Main Street/CBD Developments

[goodbye]

When did Chuck Garnett move down to Columbia?

[krazeeboi]

I guess recently, since he just assumed his current position.

[Ellen]

Everyone come back to Main Street! It's all open and most of the construction's finished. I had a delicious sandwich at Gervais Street Deli last week and a yummy slice of quiche today at Cat and Clever.

I love Columbia.

[waccamatt]

Everyone come back to Main Street! It's all open and most of the construction's finished. I had a delicious sandwich at Gervais Street Deli last week and a yummy slice of quiche today at Cat and Clever.

I love Columbia.

Me too! I'm ready to get home, I've been out of town on business alot lately.

[803metlife]

i think main street needs a new name, to change the image, i heard somebody say it before. when i think of cities with the main downtown street called main st., i think of small towns. i can't name one thriving metropolitian city with there main street down town actuall called MAIN ST. i really feel that columbia* should loose the name main to a more vibrant name .

[sonofaque86]

i think main street needs a new name, to change the image, i heard somebody say it before. when i think of cities with the main downtown street called main st., i think of small towns. i can't name one thriving metropolitian city with there main street down town actuall called MAIN ST. i really feel that columbia* should loose the name main to a more vibrant name .

I know...It's not like its a special name...I can see keeping North Main and stuff...But Main St...Nothing special...

[mainstreeter]

i think main street needs a new name, to change the image, i heard somebody say it before. when i think of cities with the main downtown street called main st., i think of small towns. i can't name one thriving metropolitian city with there main street down town actuall called MAIN ST. i really feel that columbia* should loose the name main to a more vibrant name .

The least of Main Streets problems is the name right now. With the new residential coming it should spark some retail. The perception of safety and homeless people is always a concern with people and they will need to be addressed by the city to make it a truly vibrant area. There is currently no night time patrol going down Main Street by the police. Right now they just go through the cross streets such as Taylor, Hampton, Washington, etc... This happen every few hours. There are people cruising the streets until late in the hours and other people lingering around the corners and up to no good.

Houston TX has a Main Street and that is a pretty large city.

[803metlife]

The least of Main Streets problems is the name right now. With the new residential coming it should spark some retail. The perception of safety and homeless people is always a concern with people and they will need to be addressed by the city to make it a truly vibrant area. There is currently no night time patrol going down Main Street by the police. Right now they just go through the cross streets such as Taylor, Hampton, Washington, etc... This happen every few hours. There are people cruising the streets until late in the hours and other people lingering around the corners and up to no good.

Houston TX has a Main Street and that is a pretty large city.

wow, one major city has a main st. besides the cities in s.c. there's homeless people in every city. i don't see atl, or d.c. police alot in the downtown areas. but the homeless don't need to be downtown. but i think we should loose the name main. sometime things are affiliated by the name, the name change is a new begginging

[gs3]

Actually, there are many large cities with "Main".....Houston, Los Angeles, Louisville, etc, etc....the list goes on. I think "Main" refers more to getting the core of downtown vibrant and active, not just one street.

[vicupstate]

Changing the name, will only cause problems. Everyone knows where Main St is. If you rename it, it will takes years to become known. In the meantime, the businesses using the new name in their address would suffer. Greenville has a Main St, and so does Jacksonville.

When I hear "Main St.", I know they are referring to the primary commercial corridor when the town or city was founded. I personally don't read any more into it than that.

[GvilleSC]

In Greenville, a few years ago, they changed Pendelton St to S. Main St... It certainly, in association with other things, has totally turned that area around. Pendelton St was not a name that you associated with safety or a destination of any sort. So, it has helped, but it was not just a name- it was an extension of a street that already existed and therefore extended the feel of Main St and the idea and atmosphere in that direction. But for Columbia's case, it's a whole new begining if they changed the name, not just an extension... so I don't know if it would actually make that big of a difference. And when you think about, Greenville turned its Main St around without changing the name. What i'm saying is that I don't think that a name change is the answer, but you can always try.

