Columbus Projects & Developments

[ATLman1]

CB&T (Columbus Bank and Trust) has unveiled plans to build a new branch at the intersection of Macon Road and Auburn Avenue.

It will be larger and more elaborate, with new technology -- including an Internet banking station -- that aims to make the experience more personal and user friendly. It also will be the first Synovus Financial Corp. bank to be built under a design by the Minnesota-based consultant John Ryan Performance Group.

The design is expected to spread throughout the Synovus banking affiliates. The company has 39 banks in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Construction will begin this spring, with the 7,200-square-foot branch opening by late fall. The new office, to be called CB&T Midtown, will have five drive-up tellers compared to three at the existing 5,000-square-foot center.

Source: Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

[gah]

Anyone hearing anything about KIA? Kind of quiet. Think that things are looking good but not sure

whether this is a done deal yet. Still some jockeying and other states making strong plays to get the plant.

Wish I had more definite news but this is locked down pretty tight.

Have heard that another auto might be seriously looking at Lee County. European, maybe Audi. Any other confirmations or hints about this? Would be great to get KIA and Audi -- dont want to seems hoggish but that would be a great economic boost for the area. Pass along any info please!

[ATLman1]

Anyone hearing anything about KIA? Kind of quiet. Think that things are looking good but not sure

whether this is a done deal yet. Still some jockeying and other states making strong plays to get the plant.

Wish I had more definite news but this is locked down pretty tight.

Have heard that another auto might be seriously looking at Lee County. European, maybe Audi. Any other confirmations or hints about this? Would be great to get KIA and Audi -- dont want to seems hoggish but that would be a great economic boost for the area. Pass along any info please!

It has been quiet for the last few weeks. I haven't heard anything lately. I'm hoping it will go through!

Rooms-To-Go just opened a new store in midtown. It is located near the K-Mart on Macon Road.

[Southernyank]

I know its small, but isnt Columbus getting a Ben & Jerry's along with a BOA chain?

[ATLman1]

I know its small, but isnt Columbus getting a Ben & Jerry's along with a BOA chain?

Yes Columbus is getting both. BOA opened a few months ago somewhere in south Columbus. Ben and Jerry's is currently under construction in the Columbus Park area off of Veterans Parkway across from a new Starbucks that is almost complete. Building in that area is insane. I was in Columbus this weekend and couldn't believe how many projects are going up on the northside. It's insane but wonderful!

[ATLman1]

Plans for a second ice skating rink are back on the drawing board. The current rink used by the Columbus Cottonmouths hockey team in the 10,000 seat Columbus Civic Center. The new arena would be built in the South Commons area between the Civic Center and the softball fields. The idea is to allow the public full-time access to the ice rink to create more hockey teams and bring in tournaments for the city. Splitting ice time between the hockey team and public has become very difficult. Hopefully this will be built. This would be a major asset to the Columbus metro region!

Edited February 21, 2006 by ATLman1

[ATLman1]

Here is what Brookstone school is building. Brookstone is one of the top private schools in GA and the Southeast. The school is building lots of new facilities. The designs look like a college campus! Click the "click here" sign to view some of the schools projects. It is a slide presentation. The campus will be unreal when this is finished. Brookstone buildings. Let me know what you guys think!

Edited February 22, 2006 by ATLman1

[gah]

Have heard that the KIA announcement is imminent -- maybe tomorrow (Fri the 24)? Next week? Understand that it just may be great news -- but cannot confirm that from a reliable source. Guess that we will all know soon! Let's keep our fingers crossed!

[ATLman1]

Baker Village in south Columbus is getting a new look. The aging low income housing complex will be torn down and will be replaced with 250 apartment/townhomes. Construction should be set to begin this fall.

[ATLman1]

Have heard that the KIA announcement is imminent -- maybe tomorrow (Fri the 24)? Next week? Understand that it just may be great news -- but cannot confirm that from a reliable source. Guess that we will all know soon! Let's keep our fingers crossed!

