Greenville, North Carolina
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For other places with the same name, see Greenville.
| City of Greenville | |||
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| Nickname: "Pro Town USA" | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | North Carolina | ||
| County | Pitt County | ||
| Settled | 1771 | ||
| Founded | 1774 (Martinsborough) | ||
| Founded | 1786 (Greenville) | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Don Parrott | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 26.3 sq mi (68 km²) | ||
| - Land | 25.6 sq mi (66.3 km²) | ||
| - Water | 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km²) | ||
| - Urban | 44.9 sq mi (72.3 km²) | ||
| - Metro | 685 sq mi (1,102 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 56 ft (17 m) | ||
| Population (2006) | |||
| - City | 75,525 | ||
| - Density | 2,364.6/sq mi (912.8/km²) | ||
| - Urban | 91,759 | ||
| - Metro | 206,986 | ||
| - Metro Density | 301/sq mi (187/km²) | ||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| [[ZIP Code]] | 27833 | ||
| Website: greenvillenc.gov | |||
Greenville, one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. State of North Carolina, is the county seat of Pitt County, and is the principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is situated on the Tar River. American Demographics Magazine projects the city will be ranked among the top 10 places in America for growth rate of both population and employment over the next twenty years. Greenville is known as the cultural, economical, and educational hub of North Carolina's Inner Banks. The city boasts a vibrant business community and is consistently ranked among the top places nationally to live, work, study and play. In 2004, Greenville was named Sportstown USA for the state of North Carolina by Sports Illustrated and the National Parks & Recreation Association. The city is also known as "Pro Town USA", as it is home for many top professional BMX riders, such as Dave Mirra, Ryan Nyquist, Ryan Guettler, Mike Laird, and Josh Harrington.
The city has a total population of over 75,000 residents. The Greenville Metro Area includes approximately 207,000 residents. It is the home of East Carolina University and University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina, which includes Pitt County Memorial Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in North Carolina.
Greenville is also the birthplace of the Atlanta Falcons tight end Alge Crumpler, CHIC bass player and producer the late Bernard Edwards, Rapper Petey Pablo, rock band Valient Thorr, PGA Tour Golf Player Will MacKenzie, world famous Jazz pianist, composer, teacher and lecturer Billy Taylor, and the Hardee's American fast-food restaurant chain.
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[edit] Geography
Greenville is located at (35.601613, -77.372366).GR1
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 68.0 km² (26.3 mi²). 66.3 km² (25.6 mi²) of it is land and 1.8 km² (0.7 mi²) of it (2.59%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2006, there are 206,976 residents in the Greenville MSA, 130,204 households, and 110,997 residents residing within five miles of the city limit. The population density was 912.8/km² (2,364.6/mi²). There are 130,204 housing units at an average density of 424.8/km² (1,100.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 60.20% White, 32.14% African American, 0.80% Native American, 1.82% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.06% of the population.
There were 25,204 households out of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.8% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.4% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out with 18.8% under the age of 18, 28.7% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 15.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,648, and the median income for a family was $44,491. Males had a median income of $31,847 versus $26,324 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,476. About 15.6% of families and 26.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.1% of those under age 18 and 20.4% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Culture
Greenville serves as a regional entertainment hub for all of Eastern North Carolina. The area boasts a vast array of local and national-chain restaurants catering to a variety of tastes from down-home favorites to gourmet specialties. Several restaurants within the city have been recognized nationally for their barbecue and superior wine selection.
Culture permeates on and off the East Carolina University campus. East Carolina University offers musical concerts, theatrical and dance productions, travel films, and lectures. Antique stores are scattered throughout the county and offer a number of unique treasures. Also, local art galleries feature major art collections, traveling exhibits, and the work of local and regional artists.
Athletics predominate the area. Football dominates the ECU athletic scene([1]). Greenville is also home to the Eastern Regional High School Football and Basketball Tournament, NC Senior Games, and hosted the Babe Ruth World Series Girl’s Softball Tournament in the Summer of 2002.
Numerous restaurants and nightclubs offer live entertainment in the evenings on the weekends and Uptown Greenville has a district that includes numerous venue options. Freeboot Friday in the fall and Sunday in the Park offer great opportunities to enjoy friends and family and the seasons. The downtown area is known on the national level for its annual large Halloween street party and live music bars.
Theater is beginning to emerge in Greenville as well. Local groups such as the Greenville Theater Project (http://www.greenvilletheaterproject.com) and the Magnolia Arts Center (http://www.magnoliaartscenter.com) offer creative outlets for both performers and audiences alike. Smiles and Frowns Playhouse (http://www.smilesandfrowns.net) will celebrate its twentieth year of producing premier children's theatre in November 2006. Additionally, student groups such as SWASH Improv (http://www.swashimprov.com) offer entertainment at the university and local establishments.
