Columbia Economic Notes

[BrasilnSC]

There are so many projects going on, but I think an updated list is fun to look at. So, I'll try to help out. I hope you don't mind me adding to your list Sono.

Blue = Proposed

Green = Under Construction

Red = Completed

First Citizens Tower downtown

Main Street Beautification downtown

CanalSide

Kline Iron and Steel site office buildings

The Spur at Williams-Brice

Gates at Williams-Brice

Gameday Condos near USC

Carolina Walk Condos

Hardee Expressway (airport area)

Hardee Expressway Extension (Interchange with I-26)

The Village at Sandhill (huge development)

Lexington Medical Center second tower

Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital Heart surgery wing

Palmetto Richland Hospital in Irmo

Providence Hospital NE expansion

Harden St/Five Points beautification

Lady Street (Vista) beautification

Renaissance Plaza in the Vista

New USC School of Public Health

Hilton Hotel (Convention Center)

Benedict College football stadium and wellness center

Two Notch Road widening

Blythewood High School

Congaree Village on WC riverbank

The City Club condos/townhouses across from State Museum

State Hospital Campus

Esplanade (Canal Front Development)

Horizon Center (2 buildings, parking garage)

Discovery Center (2 buildings, parking garage)

Old Fire Station (Condos, retail)

USC Baseball Stadium

Rosewood Hills (housing)

Hotel on Huger/Williams St. (extended stay)

New Farmer's Market

Barringer Building Apartments

Sheraton Boutique Hotel downtown (Palmetto Building renovation)

North Main St. beautification

Adesso

Granby Mill renovation

Olympia Mill Renovation

701 Gallery renovation

USC Wood Chip Power Plant

USC Honors Dorm (Tower Location)

1520 Main St condos

Gameday Condos in the Vista (condos/hotel)

GranDevine (condos at old Schneider School)

Vista Parking Garage (Lincoln and Lady St)

Lofts at Printer Square

Arsenal Hill Housing

I'm sure I left some out.

I believe Palmetto Richland's Heart Center has been completed, right?

What are the "Gameday condos near USC"?

[803metlife]

The state plans to connect Shop Rd. to Garners Ferry Rd. by 2010. Making it four lanes and hopes to atrract more growth in the area.

I think this is a good idea!!! The south east area is almost the only part of columbia with growth rates slower than most parts of the city. There is ample enough land plus Shop and Bluff Rd could use some major face lifts. With the farmers market relocating which works out well for the condo boom near William Brice and more growth and developments down Shop Rd.

[CorgiMatt]

For those who haven't driven up Two Notch Road lately, check out the new flowers along the way, especially at Covenant and Two Notch. During tree planting season the city is scheduled to put in grand trees.

[krazeeboi]

Here's an article from The State highlighting Benedict's new football stadium and the boost it will give that community. It's good to see the community improvements going on on that side of town. I think the stadium, along with the hotel, will definitely play a signifcant role in the revitalization of the community.

[krazeeboi]

Here's an excerpt from an article about development in West Columbia from this week's edition of the Free Times:

Across from the New Orleans Restaurant near an amphitheater by the bridge sit four acres of prime real estate on State Street. It's "prime" because developers are interested in it, and because it is among the first things people see coming from the Vista.

West Columbia owns the property. Rather than sell to the highest bidder, the city laid out what type of development it wants in that area. Whoever comes closest will have the option of buying the property.

"We have more of a vested interest in what goes there," says Donna Smith, West Columbia's economic development director. The city passed zoning changes that require new buildings to blend with existing structures.

Smith has been talking with eight to 10 developers interested in the property and explaining, for example, why the city does not want a glassy high-rise at the location.

The city isn't identifying the developers because it's a business deal in the making.

"We would like to have something in a contractual form by the end of the year," Smith says.

And what exactly is the city hoping to attract? A "pedestrian-friendly," "family oriented" development that will complement the nearby amphitheater and riverwalk. Namely, something that will blend with old-brick buildings that line much of State Street.

Sounds great. That parcel could certainly use a stunning project that gives a gateway effect.

[Captain Worley]

Sounds great. That parcel could certainly use a stunning project that gives a gateway effect.

That land used to be a park, a long time ago. I've seen pictures of it, and it was quite pretty. You can still see the concrete from some of the walkways near the antiques building. It'd be nice if it returned to that roll, but it would be redundant with the Riverwalk so close by.

[waccamatt]

That land used to be a park, a long time ago. I've seen pictures of it, and it was quite pretty. You can still see the concrete from some of the walkways near the antiques building. It'd be nice if it returned to that roll, but it would be redundant with the Riverwalk so close by.

I think 1 of the new hotels is going there.

[BrasilnSC]

Here is what the CVS on Assembly is starting to look like.

[krazeeboi]

Still looks pretty standard to me. And it looks like it will have a typical backside facing drivers headed north on Assembly.

This thing should have really gone in one of the myriad parking structures planned for downtown.

[krazeeboi]

Irmo developer Gary Brooks plans to build 16 residential condominiums in the heart of the Harbison retail district. The condos will be part of Bower Commons, a $10 million residential and commercial center on 2.25 acres on Bower Parkway, directly across the street from Columbiana Place. The condos will include eight flats and eight two-story town houses. They will be a mix of two- and three-bedroom units and will range in size from 1,400 to 1,780 square feet. They are expected to sell for $300,000-$425.000.

Here's the rendering that was made available in The State:

Yeah, I know it's a suburban development, but I thought it was interesting nonetheless.

[sonofaque86]

thats cool!

[Captain Worley]

I think the market for 300K condos is pretty saturated right now.

[krazeeboi]

^But the location in this case makes the difference. Even though I think the range is a bit too high, I don't think the developer will have too much trouble selling.

