CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As Charlestonians try to bring new life to the downtown business district, they should look for inspiration to Greenville, a city of similar size in the northwest corner of South Carolina.

At least that's the opinion of Charleston Area Alliance Vice President Susie Salisbury and Jim Cohn, the new rabbi at Temple Israel.

After a chance conversation with Cohn where she learned about Greenville's award-winning redevelopment efforts, Salisbury invited Nancy Whitworth, the city's economic development director, to speak here. Think Tank 20, A Model for Downtown Development, is scheduled from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Nov. 13 at the Alliance home, 1116 Smith St.

Cohn moved to Charleston four months ago after spending 28 years in Greenville, where he was deeply involved in revitalizing that city. A member of the Leadership Greenville and the Chamber of Commerce's Visioning Teams, he was named one of the city's 25 most influential people by Greenville Business Magazine.

In the early 1990s, Greenville was a dying city, Cohn said. Its single industry, textiles, was going under.

"In comes Michelin, in comes BMW, in comes Bowater, and they bring in different cultures. I wish I could say it was an easy transition but it was not. There was an old guard that said, 'We like it the way we are. If they don't like it, too bad.'"

At the Alliance, "In our work plan for community development, next year we really want to put a strong focus on downtown and the central business district," Salisbury said.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As Charlestonians try to bring new life to the downtown business district, they should look for inspiration to Greenville, a city of similar size in the northwest corner of South Carolina.

At least that's the opinion of Charleston Area Alliance Vice President Susie Salisbury and Jim Cohn, the new rabbi at Temple Israel.

After a chance conversation with Cohn where she learned about Greenville's award-winning redevelopment efforts, Salisbury invited Nancy Whitworth, the city's economic development director, to speak here. Think Tank 20, A Model for Downtown Development, is scheduled from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Nov. 13 at the Alliance home, 1116 Smith St.

Cohn moved to Charleston four months ago after spending 28 years in Greenville, where he was deeply involved in revitalizing that city. A member of the Leadership Greenville and the Chamber of Commerce's Visioning Teams, he was named one of the city's 25 most influential people by Greenville Business Magazine.

In the early 1990s, Greenville was a dying city, Cohn said. Its single industry, textiles, was going under.

"In comes Michelin, in comes BMW, in comes Bowater, and they bring in different cultures. I wish I could say it was an easy transition but it was not. There was an old guard that said, 'We like it the way we are. If they don't like it, too bad.'"

At the Alliance, "In our work plan for community development, next year we really want to put a strong focus on downtown and the central business district," Salisbury said.

That was the role of Charleston Renaissance Corp., one of the forerunners of the Alliance, she said. "We've done a nice job on the East End and the West Side. Those are up and running. We just feel there needs to be a new focus on downtown.

"And the CENTRAL plan, that had a 15-year life. That needs to be dusted off."

A Renaissance product, the CENTRAL plan laid out a strategy for connecting downtown with the state Capitol. "That's where the East End Main Street program was conceived. We started writing grants for [East End] streetscape. The Gateway Greenspace, of course. And the greenway system. I think they called it the greenway loop. A lot of that was conceived in the CENTRAL plan."

Salisbury envisions a series of think tanks, focusing on downtown. "You find out what's been done out there, what are some of the success stories."

Where some see a dying downtown, Cohn sees potential in the charm and history. "Charleston is right on the cusp of a huge jump forward," he said. "Part of that is because not a lot has been done. Initial steps have not been taken that are irrevocable.

"Looking at a place like Greenville means not just appropriating its successes but avoiding its failures. Inclusiveness is crucial, not getting caught up in social battles -- gay/straight, Christian/non-Christian, Southern/carpetbagger."

For information on Think Tank 20, call Salisbury at 304-340-4253 or e-mail ssalisb...@charlestonareaalliance.org.

Reach Jim Balow at ba...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5102.