Bull Street Common

[waccamatt]

Come on, powerball!

One developer could purchase the entire plot and then sell of portions to other developers. Does anyone know how much the state is asking for the entire plot?

Edited May 5, 2009 by waccamatt

[Captain Worley]

Seems like emerging.me posted something a while back....a flyer or something.

[krazeeboi]

The Columbia Planning Commission on Monday passed by a 5-3 vote a request by City Council members Belinda Gergel and E.W. Cromartie to designate the 45-acre central campus an architectural preservation district. The designation would require that any major changes to structures within the district

[Spartan]

That's great news!

[CorgiMatt]

A Greenville developer wants to buy the State Hospital campus, the largest tract of land to become available in downtown Columbia in over a century, but he says he'll walk away if Columbia City Council approves an historic architecture preservation overlay on the property. Would he actually knock down the landmark Babcock building, tower and all, that you see straight ahead when driving into Columbia on Elmwood? Will City Council sell out?

http://www.thestate.com/local/story/921431.html

[Spartan]

I'd rather see that site sit vacant than not have a historic preservation overlay. If any developer won't work with that then they aren't worth the city's time. There are developers out there who will cooperate.

[waccamatt]

I'd rather see that site sit vacant than not have a historic preservation overlay. If any developer won't work with that then they aren't worth the city's time. There are developers out there who will cooperate.

I concur. I am especially concerned about the fact that this developer was involved with Green Diamond. I personally hope this deal falls through.

[BrasilnSC]

If the developer is not willing to preserve any of those buildings, then I said no thanks. How can anybody not see how significantly historic those building are? They should never be razed.

[krazeeboi]

I don't think it's necessarily that the developer wants to raze the historic buildings, but it could be that he doesn't want to go through all of the red tape that would be involved with the new overlay. The developer, Bob Hughes, knows how to develop good urban projects (e.g., RiverPlace in downtown Greenville), so that shouldn't be a concern. The article mentioned another developer who's in favor of the overlay but doesn't want to purchase the entire site. I have a feeling that City Council won't go through with the new overlay though; they appear to be afraid that Hughes will back out of the deal if they do, and I've never heard of them standing up to developers to ensure a (higher) quality development. It seems to always be the attitude of, "Well, let's just be happy we're getting something."

[emerging.me]

I think it's interesting that the overlay would preserve more structures than DPZ's plan actually called for. That is what's asserted in the article.

Green Diamond is a red flag, but I can't fault this guy without more information.

If it's true that he was one of the people who helped bring Duany to Columbia in the first place, then I honestly can't see him going in there and tearing the place up.

Hmmm...

[Hybrid0NE]

Would he actually knock down the landmark Babcock building, tower and all, that you see straight ahead when driving into Columbia on Elmwood? Will City Council sell out?

I don't see anyone knocking down Babcock; that'll be like imploding the Chrysler Building and saying the ESB is still around, it's too historically significant (a landmark for Columbia). Unless, this guy is a Clemson fan. You can't fully trust Upstaters in the Midlands...

J/K... lol

[vicupstate]

This developer did NOT have anything to do with the ORIGINAL Burroughs and Chapin plan for "Green Diamond". He proposed a smaller, less risky alternative after the original plan was abandoned by B & C.

[Spartan]

I don't think anyone would tear down the Babcock building, but I think they should be willing to work within the historic overlay district guidelines.

[krazeeboi]

City Council is expected to drop the historic overlay designation for the campus in lieu of written assurances from the Department of Mental Health that it wouldn't sell the property to Hughes Development unless the city and the developer agree on the preservation of the buildings. Also, the department has taken about 18 acres out of the 181 acres up for sale. The agency will continue to house about 60 mentally ill children there at the William S. Hall Psychiatric Institute.

[CorgiMatt]

A Greenville developer is expected to purchase the Bull Street property in a couple of weeks.

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20100103/BUSINESS04/1030322/Greenville-developer-expected-to-buy-old-State-Hospital-site

[growingup15]

The city within a City project is finally about to start.

