Olympia Mill Village Updates

[krazeeboi]

I think the final product on this will turn out to be very nice. I'm glad the decision was made to save this building, despite the condition it was in. Columbia will be able to add another example of successful adaptive reuse to an already long list.

[digital_sandlapper]

I think the final product on this will turn out to be very nice. I'm glad the decision was made to save this building, despite the condition it was in. Columbia will be able to add another example of successful adaptive reuse to an already long list.

Yes, Columbia does very well in this regard (usually). I am SO PSYCHED about this building getting this renovation--woo-hoo!

Maybe it's because we lost so much that would have been now historic when Sherman burned us down, the beotch!

[krazeeboi]

Yeah, that was unfortunate (although I am sympathetic to his cause ).

[krazeeboi]

Looks like that tract that Holder Properties was scouting in the vicinity of Assembly and Whaley might be the site of a new apartment complex. The company is proposing a 388-unit apartment complex at Assembly and Whaley streets. The complex would stretch east along Whaley to the CSX railroad track and south along Assembly to Heyward Street. The project would involve closing Park Street to the railroad crossing at its intersection with Bluff Road and Heyward Street from Assembly to its dead end at the railroad tracks. It would eliminate the Park Street railroad crossing.

A vice president for the company has stated that everything is very preliminary and several issues need to be resolved surrounding land acquisition, city approval, and the road closings. Holder has had to deal with multiple property owners to put the property together and some of those issues still must be resolved.

I wonder if Holder originally had condos in mind here, but switched to apartments given the current state of the housing market.

[emerging.me]

I wonder if Holder originally had condos in mind here, but switched to apartments given the current state of the housing market.

They did, indeed. I heard a rumor about this exact same scenario a few months ago but with condos mentioned.

[krazeeboi]

Thought so. One neighbor expressed support for the project, but wishes that it were condos instead in order to cut down on rental properties in the neighborhood. However, being that these will essentially be luxury apartments, I don't think all of the problems that are typically associated with low- to mid-rent properties will be a concern here.

[krazeeboi]

Here's an update on the Gallery 701 building. Tours will be provided to show off the progress thus far.

[Captain Worley]

How have those townhouses off Whaley been selling? I have a hard time believeing people would drop a quarter million on a place that small right next to RR tracks. I was shocked when I found out how much they were. I figured 160-175K was the price until I saw an ad for 250-270K in the Free Times.

[emerging.me]

How have those townhouses off Whaley been selling? I have a hard time believeing people would drop a quarter million on a place that small right next to RR tracks. I was shocked when I found out how much they were. I figured 160-175K was the price until I saw an ad for 250-270K in the Free Times.

Yeah, they are over-priced if you ask me. I don't think but about 1/3 of them have moved. The location is great in terms of proximity to the city center, but the immediate surroundings (the railroad!), the design quality, and level of finish do not justify the price.

[BrasilnSC]

Last time I rode by them, there were still several for sale signs up. They must not be doing all that bad however, since there are more of them going up as we speak.

Edited September 28, 2007 by BrasilnSC

[krazeeboi]

Gallery 701 building construction, 9/30:

[Captain Worley]

^ That's coming along nicely! I'm really looking forward to seeing the front facade.

[CorgiMatt]

701 Whaley will be home to South Carolina's first artists-in-residence program. The new owners have sunk more than $6 million into the building, $2 million more than they had planned. It's going to be a real showcase for the city and for South Carolina. This, along with existing artist studios, art galleries, and the planned develoment off of Huger behind One Eared Cow Glass, will boost the local art scene in a major way.

http://www.thestate.com/516/story/471772.html

[krazeeboi]

Glad they took the extra time (and money) to make sure this project was done right. It will be yet another feather in Columbia's adaptive reuse cap.

[Spartan]

The State needs to do its homework, because Spartanburg has had an artist-in-residence program for almost 4 years now. HUB-BUB

[krazeeboi]

That was a pretty big blunder, especially since they mentioned Hub Bub in the companion article:

Contemporary art centers with galleries and studios can be found in Greenville (Art Bomb), Spartanburg (Hub-Bub) and Charleston (Redux), but none has a residency program. The 701 Contemporary Art Center would have three or four artists in residence each year.

[krazeeboi]

From 8/30:

There's an article about the project in the most recent edition of the Free Times. The building is set to open Oct. 23.

[krazeeboi]

701 Whaley will have its grand opening on Thursday with a $100-per-person gala. The first show,

[Spartan]

I realize it might be a stretch, but does any one have any pre-construction photos? All I've seen posted here are after the construction has started.

[CorgiMatt]

A man from Spartanburg has a letter to the editor of The State today saying HUB-BUB was the first artist-in-residency program, not Gallery 701 as The State has reported. Maybe the difference is the Spartanburg artists' "preprofessional" status vs. professionals? I don't know. No, I don't guess so, as - duh - residency means preprofessional?

http://www.thestate.com/letters/story/581634.html

Edited November 7, 2008 by CorgiMatt

[Spartan]

I didn't write that letter, but I did tell y'all that when their article came out. The State needs to do a better job fact checking.

[emerging.me]

Anybody been keeping up with Aspyre? They're now leasing, which I'm sure some of you knew, but the website has been updated since we last discussed it here. It appears, in concept at least, to be quite stylish. It should be a pretty cool place to live for students.

[emerging.me]

Fairly big Olympia area development news:

The lot adjacent to the greenway "Ra" park (corner of Heyward St. and Bluff Rd.), and the massive railroad berm to the rear of it have been partially cleared. Those run-down houses along Bluff Road are being demolished, too (though the little white church has been saved.) It's for some sort of housing development. Whatever it is, they'll have great views from the top of that berm.

For those of you that need a little context... This is across from the former G.R.O.W. cafe. Down behind Asypre and Bombers Stadium.

Edited November 12, 2008 by emerging.me

[krazeeboi]

^If it becomes another Whaley Row-style development, that won't be good at all.

[emerging.me]

^If it becomes another Whaley Row-style development, that won't be good at all.

I have reason to believe these will be somewhat cooler looking. I hear it will more appropriately reflect the post-industrial context, than the suburban-looking blandness of Whaley Row.

Edited November 12, 2008 by emerging.me