News

United Communitys new headquarters in downtown Greenville is officially open.

More than 300 employees began moving into the $65 million headquarters located at 200 E. Camperdown Way at the beginning of March.

The approximately 200,000-square-foot building took around two years to construct and includes 92 offices, 226 workstations and 26 conference rooms. It was designed according to WELL health and wellbeing standards and is one of the first certified buildings in South Carolina.

Source: https://upstatebusinessjournal.com/square-feet/united-community-headquarters-opens-in-downtown-greenville/

From high atop the world, Len sent this video message thanking the team at Furman for all their support throughout the years.

You can follow Len as he continues towards his goal of climbing Everest and raising $1,000,000 for Hopecam and kids with cancer here: https://www.hopecam.org/mt-everest-expedition-blog/

If you are able to make a sponsorship donation to support this goal, Hopecam would be incredibly grateful. 100% of the funds go directly to help kids with cancer stay virtually connected to their classmates. The pledge can be paid over a number of years.

Source: Hopecam.org

The Furman Co. (Furman Development) announced national transportation broker Allen Lund Company has signed on to occupy a portion of the Borden building, leasing approximately 5,600 square feet of office space at 711 W. Washington Street in Greenville, SC. The Greenville office is part the companys 37 offices across the United States.

The Borden building is currently in redevelopment. The buildings are approximately 42,000 square feet and were purchased in 2019 with the intent to preserve these historic buildings that were once home to the Borden ice cream factory. The original Borden building structure dates back to 1923. The developer wanted to keep the name of the modern urban office park Borden because of its rich history and to embrace what the site already has to offer. Stephen Navarro, President and CEO of The Furman Co. says that bringing a tenant of Allen Lunds caliber to the Borden building brings our vision of the redevelopment to life. The goal of this development is to breathe new life into an iconic historic building, while rediscovering its vibrancy. Navarro continued, the propertys proximity to downtown Greenvilles Main Street and nearby amenities like Unity Park are what makes the Borden building such an attractive location for new and expanding businesses to locate.

Source: The Furman Co.

With 135 years and an expansive portfolio of projects in the books, The Furman Co. continues its influential presence in the Greenville community.

The Furman Co. President and CEO Stephen Navarro said what he has learned over the last 40 years of being with the company is that the world changes not only globally but locally and its all about adaptability.

As a real estate developer in the Greenville market, he said he has witnessed tremendous change.

I mean how do you put your hands around 135 years? said Navarro. We have been through high times, trying times, and back again.

The Furman Co., born February 1888, realized that memorable projects depend not only on the leadership, professionalism, creativity and competence of the developer, but also the quality and depth of the client and the willingness of the community to invest.

Source: GSA Business Report

Poe West is officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places, having completed the 4th and final stage historic certification process. The nomination was sponsored by the developer, The Furman Co., and nomination materials were prepared by Furman, Johnston Design Group architect of record, and MacRostie Historic Advisors historic consultant.

Poe West is an approximately five-acre property located at 556 Perry Avenue in the West Village of Greenville, one street over from historic Pendleton Street. The property has multiple structures including historically significant 1946 warehouses and a circa-1961 one-story office building.

Poe West was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a good and intact example of a Mid-century Modern style, specifically in the International style, and for its association with the Poe Hardware Company. The Poe Hardware office retains its floorplan and exterior and interior character-defining features, including architectural precast concrete panels, cast-in-place concrete beams, and wood paneled interiors. All of the major structures have been preserved with a high level of integrity.

Source: The Furman Co.

The Clausen Bakery building, one of Furmans prized historic rehabilitation projects, was featured by the Greenville Journal in its February 2, 2023 article as part of Black History Month:

Until the bakery closed in 1973, Greenvillians who drove past 400 Augusta St. sucked in the succulent aroma of freshly baked bread. Nearly a half-dozen years before that, though, 22 African American employees went on strike to protest the companys discriminatory practices.

Greenville native Jesse Jackson helped bring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to Greenville in April 1967. At the bakery, King preached economic justice and support for the Claussen workers who had been called boys then they stood up like men, according to The Green Book of South Carolina.

Source: Greenville Journal

TThe reimagining of a long-vacant factory in downtown Greenville into an "urban office park" is nearing completion.

The Borden project near Unity Park an adaptive reuse and mixed-use development will feature more than 30,000 divisible square feet of office space for up to seven tenants.

The project is centered around the historic renovation of the former Borden Ice Cream Factory, which was originally Greenville Ice Cream before changing its name.

The original Borden building structure dates back to 1923, and The Furman Co., the developer on the project, is gearing up to celebrate its centennial with the opening of Borden this spring, after breaking ground nearly a year ago, according to Robert Poppleton, The Furman Co. vice president of development.

Source: SC Biz Nws

The historic building that once served as the headquarters of Borden Ice Cream is undergoing a transformation and is set to reopen to the public in early 2023.

Located at 711 W. Washington St., on the periphery of Unity Park, the two-story building will reopen to the public as a Class A mixed-use development with more than 40,000 square feet of commercial space.

Spearheaded by the Furman Co., the project will be in line with the companys restorations of other historic buildings around Greenville, including Claussen Bakery, Keys Court and, most recently, Poe West in the Village of West Greenville.

Source: Upstate Business Journal

The culmination of Joseph Bradley's 14 years of contemporary artistry was set aflame in an early morning fire on Oct. 14. The blaze left the framework of his $1 million art studio in ashes.

Joseph Bradley Studios was under construction and scheduled to open around Christmas as he transitioned out of his North Main Street studio and into a space as detailed as his graphite-based paintings of nature.

