Hundreds come out for Maxwell Avenue Ribbon cutting
July 13, 2009
By CHRIS TRAINOR/ ctrainor@indexjournal.com
A great amount of work, time and money has gone into transforming Maxwell Avenue from a crumbling, blighted back street into a remodeled, inviting and business-ready thoroughfare.
On Thursday, the city celebrated the revitalization, as more than 200 people crammed into Mays Reception Hall at the Federal Building for a program touting the reopening of Maxwell, which has seen massive streetscape and facade improvements in the last year.
Assistant city manager Charlie Barrineau discussed the Maxwell revitalization, which coincides with a similar project that transformed Oregon Avenue and compliments the numerous upgrades made to the Federal Building, Greenwood Community Theatre and The Museum.
Barrineau said growth has already been spurred by Uptown improvements.
“I think people that have not really been in Uptown in the last two years still say, ‘Uptown is dead,’” Barrineau said. “Folks, our downtown is not dead. We have so much to be thankful for. Over the last two years, since we started this process, we have had 17 retail or restaurant establishments either upgrade or move into our downtown.
“That is outstanding. We need to be so happy for all they’ve given us and support them.”
Maceo Nance, of the South Carolina Department of Commerce, addressed the crowd about the importance of a vibrant city center.
“(Progress in Uptown) cannot stop with what is already here,” Nance said. “These folks have invested a lot. They are involved with this program. The only way they can make it work is with your support. Those people you know who live in Greenwood, who come to visit Greenwood, get them into Uptown.
“Get them to spend money here. Get them to spend time Uptown. Let’s make Uptown Greenwood a destination, rather than some place you just happen to be passing through.”
S.C. Sen. Floyd Nicholson, who was mayor of Greenwood when the Maxwell updates began, said he is pleased with the work.
“Throughout my entire involvement with politics in Greenwood, there is one thing I’ve always said: If you are going to have a vibrant community, you have to have a vibrant Uptown,” the senator said. “You cannot let everything leave and go out on the bypass on the outskirts of town. You’ve got to have that vibrant Uptown. When we started planning and came up with the (city center) masterplan, a lot of people said it would never happen.
“We can see now that the dream has become a reality. That’s why we are here celebrating (Thursday).”
Following the program, Mayor Welborn Adams lauded the direction Uptown Greenwood is taking.
“This project means a lot to a lot of people,” the mayor said. “The number of people who showed up today reveals how important this is to our community. People can see that. I feel like, in spite of the economic times that we’ve been through, it is all coming together.
“We are on the cusp of taking Greenwood from a small town to a thriving city. I think we are going to see more and more retail Uptown.”
Barrineau said he originally expected 50 people to attend Friday’s program, which included the presentation at the Federal Building and a ribbon cutting on Maxwell near E.S. Moon’s Martial Arts. He was floored when he saw the standing-room-only crowd in the Mays Reception Hall.
“I’m overwhelmed,” Barrineau said, smiling. “I thought we’d have 60 people, tops. I think it just shows how much this community loves the downtown and believes in what we are doing. It takes everybody holding hands to make it happen.”
Greenwood City Council approved the expenditure of nearly $1 million for the Maxwell streetscape project, a venture that was similar to the one that transformed the adjoining Oregon Avenue.
Barrineau said an estimated $320,000 for the streetscape project came from a S.C. Department of Commerce Rural Opportunity Investment grant, with the balance paid for through hospitality taxes.
