The Peace Center's Wyche Pavilion gets a new look

The Wyche Pavilion has been one of downtown's premier event spaces for over two decades, hosting everything from springtime weddings to swanky Euphoria feasts and presidential contenders. Now, the former Reedy River factory is getting a makeover.Originally erected in the early 20th century, the Wyche Pavilion's brick shell is staying put, but the space will be upgraded for year-round use thanks to windows, fans, and an HVAC system. The most notable feature: the addition of a partial second floor with "a grand foyer, an artist green room, meeting spaces, restrooms, and a kitchen will be added alongside the current building footprint," according to a Peace Center press release, and glass exterior on the Main Street bridge side of the structure.

"This project will significantly enhance the Peace Center and downtown Greenville,” says Peace Center President and CEO Megan Riegel . “It takes the shell of a building which is an underutilized real estate asset and creates a new music and event venue. The renovation will dramatically improve the Peace Center’s riverside campus, particularly the pedestrian walkway from Broad Street to Fall’s Park. The landscaping, designed by Earth Design, will feature lush, environmentally friendly plantings carefully chosen to evolve with the change of season. A highlight of the project is the new riverside walkway and deck adjacent to the Wyche.”

Plans for the makeover have been submitted to the City of Greenville Design Review Board ahead of a Feb. 7 meeting. The price tag of the new project, envisioned by Summerour and Associates, was not included in the press release.

In 2012, the Peace Center reopened after $23 million in renovations. In 2017, the performing arts center first began to publicly present ideas for the its next master plan, which included the Wyche Pavilion upgrade in addition to a substantial makeover of the exterior of the Peace Center. Most recently, the Peace Center replaced the Concert Hall's 2,111 seats.

In a press release, Peace Center Founding President Betty Stall said, “I am just delighted by the new plans for the Wyche renovation. Our original vision for the Wyche, developed by Kirk Craig, included adding a second floor for a restaurant or office space. This never happened because at the time the vast financial resources required to open the Peace Center were necessarily and appropriately allocated to the Peace Concert Hall and Gunter Theatre.”

The release also notes that "the Wyche restoration is the first phase of the Peace Center’s larger master plan, which includes renovation of the Roe Coach Factory and two buildings located on Main Street: the Markley and the Gullick."