It looks like it is coming according to the AJC!!! An announcement will be made soon and Georgia (LaGrange/West Point) is the most probable site! If this happens this will be a great addition to the Columbus metro region! If it happens it will create 2500 jobs! Here is the article from the AJC Kia plant

[gah]

It looks like it is coming according to the AJC!!! An announcement will be made soon and Georgia (LaGrange/West Point) is the most probable site! If this happens this will be a great addition to the Columbus metro region! If it happens it will create 2500 jobs! Here is the article from the AJC Kia plant

Things look good -- tho there is a lot of behind the scenes struggle with (as you might expect) Kia playing one state against the other in hopes of getting best deal for itself. Georgia has the most to lose, so hopes are that they will match and raise any offer. However, Gov. Barber of MS is a smooth operator, so dont count them out yet!

On another front, I keep hearing rumors of another car manufacturer looking very seriously at the W. GA/ E. AL area. Maybe Audi, but also hearing Porsche more and more frequently. Nothing explicit -- but rumors are of the same type (and generally the same sources) as those I heard last summer regarding Kia -- when most everybody thought Kia was locked into a deal with MS. Anyone else hearing rumblings about another mega deal in the works for the area?

[ATLman1]

The Landings on Airport Thruway is will be home to more new businesses. Fuddruckers, the Daily Grind, and Monkey Joes will be locating in the shopping center.

[gah]

LA Times has short article in today's paper which says that Kia announcement could come "as early as next week, with a site in southwestern Georgia believed to be the leading candidate." (apparently, Yankees think that anything south of Atlanta is "southwestern Georgia"!)

Article goes on to say that WardsAuto.com, an online trade journal, reports that announcement is tentatively scheduled for next Tuesday, the 14th.

[ATLman1]

LA Times has short article in today's paper which says that Kia announcement could come "as early as next week, with a site in southwestern Georgia believed to be the leading candidate." (apparently, Yankees think that anything south of Atlanta is "southwestern Georgia"!)

Article goes on to say that WardsAuto.com, an online trade journal, reports that announcement is tentatively scheduled for next Tuesday, the 14th.

I know! Southwest GA is Albany. Columbus is not south Georgia. It is west central Georgia! Lets keep our fingers crossed about Kia!

[gah]

KIA COMES TO WEST POINT! 5000 new jobs projected! ~ $50,000 per year! Only 30 miles from Columbus via interstate. Huge potential for N. Harris County. Look for recognition of new consolidated metro area consisting of Columbus/Auburn-Opelika/LaGrange. Approaching 1 million in 2015-2020.

Now we need to concentrate on getting Porshe or Audi (cannot confirm which) and Advanced Miro Devices chip plant. 2006 could see some big announcements! Let's hope that KIA is just the start of some really big deals finally coming on line!

[ATLman1]

Rigdon Road Elementary will be torn down. A brand new $12,070,000 school (still called Rigdon Road Elementary) will be built in its place. The new school will be ready by August 2007. Arco Builders Inc. of Newnan has been awarded the contract for another elementary school near Northside High School. This will be apart of the new PUD (Planned Unit Development) that is going in around Northside High and the new middle school that is currently under construction.

[Sonofagun112]

Have any of you heard that there are talks of building a SuperTarget on JR Allen Parkway, near the Gateway Dr. Super WalMart? My sister lives near Beaver Run and says that is what people are saying.

[ATLman1]

Have any of you heard that there are talks of building a SuperTarget on JR Allen Parkway, near the Gateway Dr. Super WalMart? My sister lives near Beaver Run and says that is what people are saying.

I haven't heard about that. I know there is land across JR Allen Parkway (across from Swift Textiles plant) that is going to be developed. The plans called for 300,000 sq ft. of retail. I haven't heard much about it lately. I think a SuperTarget would be great. Much better than a Wal-Mart Supercenter. What all does she know about SuperTarget coming?

