Main Street/CBD Developments

[waccamatt]

I'm all about sculptures, statues, etc. But I just don't know what kind of impact that would have on a rooftop setting. Thats the kind of thing that should be on the street.

I didn't mean that type of sculpture, I just couldn't find what I had in mind. I was referring to somethig abstract like they were going to do with the Wachovia logo.

[dobboard]

I was at the Rooftop Bar tonight at the Sheraton. It was packed. All the good seats were taken. They have these things that double as high-back seats and lookout platforms, though, and we looked out in all directions from them. It's sweet up there. To look out and see the Vista warehouse district lit up while hanging out at a busy bar in the central business district gives you a feeling of being in a much larger city.

Too funny, I was up there as well and spent most of my time standing on those large chairs looking out over the city. Great views...

[krazeeboi]

The Lourie's building will be put for auction on May 14 with minimum bid of $799,000. The building had been appraised at more than $2 million at the time the store closed. Later, the sale price was cut to $1.4 million.

I truly hope something great comes to that space, especially with the Nick moving in next door.

[vicupstate]

The opening bid works out to $18 a square foot, which is very, very low, especially considering the good condition of the building. I hope the price goes MUCH higher for the Lourie's sake. For so long they were the last significant retailer still holding out on Main St. It's a shame that doing so meant losing so much value in this asset.

I hope the Capitol Places guy gets it, he is the best hope for it.

[krazeeboi]

^This is true. I suppose he could snap the building up now and develop it later. Prioreschi already has his plate a little full with the Dakota and the old fire HQs building redevelopment. It's sad that it had to be Lourie's to go out of business and not one of the dozens of wig shops with awful facades.

In other news, which unfortunately isn't good news, the deal that would have possibly sold the Palmetto Center is off. The deal was killed by the faltering economy and failed negotiations about the future of an adjacent 900-space city-owned parking garage.

I suppose the good news in all of this is that the Palmetto Center is a significant chunk of space right smack downtown. That in itself should make it attractive to any other possible investors, and hopefully any parking issues can be resolved.

I still can't believe how bad of a corporate citizen SCANA is being in relocating to Cayce. In 2004, Progress Energy in Raleigh built a 19-story mixed-use building downtown and Duke Energy in Charlotte is making the 49-story former Wachovia Corporate Center its new headquarters, but SCANA wants to abandon downtown instead of invest in it and then cite post-9/11 security concerns and its potentially vulnerable location in a downtown highrise in Columbia as a reason for moving.

[dobboard]

Al Qaeda....they have their eyes on Columbia.

[growingup15]

Al Qaeda....they have their eyes on Columbia.

Really or are you just joking.

[krazeeboi]

Really or are you just joking.

That's called sarcasm. He's joking.

Think about it: why in the world would terrorists target Columbia, growingup15? I know you're young, but come on man.

[CorgiMatt]

Well, I hope no terrorists stumble onto this site and do something to prove nowhere is safe. That said, SCANA CEO Timmermon is a sorry community sport. I heard he lives in Charlotte, with #15th emptiest downtown in America. What does he care?

[krazeeboi]

That "emptiest cities" (not "emptiest downtowns") list is a crock. But I do agree that his commitment to downtown Columbia is minimal to nonexistent precisely because he doesn't live in Columbia.

[gman430]

I still can't believe how bad of a corporate citizen SCANA is being in relocating to Cayce. In 2004, Progress Energy in Raleigh built a 19-story mixed-use building downtown and Duke Energy in Charlotte is making the 49-story former Wachovia Corporate Center its new headquarters, but SCANA wants to abandon downtown instead of invest in it and then cite post-9/11 security concerns and its potentially vulnerable location in a downtown highrise in Columbia as a reason for moving.

It's not only happening in Columbia. Carolina First which is currently headquartered in downtown Greenville is building a new corporate headquarters along I-85 in the suburbs. Yay.

[krazeeboi]

^Yeah, that was definitely a missed opportunity as well.

[growingup15]

That's called sarcasm. He's joking.

Think about it: why in the world would terrorists target Columbia, growingup15? I know you're young, but come on man.

Im not that gulliable, i was just wondering becuase stuff today that sounds like a joke sometimes ends up being more real then ever.

[CorgiMatt]

Like I said, I hope no terrorists stumble onto this site.

[Captain Worley]

I don't know why everyone is banging on SCE&G so hard. It ended up being cheaper buying land and developing the campus in Cayceland than it was to go on renting in Colatown. Plus, plenty of land to expand on. Security was also a pretty big concern for them.

