Main Street/CBD Developments

[BrasilnSC]

Owners propose changes to the Capitol Center that could be the catalyst to connecting the Vista and Main St. I've always hated the lobby of that building.

TheState

[Spartan]

That is probably the best news I've heard in quite a while for Columbia. That street frontage is horrendous. I can't wait to see what they come up with. If they can gut the lobby and turn it inside out so that there is some street retail, then they will have made a major accomplishment.

[krazeeboi]

This is really good news; the Capitol Center is just the pits at street level. It's also good that the new owners may coordinate renovation efforts to be in sync with the new Main and Gervais tower in terms of how it relates to the street and the plaza. This news represents a trend that I hope continues. First the new Wachovia regional headquarters, now the Capitol Center. Maybe something similar will happen with the Palmetto Center since it is under contract. I hope that if the current NBSC building gets a new owner the same will be considered.

[Spartan]

First Citizens is a bigger problem IMO. Maybe they can hire blue sky to paint a mural of some sort.

[emerging.me]

This is GREAT news. I'm so glad to hear this -- that thing has bugged me for years. Kudos to Matt Kennell for proposing the change.

[krazeeboi]

First Citizens is a bigger problem IMO. Maybe they can hire blue sky to paint a mural of some sort.

True, but I seriously doubt anything's going to happen there since the building is so new. At least it's aesthetically pleasing at ground level. The Capitol Center's base just plain sucks.

[BrasilnSC]

I don't know if this was already mentioned here, but Gotham Bagel Cafe is planning on opening in the Kress building after the completion of the streetscaping in December. Article

Is this where Rising High used to be?

[CorgiMatt]

Yes. It's where Rising High was and it has been mentioned here.

[krazeeboi]

This past Tuesday the 25th, Mayor Coble said that the major work on the two blocks of Main Street will be finished in the next week or two, and the final details, mainly landscaping, will have to wait until after Christmas. The original deadline was Thanksgiving.

[CorgiMatt]

They have almost all the trees in already. The street lights are also up and in operation. The pavement is all but complete. I guess the shubbery and hanging baskets are the main details that still have to be done. It looks really nice.

[CarolinaSouth]

umm.....those wooden light poles in the middle of Main st or absolutely ugly...those aren't permanent are they?

[CorgiMatt]

They're temporary.

[dobboard]

Is there a timetable for the next phase to begin?

Edited December 1, 2008 by dobboard

[krazeeboi]

^I don't think funding for the next phase has been secured yet, so I'd say no.

[dobboard]

A few shots of the streetscaping on Main...

[dobboard]

I noticed today that the corners of Blanding and Main Street had not been streetscaped. The work on that particular block just stopped a few yards before you reached Blanding Street. It seemed a bit odd that they would not finish that block, or that they would wait until the next phase to complete the work.

[BrasilnSC]

Thanks for the pictures......I think the streetscaping looks great, hopefully private investment will follow. It is quite odd that they stopped the improvement midblock, I believe your 3rd picture shows that.

[Spartan]

Usually intersection improvements are done all at the same time, so stopping before the intersection at Blanding makes sense.

[dobboard]

Thanks for the pictures......I think the streetscaping looks great, hopefully private investment will follow. It is quite odd that they stopped the improvement midblock, I believe your 3rd picture shows that.

I would not say mid-block. Again, it was a few yards from the corner of Main and Blanding.

As for the picture above, that angle is actually facing down one of the side streets. That is as far as the streetscaping is supposed to go.

Edited December 3, 2008 by dobboard

[dobboard]

Usually intersection improvements are done all at the same time, so stopping before the intersection at Blanding makes sense.

That certainly makes sense, but I do not believe that was the case during Phase I. If my memory serves me correctly, they streetscaped all the way to Hampton Street the last go around. Perhaps I am wrong.

[krazeeboi]

As for the picture above, that angle is actually facing down one of the side streets. That is far as the streetscaping is supposed to go.

Some of the side streets are getting a little TLC. Hampton Street in front of the art museum is getting new brick sidewalks and new trees.

[dobboard]

^^^^Yes, they were digging along Hampton Street in front of the museum yesterday.

[CorgiMatt]

It looks like Main Street is starting to make its move to become a more significant complement to the Vista and Five Points in downtown Columbia. I was just reading something the other day that referred to downtown nodes in America's cities. Main Street should become more of a player among Columbia's downtown nodes.

http://www.columbiabusinessreport.com/news...-on-main-street

[Spartan]

How do these businesses make it more of a compliment to Five Points or the Vista, exactly? Seems like its just more catering to the daytime office workers.

[BrasilnSC]

I hope these places plan on staying open late (past 5pm).