PJA

South Carolina State leaders have approved the rest of the funds needed to complete (I-520) the Palmetto Parkway (the South Carolina portion of Bobby Jones Expressway). This includes the I-20/Highway 25 interchange construction and widening, the widening of Clearwater Rd to 5 lanes and a multi use trail along the parkway. The project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2009. Here are more details.

It looks like work has begun to widen Lewiston Rd around the I-20 interchange in Grovetown. It also looks like land clearing has begun for the rumored Walmart Supercenter and Shopping Center at that same interchange.

Evans may be getting a downtown-type street or avenue for the Evans Town Center. They want to widen Town Center Boulevard and place a median in the middle and parallel parking on the side. This will add to the downtown feel since part of the plans for Evans Town Center include the construction of buildings no more than five feet from street. Here's an article.

The James Brown turkey giveaway was yesterday. Al Sharpton took the late singer's place.

I think North Augusta has the benefit of being close to Augusta and Columbia County so I could definitley see it passing Aiken. I have been thinking this myself.

Greenville South Carolina has several Jack In the Boxes. I ate there last time I was in Greenville. They are decent. I think Charlotte has them as well if I remember correctly.

The Whites Building website has been updated. The pictures look very nice. Whites Building Site

It's called the Enclave and will be located in the 900 block. Also a new shopping center will be located nearby.

Another new residential development is coming downtown. The development will be located on 9th Street and will consist of three bedroom/three bathroom townhomes. The groundbreaking happened the other day.

The new Walmart Supercenter in Aiken should be open by September. The shopping center will also inlcude space for 17 other stores.

I'm sorry but I still don't see any basis for your opinion so if you want to beleive that then go ahead. It's very highly unlikely.

Exactly. That's what I was saying in one of my earlier posts. A plant of that magnitude will attract residents from Aiken, Columbia, Richmond and Burke counties. SRP is the perfect example. Most of the people that I know of that work there live in some other county besides Aiken and SRP has over 15000 employees. I don't think a car plant would even compare.

And my whole point is that it is exremely unlikely and farfetched. Aiken is tied to Augusta too much for that to happen. BTW I understand perfectly everything you're trying to say..you just have very little basis for your argument. Adding a Kia plant or any plant isn't going to help Aiken county stand on it's own. If Columbus SMA is going to be larger than Augusta's it won't be because of Aiken County breaking off. That is all I'm saying. I would never tell you that Columbus won't or can't outpace Augusta's SMA because I don't know what's going on in Columbus, but I can tell you what's going on here in the Augusta area and frankly, your specualtion is extremely unlikely. And I don't understand why you are getting mad because I am saying that. If you are going to come in here and give an opinion, then of course other people are going to give theirs so you don't have to be contentious.

I didn't say that Columbus couldn't pass Augusta's MSA. That's a possiblity and more likely to happen than Aiken not being part of Augusta's MSA. No where did I say that it was a stretch for Columbus to pass Augusta's MSA, however It won't be because Aiken County left the metro. Even if the Kia plant came to Aiken it wouldn't change a thing. One of the largest employers of the metro...SRP is in Aiken County. The Fact is, if the platn had located there, a huge portion of those employees would live in other counties of the metro which would further strengthen the commute between the metros and further cement Aiken County's place as part of the Metro. I think your claim that Columbus could pass Augsuta's metro is valid..it could happen. It's your claim that Aiken could leave the metro that I find that lacks merit and wouldn't use that to support your argument if I were you. Btw, I could care less about whether Columbus past Augusta in population. All of my previous posts have been about the Aiken issue. I don't see Augusta in competition with Columbus so I could care less who had more people.

Yeah which proves my point. I like to deal in facts and whats realistic. I can say if Augusta doess such and such and adds however many counties to its MSA it could become bigger than Atlanta especially if Gwinett county or Cobb county leaves the MSA. But hey we can dream I just think that anyone who's been to Aiken County knows that there'as about a .000001% chance of it leaving the Augusta MSA. If you think that Columbus can pass Augusta's MSA then you have to have more realistic proof of that happening. Some of your points were valid but some..mainly the Aiken thing were not. That's all I'm saying.

You're dealing in hypotheticals..the fact is North Augusta and Aiken and the areas surrounding those cities are the fastest growing areas by far in the county so even the north portion starts to grow its' very unlikely that the southern portion is going to sit idle.

It's higly unlikely that Aiken Co. will become it's on MSA. North Augusta's city limits touch Augusta's city limits making them very reliant on each other..with North Augusta probably more reliant on Augusta than ther way around. Even though North Augusta is in Aiken County...it's much closer to Augusta than to the actual city of Aiken.

The Watermark project is set to begin construction in Decmeber. The developer is currently looking for a hotel to also be located on the property. The project will 60,000 sq ft. of retail and office space located in the old depot buildings.

Dunkin Donuts is looking to add a location downtown. One possible locations is in the old Woolworth's building.

Well it's official..work has begun at the Bobby Jones 5-20 interchange. Right now they're just demolishing trees and getting the land ready.

ADP will have it's grand opening on July 9 at 2 pm.

Some improvements to the Riverwalk should start taking place within the next three weeks. The projects include replacing signs, old benches, water fountains, lights and other minor improvements.

Well its not going to be part of the school side of MCG but just a medical facilty like those branches that University has all around town. There was an article about it in the chronicle several months back and a link to it may be posted somewhere in the forum.

The MCG expansion in Augusta could start soon..here are the details.. Unfortunately according to the article MCG is still considering adding a satellite branch to Athens that would accomodate 40 students. Surely there's a enough room in Augusta to handle those additional 40 students.

I just read a disturbing article about how the delays of several projects are going to end up costing more money. A lot of these projects like the new library, the judicial center and the jail expansion should have been done by now but they haven't even started construction yet. Heres the article.