CarolinaSouth

Umm i'm not a professional on this, but I don't believe that. The Saluda Fountain in 5pts in Columbia was worked on and started up earlier this month. I'm not sure what they are doing because i just don't feel like that's a valid reason. Plus i guess the "fountain shut off" must happen up that way...i'm in Savannah right now and they never have the fountain in Forsyth park off... but none-the-less...that fountain looks like it's going to be very very nice.

I feel the same way. Sure i want SC to grow, but i don't want it to be at the expense of becoming Sprawl Carolina. The only thing i wish for is that...once i have children, SC is still a wonderful place for them to be! I've seen so much change in this state during my life time in each area. I can remember going to Myrtle Beach during the "off-season" and getting expensive rooms for a little of nothing and having no one there but a few locals. Now look at the place...it's becoming more and more year around and increasing in attractions. I can remember travelling to Greenville and feeling like i wasted a trip...i now can enjoy myself when i'm there and the improvements are vast. I can say the same about Charleston...i use to think to myself..."mental note"...stay away from King St, Rommney St, Spring St and Spruill Ave [N. Charleston]. Now alot of those areas have been improved and i love walking on the Battery, and to various spots on E. Bay st and King St. It was easier for me to enjoy Columbia because that's were i was from...but i can greatly see the improvements. The razing of notoriously bad areas, the renewed focus of downtown and creating urban parks and areas, diversifying the job market to rely less on gov and military business. I could continue but i'm sure my point is either made or not by now.

No it's not the Woodrow boyhood home, but it's not too far from it...it's on Hampton street also almost across from the Chestnut Cottage Bed and Breakfast Inn.

I figured i'd switch it up today...instead of a skyline or building shot....this is a house i walked upon downtown when i was taking the previous pictures....I hope y'all enjoy it

That's true though....that's actually my biggest complaint about Finley park....but that's true...Columbia does need more shade trees where they matter, because the area has a very good amount of trees...it's just they are either in the wrong place, the wrong type or too new and small to be effective. Maybe they'll get it right one day!

^^^^ I was thinking the same thing about the angles...so i tried to take a few from other side of the city....I really think i need to invest in a real high quality camera...I'm starting to enjoy taking pictures of things...lol... Here's my photo of the day.....It's a view from a street in the Cecia-Saxon neighborhood with Columbia as the backdrop!!!! I have a picture of it at night too....I think?!?!?!

Well Spartan... I can see why they didn't bother to give that fountain shade type trees. I mean i doubt that anyone will be trying to sit on that fountain with the amount of car traffic that comes thru that road for shopping and etc. If this fountain was located in a plaza [like the other one] then i would agree with more shade trees.

I took a picture of the fountain as i road around the other day...but i was in my truck and when i tried to get a fair shot of it....a Columbia police cut his blue lights on me and called me out over his megaphone to move...lol....so the picture is crooked and not very good

Today's contribution... shot of downtown Columbia from Washington St

Trust me CorgiMatt...be thankful that that had that major drug bust about a year ago...because Greene St. by MLK Park, Short Rd, Oak St, Queen St and etc were not the idea streets to stumble on while drunk or lost. That on road [Greene] was were a majority of drugs flowed in and out of in Columbia. I've helped 3 different college kids out [on different occassions] that were getting beat up or robbed on that street. Lucky for them that i happened to just be driving by trying to cut to Millwood Rd enroute to Garner's Ferry. Drugs, and prostitution is still an issue on that road...it's just not as visable since they raided that area. But just like any high pedestrian traffic areas in anycity, USA...crime won't make the news to hot.

This is for the people trying to figure out the exact area the hotel is suppose to be located at.....the top righthand corner of the picture below covered in trees... I think this is waccamatt's picture from a Krazze Boi thread on skyscraperpage.com

Okay Vic.... i see what you are trying to argue...but the basis of your arguement has already been addressed by the community members of the 5pts area. They've created the "future 5pts" plan to not allow for such dramatic change widespread. This developer has redesigned this project like 2 times under the direction of neighborhood officials visions. They approved of the original design for the most part and most people don't mind the parking garage. This parking garage is a blessing if it get's built in that location because trying to park in 5pts now is very very difficult. The key point is [like what was mentioned earlier]....that Food Lion surface lot would be a better option than the Garage and it would be a waste of money to place a parking garage so out of the way. You can ask a lot of Columbians if they know where the Clauseen's Inn is located at and they couldn't tell you. This comes down to [for me] the main shops needing parking spaces during the day and the bars needing them at night. [picture courtesy of http://www.coolumbia.net by Doug Leonhardt. ] Notice the talk structure behind the fountain and Starbucks building...The FPS structure would site in a valley while this is on a hill and this structure always sticks out more to me than any other building in the area.