Source: Greenville News

The historic building that once served as the headquarters of Borden Ice Cream is undergoing transformation and is set to reopen to the public in early 2023.

Located at 711 W. Washington Street, on the periphery of Unity Park, the two-story building will reopen to the public as a Class A mixed-use development with more than 40,000 square feet of commercial space.

Source: Upstate Business Journal

On West Washington Street in the Southern side community, a building with a sweet history now rumbles with the sounds of construction equipment. The Borden building — a former ice cream plant for local and eventually national dairy companies — sits on a slight hill above Unity Park and across from the U.S. Post  Office. After the Greenville-based developer Furman Co. bought the property in 2019 and worked to get the structure certified as a historic place, the roughly $13 million project is physically underway.

Source: Post and Courier

Ground is broken on the new United Community Bank headquarters at 200 E. Camperdown Way. A crowd of local leaders and statewide lawmakers came together Tuesday, March 29 over 4.2 acres of tilled earth, where construction is now underway on the 118,000 square foot, $70 million headquarters.

Source: Upstate Business Journal

May 18, 2022

If you’re looking for a way to support women and minority-owned businesses and grab some local items and a meal, Third Thursday’s at Poe West is right up your alley.

The Village Launch Third Thursday market is returning on Thursday, May 19th. The market showcases women and minority-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs, many of which have graduated from the Village Launch entrepreneur academy.

More than 15 vendors will be present. There will be a live band, Levelz, as well as a food truck Vegan House Shack and a photo booth.

Source: 7 News WSPA.com

May 13, 2022

The historic building that once served as the headquarters of Borden Ice Cream is undergoing a transformation.

Located any 711 W. Washington St., on the periphery of Unity Park, the two-story building will reopen to the public at the start of 2023 as a Class A mixed-use development with more than 40,000 square feet of commercial space.

Spearheaded by the Furman Co., the project will be in line with the company’s restorations of other historic buildings around Greenville, including Claussen Bakery, Key’s Court and, most recently, Poe West in the Village of West Greenville.

Source: Upstate Business Journal

April 29, 2022

Following years of rapid growth, Greenville-based 6AM City is moving its headquarters to Poe West in the Village of West Greenville.

6AM City specializes in hyperlocal news and operates in 24 markets across the country, according to chief operating officer Ryan Heafy.

Heafy said the company signed a multiyear lease for about 5,000 square feet of office space to support its rapidly growing operations.

With 120 employees — 40 of whom will operate out of the Poe West office — and plans to expand into 50 markets within the next five years, the company remains committed to staying in the community that saw its launch in 2016, Heafy says.

Source: Upstate Business Journal

February 13, 2022

This historic building was originally built in 1930, operating as a commercial bakery until 1973. In 1967, the building was the site of an employee strike in which 22 employees conducted a protest of the bakery’s discriminatory hiring and promotion practices. The NAACP called for the boycott of Claussen Bakery products, leading to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. paying a visit to Greenville on April 30, 1967. Situated in Greenville's historic West End, this LEED® Silver-certified building was refurbished and converted into a brand new urban mixed-use building in 2014.

Source: Greenville Journal

December 10, 2021

The new headquarters for United Community Bank initially raised questions about how its location would visually and environmentally impact the Reedy River and Falls Park below.

Once bisected by a highway and neglected, the centerpiece of downtown Greenville has long-since been transformed into a landmark of the Upstate, capturing the attention of travelers and locals alike.

Source: Post and Courier

August 5, 2021

Nearly 100 years after it was built to produce ice cream, the old Borden Foods building located at 711 West Washington Street is planned for redevelopment into a mixed-use project.

The Furman Co. development vice president Robert Poppleton said the building will focus on "new approaches to commercial space in a post-COVID environment."

Developers plan for Borden to be the first significant office-focused commercial development in the Unity Park district in Southernside, Poppleton said in a press release.

Source: Greenville News

January 2, 2020

After nearly four years, Poe West is coming to life.

The 65,000-square-foot creative use development on Perry Avenue is nearing semi-completion, with plans for some tenants to open by the end of the year and others to open by the first quarter of 2020.

The space, including a yet-to-be-named restaurant, should be filled by spring 2020.

Source: Greenville News

January 2, 2020

Stephen P. Navarro is president and CEO of The Furman Co., Inc. based in Greenville, South Carolina. He oversees Furman's three operating companies that specialize in development, investment advisory services and risk management.

Navarro represents and advises corporate, institutional, and high net-worth individuals. His advisory services has extended to over 23 states and four countries. Until 2014 Steve Navarro was also owner, president and broker-in-charge of CBRE | The Furman Co., the leading brokerage and management firm in the state of South Carolina. In 2014 CBRE, Inc. acquired CBRE | The Furman Co.

Source: Greenville Business Magazine

May 16, 2019

ACL Airshop, a steadily growing leader in products and services for the global air cargo and airlines industry, will hold the Grand Opening ceremony for its ultramodern new manufacturing center in Greenville SC on Friday May 17, 2019 at 4pm. Called "A Celebration of Aerospace Growth in South Carolina," this ribbon-cutting event highlights the global growth of ACL Airshop. The company has doubled in the past three years. Its fleet of Unit Load Devices such as air cargo pallets and containers ("ULD's") has doubled through aggressive internal investment from under 25,000 units to over 50,000 and steadily increasing. Its supply chain for manufacturing resources stretches from Germany to China and Taiwan, and is now anchored by the large South Carolina production center. The company has doubled its service footprint to more than half of the world's Top 100 air cargo hub airports.

Source: PR Newswire