Unity Park now fall under the design guidelines. 

Special character districts are proposed to be added to the design guidelines. These district would have specific design standards to help preserve the unique characteristics within each defined area. The suggested special character districts include:

• Halprin District (northern end of downtown Greenville)
• West End District
• Unity Park District
• The Village of West Greenville District

Another recommendation is to add specific design standards for single-family residential and small-scale multifamily projects to the downtown design guidelines. This change directly responds to the new residential areas that now fall under the design guidelines as a result of the downtown boundary expansion. 

A draft of the updated downtown design guidelines is expected to be completed in the spring and will be presented during the city’s project preview meeting. For more information, visit greenvillesc.gov/2676/Downtown-Design-Guidelines. 

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Deferred: Historic church parsonage demolition

The Design Review Board evaluated an application to demolish the Allen Temple AME Church’s 102-year-old parsonage at 109 Green Ave. in downtown Greenville. Following a lengthy discussion, the application was ultimately deferred for 180 days to allow the church to explore alternative solutions for the historic building. 

The one-story bungalow, constructed in 1924, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the city’s Historic Architectural Inventory. It is also located within the city’s West End Preservation Overlay District.

The historic structure has experienced significant deterioration after sitting abandoned for two decades. A formal evaluation of the building identified multiple structural and code deficiencies. According to the application, the estimated cost to repair the building exceeds $1 million. 

Dedrick Williams, a trustee at Allen Temple AME Church, said the church wants to remove the building to reduce the insurance cost on its downtown property. The parsonage was proposed to be replaced with green space.

“We view that building now as a handicap because we’re putting money into it and we’re not getting anything out of it,” Williams said. 

The city’s planning staff originally recommended denial of the demolition application due to the building’s historic status and lack of sufficient evidence that rehabilitation would be infeasible. 

The board charged the city to work with Allen Temple AME Church to explore solutions that would save the historic structure. Williams said the church would be open to looking at other opportunities for the building with assistance from city staff and the board. 

Approved with conditions: Townes Street development

The Historic Review Board approved an application for a proposed townhome development at 504 Townes St. in the Heritage Historic District. The application was submitted by Jamison Hupp with Fathom Firm, a Greenville-based architecture and design firm. 

The proposed project would consist of two three-story buildings, each with two townhome units. The townhomes would include approximately four bedrooms, three and a half baths and a garage. 

The 4-1 vote overruled the planning staff’s original recommendation to deny the application. As conditions for approval, the board requested the applicant to further review the structure’s north elevation presentation, front porch design, front retaining wall height, vertical siding and the site’s open space.

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