Boyanoski, White share new stories in Reimagining Greenville

A new cover, new stories and new photos highlight a revised edition of “Reimagining Greenville: Building the Best Downtown in America,” written by John Boyanoski and Knox White.

First released in 2013 with numerous reprints since, this new edition expands on the story of how Greenville’s downtown transformed from ghost town to one of the most celebrated examples of urban planning in the country.

The books focuses on the some of the key elements in the transformation including the reopening of the historic Poinsett Hotel, the beautification of the Reedy River, the construction of a Main Street baseball stadium and more.

It can be purchased here.

The book was the idea of Greenville Mayor Knox White, who wanted to chronicle the behind the scene’s stories of how downtown evolved over the decades. As the city’s mayor since 1995, White has been a key figure in creating and adhering to the plans that have landed Greenville numerous accolades in the past decade.

“It surprised me that as Greenville has grown and attracted so many new people, businesses and visitors that so many of them are unaware of the key steps, near misses and travails that went into building Greenville into a model for other downtown revitalizations,” White said.

To aid with the book process, White joined with Boyanoski, who wrote about many of the key developments while a writer with the Greenville News and Greenville Journal. Boyanoski has written three other books: “Ghosts of Upstate South Carolina” (2006), “More Ghosts of Upstate South Carolina” (2008) and “Palmetto Pigskins” (2010).

“Greenville has a great story and I am honored to have been allowed to try and capture part of it,” Boyanoski said.

The new edition was created because so much has changed about downtown in the past four years including hundreds of new apartments, more parking, an expanding West End area and overall growth of the streets beyond on Main Street.

Downtown success has garnered national media attention as everyone from the New York Times to the Atlantic to American Spectator to Outside Magazine have written large stories about how Greenville was reshaped. In addition, the city hosts thousands of leaders from other communities each year that come hearing want to learn more about how Greenville grew.

Known for its exceptional beauty, the two most distinctive natural features of downtown Greenville are its lush, tree-lined Main Street and the stunning Reedy River Falls, located in the heart of Falls Park. The award-winning Liberty Bridge in Falls Park serves as Greenville’s signature postcard setting, and downtown’s extensive collection of public artwork adds beauty and energy to its public spaces.

During the day, downtown is home to more than 20,000 employees. At night, area residents and visitors flock to downtown to take advantage of its extensive offering of cultural, entertainment and dining options. Not surprisingly, downtown has also become one of the most desirable residential districts in and around Greenville, giving the area an even more well-rounded character.

With more than 100 independent restaurants in a 10-block stretch, downtown’s lively dining scene has sparked Greenville’s emerging reputation as a foodie’s paradise.

“People want to see Falls Park. They want to know how we built the bridge. But they don’t always know or realize these were pieces of a much larger puzzle,” White said. “This book tells so much more of the story.”

About Reimagining Greenville

Reimagining Greenville: Building the Best Downtown America is being published by Arcadia Publishing, which is the largest publisher of local history books, and regional content guides in America, with more than 12,000 titles. The book can be purchased online here or at numerous Greenville retail locations and here.