Tower at Main & Gervais

[Firefox]

This building looks like the Wachovia building in Atlanta where 75/85 split. I love that building.

[Spartan]

How bland. I do not like the architecture- but I will add that I have gotten to the point that I hate renderings like this one. How many people are actually going to be looking at this building from 150 ft above Cornell arms? Not many. I want to see ground level renderings of how this thing will abut the street, and how it would look from the State House or the Vista.

Good news is that the ground floor will contain a restaurant and a bank (because we don't have enough of those on Main St yet). Its also great news that this is being proposed even though SCANA is leaving downtown. Its also good that they are filling in a parking lot, even though they are adding 600 spaces. This will fill a major void on Main Street and hopefully help to draw more people in that direction to see what is going on. If the glass color does turn out to be green it would be a nice compliment to the amber and blue from the other two smaller towers further up Main St.

So here's the summary of the project:

• $60 million

• 482,410 sq ft
  • 10,000 sq ft for retail

  • 194,400 for office

  • 19 floors
    • 1 for retail

    • 7 for parking (600 spaces)

    • 10 for offices

    • 1 for _____

    [*]Construction to begin this spring, with completion in about 18 months. (completion late 2009 or early 2010)

[Firefox]

you guys have to understand that this tower is not something that will stick out like something the height of capital center or palmetto so their is no reason to just go all out on the design, merdian is in a location where it can be seen and needed to be a little more ornate, this building will blend in well and does not need to just blow us away with its design it will complement the buildings in the area, modern and sleak, yes it will be interesting to see the ground level but for god sakes just be damn happy columbia is even getting a office tower.

[lifer]

[Spartan]

you guys have to understand that this tower is not something that will stick out like something the height of capital center or palmetto so their is no reason to just go all out on the design, merdian is in a location where it can be seen and needed to be a little more ornate, this building will blend in well and does not need to just blow us away with its design it will complement the buildings in the area, modern and sleak, yes it will be interesting to see the ground level but for god sakes just be damn happy columbia is even getting a office tower.

[BryCola]

"I am not going to get excited over another tall building just because its another tall building."

Well I certainly am. Of course we all have our opinions, but I happen to like having a nice looking skyline from a distance...and this project will definitely impact Columbia's skyline from various angles. I'm definitetly excited about it.

[sonofaque86]

Well we are getting excited over a tall building in Columbia. We don't get tall buildings as often. I see your location is Charlotte (i'm guessing you're there lol), so maybe you're used to all those announcements every couple of months, whereas we dont get announcements like this but every couple of years if that lol

[krazeeboi]

The fact of the matter is that the modern, glassy towers these days really aren't all that jaw-dropping architecturally, unless you're talking about the new BOA tower in NYC. Otherwise, similar buildings like the ones in Atlantic Station and 1180 Peachtree in Atlanta and the 32-story BOA tower under construction in uptown Charlotte are really just variations on a box--and that doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. If this tower in Columbia does what it's supposed to do at street level, with attractive facades for retail, being built up to the street, and possibly going for LEED certification or just having some green elements, then that would more than make up for its boxiness, IMO. Hopefully, there would be some type of lighting scheme at the top that would make it stand out a bit. But I'm glad that Columbia could possibly be getting a modern, glassy tower like this.

[sonofaque86]

So far Holder's buildings have had lighting schemes so this should too!

[emerging.me]

I think the design is pretty hot, actually. I'm sure this aesthetic approach has been carefully planned to complement the rest of the buildings downtown. And of course this clean, sleek look paves the super hot ultra modern tower that's sure to follow!

[waccamatt]

I think the design is pretty hot, actually. I'm sure this aesthetic approach has been carefully planned to complement the rest of the buildings downtown. And of course this clean, sleek look paves the super hot ultra modern tower that's sure to follow!

[pedestrian]

I couldn't be much more disappointed by this design. Glass. Good lord how boring. How about architects start designing something a bit more creative than glass polygons. There's lots of construction materials out there. I am glad that they'll be leaving the small plaza on Gervais, though.

[krazeeboi]

Actually, I think glass buildings are very cool, and being that Columbia doesn't have a glass tower, this will provide some much needed diversity in the skyline. As far as other building materials, the skyline pretty much has at least one example of some tower made of a certain material--except glass.

[BryCola]

I couldn't be much more disappointed by this design. Glass. Good lord how boring. How about architects start designing something a bit more creative than glass polygons. There's lots of construction materials out there. I am glad that they'll be leaving the small plaza on Gervais, though.

[sonofaque86]

Yup, because those other two in front of the Palmetto Center if u consider those glass are FUGLY

[waccamatt]

Yup, because those other two in front of the Palmetto Center if u consider those glass are FUGLY

[BryCola]

Those are reflective glass, the new one will be clear glass. 1401 Main is ugly, but I'm quite fond of 1441 Main.

[krazeeboi]

Yeah, I kinda like 1441 Main. I just really both of them at street level.

[emerging.me]

What super hot, ultra modern tower are you referring to? I know there's been talk of another office tower downtown besides this one, but it sounds like you know something about it. Out with it, EM!

[krazeeboi]

^Hey, you never know. With the word out about how attractive the downtown Columbia office market is, don't be surprised to hear about another proposal sometime in the near future.

[Spartan]

Well we are getting excited over a tall building in Columbia. We don't get tall buildings as often. I see your location is Charlotte (i'm guessing you're there lol), so maybe you're used to all those announcements every couple of months, whereas we dont get announcements like this but every couple of years if that lol

[sojay]

[waccamatt]

Has anyone heard what happened at the zoning meeting yesterday? I wonder if they had more renderings? Of course The State made no mention of it this morning.

LOL, Sojay, we posted that at the same time.

[krazeeboi]

I see where Spartan is coming from, and I do agree with him that this tower's greatest success will be at the street level.

[CorgiMatt]

I went off height for height's sake years ago. I don't need skyscrapers, but on the other hand I don't like everything to be the same height. But as far as spires on buildings go, I think the spires on our churches do just fine. Street level is where it's at as far as the urban scene goes.