Doug L
-
Posts
211 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Project Database
User Guide
Store
Events
Posts posted by Doug L
-
-
In one of my geography glasses at Carolina, a professor talked to us about an old plan for Columbia that had a system of radial high speed thoroughfares and a downtown loop, not unlike Charlotte has today. It would have been horrible had it been build. We would have zero access to the river (since there would have been a highway there), Five Points would have been all but razed, and we'd have the same connectivity issues that Charlotte has with its center city area. I'll try to dig around and find my old notes from college at some point and try to describe it in a little more detail. (I recall describing this several years back, but I can't for the life of me remember what thread it was in)
I remember seeing that report. I believe it was called the Doxiodus (sic) Report, named after the Greek city planning company that drew up that despicable document. I pray that they have since gone out of business.
-
Attempting to join 277 and 126 is a bad idea no matter from which angle you look. All you have to do is read up on the Portland, Oregon, experience. The short version is that downtown Portland was dieing even though there was an overhead expressway carrying a multitude of traffic. They tore down the freeway and converted it to a wide landscaped boulevard and, voila, downtown Portland revived and is now quite vibrant.
The HOV lanes are another kettle of fish altogether. They seem to work very well in northern Virginia entering Washington, DC, and a few other spots I have seen, however, I really don't think that Columbia will benefit from them. I have viewed the traffic on the surrounding interstates during rush hour and seem to observe that only .1% of the cars would qualify to use the HOVs. First, they would go empty and all of the traffic would be squeezed into the remaining lanes, then, discouraged by seeing the empty lane, the non-qualifying drivers would just ignore the rules and use them anyway. Thus, IMO HOVs would end up being a grand waste of money here.
IMO, if we are to continue to be automobile intensive and shun high speed rail and other forms of public transport, all of the surrounding interstates for at least 30 miles out from the city should be 5 lanes each way with the fifth lane ALWAYS being exit only. The real moral and long term solution, of course, is public transportation.
-
I have not seen any mention of the resurfacing of Bull Street downtown on any threads so I thought I would ask. Is this project complete? If so that is the worst job I have ever seen. If not, any word on the completing time?
I agree that that is one of the worst jobs of re-surfacing I have ever seen! It's like speed bumps whenever you attempt to cross Bull Street.
Another job that is only half done or one lousy jog, Main Street between Hampton and Blanding.
Come on city hall, WAKE UP! Come the next election I will vote against every incumbent.
-
The finacing requirements recently went back to 50% pre-sold for condos, so I can see the financing being an issue with the condo market the way it was.
I think the tunnels were a HUGE part of the problem. I had doubts as soon as "Hey! We didn't know there were tunnels down there!" popped up.
And the Wales Garden residents...well...I don't think it is right to call them small minded just because they had a different opinion. They have to live with whatever gets built
I agree about the tunnels, Cap'n, however, I do think that the Wales Garden residents, city hall (Daniel Rickemann and Belinda Gergel in particular) are small minded and have a death wish for Columbia in general and Five Points in particular.
Please forgive me if I sound mean; but, frankly, I'm mad as hell! And, I live in the immediate vicinity of what is going to now look more like it belongs over in Lexington County and not in the center of Columbia.
-
If we ever find aerials on my website, it will be because Firefox decided to go up in a helicopter - you will never get me in a helicopter or a small plane - never!
c'on Matt! Flying is GREAT! Especially in a small plane. I had my pilots license until I could no longer pass the annual physical.
If someone volunteers to take me up, I'd love to go and take lots of aerials of Columbia. I'd be glad to share them with you, Matt.
-
Wow, sweet aerial. Thanks for sharing That will be a great "before" shot someday.
I agree! I wish I could get more aerial shots for my web site.
-
Sounds good; can't wait to see the progress next time I roll through.
Have you seen how tiny the parking lot is? Sunday I went to the park entrance next to the water works and it was full. I think the city is being very short sighted. The park itself is going to be a jewel. I will be taking pics this week and posting them on my web site.
-
Yes! Really good shots. I can hardly wait for three more fountains to photograph.
-
Is that the site I put a link to on my website? I may have to start selling something (I have no idea what) on my website to pay for the cost of bandwidth for all those photos. I think Firefox and I are going on a Friday photoshoot. We will try to remember to get a shot of the fountain then.
One in the same, waccamatt.
-
^Get some shots of the new fountain for us, why don't ya!
I Will have current pics in the next few days on my web site (which I cannot mention).
PS.....The fountain IS dyed green!
-
I am so grateful that our city council has had the fortitude to put the parking in FPS! This building IMO will add a new and dynamic dimension to the Five Points Village. We NEED to boost the density of population living in Five Points as well as increase the available parking. IMO a 5 or 6 story building will in no way distract from village feel of Five Points; but it will add a punctuation that, right now, is sorely missing. Almost anything is better than open, surface level, suburban style parking lots like that if front of the Food Lion.
It is a shame that so many people are opposed to change just because it is change. There is no reason that our heritage can't be preserved along with looking forward.
-
I certainly don't want to pull anyone away from this forum (which is great by the way), but the following is a great site as it pertains to the USC campus, and includes photos and a forum. The site owner does a great job, so feel free to take a look.
