Columbia Economic Notes

[The_sandlapper]

I tend to look on other cities in the region like this, Charlotte is like that over achieveing big brother that studied really hard in school, and its what you can achieve if you apply yourself as well. Raleigh is like that too but its that's brother's best friend. Charleston is like a close friend that you grew up with and can identify with but they went to a more popular school. Greenville is like that promising little brother that's always on your heels, and Atlanta is that one rich uncle or aunt that you have, and no matter what you do right now you will never quite catch up with them, but hey there southern so it's still okay. That's been my take on the region. Oh and Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head are those younger cousins that you know once the grow up they will totally kick your ass and go beyond you.

Edited December 3, 2005 by The_sandlapper

[krazeeboi]

That's an interesting way of seeing it...LOL.

[CorgiMatt]

The State newspaper today has an article about the hot demand for housing in the city. I'm so glad I live in town. I'm exactly 3.9 miles from the capitol and less than that from Main and Taylor, near Forest Acres. Lots of people here are finally seeing that commuting is for the birds and that living in the city is where it's at. I have my eye on the land between Gervais and Blossom off of Huger street for my future home. People who are still moving out "to get away from it all" are behind the curve.

Excuse me. What was I thinking? I'm exactly 2.9 miles from the capitol and slightly less than that from Main and Taylor, not 3.9.

[CorgiMatt]

This just in on WIS and The State's websites. The SC State Farmer's market will break ground on a new Shop Road & I-77 facility three times the size of the current farmers' market on Bluff Road. USC has bought the current farmers' market site for $14 million +. The new market will be state of the art and rival any in the southeast and/or nation according agriculture commissioner. It will be the flagship facility for agriculture in SC. It is supposed to open in 2008.

[emerging.me]

This just in on WIS and The State's websites. The SC State Farmer's market will break ground on a new Shop Road & I-77 facility three times the size of the current farmers' market on Bluff Road. USC has bought the current farmers' market site for $14 million +. The new market will be state of the art and rival any in the southeast and/or nation according agriculture commissioner. It will be the flagship facility for agriculture in SC. It is supposed to open in 2008.

Killer news! Man... there's a project that's been developing for A LONG time. Awesome. I wonder what exactly USC has planned for the current site. That area is blowing up.

[The_sandlapper]

That area is blowing up.

I was thinking the same thing!

[krazeeboi]

Yeah, I'm more excited to see what's going to happen at the former farmer's market property.

[waccamatt]

Yeah, I'm more excited to see what's going to happen at the former farmer's market property.

USC is going to turn it into an olympic sports complex with a new track, softball field, etc. It is still also a possible location for the new baseball stadium, although I believe it will still be built in the Vista.

[krazeeboi]

That's cool. USC got a few mentions in the 2004 Olympics, so this will be a great addition to the campus.

[emerging.me]

BTW... anyone notice that they resurfaced a good bit of S. Assembly this weekend?? It's going to be nice! Now... if they would just do a little bit of streetscaping along there we would be a third of the way to Matt's vision.

b

Edited December 6, 2005 by emerging.me

[803metlife]

Good News, the developer for the huge lake muarry condos is going forth with the development despite neighbors concern to build 4 residential towers on lake murarry.

Edited December 6, 2005 by 803metlife

[waccamatt]

Good News, the developer for the huge lake muarry condos is going forth with the development despite neighbors concern to build 4 residential towers on lake murarry.

I kind of liked his hubris when referring back to the neighbors that (paraphrased) "I am going to do what I want to with the land". People are going to lose their view of the lake. Poor babies, if they wanted to ensure their view of the lake they should have paid for lakefront property.

[Spartan]

I hope some of the residents out in that area are reading this. It makes a strong case for zoning and some land use controls which SC is notorious for not having.

As for USC's plans? Can anyone say 'more gameday condos' ?

I wouldn't mind seeing them expand the Cockabooses in that direction.

[CorgiMatt]

The State newspaper this morning reports that CVS is going to build a new store at the corner of Assembly and College, facing USC's new Ben Arnold School of Public Health. It will sit up to the corner with parking in the back. The developers worked with the city's design board to make it pedestrian friendly in keeping with USC's mission. The article does not say whether it will have at least a fake second floor, but it does say it will compliment the public health school's architecture. No Columbia CVS store will close as a result of this new store.

[Spartan]

That is good news. The location is also good. Downtown has needed a more central drug store from quite some time now.

[sonofaque86]

yeah, the closest cvs downtown is off of bull street near the hospital

[krazeeboi]

Too bad it wasn't a Walgreens instead.

[waccamatt]

Too bad it wasn't a Walgreens instead.

I agree. A 24 hour Walgreen's at that.

[Spartan]

Ick. I'm glad it isn't. I have never liked those places. 24 hours would be nice though.

