victory

Sasaki does great work. The city consults the Sasaki plan daily. I, too, am interested to see what they might be planning.

A couple of years ago, a developer was going to build apartments right around that McDonald's, but I heard it fell through. I work nearby, so I'll look for that tommorow.

Sasaki will do a tremendous job with it. The Master Plan for the westward expansion of the city/USC towards the river is awesome!

Drove down Lincoln,and am very impressed by the progress on Foundation Square. That will be a tremendous gathering spot for students, and Columbians in general.

I saw that sign, too. I'm guessing it is the medical office building they eventually want to construct there, hence all the discussion about what to do with Busted Plug.

Wow! That article seems to provide details about the 22 story apartment complex, which makes one think the plan hasn't been scrapped. I had heard the engineering revealed that it would be too much weight atop that parking garage, but this was only hearsay. I hope it actually happens, along with development atop the other parking garages of which he has air rights.

I've tried Salud, and it's good. However, I'm starting to believe we don't need any more Mexican restaurants in this town. It would be cool to have some lesser represented cuisines.

I would normally be extremely excited about this type of development, as it will create some good density..however, in this case, I have to say I'm a little concerned. You see my dad owns a unit in the GranDevine, and said unit only has window views out onto the parking lot and the boutiques across Devine St. This development will essentially put a brick wall close to his windows, and completely block out the sun. It will obviously drop his property's value. He knew there was a risk of this happening when he bought it, but had some assurances from Aflac it would not sell. Well, apparently the gentleman died, and here we are.

Some friends of mine went today for the opening, and it was totally slammed. I was on the way, and they sent me a text saying to meet at Craft and Draft instead. They said it was very nice, and I'm sure it will be after the hordes of folks looking for the next cool spot, move on to the next place.

I saw a trolley out on Taylor St, while driving home for lunch. Are these being rolled out again? They aren't really a solution to long term transit needs, but do add a little color and character to downtown.

I'm so glad this got done. Better late than never.

Did Matt Kennell e-mail you any renderings yet? Maybe their engineering study indicated the garage would not be a sufficient foundation for a 22 story building, or maybe the politics of obstructing some big wigs' views next door did it? Who knows?

Is Cheesecake Factory as cool as maybe it once was? I guess it will appeal to certain folks.

I love the density of mid-rise buildings. It reminds me of Washington, DC.

Are you referring to the Sasaki plan, which was developed several years ago? If so, this is a plan the city still holds in high regard and consults often when making development decisions.You can Google that plan, which is a humongous PDF. If you have seen something different, please let us know.

Looks great! Just think..it used to be a Hardees. Does anyone remember what used to sit on the land the Strom Thurmond Fitness Center was constructed upon? Seems like it was a massive Volkswagen something or other.

This is very disappointing.

I like this very much!

Do you know when the next meeting is? The renderings usually hit the web or the front of The State newspaper, whether they actually get approved.

Growingup15, has Matt Kennell e-mailed you the rendering of Don Tomlin's proposed apartment tower slated for the corner of Assembly and Lady Streets? It hasn't been published anywhere to my knowledge, but someone has seen something. You know Ben Arnold has seen renderings, as he is doing over the old Moe Levy's site, directly across the street. I know it hasn't been submitted for approval yet, but let's just see what could happen there.

I remember reading that article, and being surprised the park design met with disapproval. The plan, overall, is still the benchmark, and a member of the city planning team told me this at an open, public idea session at the Convention Center. While rethinking the look of the park may very well be justified, I think in general the city still makes most its moves with consideration to how it fits in the larger, Sasaki scheme.

I appreciate the photo. That's a great vantage point. I can envision it!

I've said it before, but I still subscribe to the Sasaki Plan, and the city does, too. I agree with all points you made. We need that "world class" riverfront park, and this city can take off!

A co-worker toured the Fireflies new stadium recently, and told me it will be very nice. He is affiliated with Soda City Suds Week, and they are scheduled to have their opening event at the stadium in March or April. He was told the project, despite the flooding, is on schedule.

Fingers crossed.