Peace Center Project Diversifies City's Live Music Scene
The Greenville music scene just got a whole lot hipper.
The Peace Center announced plans to expand its musical venues, which will achieve their longstanding goal of having a fully-functioning, 10-venue arts-and-entertainment campus. Mayor Knox White joined Peace Center CEO Megan Riegel in celebrating the $36 million project, which will transform three buildings on its campus to become unique music venues. Construction will begin in February 2023 on "A Music Project" (AMP), with estimated completion in late 2024.
“We’ve listened carefully to what our community says it wants regarding live entertainment,” said Riegel. “These new venues will complete the circle of our live music scene and attract a whole new range of artists and visitors to Greenville. People have been waiting for this for a long time.”
"People have been waiting for this for a long time.”
- Megan Riegel, Peace Center CEO
Central to the project will be the repurposing of the historic Coach Factory (currently the location of Larkins restaurant) to create a three-tiered, standing room live music club for national and local acts. Additionally, the historic Gullick and Markley buildings next to the Gunter Theatre will become a listening room for intimate lounge-like performances.
Capping off the project will be a professional podcast and recording studio. Managed and operated by the Peace Center, the studio will be available for booking by artists in need of high quality, professional recording, mixing, editing and related audio services.
"An expanded Peace Center is like having a university campus for the arts in the center of downtown. It is unprecedented.”
- Mayor Knox White
Above the recording studio, a modern three-suite apartment will accommodate performers who want a bit of privacy from their public life on the road or simply a convenient place to stay before or after their gig. This fully furnished, 3-bed/3.5-bath suite will feature comfortable bedding, modern baths, a living area, and kitchen with views of Main Street and the Reedy River.
Capping off the project will be extensive landscaping work on the outdoor event space. Using natural foliage and re-routing pathways leading to and from the open-air structure, the Wyche will take new root in a garden-like setting. Designed as an extension of beautiful Falls Park just a stone’s throw away, a river terrace running the length of the Wyche will provide pedestrians an attractive walkway overlooking the banks of the Reedy River.
To support the project, City Council approved the certification of the textile mill sites and abandoned buildings, allowing the Peace Center Foundation to seek state income tax credits.