[Sonofagun112]

I haven't heard about that. I know there is land across JR Allen Parkway (across from Swift Textiles plant) that is going to be developed. The plans called for 300,000 sq ft. of retail. I haven't heard much about it lately. I think a SuperTarget would be great. Much better than a Wal-Mart Supercenter. What all does she know about SuperTarget coming?

She just asked had I heard anything about it because has had three or for people ask her what she felt about it. I don't think she even had a clue. She doesnt really keep up with thing like that.

[wassabe]

A Super Target would be great. Hope this is more than just a rumor.

Edited March 30, 2006 by wassabe

[ATLman1]

Flournoy Development Company, one of the largest private apartment builders in the country, just recently broke ground on a new 40,000+ sq. ft. office building in Brookstone Centre office park. The building is located next to there headquarters.

[gah]

CSU has a short promo video for its new DT campus. Focus is on new dorms but has some interesting shots of DT as well

http://www.colstate.edu/riverparkhousing/

Can select player

Also WC Bradley has updated the site for new condo development. Most features still under construction but has some info on buildings, and available units. Also some pix of location etc. Hopefully it will be expanded soon

http://www.eagleandphenix.com

[gah]

Okay -- this is a bit of a stretch (but remember I did raise the Kia possibility last summer) however I am heartened by Dell's announcement that it is ending its exclusivity deal with Intel and cozying up to AMD. The reason is that AMD chose Columbus as the site for its multi-billion $ chip plant a few years back but then decided to pursue business in Asia with a plant in Singapore. Maybe this deal with Dell will be a shot-in-the-arm for AMD and that will in turn lead to ADM dusting off its plans for a new North American chip plant. If so, I hope that Columbus remains the site of choice. Should this come to pass, remember you heard it here first. If not, well, never mind! :-)

[wassabe]

The Neil Brothers Tire Shop is currently going up along 2nd Ave. While this is not particularly interesting, the relocation of the shop is the final piece of the puzzle in the new YMCA downtown. Can't wait to see what they do there. That location on Broadway/14th St. is currently a major eye sore.

Also, anybody know what is happening to the old Swift Spinning mill on 2nd Ave? I know it had a small fire a few weeks back, but it looks like they are going to take it down. You can see where the demo is actually removing the sides of the building. Just curious if anybody heard anything.

[gah]

The Neil Brothers Tire Shop is currently going up along 2nd Ave. While this is not particularly interesting, the relocation of the shop is the final piece of the puzzle in the new YMCA downtown. Can't wait to see what they do there. That location on Broadway/14th St. is currently a major eye sore.

Also, anybody know what is happening to the old Swift Spinning mill on 2nd Ave? I know it had a small fire a few weeks back, but it looks like they are going to take it down. You can see where the demo is actually removing the sides of the building. Just curious if anybody heard anything.

It will be interesting to see what the new Y will look like. I hope that there will be info on that soon. I would think that there would be a fund-raising effort but I have not heard of that yet. Also interested in what will happen to the old Y site. I presume that the "new" section will be razed for parking for the church? The old marble Y building surely will be preserved and used as classrooms etc for church? There was some talk that the old Y building would be used as a city museum -- which is teh use I would prefer. But as long as it is preserved and refurbished, I will be happy.

Not sure about Swift Mill -- actually I cannot locate it in my mind. I keep thinking of the huge mill on Sixth Ave. Is it in (or near) Bibb City? If it is "historic," I think it will be preserved -- by law and common outcry. Remember when the City mill building was "accidently" demolished last year? I will ask around when I am down and report back if I hear anything.

BTW -- it is curious and a bit disheartening to hear of the rash of fires in old mill. Bibb Mill a few weeks back, Jordan Mills on 12th, Swift as you report. I shutter to think about what would be lost if the Springer and some of the other older buildings were to suufer a fire!