[krazeeboi]

The S.C. Mental Health Department and Upstate developer Bob Hughes have reached an agreement on the purchase of the Bull Street campus. However, the undisclosed price and payment terms still must be approved by the state Mental Health Commission. A decision could come as early as next month. After the approval by the commission, the sale must pass muster with a circuit judge, who will rule whether the price is fair and whether the proceeds will be used for the treatment of the mentally ill. Then the sale must be approved by the State Budget and Control Board.

[krazeeboi]

A final agreement has been reached for the sale of the Bull Street property to developer Bob Hughes, and the state Mental Health Commission could act on it next month. The final price became a key issue as negotiations went on for months, according to Mark Binkley, an attorney for the mental health agency. The parties involved worked to agree on a price that would be supported by an independent appraisal, he said. Appraisals on the property’s value came in higher than the involved parties had expected, Binkley said. While the state review of the contract is under way, Binkley said, Hughes can begin working with the city of Columbia on a development agreement for the area, a step mandated by the agreement. That development agreement is expected to resolve issues of zoning and density on the redeveloped campus.

[growingup15]

A final agreement has been reached for the sale of the Bull Street property to developer Bob Hughes, and the state Mental Health Commission could act on it next month. The final price became a key issue as negotiations went on for months, according to Mark Binkley, an attorney for the mental health agency. The parties involved worked to agree on a price that would be supported by an independent appraisal, he said. Appraisals on the property’s value came in higher than the involved parties had expected, Binkley said. While the state review of the contract is under way, Binkley said, Hughes can begin working with the city of Columbia on a development agreement for the area, a step mandated by the agreement. That development agreement is expected to resolve issues of zoning and density on the redeveloped campus.

Finally. i was trying to find this Thread for a while. i have a few renderings on the future look on bull st. and I hope possible a few Office towers.

[krazeeboi]

The S.C. Mental Health Commission has turned back an offer by Upstate developer Bob Hughes to purchase the 165-acre site, a Department of Mental Health official said Monday. The commission was supposed to discuss Hughes’ offer in a special meeting this month, but after an informal review last week, commission attorney Mark Binkley said commissioners objected to “both the price and the structure of the deal,” neither of which has been publically disclosed. Binkley and the mental health staff have been instructed to start the negotiations anew, he said.

I hope the commission isn't being greedy. At any rate, this isn't something that should be rushed anyway.

[growingup15]

Wouldn't it be Nice if this Project includes a New Skyscrapers in it. just to Extend the Downtown Skyline. pass elmwood like 5 towers 2 office 3 Condo and apartment towers. Anyone else think this is a Great idea because i do. i think this will make Columbia look a whole lot Bigger.

[johnpro318]

Wouldn't it be Nice if this Project includes a New Skyscrapers in it. just to Extend the Downtown Skyline. pass elmwood like 5 towers 2 office 3 Condo and apartment towers. Anyone else think this is a Great idea because i do. i think this will make Columbia look a whole lot Bigger.

I think they should focus on midrises and help create density in that neighborhood. Plus skyscrapers would never get built on this track of land. There's plenty of areas along north main that could be used for that... a lot of them vacant lots.

[waccamatt]

Wouldn't it be Nice if this Project includes a New Skyscrapers in it. just to Extend the Downtown Skyline. pass elmwood like 5 towers 2 office 3 Condo and apartment towers. Anyone else think this is a Great idea because i do. i think this will make Columbia look a whole lot Bigger.

That would be an odd place to build a skyscraper and highly unlikely. A midrise would probably be the tallest anyone would propose at that location, though I always love skyscrapers.

[growingup15]

I think they should focus on midrises and help create density in that neighborhood. Plus skyscrapers would never get built on this track of land. There's plenty of areas along north main that could be used for that... a lot of them vacant lots.

So im not the Only one thinking it. i was thinking that North main Should have a Few skyscrapers being Built.

[Spartan]

Skyscrapers are nice to have, but are not necessary to make Columbia a better city.