Main Street/CBD Developments

[krazeeboi]

^I agree. I'd rather have the canopy than not have it.

[TheCarolinaKing]

That looks more like the Georgetown Portion of M Street. The shopping there is spectacular! Imagine King St. Charleston to the 10th power!

[Spartan]

^I was thinking that originally, but having been to DC/Georgetown recently, that seems to have a bit more slope to it that the majority of M Street. It looks more like a street that would be in the Adams Morgan/U Street area.

[JT Boy]

^I was thinking that originally, but having been to DC/Georgetown recently, that seems to have a bit more slope to it that the majority of M Street. It looks more like a street that would be in the Adams Morgan/U Street area.

THe picture is of Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown, a few blocks north of M Street. M Street in Georgetown is pretty level, but Wisconsin climbs from the riverfront, up past the National Cathedral on its way through the city. Because U Street has undergone so much new development recently, and then struggled through construction of the Metro Green line prior to that, much of its older tree canopy has been removed, but new ones have been added and will certainly add more to that neighborhood in the coming years.

Washington does have a wonderful urban tree canopy, larger in the residential areas than in the commercial areas. Apparently we used to have even more trees and the city began a major reforestation/planting initiative a few years ago. One of the things I like so much about Washington is its fabulous mix of urban and natural amenities. Three blocks from my house is a heavily forested branch of Rock Creek Park that has wonderful hiking trails. Four blocks from my house is a subway stop. It is a great way to live!

[Spartan]

DC does do a lot of things right. South Carolina's cities could learn a lot from them.

[waccamatt]

DC does do a lot of things right. South Carolina's cities could learn a lot from them.

True, but there are also huge swaths of urban decay in DC that you don't find in Columbia. D.C. does a good job with their wealthier and most popular areas, but it is a tragedy how their poorer areas have been allowed to deteriorate.

[krazeeboi]

True, but there are also huge swaths of urban decay in DC that you don't find in Columbia. D.C. does a good job with their wealthier and most popular areas, but it is a tragedy how their poorer areas have been allowed to deteriorate.

Actually, gentrification (in the heavily minority, less affluent neighborhoods) is a pretty big issue in DC these days. New condos are coming to Georgia Avenue and surrounding neighborhoods. The Anacostia riverfront is set to undergo a huge redevelopment. A recent article in the Washington Post discusses how several of the formerly run-down corridors in the District are now having new life breathed into them. A relevant excerpt:

Over the past decade, as developers rediscovered cities across the country, the pace of construction exploded along Washington's riot corridors. Boarded-up husks and rubble-strewn lots were reborn as faux-loft apartments, luring white professionals to predominantly black neighborhoods.

[waccamatt]

Actually, gentrification (in the heavily minority, less affluent neighborhoods) is a pretty big issue in DC these days. New condos are coming to Georgia Avenue and surrounding neighborhoods. The Anacostia riverfront is set to undergo a huge redevelopment. A recent article in the Washington Post discusses how several of the formerly run-down corridors in the District are now having new life breathed into them. A relevant excerpt:

Yes, but what is happening to the lower income people that previously lived in those areas?

[krazeeboi]

The city and developers are carefully guarding against the original residents getting pushed out due to higher property taxes. In some cases, it's inevitable, but an honest attempt is being made and in some cases, residents are taking matters into their own hands by forming co-ops and things of that nature.

[Spartan]

This is getting a bit out of the "Main Street Columbia" discussion. Lets pull this back on topic.

[CorgiMatt]

Ouch!! Lourie's is closing, not moving - closing. They cite the delcine of Main Street and the economic slump we're in now, along with the fact of not being able to sell their building yet so they could move.

http://www.thestate.com/breaking/story/391026.html

[vicupstate]

It is amazing that Lourie's held on as long as they did. Same for Tapp's.

When I lived in Cola in the late 80's and early-mid '90's, the retail scene on Main St. was actually pretty good under the circumstances. Belk, Macy's, Weathers (fine men's clothing), Louries and Tapp's were still open. Most city downtowns were ghostowns by then.