[edit] City Life
Greenville, affectionately known as "G-Vegas", is a city that attracts many people as it has become a major center of employment, entertainment, and living within North Carolina. The city's population has experienced a major growth boon since the 1990s. New restaurants, hotels, strip malls have all been introduced within the city over the past five years. Hundreds of new housing subdivisions (housing developments) have been built in Greenville in the last couple of years such as: Camelot, South Hall, Paramore, Sheffield, White Oaks, Irish Creek, Cedar Ridge, and many more.
[edit] Shopping
Greenville is the regional shopping destination for much of a 12 county surrounding area. Numerous options offer shoppers variety in price, selection, and style, and range from consignment shops to boutiques, malls to commercial strips, and galleries to showrooms. Many big-box retailers and specialty shops have located in Greenville over the past decade. Colonial Mall Greenville (formerly Pitt Plaza Mall) is the city's enclosed center, featuring over 60 shops anchored by Belk, JC Penney and Steve & Barry's University Sportswear. Other large centers include University Commons, Lynncroft and Arlington Village, the later which features many local shops and boutiques as well as national chains. Greenville Grande, a mix of cafes, restaurants, shops, and a fourteen screen movie theater will open in the spring of 2007. A new development called 11 Galleria, on the site of the former Carolina East Mall, being developed by BrodyCo will feature a number of upscale big-box retailers as well as incorporating the Sears store once part of Carolina East Mall. The start of the demolition began in January 2007.
[edit] Health Care
The health care community in Greenville is one of the largest in the state of North Carolina. Pitt County Memorial Hospital is one of four academic medical centers in North Carolina. It serves as the teaching hospital for the adjacent Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. The hospital hosts over 1700 licensed medical providers and serves over 1.2 million residents of the region. Many medical offices and clinics along with the hospital and university teaching facilities lie on Greenville's west side, comprising what is locally known as the Medical District. Currently the East Carolina Cardiovascular Institute is under construction and will add 250 jobs at the hospital along with a state-of-the-art six floor medical center.
[edit] Educational institutions
[edit] Transportation
Greenville is centrally situated within Eastern North Carolina. Several major U.S. and state highways converge in the area to provide easy access to the interstate highway system. A 42-mile six to eight lane beltway highway system around the city is expected to be completed by 2016 (has been cancled). Greenville is North Carolina's biggest city without a major interstate; however, Interstate 95 is located 34 miles to the west of the city. Two of the nation's most extensive and financially healthy railroads intersect in Greenville. Greenville is the most backed up Eastern Carolina city due to it being the hub city the traffic volume of the city during the afternoon rush hours is believed to exceed over 260,000. Some of the city's busiest streets during rush hour are: Memorial Drive, Arlington Boulevard, Greenville Boulevard, Stantonburg Road, East 10th Street, Charles Boulevard, Evans Street, Greene Street, 14th Street, Fire Tower Road, West 5th Street, and Dickinson Avenue.
Greenville is close to these destinations:
- 15 minutes to Washington, North Carolina
- 40 minutes to New Bern, North Carolina
- 45 minutes to Rocky Mount, North Carolina
- 1 hour to Raleigh, North Carolina
- 1.5 hours to Atlantic Beach, North Carolina
- 1.5 hours to Durham, North Carolina
- 1.5 hours to Morehead City, North Carolina
- 2 hours to Fayetteville, North Carolina
- 2 hours to Wilmington, North Carolina
- 2 hours to Virginia Beach, Virginia
- 2 hours to Cape Hatteras National Seashore
- 2.5 hours to Richmond, Virginia
- 2.5 hours to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- 4 hours to Washington, DC
- 4.5 hours to Charlotte, North Carolina
- 5 hours to Charleston, South Carolina
- 7 hours to Atlanta, Georgia
- 8 hours to New York, New York
Air service is available through Pitt-Greenville Airport with scheduled flights daily to Charlotte/Douglas International Airport via USAirways.
The City of Greenville operates a mass transit bus system, Greenville Area Rapid Transit or GREAT.
The City of Greenville has one of the largest greenway systems in the MidAtlantic. This network of sidewalks, gravel, and paved trails along with waterways are used for walking, biking, jogging, canoing, kayaking, and boating. The greenway connects neighborhoods to recreational areas and parks within the city.
The North Carolina Global TransPark (GTP) is located approximately 30 minutes south of Greenville at the Kinston Regional Jetport (ISO) in Kinston. Allegiant Airlines offer scheduled service to Orlando. The TransPark is a combined airport-industrial complex developed by the State in Lenoir County. The runway has been extended to 11,500 feet and a new 120,000 sf building is fully leased. Further construction is expected in the near future.
