Potato house may undergo renovations

$65K in tax grants proposed for project

Simpsonville, S.C. (Jan. 29, 2021) — After sitting unused and largely ignored for years, the Simpsonville Potato House across from City Park may undergo renovations to breathe new life into the beloved structure.

Renovation of Hendricks Pavilion where the Potato House, or "Tater Shed," is located is on track to receive a $65,000 grant as part of a package of tax grants advanced by Simpsonville City Council on Tuesday. City Council voted 7-0 at its first Committee of the Whole meeting of 2021 to approve as presented more than $150,000 in accommodations tax grants to tourism-related projects in Simpsonville.

City Administrator Dianna Gracely said in the online meeting that staff submitted a grant application for the project because the building is in disrepair at a time when renovation of the Simpsonville Arts Center on the same property is set to begin.

"The reason that we put this application before the advisory committee and now before Council is that we are as you know getting ready to begin renovations on the Arts Center building," Gracely said. "We have a nice stage with the shade structure now over the stage at the Pavilion behind the Arts Center. (The Potato House) just continues to look worse and worse, and the longer it sits the more it deteriorates."

Residents once stored sweet potatoes during the winter in the Simpsonville Potato House, or "Tater Shed." After years of neglect and deterioration, the structure is expected to receive renovations to turn the building into an event space for public use | City of Simpsonville

Renovations to the Potato House include replacement of the doors, installation of windows, upgrading the electrical, securing the foundation, redoing the flooring and repairing the ceiling. The intended use of the renovated structure is an outdoor venue for events in Hendricks Pavilion, such as wedding receptions, and City Park.

Included in the package of tax grants advanced by Council is $15,000 for the Simpsonville Summer Music Series & Food Truck Rodeo, an event started by the City and Simpsonville Arts Foundation in Hendricks Pavilion in 2019. Simpsonville Community Relations Specialist Justin Campbell said the Potato House could have multiple uses.

"In addition to a space for wedding receptions or parties, the building might serve as a 'backstage' area for bands featured in the Summer Music Series," Campbell said. "The Potato House has been an unutilized asset in the City for too long, and it's time we honor the history of the structure by making it available for public use again."

A crowd at the Hendricks Pavilion watches Randomonium perform in 2019 at the Simpsonville Summer Music Series & Food Truck Rodeo. The building in the background could become an event venue and a backstage area for bands after planned renovations | City of Simpsonville

Located on Park Drive, the Simpsonville Potato House was constructed in the 1930s and was used by residents to store their sweet potatoes in the winter. While the adjacent City Park is expected to be included in a new downtown master plan, Gracely suggested moving forward on the Tater Shed project outside of the master plan.

The Simpsonville Potato House was built in the 1930s and used by residents as winter storage for sweet potatoes. After the structure has gone unused and largely ignored for years, the City of Simpsonville plans to invest in renovations to the building to create a new event venue | Greenville County School District

"We have to prioritize things for the master plan, and in doing so, some projects will take precedent and will end up being the focus of my attention and my time and the time of our architects and engineers as well," Gracely said. "We're looking at this as a separate project that we can actually begin right away as soon as this funding is available."

City staff also plans to get pricing for what they expect to be a "fairly simple project" from the contractor tasked with the Arts Center renovation. At a business meeting this month, Council approved a notice of intent to award the contract for the Arts Center project to Central Interiors.