Despite conflict, Greenville City Council moves to pay $5.5 million for Unity Park tower

After testy discussion and a failed policy amendment presented by councilmember Dorothy Dowe, Greenville City Council voted 5-2 Monday night to spend $5.5 million in public money to build the Honor Tower in Unity Park. 

Councilmembers at-large Russell Stall and Dowe voted no at the first of two readings to commit the funds but were outnumbered by councilmembers John DeWorken, Ken Gibson, Wil Brasington, Lillian Brock Flemming and Mayor Knox White, who voted yes.

A second vote in favor of the proposal at a future council meeting would settle the tower's funding.

The plan is for hospitality and accommodations tax money to go to build the seven-story observation tower in the heart of Unity Park to the tune of $11 million, with the remaining $5.5 million coming from private donations raised by the Hughes Agency, the public-relations handing fundraising for the park.

The city plans to use $3.5 million in local accommodations tax, $1 million in hospitality tax and $1 million in "leftovers" from Unity Park's first construction phase budget, according to the latest proposed ordinance. 

Funding for the tower split the often-unanimous City Council and sparked debate across the city, with residents and community and business leaders packing the council chambers Monday night to advocate for or against the funds. 

Some Southernside residents who live near the 60-acre Unity Park handed out pamphlets in support of the tower. One person wore a T-shirt with a rendering of the tower and the words "be intentional" printed above it. 

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Multiple people spoke to City Council before they voted on the allocation.

Resident Charlotte Abrams, who helped steer the city's GVL 2040 comprehensive plan, said Unity Park is a "giant step" in addressing the city's priorities of open space and the environment. 

However, "the cost — $11 million with $5.5 million of that paid for by the city — needs more consideration as to whether the proposed Unity Park tower is in the best interest of the citizens of Greenville," Abrams said. 

Rev. Stacey Mills, who pastors Mountain View Baptist Church in Southernside, said the decision to take away the tower would be "a slap in the face" to a community that suffered from civic disinvestment for decades. 

"I ask that council will continue and proceed with the vote so that this park will be completed in its entirety, as it was presented to the community, so that its glory may also affect our desire to plan and build on the other side of the tracks, which often is neglected," Mills said. 

Resident Carl Muller suggested the council spend public money some other way. He quoted from the Bible, saying there was "a time for everything and every purpose under heaven" and that while physical construction was needed when he moved to Greenville 45 years ago, now "the time is not to build with bricks and mortar; the time is not to build objects. The time is to build lives."

"I read the Bible, too," said Southernside president Mary Duckett. "There is a time and place for everything under the sun. There is a time and a place for this tower to be put there in the center of those two parks (Meadowbrook and Mayberry)."

Meadowbrook and Mayberry parks once stood where Unity Park is now and served Black residents during segregation.

Before council voted on the allocation, councilmembers voted on an amendment spearheaded by Dowe, who has been vocal with her concerns about the cost and method of funding the tower. 

City officials said previously in 2018 the Honor Tower would be paid for entirely by private fundraising and would cost roughly $7 million. However, costs have climbed over the years, as has the tower's height. 

Dowe proposed an amendment that specified no additional city funding for the tower or related projects would be provided without City Council's approval. The purpose of the amendment was to add "guardrails" for the city's spending on the park, which could easily climb in the future, she said.

In the past, City Council had to approve deviations of $25,000 for budget line items, but that requirement was removed from city policy in July 2018, giving the city manager power to move funds without bringing it before council for approval.

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DeWorken and Stall supported Dowe's amendment, but it failed a 4-3 vote.  

Councilmembers have had divided opinions on the tower, which became apparent in the tense conversation on the dais Monday night. 

"I hate that this tower has been so incredibly divisive for council," Dowe said. 

While Stall said he didn't support "killing the tower," he suggested the city explore other options like a plaza and postpone Monday night's vote. 

"Unity Park is an amazing, unifying place," he said. "The river is the great unifier and should be the icon and backbone of the park. We must listen to the public as a council." 

Brasington said the tower wasn't an either-or decision, but rather an also-and consideration. 

"I believe we can — thanks to the careful planning work of our chief budget officer and the efforts we've put forth in recent weeks to look at the financials our disposal — we can make this investment," he said. "But we're also doing magnificent things through the fiscal year '23 budget itself, which is a separate consideration from this tower funding. We're putting literally millions of dollars into Cleveland Park, into some of our other parks. We're making investments in our trails and trail connections." 

Dowe pointed out that the city did not have a construction timeline set yet for the tower and that the size and cost had ballooned over the years. 

She also pointed out that the city has yet to complete the baseball field, basketball courts and maintenance facility for Unity Park. There are also competing needs for hospitality tax money like other city parks and trolley transportation, she said.

"When I came on to council, it was my feeling that the project — as it is built today and including the elements that were mentioned — was well in the works, so I was comfortable supporting it," Dowe said. "With a $70 million investment, we now have a beautiful park open. I do not feel at this point the council is obligated to approve further public spending on Unity Park beyond the maintenance, upkeep and security that will be required, and it will be substantial." 

White said the city learned its lesson about making policy decisions based on public opinion when they built the Liberty Bridge. Pulling printouts of letters to the editor from The Greenville News, he recounted how no one supported the project — or using hospitality-tax money to finance it. 

Now, after 13 years of planning, the tower would be delivering on a promise to the Southernside community, he said. 

"The tower makes a statement," he said. "You either keep the promise or you don't. I choose to keep the promise." 

Macon Atkinson is the city watchdog reporter for The Greenville News. She's powered by long runs and strong coffee. Follow her on Twitter @maconatkinson.