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Bush River Road

krazeeboi

By krazeeboi
in Columbia

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Charleston native Burg

Charleston native

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Bush River Road is a victim of a usual occurence in many cities: they fall to the newer, bigger, and better shopping centers. This really stinks, since I remember visiting here in Cola for youth choir trips, and all of us would go to the Dutch Square Mall and eat at the restaurants around there. Good memories. The city leaders need to step up and get the area infused economically, again.

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Spartan Gigalopolis

Spartan

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I don't think of Dutch Square as dying.

The dead part is west (or north if you like) of 26. That area is lacking in well.... everything.

The Bush River and Broad River intersection seems to be going well.

Someone posted in another thread about the potential of that area to be changed into an urban village much like the Midtown project at Richland Mall.

The AMC theater there was my preferred movie location in Cola :)

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krazeeboi Gigalopolis

krazeeboi

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Doesn't Bush River Road have a dead and decaying mall?  That's usually a warning sign.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As Spartan said, I think Dutch Square is getting by...certainly not booming like Columbiana, but it's decent.

The biggest eyesore on that road is what looks like a long-abandoned big box store. I was like :blink::o

Somebody needs to get something going on that side of town fast.

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StevenRocks City

StevenRocks

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The biggest eyesore on that road is what looks like a long-abandoned big box store. I was like  :blink:  :o

Somebody needs to get something going on that side of town fast.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's the place I'm talking about, not Dutch Square. I think it was smaller mall at one point.

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krazeeboi Gigalopolis

krazeeboi

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That's the place I'm talking about, not Dutch Square.  I think it was smaller mall at one point.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, it actually looks like it was a small mall of some sorts. I mean the place is in utter shambles right now, totally abandoned. Haven't seen anything that bad in a LONG time.

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Chi2Midlands Unincorporated Area

Chi2Midlands

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This fits in with my earlier topic on "midopolitan" areas - older suburban areas that are at a crossroads - they can either capitalize on their convenient location, and mature, evolve, and propser (like Forest Acres, which is blessed with upper middle class demographics), or get "forgotten" and fall victim to increasing abandoned properties, and creeping crime, vandalism, etc. The concern here, is, of course, that the Bush River Road area around I-26 could succumb to such a fate. Older parts of Northeast Richland, from Columbia Place Mall through the I-77/I-20/SC-277 triangle, also. The suburban areas beyond these places (Irmo in the case of Bush River Road, Spring Valley in the case of near NE Richland) see to be holding on fine, but they shouldn't be complacent. These places aren't going to stay the same forever. Better to adjust to changes than fight it.

I was just in the general area of Bush River Road yesterday (drove from I-20 near Fuddruckers/El Chico down to Broad River Road. I agree that the Dutch Square/Colonial Life Blvd/Broad River Road areas seems to be holding its own. Aging suburban sprawl to be sure, but not too unhealthy.

There are definitely abandoned storefronts on parts of Bush River Road, though, as has been mentioned. I think one big eyesore is an old Circuit City (the big maroon "box" entrance seems to have been painted gray).

What needs to happen is to quickly recycle these properties - get them new tenants quickly, and hopefully it can be done without tearing down otherwise decent buildings - that would be expensive anyways. The ideal example would be what NetBank did to the old Wal-Mart on Two Notch Road in NE Richland. Use incentives and a flexible zoning regime (and make it flexible if it's not) to allow someone else to come in and revitalize the area. It's not a slum by any means, but preventative measures can be taken to make sure it doesn't slide towards one.

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waccamatt Town

waccamatt

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The abandoned Mall was Bush River Mall. Originally this mall opened in 1977 and was identical to Bush River Mall. Both Malls were anchored by Krogers and Richway. Richway became Gold Circle (or something like that), something else and then eventually my beloved Target. When Target built new stores and moved, the malls closed. I'd like to see both former malls turned into some sort of commercial/residential development. It is truly weird how people that live in the older areas desert the existing malls and begin shopping at the newer centers further out in the 'burbs. This is why I do as much of my shopping as possible in downtown, the Vista and 5 Points.

Bush River Mall holds good memories for me. There was originally an 8-plex movie theater there (a big deal in the late 70's/early 80's) and they always had midnight movies when I was in high school. I've probably seen "Rocky Horror Picture Show" a good 20 times at Bush River Mall. :)

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  • 6 months later...
Mr.Marc Hamlet

Mr.Marc

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Isn't a Super Wal-Mart coming to Bush River road?

Yeah, that's what I heard. It's going to replace the Old Target plaza. To me it looks a little too small to place a Super Wal Mart.

Also, when the Wal-Mart comes, I truly believe Bush River will soon have another vacant spot: K-Mart.

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teshadoh Burg

teshadoh

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Sad to hear, my parent's second house in Columbia was off of Bush River Rd sandwiched between I 20 & 26 & this was the house I lived in. Mom worked at the Macy's at the mall in the late 60's through 71 & had some good memories of the neighborhood...

just some memories.

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waccamatt Town

waccamatt

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Sad to hear, my parent's second house in Columbia was off of Bush River Rd sandwiched between I 20 & 26 & this was the house I lived in. Mom worked at the Macy's at the mall in the late 60's through 71 & had some good memories of the neighborhood...

just some memories.

At that time there wasn't a Macy's in Columbia. Davison's, which was part of the Macy's corporation was located in the building where the art museum is now. A Belk's was next door where the museum's plaza is now. Davison's became a Macy's in the early 80's or so and was my favorite dept store in Columbia at the time. In the late 60's, early 70's only 3 malls had department stores: Dutch Square (1970) with Tapp's and JB White, Richland Mall (1960) with JB White and Trenholm Plaza with Tapp's. Columbia Mall opened in 1977 with Sears, Belk's, JC Penney and a year later with Rich's.

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CorgiMatt Town

CorgiMatt

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Yeah, that's what I heard. It's going to replace the Old Target plaza. To me it looks a little too small to place a Super Wal Mart.

Also, when the Wal-Mart comes, I truly believe Bush River will soon have another vacant spot: K-Mart.

That should be some prime real estate!

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The_sandlapper Burg

The_sandlapper

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Some more good news for this area. The Columbiana Hotel & Conference Center and former Sheraton will become a new Radisson hotel, complete with Starbucks and Italian restaurant Columbo's as part of the change. The rooms, suites, lobby, bar and ballroom have been renovated. Check out the website.

That's good news!

That should be some prime real estate!

Yeah I agree. I expect that area to start picking up in retail again, and have even worse ruch hour traffic congestion.

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teshadoh Burg

teshadoh

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At that time there wasn't a Macy's in Columbia. Davison's, which was part of the Macy's corporation was located in the building where the art museum is now. A Belk's was next door where the museum's plaza is now. Davison's became a Macy's in the early 80's or so and was my favorite dept store in Columbia at the time. In the late 60's, early 70's only 3 malls had department stores: Dutch Square (1970) with Tapp's and JB White, Richland Mall (1960) with JB White and Trenholm Plaza with Tapp's. Columbia Mall opened in 1977 with Sears, Belk's, JC Penney and a year later with Rich's.

Ah - that makes sense,but maybe mom said it was Rich's? That might make sense since when my mom took a job at Rich's in Atlanta in the 90's I thought she commented it was the second time she worked for them. Ok - I might be wrong again, but take two - she worked at Rich's :)

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