I don't see anything wrong with having Main St in a larger city. I think it adds to the charm and the feel. It's more small town-ish sure, but it makes it more welcoming, inviting, and warm with that "small town" feel.

[comingtocolumbia]

wow, one major city has a main st. besides the cities in s.c. there's homeless people in every city. i don't see atl, or d.c. police alot in the downtown areas. but the homeless don't need to be downtown. but i think we should loose the name main. sometime things are affiliated by the name, the name change is a new begginging

If residential living is going to continue, Columbia will need to address the lack of police presence. A simple police patrol every 45 minutes or so down the full length of Main St by foot, bike or horse would help keep trouble out of the area. With the amount of taxes paid by all the expensive buildings, the city owes it to the people living and working there.

What do you mean there is no police in central business district of Atlanta or DC? Are you blind?

[waccamatt]

I don't feel unsafe in downtown Columbia. I regularly see police downtown.

[Ellen]

I usually feel pretty safe in Columbia.

Here's one thing missing from Main Street: PARKING. Two nights ago i needed to use the ATM on Main at Gervais. The new streetscaping has taken away a lot of spaces! Plus, there's a turn lane in the center now, where people used to be able to park short-term.

WOLO's people had many of the spots taken. And folks going to the Whig had the rest. That's a busy come-and-go corner. We need more street parking there.

[Spartan]

Intereting. That ATM does seem to be in a very inconvenient spot.

[krazeeboi]

Does anyone prefer the angled parking on Main? I think I would've like parallel parking better; the angled parking looks too small townish, plus it makes for narrower sidewalks. If you want to encourage activity on Main, I would think you'd need to provide space so people FEEL comfortable walking. I think Greensboro does a better job in this regard:

Edited November 11, 2005 by krazeeboi

[Spartan]

While that may be true, angled parking is less intimidating, so more people are likely to pull into these spots.

[krazeeboi]

But they'll park just to get what they need, then get back in their cars. I know there's going to be a trade-off either way you look at it, but as we say about urban development in general, we need to cater to people, not cars.

[GvilleSC]

You have to first cater to cars to cater to people. If you don't have the right parking- easiest form, whatever it may be- then you won't have the people to cater to.

[krazeeboi]

I do understand that we must first cater to cars (after all, we are discussing different forms of parking, which is a necessity), but I don't think it should be to the point that we make room for cars in a way that results in people possibly feeling cramped or uncomfortable walking on the street. That's what I meant by catering to people vs. cars. Sorry if I was unclear. I think the trade-off should ultimately favor people and that angled parking ultimately favors cars.

[803metlife]

Have anyone seen the new Bank Head Quarters downtown. I got a peek at it yesterday!! From Grey Stone bridge it makes the city skyline look incredible. Downtown looks so dense!! I use to complain about the height of our towers, but now since we have mutiple highrises, i think now taller towers would look better now than vs if we had them yrs ago.

[krazeeboi]

This is true. I think Columbia has some good mid-rise density going on, and when taller buildings do come along, they won't stick out like sore thumbs. That's the problem I have with Tampa's skyline: too many high-rises, not enough mid-rises. It makes for a skyline with gaps.

[CorgiMatt]

Have anyone seen the new Bank Head Quarters downtown. I got a peek at it yesterday!! From Grey Stone bridge it makes the city skyline look incredible. Downtown looks so dense!! I use to complain about the height of our towers, but now since we have mutiple highrises, i think now taller towers would look better now than vs if we had them yrs ago.

It's almost as though developers go out to different spots on the interstates and other main roads around Columbia and pick a spot on the skyline to fill in for balance on the skyline.

[sonofaque86]

I know right^^^Maybe the next one will go between the Bank of America tower an the wachovia building

[krazeeboi]

Yeah, I think that's the biggest gap in the skyline right now. New towers definitely need to be located further north nearer the Wachovia tower. It would be nice if some towers could be located on streets other than Main.