I think they made a good decision. Sure, sucks for Colatown, but they'll rent that place eventually.

[Spartan]

It's always 'cheaper' to move out in the suburbs, isn't it?

[Captain Worley]

^Your sarcasm is dripping!

[krazeeboi]

I don't know why everyone is banging on SCE&G so hard. It ended up being cheaper buying land and developing the campus in Cayceland than it was to go on renting in Colatown. Plus, plenty of land to expand on. Security was also a pretty big concern for them.

Progress Energy and Duke Energy could have done the same thing in Raleigh and Charlotte, respectively, and probably would save even more than SCANA is by making such a move. But they didn't do that, because they have local CEOs that are committed to their cities' downtown areas. That is making all the difference in this case.

[Captain Worley]

Yeah, but could they have gotten cheap undeveloped land <5miles away from their current headquarters like SCE&G did?

They are saving big money. I'd have done the same.

[Spartan]

The relocation to the suburbs just shifts the costs of the downtown to the employees, that's all.

By not locating in downtown, the average cost of commuting for employees will increase in terms of time sitting in traffic, amount gas, miles traveled, and pollution generated- All of which directly impact employees (and not just SCANA employees), and NOT the company. The exception is for those employees already living in Cayce. Their costs will probably decrease a little.

I contend that aside from the hassle of parking, a downtown location is better for the following reasons, most of which pertain to a higher quality of life (this factor applies to work too). Happy employees work better and are less likely to leave.

Downtown:

• Is central to all suburban commuters in the metro area,
  
• Is located near urban neighborhoods that allow people to walk, bike, or take transit to work if they want,
  
• Allows workers to have options within easy walking (or driving) distance to more breakfast, lunch, happy hour, etc.
  
• Boosts the downtown economy, thus allowing more small businesses and restaurants to open up
  

IMO, quality of life is a derivative of choices. Housing, employment, education, entertainment, recreation, etc. By limiting certain choices and forcing others on employees there is a net loss in quality of life. That does not mean that SCANA is going to fail as a business, but it does mean people are going to spend more time driving to and from work for various reasons, clogging up streets, increasing pollution, and having less time to do what they want to do outside of work. The reality is that the younger generation chooses jobs based on location and quality of life (in addition to the other normal job search factors), and more often you are seeing that the talent is going to cities with stronger urban infrastructure (e.g.: Charlotte). I think that SCANA's move will probably cost them some talent in the long run, but like I said, the costs of this relocation are being put directly on the employees.

Here's the link to the original discussion a couple of years ago when SCANA announced they were planning the move to LexCo.

[Spartan]

To reinforce my point, we are fortunate to have a SCANA employee in our midst. I can't say for sure if this is a representative sample of all employees, but something tells me it's more than just this one person who has- as the SCANA new release put it- "mixed emotions" about the move.

You'll note that SCANA had to add in a cafeteria, which I'm certain was designed to placate employees who will now have far fewer lunch options.

Well, I do live in Lexington County, but I imagine my commute will be the same. I'm pissed about this for lots of other reasons...instead of working in a vibrant and booming downtown with TONS of future projects on the way, I'm going to be working in Bum F*** Egypt. For those that don't know where in Lexington County Scana is moving, it's near Dixianna...close to the large postal facility off of 77. So it'll be either bring my lunch to work, eat in the cafeteria, or get in my car and drive...whereas now there are tons of choices within walking distance. I'm still steamed about this, but not a thing I can do. I actually do love working for Scana, just HATE this decision.

[waccamatt]

I think Scana is shooting themselves in the foot. If Scana's move to the suburbs decreased Columbia's growth by even 1% over the next 10 years or caused the growth to be in currently undeveloped areas - it would cost them in terms of building infrastructure and losing business. The type of myopic thinking by Scana wishes I could choose another electric company.

[Captain Worley]

What can I say? I am biased because I'm in Cayceland and can already see a lot of benefits from SCANA coming to town. I think effort would be put to better use trying to find a new tenant for the building SCANA is vacating. Two and a half years have passed since the announcement of SCANA's impending departure.

[waccamatt]

^The problem is that there aren't any other companies the size of SCANA in the Columbia area or even in the state of South Carolina.

[Captain Worley]

^Oh, I know. The people trying to lease that building should know it and adjust their marketting strategies to suit, if they haven't already.