Big Changes Coming to Spartanburg’s Northside Neighborhood
In a significant move for Spartanburg’s Northside neighborhood, a property located at 770 Howard Street is set to undergo a transformation, offering a boost to the local housing market. The city’s Planning Commission has approved the rezoning of this lot, allowing for the construction of between 21 and 27 new homes. This change in zoning from R-8, General Residential District Zoning, to DT-4, a Planned Development District Zoning, facilitates the development of more townhomes on smaller lots, a change certainly beneficial for the neighborhood.
Increasing Housing Options in Spartanburg
Planning Commission Chairman Phillip Stone highlighted the city’s long-term goal of increasing the city’s housing stock during the board’s brief deliberation: “This allows us to do that,” Stone said. “It’s a logical zoning classification.” Indeed, the new townhomes bring an exciting property development to the community, and is part of a grand scheme to renew the area.
A Collaborative Effort
The project is a combined venture between the city, Northside Development Group, and Homes of Hope, a statewide nonprofit organization focused on affordable housing development. The plan, titled the Northside Transformation Plan, involves building 43 mixed-income units on various sites throughout the Northside, including developments on Pearl and Howard streets. The variety of 43 units will involve 21 rental units – eight of which will be affordable units, and 23 units for sale, offering versatile property options to address the unique needs of the community.
What to Expect
These newly built homes are estimated to sell for between $220,000 and $240,000, with market value rental units starting from $1,000 a month. Martin Livingston, the Community Development Director, estimates the total cost of the developments to be around $9.6 million – $4,915,000 for the homeownership units and $4,685,000 for the rental units.
At this stage, the developers are diligently working on the designs for these units. The design plans will eventually go before the Design Review Board for approval. Livingston said, “Once the zoning has been approved or reviewed by City Council, (the project) still has to go before the Design Review Board because it is a DT zoning.”
Looking Forward
In June, Spartanburg City Council approved the transfer of 11 vacant properties scattered around streets such as Arch, Brawley, Leonard, and others to the Northside Development Group for use in this project. The rezoning decision will go before the city council in November for final deliberations.
Big changes are undoubtedly on the horizon for Spartanburg’s Northside neighborhood. With an exciting mix of new townhomes and single-family homes on the way, there is much to look forward to in the community.