Spartan i don't think for this brand of Marriott that this design is generic. And i don't think it's a bad fit for the district it's located at in Columbia. Most Springhill Suites that i've seen have a pale yellow [or tan], stucco and light brown shade to them...while this one seems to be brick themed to fit the old warehouse district. So while it may not have any flare that will stand out...i don't think to many Springhill Suites are built with "flashiness" on mind. I think it works because the last thing you want right now is people walking aimlessly on Columbia Speedway Blvd aka Huger St. A vision that the city has is to turn LADY st into a shopping corridor one day in the future. To have the entrance where it appears to probably be is an attempt to allow pedestrian traffic to walk the wide streetscaped & treelined sidewalk and narrow Lady St. towards the live/work stores, Wildwings cafe and other bars and shops on that street and in the area. Now if something get down with the old Kline Steel site, then i could agree with you more...but right now the hotel serves a good purpose....adding more rooms to the downtown area. I think it was wise not to have a covered drive up entryway on Huger

Today's Contribution!!!! A view of Lincoln Street... There was a Ultimate Cheerleader Convention going on. That was great for the city because i was talking to people from Raleigh, Wilmington, Savannah, Orlando and Jacksonville while i was at the IHOP and they were really impressed with the progress that Columbia seems to be making. Me and this guy from Raleigh sat and talked the longest about Adesso, Williams Brice area and the Vista...he waited to ask me about 5pts after his wife and son walked into the IHOP to use the restroom...lol...as he didn't want to tell any of his wild stories from "the time he came to Columbia and had one of the best times of his life"... But as Krazyboi said earlier about the lot that needed to be developed...that's what people seemed to think...that Columbia still has to many surface lots that could be developed.

It's been a while people....so since no one has kept this thread going in over a month....i figured i'd try

How do you think Columbians feel about SCANNA bolting downtown to build a sprawling campus in Cayce instead of a mid to high rise tower downtown. What sucks is that that have this beautiful landscaped campus with various fountains and walking paths that no one will ever in the city will ever enjoy[outside of the workers and a few business clients].

I would love for Cayce to be very urban and full of life....bringing W. Cola and the west bank of the Vista with them...but i really think with the Green diamond [Vista Farms] annex and everything...Cayce my snub Columbia and only look out for themselves...

I agree... He needs to get things on the ball...if we start losing potential tenants while trying to build Innovista up...it can be seen as a red flag for others looking at Columbia and that area to place businesses. He really needs to not mess this up

Excellent pictures guys.... Joe I love the railroad pic...the way both trains crossed and the reflection it made on the water is beautiful....I had to save that one too....lol. John....i like your pic too....I was trying to take a night picture of that fountain a few weeks ago when i was in town and I was bombarded by a couple of panhandlers so i just hurried up and left.... Brasil......I love the pic....i remember the first time i noticed that statue...I was riding with a couple of friends just cruising thru the city after a party we went to and i'll admit to having a few drinks.....I'll also admit to that statue scaring the mess out of me too.....lol...I saw it out of the corner of my eye and thought it was someone coming towards the car...lol. I had never noticed it there before that night...it took a minute for me to calm down and my friends laughed at me for a couple of days afterwards...lol...mainly because i usually don't jump for any reason, but i did that time! I'm with you to 'matt.....I'm coming up to SC to attend various graduations of family members and i will be bringing my camera to get new pictures...

I like the current design also....and i also feel as if the people saying that 6 stories is too high for that area are delusional in thinking that it would be out of place. I mean that student tower is right there, that bank building on Harden and the Whitney hotel are in the area...and that's just to name a few...some people just refuse to see the bigger picture [overall for the city trying to grow and improve it's appeal outside of the city] instead of for personal beliefs. I know my views can be debated and ripped apart, but i just want this project to be done as is...how many times have floors been scaled down or projects been delayed because of reasons like this in this city and around the state. Let the designers who dreamed up the design do it the way they envisioned it... And to be honest...although 3 blocks isn't that far to walk, given the choice i'd rather be able to park closer. That's safer to me and if i was one of the 26 possible condo owners...i think that would be stupid that i can't park closer than 3 blocks away given the amount of money that i spent for it.

I'll keep up with the theme of the SC State House......this complex is truely beautiful to me! S.C. Fraternal Order of Police Memorial Fund, INC Monument at the SC State House

I'm guessing since Columbia didn't have a CompUSA store explains why I never knew people went there for Mac stuff. I've noticed when i'm in Columbia, Charleston and even Savannah that the Best Buy stores have had Mac area's in them for some time now. So i'm pretty sure that it's been in Apple's plans for some time to move all the stores to Best Buy considering Best Buy has move foot traffic and is currently the better company. I think that's a smart move on Apple's part but none-the-less i hate to see a company [CompUSA] go out of business though...but i guess that's the nature of business.

Lol....I feel you on the eeire feeling....I was in the Granby Park section of the Greenway and heard some noises that had me very shaken. It wasn't so much the sound as it was really the timing of the noises. It seemed to move as i moved and when i stopped it didn't make a noise at all. No one but me heard it because everyone that passed me had MP3 players as they scrolled by. I got to one of the deck areas with a bench and heard something to my right.....I jumped and trotted off. I think i ran so fast that what every was following me lost me....lol...

A picture of EdVenture Children's Museum from Riverfront Park. I love the way the colors from the building reflect on the water from the Columbia Canal! Every step i took in that park that day was calming to me!!!! I took this nearly a month ago...along with a lot of other pics of Riverfront and Maxcy Gregg parks.... Enjoy this one for now!!!!

Excellent pic Joe!!! I love how the sunrise seems to be playing a game of "peek-a-boo" with the buildings!!!! I have a picture of a sunset in downtown but my lens was a little smudged and it didn't come out good...but thanks to this picture...i don't have to cry over that glass of spilled milk anymore!!!!