Villaggio Verde is a $55 million project with ten multi-use buildings, two piazzas and a village park on the most visible piece of land in Greenville. Its elevation and proximity to I-385, Haywood Road, Pelham Road and Pleasantburg Drive place Villaggio Verde along the “gateway” corridor into Greenville. In 2003, I envisioned a development that would join my love of the Italian lifestyle, products and architecture with the promise of a successful, high quality project with long term value. My dream is becoming a reality with the evolution of Villaggio Verde.

With spectacular views of downtown and the surrounding mountains, I hope to attract developers, entrepreneurs and those who simply shares an interest in this unique project located in the heart of Midtown Greenville.

My friend, George Custodi of Aiken, SC, is bringing his ties to the ancient Etruscan village of Orvieto (fifty miles north of Rome) by providing the foundation of Villaggio Verde’s Italian American Commercial Exchange Program. Italian products will be available around the Piazza in shops owned by American partners. Orvieto’s mayor, Stefano Mocio has graciously agreed to assign Orvietan planners to review our site.

Arrangements are being made to facilitate the flow of appealing Italian products sold in shops in Orvieto to the piazza in Villaggio Verde via shop partners from Greenville. The more we’ve studied the feasibility to do this, the more realistic the idea has become. Orvieto, sister city with Aiken, also has a sister city in Japan where a similar Commercial Exchange Program is already underway. As a member of the SC World Trade Center, Villaggio Verde is marketing itself to the international community, developers, shop owners and residents within and outside of South Carolina.

Building heights will range from two to seven floors with 300,000 square feet of mixed-use space; 200,000 of which is planned village residential, 50,000 square feet of village office, and 50,000 of village commercial space.

We are pleased with the support we are receiving from the City of Greenville and the development community. Bob Ellis, President of The Ellis Group has also been involved in the design process since the project’s inception.

Initially, we will solicit detailed responses from those interested via our website survey. Currently, plans are to develop the site in three phases. Luxury residential condos will surround the village park and overlook the village, downtown Greenville and the mountains in the distance. Office condos will also be available in at least two buildings. Additional residential, office and all of the retail space is planned above the parking decks. This will be a true live/work environment just as you see all over Europe.

Alex Kiriakides III
Senior Developer - Villaggio Verde