Hyatt plaza plans cause pause

By Cindy Landrum  

AUGUST 1, 2011 10:14 a.m. (0)

Architects for the Hyatt’s multi-million dollar renovation were told by members of the city’s Design and Review Board’s Urban Panel to come back with a revised plan for the Main Street plaza that’s “less harsh.”

Architects with McMillan Pazden Smith presented a plan that would remove the fountain and replace it with a smaller water feature that would separate the outdoor dining area for a restaurant fronting the plaza and the plaza itself.

The removal of the existing fountain would allow for better use of the plaza space during events, architects said.

The plans also called for a fire pit near the outdoor seating.

But members of the board expressed concerns that the plaza area was filled with too much concrete and stone and not enough trees.

“The Main Street side is kind of harsh,” said Barry Nocks, chairman.

The Hyatt was the cornerstone of Main Street’s redevelopment nearly three decades ago and city officials said the renovation is a key component of revitalizing that end of North Main.

A complicated financing deal that made the development possible had public ownership of the hotel’s atrium, ballroom and kitchen.

The city sold its interest in the hotel to Hyatt Corp. for $1 million last year, paving the way for JHM Hotels to buy the hotel from the chain.

City officials are counting on the Hyatt renovation, which will include retail shops on Main Street, and the One Development, a $100 million multi-use development that includes retail, office space and corporate headquarters, to give North Main another boost.

The board approved a redesigned Hyatt main entrance on Beattie Street and the placement of the “Mice on Main” monument on the plaza.

In addition, the board cleared the way for what some are calling the second phase of the Bookends project.

Original plans called for apartment developments to “bookend” each end of the city’s Spring Street parking garage.

The developer, Charlie Whitmire, built one of the buildings, but did not complete the second.

On Tuesday, the board approved plans by developer Russ Davis, who developed McBee Station, to build a six-floor 48-unit apartment complex with a rooftop pool and street-level retail space.

On Monday, the Greenville City Council agreed to end the city’s development agreement with Whitmire and pledge $150,000 in infrastructure improvement for Davis’ development, which is called Washington Station.

The majority of the city’s pledge will come from penalties accrued by Whitmire.

Architect Lisa Lanni said construction of Washington Station could start in October or November.