Spartanburg Methodist College is pleased to announce its expansion off campus with the signing of a new lease in downtown Spartanburg. SMC will occupy space in the historic Aug W. Smith building, which is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation into mixed-use luxury living and retail spaces.

This marks the first off-campus presence for SMC. SMC plans to debut the new space in March 2018.

“This will give SMC a much-needed presence downtown,” SMC President Scott Cochran said. “We will engage with the community through programming and entrepreneurship.”

SMC will occupy one of two retail spaces located on the ground floor of the building. Spill the Beans, a Greenville-based coffee and ice cream shop, recently announced it will open a location in the other available space.

“We’re excited to have SMC occupying that second space,” said F. Bogue Wallin, principal of Blue Wall Real Estate, which owns and manages the property located at 174 E. Main Street. “The college has a long history of serving the Spartanburg community, and SMC’s plans felt very compatible with our goal to make sure Aug Smith on Main is part of the civic and cultural life of Spartanburg.”

No for-credit classes will be taught at this location, said Cochran, but the new offices are designed to be flexible for a range of uses, from art galleries to executive seminars to student entrepreneurial ventures and event hosting. A small retail art space will also be on-site.

The new downtown SMC outpost aims to provide a direct link between SMC and the greater community. In addition to a mix of uses, the space boasts glass accordion doors on the Main Street entrance that open fully onto the street outside.

“The new space will create interest in our programs, and people visiting downtown Spartanburg will have an opportunity to learn about the school, simply by stepping inside,” SMC Vice President for Institutional Advancement Jennifer Dillenger adds.