Block 224: How an Abandoned S. Main Street Building Became a Downtown Gathering Space
In November 2020 the city was building Block 224, an open-air space at 224 S. Main St. with seating, a gas firepit, an arched entry and a stage. The lot was bought for $23,000 in 2018; construction was about $350,000, helped by a $25,000 state grant.
The Woodruff Times reported on November 16, 2020 on the construction of Block 224 downtown.
The city bought the abandoned building at 224 S. Main Street in August 2018 for $23,000, after the owner offered to sell because bringing it up to code had become too expensive. The plan was to turn it into an open-air public space that would draw more people downtown.
Block 224 was designed with seating areas, a gas firepit, an arched entry facade and a stage. The city planned acoustic music during the week and, later, rentals for small events and gatherings, with pricing and scheduling to be set in 2021 once it could see how the space was used.
Mayor Kenneth Gist said the point was to help downtown businesses. City Manager Lee Bailey described it as the next step after the McKinney Park streetscape connector, and said the city wanted people to move from business to business along Main Street. The co-chairs of OneSpartanburg's Woodruff Area Council told the paper they expected it to bring more events and foot traffic.
Construction began in late September 2020 with a target opening of December 1. The total cost was about $350,000, partly offset by a $25,000 Hometown Economic Development Grant from the Municipal Association of South Carolina. Woodruff was one of 12 cities in the state to receive that grant that year.
A note from us: this is the outlet's account. Read the original at The Woodruff Times.