Designed to attract industry and bring increased economic opportunities to the citizens of Eastern North Carolina and beyond, the GTP features more than 2,400 acres available for immediate development, an on-site Education & Training Center, and daily non-stop jet service to and from Atlanta with ASA Delta Connection.
In May of 1996, the Global TransPark was designated as Foreign Trade Zone 214. The designation means companies can export and import products through the TransPark without many of the usual customs restrictions and tariffs.
[edit] Media
[edit] Newspapers
The Daily Reflector serves as the main daily newspaper and is Greenville's oldest business. Founded in 1882 by brothers Julian R. and David Jordan Whichard, the newspaper began as a weekly publication knowns as The Eastern Reflector. The Daily Reflector joined the Cox Newspapers Inc. family in 1996. Her and mixer are free monthly magazines produced by The Daily Reflector. Her — as the name implies — is a magazine for women. mixer — written with a lowercase "m" — focuses on the college-age, 18 to 35-year old population with local music, night spots and events for the same area. Other newspapers that serve the city include: The Greenville Times; The East Carolinian, the student newspaper of East Carolina University; Pieces of Eight, produced by East Carolina University staff; The Minority Voice; and Viva Greenville.
Viva Greenville is the first community Hispanic newspaper in East Carolina. It distributes 5,000 free copies in more than 100 locations in Pitt, Beaufort, Greene, Wilson and Lenoir counties. The publication provides a resource to individuals, families and organizations to meet crucial needs, such as local news and events, along with information about healthcare, education and social activities in Spanish as the Greenville area has experienced a 800% increase since 2000 in the number of Hispanics that have located to the city and throughout East Carolina.
[edit] Radio Stations
- 930 AM: - WDLX-AM Pirate Radio 930 National and Local News and Sports Talk
- 1070 AM: - WNCT-AM - Talk 1070, Eastern NC's Superstation, ECU Pirates Flagship Station
- 1250 AM: - WGBH-AM Pirate Radio 1250 National and Local Sports Talk
- 1320 AM: - WTOW Gospel
- 88.5 FM: - WZRU NPR and Classical
- 88.7 FM: - WAGO Gospel
- 90.1 FM: - WZPE Classical
- 91.3 FM: - WZMB 91.3 FM East Carolina University
- 92.1 FM: - WRSV Soul 92 Jams Hip Hop
- 93.3 FM: - WERO all the hits {"BOB 93.3"}
- 94.3 FM: - WWNK 94 LIKE HANK Everything Country
- 95.1 FM: - WRNS Your Country 95.1
- 95.5 FM: - WPWZ Power Hits STATION 95.5
- 97.3 FM - WMNX Hip Hop and R&B
- 98.3 FM: - WLGT - Gospel (The Light)
- 98.5 FM: - WDWG { THE BIG DAWG COUNTRY}
- 99.5 FM: - WXNR New Rock 99x
- 100.7 FM: - WRVA River 100.7 Classic Rock Station
- 101.1 FM: - WQZL Party 101.1 FM It's Feel Goods
- 101.9 FM: - WIKS Best in Hip Hop and R&B, The Beat of Coastal Carolina
- 102.9 FM: - WELS-FM - Gospel
- 103.3 FM: - WMGV Soft Rock V 103.3
- 103.7 FM: - WRHD The Hot FM 103.7
- 104.3 FM: - WFXK Radio One Foxy 104
- 106.5 FM: - WSFL Classic Rock station 106.5
- 107.9 FM: - WNCT FM oldies 107.9
[edit] Television
Greenville is part of the Greenville-Washington-New Bern-Morehead City market, which is the 107th largest in 2006, according to Nielsen Media Research. Broadcast television stations serving the market include:
- WRAL-TV, the (5), Raleigh (CBS affiliate)
- WITN-TV, the (7), Washington/Greenville/New Bern (NBC affiliate)
- WNCT-TV, the (9), Greenville (CBS affiliate, The CW on digital)
- WCTI-TV, the (12), New Bern (ABC affiliate, independent ENC-TV on digital)
- WYDO-TV, the (14), Greenville (Fox affiliate)
- UNC-TV, the (25), Greenville (PBS affiliate, part of the UNC-TV Network)
- WEPX-TV, the (38), Greenville (i Network/MyNetworkTV affiliate)
[edit] Photographs taken around Greenville
Photographs of Greenville, NC.
[edit] External links
- Official website of Greenville, NC
- Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce
- Greenville Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Kinston Regional Jetport
- N.C. Global TransPark
- East Carolina Spanish Newspaper
- Greenville NC Relocation Information
- Greenville NC Real Estate Guide
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
