victory

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2706158051944/after-years-of-visioning-south-main-street-is-still-ugly-usc-says-it-won-t-be-for-long I'm trying to get my bearings here. There appears to be a smokestack in the rendering, which would be where the Horseshoe sits.

I visited REI yesterday, and had lunch at Publico. I intend to catch a Fireflies game in the next two weeks. Folks, I have to say I was a little blown away by the amount of construction going on, and the quality of it. This is going to be a destination. It is starting to feel like its own separate downtown area. It took years to gain traction, but from what I saw yesterday, it is full speed ahead, with multiple buildings rising at once.

Perhaps I should have left this in "coffee house". See what I did there? https://www.postandcourier.com/free-times/food/nibbles_and_sips/north-mains-curiosity-coffee-bar-begins-selling-canned-nitro-cold-brew-around-the-city/article_9ca3a1a0-0f7a-11ed-816c-9bfe62f8fb9c.html

New hotel planned near Lexington Medical Center. https://www.postandcourier.com/columbia/business/new-hotel-planned-for-bustling-west-columbia-hospital-corridor/article_367ab6de-09bc-11ed-9452-cb79ff28e789.html#tncms-source=article-nav-next

Dum spiro spero..while I breathe, I hope. Folks, this transformative plan, which has been in existence since 2007, is still active. The bridge over Greene Street should open any day. Greene is the main artery in this plan, and I forsee a lot more development on the way, for this part of our downtown. https://planninganddevelopment.columbiasc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/innovistamasterplan.pdf

https://www.aol.com/news/controversial-downtown-columbia-hotel-clears-215717721.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAH1yoC9uHEADw0xCXwAv_IRlijd_1yRf9-bhadxXpjy11obJdiiZllhRf7AjA8oOjSvhoSnj1dnoW1L3ApPOT-HPJhz4il_E15nH4ZV4nTvsMM6kDwTsZOSPy3sDU-XDBILyn1bmhxM0bBIeDA91YHZ5Zh7f6J0Wdnm6VVwPGjyt 1st approval made yesterday.

New hotel and parking deck for the Vista. https://www.wltx.com/article/money/business/mixed-feelings-proposed-vista-hotel-columbia-sc/101-5acf5b22-da2c-406c-bc31-4d73ffc1fee2

https://www.wltx.com/article/news/community/housing-parking-and-walkable-art-gallery-proposed-for-bull-street-district-columbia-southcarolina/101-36882300-4150-498d-86de-e7b4fdab5539 More housing and a public art gallery. I drove by the site last week, and it is really filling out. Still haven't taken in a Fireflies' game yet, but will soon.

Great photo! How about that for density?

Such a cool place.

This guy is a total goober. I've seen his videos before. His research is off a bit, citing Spartanburg as the home of the University of South Carolina. However, he "ain't wrong" about Greenville. It is one of the best small cities in the country, as far as I'm concerned. I'm actually headed up there later today, and my daughter and I are having lunch at what might be considered one of the best Middle Eastern eateries in the region- The Pita House. Will be my first visit. Have heard good things. Keep up the good work, Greenville!

https://www.aol.com/columbia-north-main-starts-boom-050000356.html A good read on a growing part of town. I am particularly fond of The War Mouth and Indah Coffee. I also used to know Doug (mentioned in the story), and remember when he was just starting Vino Garage. He's a smart, solid dude, and would encourage anyone to give his shop a visit.

I am looking forward to seeing Phase II. I am hopeful part of it will be condos, not apartments.

