Spartanburg city officials revealed that construction on a proposed $15 million redevelopment of Morgan Square is expected to begin in the coming months.

City Manager Chris Story informed the City Council about the plans to revamp the area, aiming to make it more pedestrian-friendly and suitable for various events.

“We’re trying to get to the point where we have one of the best main streets in the South,” said Story. “We’ve got the ingredients coming together for that, and Morgan Square will be the hub of that.”

The redevelopment could feature new terraces, dedicated outdoor dining areas, an event pavilion, and more green spaces. Story also suggested that connecting the space further westward to the block next to it might add additional costs.

“We think it makes sense to connect it a little bit further westward to incorporate the block immediately to the west of it, and that'll add some cost,” Story explained.

The redevelopment project aligns with other ongoing constructions in the city, including the Fifth Third Park stadium, a joint city-county complex, and a planetarium.

Morgan Square has undergone several changes over the years, with its current layout established during the COVID-19 pandemic to facilitate outdoor dining. Jarvis Steele, a recent resident, expressed support for the redevelopment.

"One of the reasons why we picked this area, me and my fiancée, is because of how much opportunity to get out and be in the community there was, so any more opportunity to do that, I'm super excited about," Steele shared.

Story emphasized that Morgan Square continues to evolve to meet the needs of downtown Spartanburg.

"It's just evolving to reflect the needs and character of downtown at the given moment," he said. "That's what it should do as a sort of living room area for the heart of the city."

Construction is slated to begin either in late spring or early summer, pending final approval from the City Council, with an expected completion time of about 10 months.