It 's too bad the city didn't work then to preserve the retail base, and basically stood by while the last survivor's eventually succumbed. Only after Belk and Macy's closed, did the city try to support retail with the trolley service, the DBA, etc. By then it was too late. Now that the retail is gone, it will be twice as difficult to re-create it.

[Spartan]

Having departments stores downtown even then was unheard of. It would probably do much better today, ironically.

[GamecockEngineer]

It's kinda sad. In my mind, Lourie's was the staple of downtown Columbia when I was growing up.

[goodbye]

Even on Greenville's vibrant Main Street, several local mainstays have closed up in recent years. Many of them have been replaced with fresh shops and restaurants that offer promise for a long life, but their future is uncertain until a few key larger retailers (like Mast General) are drawn back to the heart of downtown to serve as magnet shopping anchors. The recent addition of Staples and Publix only a few blocks from Main Street seems to be helping the City gain momentum, but it has been a fairly slow process so far.

As others have said, these developments and closings are cyclical.

[krazeeboi]

Ouch!! Lourie's is closing, not moving - closing. They cite the delcine of Main Street and the economic slump we're in now, along with the fact of not being able to sell their building yet so they could move.

http://www.thestate.com/breaking/story/391026.html

Oh that hurts. Let's just hope that the streetscaping along that section of Main will help to get a new tenant relocate to that building.

[CorgiMatt]

Has there ever been a better time to change the name of Main Street back to its original Richardson Street? Even when retail comes back to (Richardson Street) after the rest of the streetscaping, it will never be the main street for retail again. There is no main retail spot or corridor in Columbia anymore. Downtown Columbia is now universally thought of as the Vista, the CBD and Five Points, even from the standpoint of retail recruitment, and there are too many streets competing for that retail to refer to one as Main Street. Besides, I have always tought the name Main Street sounds so small town USA-ish.

[mainstreeter]

Rising High has paper on the windows and said it was closed for remodeling. Anyone know anything? Maybe they will make it a Congaree Grill like 5 pts one? It would be nice to have a little change.

[Spartan]

Has there ever been a better time to change the name of Main Street back to its original Richardson Street? Even when retail comes back to (Richardson Street) after the rest of the streetscaping, it will never be the main street for retail again. There is no main retail spot or corridor in Columbia anymore. Downtown Columbia is now universally thought of as the Vista, the CBD and Five Points, even from the standpoint of retail recruitment, and there are too many streets competing for that retail to refer to one as Main Street. Besides, I have always tought the name Main Street sounds so small town USA-ish.

I am all for this. Change it back to Richardson St. "Main Street" will not be missed.

[CarolinaSouth]

So what would we call N. Main St then? North Richardson...or should we just call it Wilson Blvd all the way up and down?

[Spartan]

Anything with "Main" would have to be renamed as well. It wouldn't make much sense to just rename the portion between Elmwood and Gervais. Historically, the whole thing was named Richardson.

[waccamatt]

I would be fine with the change to Richardson. I am disappointed about Louries closing - unfortunately with the streetscaping coming to their block they knew business would be poor during the construction and it probably made the decision easy. I hope they will choose to reopen after the streetscaping is done. That being said, I understand the relocation of the Nickelodeon to that block is on schedule for 2009 and with the opening of the Sheraton and its 4 restaurants and bars plus their renovation of the old Republic Bank Building, Main Street is not in bad shape. I was telling Firefox and Downundercolumbia tonight that I bet Capitol Places will end up purchasing the Louries building and converting it to apartments or condos with retail on the first floor.

[CorgiMatt]

Probably so. I thought the same thing. It would be much more manageable financially than the building they were going to renovate into Vsion.

[BrasilnSC]

I heard Rising High was closing, but it wasn't metioned that it was because they were renovating. They seem to make good business so they can't be closing for good, can they? It would make sense to go ahead with renovations at the same time as the streetscaping.

It's sad to hear about Lourie's, but I'm hopeful this will not be a trend for Main St. In the Lourie's article in The State, it mentions that Vaughn Granger, another men's store on a portion of Main that has already been streetscaped, is experiencing one of it's better years.

[Captain Worley]

Let's rename Park Street Gates Street while we're at it!

Out with the new! In with the old!