Edited December 8, 2005 by Spartan

[krazeeboi]

Walgreens is the best chain pharmacy out there, hands down.

[vicupstate]

I tend to look on other cities in the region like this, Charlotte is like that over achieveing big brother that studied really hard in school, and its what you can achieve if you apply yourself as well. Raleigh is like that too but its that's brother's best friend. Charleston is like a close friend that you grew up with and can identify with but they went to a more popular school. Greenville is like that promising little brother that's always on your heels, and Atlanta is that one rich uncle or aunt that you have, and no matter what you do right now you will never quite catch up with them, but hey there southern so it's still okay. That's been my take on the region. Oh and Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head are those younger cousins that you know once the grow up they will totally kick your ass and go beyond you.

I have always considered cities to have "personalities" as well. Your analogies hit the bullseye IMO. Myrtle Beach though, might be the cousin with money, but tacky clothing and tastes. He also brown noses his boss, a Mr. Burroughs Chapin.

Your Charlotte and Raleigh analogy is especially dead-on. The only thing is, the "Charlotte" big brother majored in Accounting, so he isn't exactly the life of the party, if you know what I mean. [no offense to any accounting majors out there

[randy1]

Your right, I can agree columbia does get over looked in so many areas. But some way columbia always pop right back up. As far as other sc cities criticizing columbia thats natural to feel inferior to the biggest city in the state. Charleston might be more urban, greenville might be cleanier!! But the bottom line columbia is the biggest, and is the only city in sc that you get a big city vibe. By the time Charlotte really realizes whats 80miles south, it will be too late. Columbia can easy compete with Raleigh & Charlotte . Charlotte has a hard time keeping people there. Alot of people move to Charlotte, but will later move to atl because Charlotte wasn't big enough for them. I can easily see the most slept on city in the carolinas becoming the greatest city in the carolinas

I love all of our Carolina cities and believe they are all well respected. What gets me is how some who would run on with Columbia being the biggest this and that. The city isn't the largest by much. A couple of thousand population-wise. I lived in Columbia for quite a while. It is a wonderful community but I wouldn't try to promote it as the biggest city like Charleston and Greenville are the size of let's say Newberry or even Kingstree. And all three have that "big city" vibe.

Edited December 10, 2005 by randy1

[krazeeboi]

^I would agree. While all three of SC's Big Three pretty much give off a genuine urban vibe, they do so in different ways.

[The_sandlapper]

I have always considered cities to have "personalities" as well. Your analogies hit the bullseye IMO. Myrtle Beach though, might be the cousin with money, but tacky clothing and tastes. He also brown noses his boss, a Mr. Burroughs Chapin.

Your Charlotte and Raleigh analogy is especially dead-on. The only thing is, the "Charlotte" big brother majored in Accounting, so he isn't exactly the life of the party, if you know what I mean. [no offense to any accounting majors out there

I love all of our Carolina cities and believe they are all well respected. What gets me is how some who would run on with Columbia being the biggest this and that. The city isn't the largest by much. A couple of thousand population-wise. I lived in Columbia for quite a while. It is a wonderful community but I wouldn't try to promote it as the biggest city like Charleston and Greenville are the size of let's say Newberry or even Kingstree. And all three have that "big city" vibe.

I agree but its not just Columbia, some people push Greenville, and Charleston as well to that extent. I have preferences for cities throughout the region no doubt but aside from Atlanta, and Charlotte most areas a more or less parallel to each other in population, economies, growth, & amenities. Most of the arguing is usually done to prove points about different color hairs to split.

Edited December 10, 2005 by The_sandlapper

[Spartan]

Columbia does have the biggest 'feel' to it, but that is not to say that Charleston and Greenville do not. Charleston has the 'hustle and bustle' of a much larger city, particularly on the penninsula. But its mostly confined to that area.

Most of the 'feel' comes from its physical appearance, particularly of its downtown/center city area.

Columbia has highrises, density, and a very strong grid system downtown that create a very strong visual appeal. For many people it is intimidating to drive in Columbia because it is so different from the rest of the state in that regard.

Charleston has the density of cities many times its size. No skyline to speak of, its irregular grid makes it intimidating to visitors because you never know for sure which road will not dead end into another road. Like I said before, Charleston has that hustle and bustle that you can't really describe. Its just there, and to walk around the city you know it.

Greenville has the skyline, though its not visible from many places, but it lacks the density of the other two. Its downtown area is not as large in area either. That said, Greenville probably has the brightest future.

A large part of this is because of walkablility.

Charleston is by far the most walkable city, which adds to the vibe and energy you feel while you are there. Columbia severely lacks walkibility, and is slightly intimidating to pedestrians. Greenville lies somewhere in between. It is much more walkable than Columbia, but not as much as Charleston.

This is all subjective of course.