A rezoning application filed in early March seeks to convert nearly three acres along Buncombe Street from Planned Development (PD) to MX-2, a mixed-use zoning designation that could open the door to denser commercial and residential development on a prominent West End corridor.
What the Permits Show
Project 26-178, filed on March 2, 2026, covers 2.922 acres spread across three parcels: 711 Buncombe St., 615 Buncombe St., and 309 Butler Ave. The application is currently listed as active in the city's planning system. MX-2 zoning generally permits a blend of residential, office, and retail uses at moderate intensity — a notable shift from the more restrictive Planned Development classification that governs the properties today.
The parcels sit in the West End, a neighborhood that has drawn sustained developer interest in recent years as mixed-use projects have reshaped blocks closer to downtown Greenville. Buncombe Street serves as a key connector between the West End and the central business district, making the corridor a logical candidate for the kind of walkable, higher-density development that MX-2 zoning allows.
Key Projects Driving the Numbers
No specific site plans or building permits have been filed in connection with the rezone request at this stage, and the application does not name a developer or contractor. Should the rezoning win approval from the city's Planning Commission and City Council, the new MX-2 designation would establish the framework for future development proposals on the combined acreage.
The application's scope — spanning three contiguous parcels totaling just under three acres — suggests a coordinated development strategy rather than a single-parcel infill project. At that scale, an eventual project could meaningfully add residential units, ground-floor commercial space, or both to a stretch of Buncombe Street that currently operates under more limited entitlements.
What This Means for Greenville
This rezone request matters because it signals growing pressure to bring mixed-use density to the Buncombe Street corridor, potentially extending the pattern of redevelopment that has already transformed portions of the West End closer to downtown.