Greenville to sell downtown Main Street municipal building — what’s next

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More change is in the works for the city of Greenville's office space.

The city plans to put the Greenville Municipal Court building, which is located at 426 N. Main St., on the market.

The building, which has challenges with age and layout, no longer accommodates the needs of employees or the public, according to the city.

In 2024, municipal court, police headquarters, fire administration — which is currently split up between city hall and the Greenville Convention Center — and other city departments including human resources, finance, and permits, will move to 204 Halton Road. The new facility will offer more parking and additional courtroom space. The city will seek a commercial broker to issue a request for proposals from developers.

This is part of a larger investment in city facilities. The sale of 206 S. Main St. downtown, where Greenville City Hall currently resides, was finalized earlier this month to M. Peters for redevelopment, and the upcoming purchase of 55 Camperdown Way will become the new city hall.

Greenville Mayor Knox White said, “It’s time to modernize City Hall,” in response to the current city hall — which has been home to the city’s offices for the past five decades — being sold for redevelopment.

The Greenville City Council granted City Manager John McDonough approval to move forward with the purchase sale agreement of Greenville City Hall with M. Peters Group for $12.5 million.

According to Beth Brotherton, City of Greenville director of communications and engagement, the Halton building was purchased from Fluor last year to serve as the new police headquarters and municipal court.

Both the current law enforcement center and court are “too small and out of date.” The building is currently under construction with a move planned in 2024.

The Halton Road location has a significant amount of parking and will be easier for new employees to get physicals and do orientation — both parts of the human resources department — and for contractors and business owners who want a building permit, business license, or to pay taxes. Downtown is not currently optimal for these services, said Brotherton.

Proceeds from the sale of 426 N. Main St., the current Greenville Municipal Court building, will go directly toward renovations at Halton Road, which will include having a third courtroom instead of two, Brotherton said.