[Mr.Marc]

^But the location in this case makes the difference. Even though I think the range is a bit too high, I don't think the developer will have too much trouble selling.

For that price, I would rather own a condo DT. Harbison is not walkable and other than shopping, I can't think of any other amenities that would warrant me picking Harbison over DT.

[krazeeboi]

^That might be true for you, but being that there are other developments like this going on in cities across the nation located in unwalkable areas, but with amenities like shopping nearby, I think the developers know what they're doing. Neither Buckhead or SouthPark in Charlotte are the most walkable places, but both are seeing lots of increase in housing. I'm not trying to put Harbison up in Buckhead's or SouthPark's league, but they have the same core element.

[Spartan]

Yeah the suburban market is a bit different than downtown. I know I wouldn't pay that much to live on Bower Parkway, but thats just me.

[Chi2Midlands]

This proposed Harbison condo development is a trend I have been observing in nearly every "flagship suburban mall" in the country - the urbanization of premier suburban retail hubs. While we're a small city, the Harbison/Columbiana area is definitely "the" mall of the region. At the larger end of the scale, such as Tysons Corner in Northern Virginia near DC, the St. Louis Galleria, Old Orchard Mall north of Chicago, and of course SouthPark in Charlotte, etc., you will see development closer and closer to truer mixed-used/dense urban environments.

While many of us on this board will of course prefer the "true" urbanity of downtowns with their in-place organic mixed use networks, inherent density, etc., with the population growth in the country, there will probably be a market for these condo developments.

On a side note, apartments are going up fairly quickly in the Village of Sandhill, in the strip between JC Penney and the main Town Center fountain circle (i.e., from Red Bowl Asian Bistro south). So there are markets for both "greenfield" mall-condos/apartments, and "retro-fitting" of older malls.

[Istvan]

Still looks pretty standard to me. And it looks like it will have a typical backside facing drivers headed north on Assembly.

This thing should have really gone in one of the myriad parking structures planned for downtown.

at least it looks better than the other CVS downtown (on Bull Street?)

[emerging.me]

This proposed Harbison condo development is a trend I have been observing in nearly every "flagship suburban mall" in the country - the urbanization of premier suburban retail hubs. While we're a small city, the Harbison/Columbiana area is definitely "the" mall of the region. At the larger end of the scale, such as Tysons Corner in Northern Virginia near DC, the St. Louis Galleria, Old Orchard Mall north of Chicago, and of course SouthPark in Charlotte, etc., you will see development closer and closer to truer mixed-used/dense urban environments.

While many of us on this board will of course prefer the "true" urbanity of downtowns with their in-place organic mixed use networks, inherent density, etc., with the population growth in the country, there will probably be a market for these condo developments.

On a side note, apartments are going up fairly quickly in the Village of Sandhill, in the strip between JC Penney and the main Town Center fountain circle (i.e., from Red Bowl Asian Bistro south). So there are markets for both "greenfield" mall-condos/apartments, and "retro-fitting" of older malls.

There is a good article in Architectural Record this month about the "lifestyle center" trend and how they are essentially the *malls of today* but with an emphasis on instant gratification (simple in-and-out access to stores) and built around quality, unique brands instead of anchor department stores. The author doesn't pose the question directly, but it does leave you wondering if these developments will be lasting or if they'll be the "dead malls" of tomorrow.

[CorgiMatt]

^That might be true for you, but being that there are other developments like this going on in cities across the nation located in unwalkable areas, but with amenities like shopping nearby, I think the developers know what they're doing. Neither Buckhead or SouthPark in Charlotte are the most walkable places, but both are seeing lots of increase in housing. I'm not trying to put Harbison up in Buckhead's or SouthPark's league, but they have the same core element.

Actually, one of Harbison's claim to fame is that it is walkable. I'm all for making suburbia look more urban. This in-fill development might help.

[krazeeboi]

at least it looks better than the other CVS downtown (on Bull Street?)

Yeah, that one is the pits.

Actually, one of Harbison's claim to fame is that it is walkable. I'm all for making suburbia look more urban. This in-fill development might help.

I don't know about the claim that Harbison is walkable, but I do agree with you concerning quality suburban infill.

[emerging.me]

I don't know about the claim that Harbison is walkable, but I do agree with you concerning quality suburban infill.

There are paved "trails" that snake through the area. Most people don't even know they are there. There is one that even runs under Harbison Blvd. and connects the Books-A-Million center to the Barnes and Noble/Olive Garden center. The trails are completely unmarked/ill-maintained/unpromoted, however, and go practically unused.

[krazeeboi]

Interesting; I didn't know about these trails. I wonder if they will get more attention/TLC in connection with this development.

[CorgiMatt]

Yeah, that one is the pits.

I don't know about the claim that Harbison is walkable, but I do agree with you concerning quality suburban infill.

Harbison is definitely walkable. It even has a pedestrian tunnel underneath I-26. Ozzie Nagler, the same man who designed the Three Rivers Greenway, designed Harbison. It has a very suburban look, but from the outset the plan was to create a walkable community, and Ozzie Nagler succeeded in the walkable part. In fact Harbison won an international award for its design, and that was after Nagler's awards for projects in other countries. I can't recall which countries or the names of the awards, but he is definitely an award-winning designer.

[Captain Worley]

Harbison is definitely walkable. It even has a pedestrian tunnel underneath I-26. Ozzie Nagler, the same man who designed the Three Rivers Greenway, designed Harbison. It has a very suburban look, but from the outset the plan was to create a walkable community, and Ozzie Nagler succeeded in the walkable part. In fact Harbison won an international award for its design, and that was after Nagler's awards for projects in other countries. I can't recall which countries or the names of the awards, but he is definitely an award-winning designer.

I had no ideas about the tunnels under I-26 and under Harbison at the Books-a-Million.