When people want to build up their community with far-reaching plans and projects, they can do it. They can dramatically change the balance toward pro-active involvement in economic development and city revitalization. Working cooperatively they can give new life to the business area, attract businesses to locate, and build an excellent quality of life suited to the needs of the citizens of the community. Greer posses many of the components to achieve these goals. Good location in the Upstate, efficient transportation network, a favorable economic climate, financial resources, supportive local government, excellent educational opportunities, a good labor force, and an outstanding quality of life.

Other cities have successfully underwritten multi-million dollar development and revitalization plans. It is time for Greer to boldly step forward and seize the opportunity.

Partnership for Tomorrow is our opportunity. Conceived and sponsored by the Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Greer Development Corporation, and the Greer City Development Corporation---and in partnership with the City of Greer---it involves cooperative efforts with local corporate, business, and government leaders. Partnership for Tomorrow offers a dynamic, aggressive blueprint to prepare Greer for the 21st Century. This ambitious five-year program will bring about a refreshed and revitalized Greer, stimulate business and economic growth, and add to an enhanced quality of life that will benefit all of Greer's citizens. You will see it happen; you will watch as the vision becomes a reality and Greer becomes a shining light in the Upstate.

The program is financed by a five-year investment of $2,000,000 from a broad mix of local businesses, corporations, and professional resources. A blue ribbon committee of investors and corporate leaders will ensure that every dollar is wisely invested and that the program's specific goals and objectives are achieved on time and within budget.

Strong and committed leadership sets goals, promotes a plan of action, achieves consensus, and then acts to obtain results. Leaders in Greer have voiced their strong support for an action-oriented program to guide the community's revitalization and economic development growth. As a result of this important initiative, these leaders have already begun building consensus to strengthen the relationship between community, corporate and government sectors. They have created a vision with Partnership for Tomorrow that can be realized. Now, we are counting on you to share in that vision and join us in making the goals and objectives of Partnership for Tomorrow a reality. (This article was reprinted from the Greer Chamber Web Site with their permission)         

COMMERCIAL REALTOR OF THE YEAR
Langston-Black Real Estate, Inc. is proud to be able to say that the 1997 Commercial Realtor of the Year was none other than its own Chuck Langston. The Greater Greenville Association of Realtors awarded Chuck this honor at a banquet held at the Embassy Suites. This award is important because his peers, other commercial real estate agents, chose Chuck to receive this honor. Chuck feels that in order to do the best job possible for his clients it is important to have an excellent working relationship with other agents in our area. It is for this reason that both Chuck and Miles Nason have co-chaired the Commercial Property Share for the Association. Property share is a series of meetings held six times a year in which real estate agents have an opportunity to share their listed properties with other agents. In addition to allowing each agent to have a superior understanding of what properties are on the market, these meetings help the Realtors get to know each other better, resulting in improved working relationships. Because of the benefits that they feel that property share provides their Langston-Black customers; Chuck and Miles have co-chaired Property Share in 1998 and 1999.

 ANOTHER BIG BOX COMES TO GREER
Large retailers are often referred to in real estate terms as big box users. 1998 saw two new big box users come to Greer, referring, of course, to Wal-Mart and Lowe's. While the property that Wal-Mart built on was primarily purchased from one family; the Lowe’s deal was another story entirely. Lowe's purchased property that was, at the time, commercial, residential and vacant from over half a dozen different owners. Langston-Black was proud to be able to not only represent one of the owners but able to help another of the owners, Cooper Paints, to relocate their business. We hope that you will take an opportunity to visit them in their new building on Poinsett Street, just off of Wade Hampton Blvd.

Langston-Black Real Estate, Inc. has experience in working with developers of both large and small commercial projects. Often a developer will come to Langston-Black with an interest in a particular property. The developer then works with an end user such as CVS who would lease the building after it is built by the developer. The developer keeps the property under contract until the end user either gives the particular site a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Langston-Black’s role is to assist the developer in convincing the end user that the site is a good one for their intended use. These developers pay top dollar but also often require the property be taken off the market for a period of time while the developer works with the end user.

NEW BANK COMES TO TOWN
First Federal made its presence known in Greer in 1998 in a big way. They opened two branches in town within a week of one another. One branch is in the new Wal-Mart and the other in located at the corner of Poinsett and Wade Hampton Blvd. While the branches are new to Greer, First Federal’s new Greer city executive, Terry Hoppes, is well known to the community, having previously worked at NBSC’s Greer branch.

Langston-Black worked with the property owner, First Federal and the City of Greer to determine how the property could be best used by First Federal and what impact the improvements to the intersection of Wade Hampton and Poinsett Street would have on the site. The intersection improvements resulted in not only giving First Federal better exposure to Wade Hampton Blvd. but provided them the opportunity to purchase excess right-of-way from the city to make the site large enough for their building.

 COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON HWY 101 SOUTH
Langston-Black Real Estate would like to welcome D. M. Kaye & Sons Transport, Inc. to their new facility at 260 Park South Drive. This facility is located off of Hwy 101, south of I-85, in the 101 South Park Industrial Center. D.M. Kaye & Sons offers flatbed, dry van and refrigerated transportation services. They offer their customers premier service and take pride in the reputation they have earned through on-time delivery.

Langston-Black Real Estate is proud to have been able to work with D.M. Kaye & Sons to find a site which matched their needs. Because the Langston-Black name is so well known in the Greater Greer area, many end users call us directly and ask for help in matching their property or building needs with what is available on the market. Each distinctive orange and white sign that we place on a listed property advertises not only that property, but also every Langston-Black listing.

 LANGSTON-BLACK RECOGNIZED BY CHAMBER
Each quarter in 1998 the Small Business Division of the Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce recognized a Small Business for their accomplishments. Quarterly winners in 1998 were Steve Bateman, CPA, Carlisle Engraved Products, Associated Packaging, Inc. and Langston-Black Real Estate, Inc. From these four outstanding companies, the chamber selects the Small Business of the Year and at the Chamber's 61^st Annual Meeting Langston-Black Real Estate was the proud recipient of this award.

Langston-Black is proud to be recognized by the Greer Chamber. Langston-Black has always strongly supported the Greer Chamber. David Black and Chuck Langston have both served on the Chamber’s Board of Directors, with David having served as a Chairman of Community Development.

Langston-Black has supported the Chamber with time as well as membership dues. This is evident from the fact that both David Black and Miles Nason have both received the J.S. "Sud" Paget Award. This award is given each year to the one person who most contributes his or her time and expertise in order to help the chamber and community grow and prosper. Langston-Black welcomes the Chamber’s new President, Al Tompkins, and looks forward to working with him in 1999.

NEW CCIM IN TOWN
Langston-Black Real Estate, Inc. is proud to recognize Chuck Langston’s achievement in becoming a Certified Commercial Investment Member. A Certified Commercial Investment Member is a recognized professional in commercial real estate brokerage, leasing, asset management, valuation, and investment analysis. Only 6,000 commercial real estate professionals hold the CCIM designation, which reflects the caliber of the program and why it is one of the most coveted and respected designations in the real estate industry. To receive the CCIM designation from The Commercial Investment Real Estate Institute (CIREI), participants must complete 240 hours of graduate-level courses. These courses are refined on a continued basis to keep the subject matter current with all contemporary commercial real estate practices. Chuck Langston was driven to achieve his CCIM designation out of a commitment to providing the customers of Langston-Black the best service possible.             HOME