Conversation Begins on Mauldin City Center

On Thursday evening city officials and representatives from LandPlan Group South were joined by a large group of residents to discuss what a City Center might look like.

Attendees took part in a survey that can also be accessed online. But before any pen presses down on a blueprint, officials were interested in hearing what residents thought about the town they live in. 

As Mauldin's population has mushroomed in the past decade it has struggled to build an identity, a task made even more difficult by the emergence of Greenville as a destination spot that has garnered national media attention.

And even to the south, as Simpsonville and Fountain Inn have developed identities, the absence of one in Mauldin has become more pronounced.

Some of those sentiments were aired again, but much of the discussion was about how Mauldin could move beyond being an affable bedroom community with good schools into a place that has everything its residents could possibly need.

If you could wave a magic wand, what you would do to make Mauldin better? Tell us in the comments section below.

Rick McMackin of LandPlan Group South, who led the discussion, came away impressed. 

“We usually hear a lot of negativity at sessions like this but tonight, even when I tried to generate talk about some of the negative things it always came back to the positives," McMackin said. "So we’re ahead of the game in that respect."

Reza Moulaie, who owns the , a popular lunch spot on 276/N. Main St., said he likes the direction the city is headed. He's owned his restaurant for a dozen years, and has considered relocating at various times, but he's satisfied with the amount of customers he draws from the Millennium Park area. Still, he thinks things could be better. Moulaie said it is up to business and property owners to make Mauldin a better place. "Just things like cutting the grass, trimming the hedges and keeping your area clean would make a difference," he said.

Diane Kuzniar, who has lived in Mauldin for 17 years, is a believer in the City Center. "I think getting small, mom and pop-type shops all in one place would draw people here," she said. "It would be nice to have park benches and cafes to sit outside and enjoy the area."

There were no shortage of ideas at Thursday's session and there are surely more to come. A follow-up meeting will be in approximately one month to share the findings of the survey.

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