Several large-scale construction projects across South Carolina’s Upstate region are expected to reach critical milestones in 2026, reflecting the area’s continued population growth and economic expansion. From transformative downtown redevelopments to new government buildings, schools, and recreational facilities, these projects moved forward in 2025 and are positioned to make substantial progress in the year ahead.
Here are five major Upstate construction projects expected to shape the region’s future in 2026:
The more than $1 billion redevelopment of Greenville County Square is one of the most ambitious projects underway in the Upstate. Located along University Ridge near downtown Greenville, the multi-phase effort is a partnership between RocaPoint Partners and Greenville County.
When complete, the project will deliver approximately 3 million square feet of mixed-use development, including office space, retail, residential units, public gathering areas, a hotel, and new administrative offices for Greenville County. Retail interest continues to grow, with 15 businesses already planning to locate on the site. In October, RocaPoint also confirmed plans for 28 luxury townhomes, further expanding housing options in the urban core.
Spartanburg County and the City of Spartanburg broke ground in December on what will become South Carolina’s first joint city-county government complex. The approximately $100 million project aims to modernize government services while consolidating multiple public functions into a single, more accessible location.
Funded through a one-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2017, construction activity along South Church Street and West Broad Street is expected to increase significantly in 2026. The facility is projected to open in 2027, offering new office space and public meeting rooms designed to better serve residents.
Construction continues on the future Pendleton High School, a major investment by Anderson School District Four to address enrollment growth. District leaders expect the 240,000-square-foot campus to open for the 2026–2027 school year.
The new facility will feature updated athletic amenities and modern classroom technology. Once students move into the new building, the district plans to repurpose the existing Pendleton High School campus as the new home for Riverside Middle School, extending the life of the older facility while meeting evolving educational needs.
Greer officials broke ground Aug. 27 on a 200,000-square-foot Sports and Events Center, responding to rising demand for recreational programs and limited existing capacity. The facility will be built near South Buncombe Road and Highway 14.
Mayor Rick Danner said the project “will transform our community.” The center will include multiple basketball and volleyball courts, an e-sports area, community meeting rooms, and additional flexible spaces designed to host tournaments, events, and local programs. Construction is scheduled to continue throughout 2026, with an anticipated opening in 2027.
Though smaller in scale than the other projects, the rebuilding of Spartanburg’s downtown clock tower is expected to remain closely watched. The city dismantled the original tower—built in the 1970s with donations from local schoolchildren—as part of a legal agreement with Support the Spartanburg Clock Tower, a group that challenged the city’s plan to remove it.
The removal cleared the way for a new hotel development planned by Spartanburg-based Johnson Group on West Main Street. City officials have said they will seek public input in 2026 on a new location for the clock tower, with final approval to be made by city council members.
Originally reported by Baker Maultsby, Greenville News in Greenville Online.