Main site:
Forum page:
Thanks Dobboard.....
Excellent web site!
-
I didn't get the feeling that this would rule out the FPS development. I would have expected the article to explicitly mention that if such were the case.
The map accompanying the article in the State showed FPS as specifically being exempted.
-
I think it is a great thing that we are getting a new Darla Moore school and essentially have the feds pay for it.
-
Actually, I worry that Center Vista is going to block most of the Meridian tower as you're driving up Gervais Street between Pulaski and Gadsden. The top floors of Center Vista had better look good to justify blocking Meridian from that vantage point. In a hilly city such as Columbia, blocking views that we've become accustomed to is going to happen when you start building higher, including Five Points. We have to consider the view we're giving up from different vantage points versus the view we get when something new goes up.
Again, small town thinking. We are not loosing anything. We will be gaining! We are gaining more character, more volume, more value, more to enjoy and certainly not less!
-
One of the things I like about Toronto, Canada, is the mixture of high rises in with many of the neighborhoods. There is the usual cluster of high rises in the center of the city; but out in the neighborhoods you will have a mix of single homes, town houses, then right smack in the middle of all the squatty buildings there will be a 20/25 story condo or apartment house. What character, what class, what an excellent exclamation point to accent an area.
My only suggestion to Columbia is, to quote Phyllis Diller, "GROW UP!" and stop thinking so small townish.
-
I think the people of Wale's Garden are misinformed and hysterical over a non-issue. There is an eighteen story apartment building only a block away from the subject development and Wale's Garden didn't self destruct. The high rise is even on the Wale's Garden side of Blossom Street. I don't understand their concern.
-
Spartan, you are right on the money on this one! If this project does not go forward, garage and all, it will make other developers think twice before investing in Five Points. Five Points and ultimately Columbia in general will be shooting themselves in the foot.
-
True Krazee! I feel like it would be totally subjective to each person you asked. I personally would love to upgrade the look of 5points...i mean it's the people and shops that make the area funky....not the facade of the buildings...When i'm in that area...the buildings aren't what i get ecstatic about...the people, fountain and businesses are.
DITTO! I'd personally like to see all of midtown Columbia with a much higher density; but then I am accustomed to living in a much larger city. I have no problem with taller buildings......much taller.
-
I think the meters will kill 5pts. I don't go down there anymore because of them, and I know an awful lot of people who don't go for the same reason.
Well, that's not completely true. I've been to Andy's Deli a few times, but parking is free there.
I've heard that the city barely breaks even on the meters. It'd be nice if they did away with them altogether.
If we ever want to compete with the 'burbs we MUST dump the parking meters!
-
The plan definitely is to tie everything together as part of a city-wide river trails/bike trails/pedestrian-friendly system. I have seen articles about it. It will just take time and a whole lot of money.
I really like the idea of urbanizing Rocky Branch Creek attractively and incorporating it in the walking/biking trail system that is started here in Columbia.
-
Umm, what? You want to turn that creek into that disgusting thing they have in LA? That is by far the worst idea I have ever heard. That thing is a death trap, and they always film it to represent the worst of parts of urbanity. There is no engineering that can tame nature, especially water.
What you need to do is restor the natural flood planes that used to exist. You need to limit development along lowlying areas so that flooding doesnt become an issue to start with.
Just so we are all clear, this is what he is talkign about:
This is by far one of LA's biggest mistakes. It is my undestanding that they are trying to REMOVE this monstrosity.
Let's be reasonable! We don't have the same quantity of water to be moved that LA has, therefore, we don't need the concrete gashes in our landscape that LA has. My point is that band aid approaches to the problem is futile. Let's do it right the first time. There is no reason we can't put almost if not all of the culverts underground here with landscaping on top. Items that are utilitarian in nature do NOT have to be ugly and disgusting.
-
You're right, the section of the creek through Maxcy Gregg Park really can't carry that much water. It's fun to watch after a storm, though, lol.
I live in a position where I can watch Lake Maxcy Gregg rise almost every time we have a thunder storm of any duration. It is amusing to watch the drivers along Blossom Street pause, stop, gawk, then turn around and flee.
Columbia needs to take a page out of Los Angeles' book and urbanize Rocky Branch Creek. Any parts of that creed not in the city should be condemned, annexed, and then the whole thing urbanized to carry off the amounts of water that are expected in a 500 year flood. With the continuing pace of development in Columbia the problems with Rocky Branch Creek will only increasingly get worse, much worse.
-
Oh... I see what you're asking now. Sorry... I think I wasn't being clear at first. My first statement was about something totally different than what is depicted in the map. I was referring to the new West Columbia portion of the greenway which is down near where Jarvis Klapman crosses over 378.
The image depicts the Saluda River extension which is something totally different, although there is a bit of it in West Columbia also where it connects to Quail Hollow and Westover Acres.
OK! I sit corrected. Only 99.9999% of the image is in Columbia.
That will be a great "before" shot someday.
Columbia Traffic Congestion, Road Construction, and Planning
in Columbia
Posted
Thank you, Spartan, for the link. I have been so blinded by my dislike for the traffic pattern promoted in that report that I had actually forgotten about all of the truly great stuff that was presented. I withdraw fully my hope for the demise of Doxiadis' company.