Copyright Charleston Post and Courier
GREENVILLE – Standing in the glare reflected from the 125-foot tower behind him, Mayor Knox White took a victory lap, gleefully celebrating the end of a yearslong effort to build a generational park with a landmark tower. “It's just incredible to see it, to be able to be on a journey like this with so many people, and to leave something for future generations of Greenvillians. That's what this is all about,” White said. “This is the future behind us.” White and other community leaders celebrated the ceremonial opening of Honor Tower on Nov. 11 alongside hundreds of military veterans, first responders, donors, local officials and state dignitaries like Gov. Henry McMaster and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. In a surprise, McMaster also awarded White the Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor. Officially named the Thomas and Vivian A. Wong Honor Tower, thanks to a $1 million donation from Greenville entrepreneur Vivian Wong, the tower celebrates first responders, veterans, public health workers and public utilities workers. It is the culmination of more than a decade of work to build Unity Park as well as a vision for a string of parks lining the Reedy River sketched out more than a century ago. It was a vision largely championed by White, who bears some political scars to prove it. “This,” White said, pointing to the tower behind him, “is the exclamation point.” The tower is a symbol of the city’s efforts to make amends for years of neglect faced by historically Black neighborhoods around Unity Park — once the city’s dumping ground turned into a marquee public space. The tower stands where two parks were once kept separate, one for Black children and one for White children. “Honor Tower stands between what were once two segregated parks now united in a symbol of our progress and unity,” said Stacey Mills, a reverend at a nearby Southernside church. “This tower is not just a structure. It represents our community's journey.” The tower is also a symbol of the city’s penchant for spending millions to build eye-popping amenities. Votes to approve funding for the $11 million spindle — funded half by tourism tax dollars and half by private donations — were contentious. Some City Council members criticized the tower as a waste of tax dollars. Other critics questioned why the city was spending so much money (more than $60 million in total) on a single park. Unity Park itself has become a lightning rod for critics who say the city spends too much money on parks and not enough on affordable housing, ultimately forcing out longtime Southernside and West Greenville residents who are meant to be served by amenities like Honor Tower. But love it or hate it, the tower is now an undeniable piece of the fabric of Greenville. White has compared the tower to the Liberty Bridge in Falls Park: Once derided as a boondoggle, it’s now an iconic symbol of the city. Meant to evoke the smokestacks of Greenville’s historic textile mills, the tower rises 125 feet. It is clad in copper-hued aluminum designed to catch the sunlight at different times of day. At night, the tower will be lit from within, visible from across the city. “We imagine this tower as a beacon, a lantern, a hope (for) the first responders and a memory of the people that helped to establish and maintain this community in times that are difficult,” said Paul Endres, principal and founder of Endrestudio, which designed the tower. One hundred seventy six steps circle a glass elevator shaft reaching to the observation deck. From the top, visitors gain a bird’s eye view of the city: downtown to the east and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west. Cloud shadows can be seen washing over Southernside and West Greenville while bikers, pinprick small, race along the Swamp Rabbit Trail. The day before its limited opening, workers were busily cleaning the tower stairs and installing flower beds. More work is underway to finish the landscaping and complete the final inspections for the elevator. Madison Tucker and Brennan Downie moved to Greenville from Charlotte this month. When they first saw Honor Tower, they weren’t sure what to make of it. It almost looked like something Batman might stand atop to watch over the city, Tucker said. After learning the history, both Tucker and Downie said they were excited to check out the views from the tower themselves. Starting Oct. 14, the tower will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. “I'll probably be the first one in line,” Tucker said. Not all were impressed, however. Patricia Martin, who grew up in West Greenville and once played in the park where Honor Tower now stands, said the city should have found a better use for their money. “What is the significance of it? What is it for?” she asked, wondering why the city decided to invest more money in Unity Park rather than another place or another priority. But even she had to admit: “It’s beautiful.”