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+progress+of+campus+village+university+of+south+carolina&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&vet=1&fir=EjJuu--Od__l-M%2C-9-5Bx3sGO9G2M%2C_%3BrkaMTWc444KnsM%2CVWN1pfQlGoPPYM%2C_%3BYyLz6GX1_5ALrM%2CrWQZ1vUCC-dLVM%2C_%3BtJFxdGLIV37xUM%2CrWQZ1vUCC-dLVM%2C_%3BA8d2lLUwhOlFiM%2CrWQZ1vUCC-dLVM%2C_%3B203WML57P3CNdM%2CuZVlchnYQWWFWM%2C_%3BseD8n4K1aqykZM%2C8lML8TOksi55KM%2C_%3BUu3D9EpgVauP0M%2CVWN1pfQlGoPPYM%2C_%3B4DSNOJch6SkSBM%2C4G7pQXa924elFM%2C_%3B8rBkTb8SvoqWZM%2CrWQZ1vUCC-dLVM%2C_&usg=AI4_-kQ38qGXrxbEp6VR2hRQbrlAUJj_DQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwimisDCz-v4AhWTEGIAHZgiA2kQ9QF6BAgDEAE#imgrc=OcnnHwPXcuiu6M There are some great new images here of the campus village currently rising on the south side of campus. I like the architectural style and density.

This is so cool! Don't know that I've ever seen a cereal bar. Most excellent design and touches. My favorites, of course, are the white picket fence in front, and cow in back.

I regret that I must post some tough love for my city, Columbia. It's been home all my life, and I love it, and would not want to live anywhere else. I must say, though, Columbia has a safety perception issue which is not entirely untrue. I have worked downtown for the last 31 years, and have watched its renaissance. There are more people on the streets now than since its heyday in the 1950's. However, I've also come to see most of the people out and about are not office workers, college students or out of town visitors (like Charleston or Greenville) but the homeless, with nothing to do but exist the best they can until Oliver Gospel Mission or Transitions allow them back in for the evening. Perhaps most of these folks are peaceful and law abiding, and just want to be left alone to do their thing, however, there is a sizeable population of the mentally ill. Budget cuts have left the mentally ill without treatment, fending for themselves. Some of them are hostile and scare folks out on their lunch breaks. I have had numerous transients scream profanities at the top of their lungs at me, for no apparent reason at all. I don't claim to know what the solution to all this is, but I can tell you a failure to act is only going to cause the situation to worsen. I hate to have to make such a post, but if we are truthful with ourselves, all cities (and cities are the focus of this forum) are going to have some social problems. These problems impact the greater enjoyment of what we have collectively as Columbians, and must be addressed. People deserve care, and we all deserve to be and feel safe in our surroundings.

This looks really great! I like the pedestrian bridge. It does, however, look particularly low in the renderings, such that a big truck would not be able to pass under it. I am sure this is just a conceptual image, and would not be to actual scale. Great project, Greenville!

Very cool.

Just seeing this. Being a Columbian (with family in Greenville), I did a double take. This would not, by chance, be a bar, like the one with the same name in 5 Points, would it?

https://columbiabusinessreport.com/news/government/82193/ My friends, who are small business owners in the city, have always complained Columbia created too many hurdles to make running a business here, attractive. Other cities, they said, worked to stimulate business by cutting the red tape. Well, we now have a business man as mayor, for the first time since I've been alive (not an attorney, as the others have been), and I am hopeful these measures will pay off.

This is such a beautiful hotel! It will be another jewel in Greenville's downtown crown.

Article in The State today, which I'm unable to view because of the paywall. Someone..possibly the McDonald's franchisee..is against it. Oh brother..

https://www.scdotcarolinacrossroads.com/phase1meeting/ Watch the video! It gives a very thorough analysis of phase 1 of the biggest and most important traffic improvements in our state. After watching it, try to remember, this is only the first of 5 stages! This will be huge for public safety, traffic jam reduction, and dare I say, increased economic development in the Midlands. Wow! This looks super cool! You know, although not directly related to zoology, we have Civil War era artifacts on zoo property, and just a bit downstream, the area where artifacts of what is believed to be the earliest human habitation in North America were located. I wish we could somehow tie the history education into people's zoo visit, too.

https://www.wistv.com/2022/05/18/riverbanks-zoo-seeking-approval-county-administrators-80-million-project/ We've got to keep up funding to our nationally renowned zoo. I am curious about the "aerial" river crossing indicated. I wonder if that means something like the sky buckets at the state fair or perhaps a monorail. If Riverbanks gets the money, it will probably just upgrade its tram system instead, which likely would be far less expensive and allow more cash flow to the other projects on its list.