Greenville County officials held a groundbreaking ceremony Jan. 4 for the county’s new administrative building, the first phase of the $1 billion County Square redevelopment project.
The five-story building, on the property adjacent to the current county offices at 301 University Ridge Drive, will be approximately 250,000 square feet with a north and south office tower interconnected by a common terrace level, landscaped courtyard, pedestrian bridge, and exterior canopy.
The building is expected to be completed in “a couple of years,” said Phil Mays, principal at Atlanta-based RocaPoint Partners, the developer on the project.
The building is touted as an “architectural showcase,” said Joe Kernell, Greenville County administrator, designed by world-renowned architects Foster + Partners, the company that designed Apple Park in Cupertino, California, Apple buildings around the world, the Comcast Building in Philadelphia and many others. County leaders anticipate architectural students, professionals and aficionados coming to visit the building just for its design.
“It will become a beacon of architecture for our community,” said Kernell.
“It’s a landmark that will serve generations of Greenville County for years to come,” said Butch Kirven, County Council chairman. “It’s a one-of-a-kind building … it symbolizes the spirit of residents of Greenville County.”
Related: Greenville County reveals fresh concept for ongoing County Square project
The new county building is the first phase in the massive 37-acre, $1 billion County Square project. The entire project is expected to take eight to 10 years until it is fully completed and will be a public-private partnership. Planning for the project has been underway for years. Preliminary plans in 2019 included a movie theater, organic grocery store, three-story fitness facility and national coworking space, totaling as much as 3.5 million square feet with additional hotel, retail, office and residential use.
The new county buildings will contain:
- Terrace level: Probate and Magistrate Courts
- Lobby level: Tax, Real Property Services, Council Chamber, retail space
- County offices at all levels
Project partners
- Owner: Greenville County
- Developer: RocaPoint Partners
- Design architect: Foster + Partners
- Architect of record/Interior Design: Nelson Worldwide
- Structural engineer: Fuller Group
- Mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineer: Simes & Rosch
- Civil engineer: Seamon Whiteside
- Construction manager: DPR Construction
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