CONSTRUCTION THREAD: McBee Station

[Sonrise]

Panera would be nice there or even a Jersey Mikes (the best sub chain, in my humble opinion) anything but the Moes Digusting restaurant in the world. RT, good memory.

[Galley]

Remember the good old days when we used to get 48-50" of rain every year?

[gs3]

Hey paladin, I love your avatar!

[czarnica]

Eariler on this tread I saw something about being $200sqft. I sent an email asking about them and this is the response I received. I don't like how the price seems to be increasing. It seriously needs to drop some if I ever plan being able to move there....

Your inquiry concerning the condominiums at McBee Station has been referred to me.

We do not have a formal brochure available at this time, but I will try to give you some information about the condominiums. There will be a total of 22 condominiums consisting of one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans ranging from approximately 1,100 sq. ft. to 2,600 sq. ft. We are not distributing the floor plans at the present time; however, each of the floor plans is different with some units featuring amenities such as roof-top terraces, unique fireplaces,

Edited August 17, 2007 by czarnica

[gvegascple]

I have heard that the rentals may go for around $1/sq.ft. Does this sound a bit on the cheap for this location? I hope we are not building a would be future slum instead of reasonably priced downtown accomodations.

[RestedTraveler]

I have heard that the rentals may go for around $1/sq.ft. Does this sound a bit on the cheap for this location? I hope we are not building a would be future slum instead of reasonably priced downtown accomodations.

Well, let's look at it this way...for example (hypothetical examples based on typical apartment sizes):

• 1BR Apartment: 650-800 sq. ft. = $650-$800/month
  
• 2BR Apartment: 1000-1200 sq. ft. = $1000-$1200/month
  
• 3BR Apartment: 1200-1400 sq. ft. = $1200-$1400/month
  

This sounds fairly reasonable to me...if anything, it's leaning a bit toward a high-end price for an apartment...even for this area.

[breed]

I have heard that the rentals may go for around $1/sq.ft. Does this sound a bit on the cheap for this location? I hope we are not building a would be future slum instead of reasonably priced downtown accomodations.

A future slum? If anything, this project should be lauded for its ability to put new space on the market downtown is is arguably affordable for the average single person. When you throw in the fact that most routine needs of residents can meet most of their needs without driving, this will be a home run.

Price is not the sole determinant in the quality of housing and its tenants.

Edited August 22, 2007 by breed

[gs3]

Crews were working today to change out all the new trees at McBee Station (the ones that died in the recent heatwave). McBee once again looks green.

[adrockc2]

Article from the Gvl News about Publix opening today.

[silverseale]

I rode by there yesterday... there's a sign up that indicates Urban Nirvana will open a spa here.

[GvilleSC]

Is McBee Station looking more completed now? I wouldn't mind seeing some pictures if anyone has any and wants to share... Especially of McBee Avenue.

[gvegascple]

What is with the Publix???

You have to enter through a tiny square room that is filled with shopping carts in the center and barely room to walk through. I felt like I was funnelled through the back entrance and found myself thinking "ok, that's interesting, now where is the REAL FRONT door?"

Funny thing is, once your in, the place is quite large, but the check out area is tiny and the dry goods aisles are enormous. Very odd choice of how to use the space. Despite its size, it sort of feels closterphopic on the inside and I am wondering how the entrance passes fire codes. To try to funnel everyone out through that tiny square room in an emergency seems um, dangerous to say the least.

Oh well, I am happy to have it and don't mean to complain, its very nice and all, just weirdly designed. I was hoping for something more impressive I guess. More revolutionary than evolutionary which most times is not the best way to go.

[gs3]

and the dry goods aisles are enormous.

I went in the downtown Publix for the first time this evening and noticed this as well. I ask one of the employees about it, as they had a very large amount of car care, kitchen towels, pet care, hardware, air conditioning filters, etc, etc. She told me they added these items in depth, to make the store more of a one stop for downtown dwellers. They can pick up items there and not have to get in the car and head to Target or Wal-Mart in the burbs.

Overall, the store was very nice. What I would expect from Publix.

Being a smaller and different format than the suburban locations, and having the extremely high ceiling, it definately felt like an urban grocery store.

[Galley]

I stopped in after the Drive game, and all of the buggies were stored outdoors in front of the entrance. It's definitely has a different feel than other Publix stores with it being so much smaller.

[Sonrise]

Galley,

I laughed out loud when I read that you used the term buggies. My wife and I get a big kick out of this local coloquilism because everywhere else in the country they're referred to as shopping carts. Every time I hear the word buggy, it conjurs up images of a horse drawn carriage, specifically utilized by the Amish. Please don't take offense to this, I mean it with no malice. I love regional lingusitics and enjoy hearing uniquely indiginous terms. In Wisconsin they refer to water fountains as bubblers and in South Jersey where I'm originaly from sprinkles on top of ice cream are known as jimmies! Don't ask me why, I don't get it either. lol Depending upon where you live in the country a sandwich on a long oval shaped bread with meat and cheese can be known as a sub, hoagie, grinder, or po boy. Even though I often butcher it I love the english language.

[btoy]

I think they had two different size buggies. I used one from inside the entrnace but tried to return it to the group of them outside and it was wider and would not mesh within them.

[DowntownCityGirl]

I think they had two different size buggies. I used one from inside the entrnace but tried to return it to the group of them outside and it was wider and would not mesh within them.

I'm laughing out loud, too, that we're having this conversation, but you're right btoy -- there are 2 different sizes of buggies. (I was born in Charleston; I had no idea there were people out there in the world who DIDN'T call them buggies...you just learn so much on this site).

Anyway, the smaller carts aren't those 2-level, narrow ones you see at Fresh Market, Whole Foods and even the Super BI-LO -- they're shaped exactly like the large, regular carts, just not quite as big. Maybe I'm crazy, but I was surprised. It seemed that with a smaller store, narrow aisles, and probably a different "downtown" demo of shoppers, they'd have those trendy 2-tier carts. I mean, buggies.

[Galley]

Galley,

I laughed out loud when I read that you used the term buggies. My wife and I get a big kick out of this local coloquilism because everywhere else in the country they're referred to as shopping carts.

Yeah, my relatives from North Dakota and Minnesota get a laugh out of "buggies" as well. I got excited when I went to the dowtown Minneapolis Target a few years ago. It's two stories, so it has a special escalator for your buggy.

[Spartan]

I'm laughing out loud, too, that we're having this conversation, but you're right btoy -- there are 2 different sizes of buggies. (I was born in Charleston; I had no idea there were people out there in the world who DIDN'T call them buggies...you just learn so much on this site).

Anyway, the smaller carts aren't those 2-level, narrow ones you see at Fresh Market, Whole Foods and even the Super BI-LO -- they're shaped exactly like the large, regular carts, just not quite as big. Maybe I'm crazy, but I was surprised. It seemed that with a smaller store, narrow aisles, and probably a different "downtown" demo of shoppers, they'd have those trendy 2-tier carts. I mean, buggies.

Its not just you. I thought they were called buggies too.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear the Publix is finally open. It sounds like a pretty normal urban Publix to me (it IS weird that they are small, but thats the nature of an urban grocer). So other than the weird buggies, are y'all satisfied with it?

[jarvismj]

Galley,

I laughed out loud when I read that you used the term buggies. My wife and I get a big kick out of this local coloquilism because everywhere else in the country they're referred to as shopping carts. Every time I hear the word buggy, it conjurs up images of a horse drawn carriage, specifically utilized by the Amish. Please don't take offense to this, I mean it with no malice. I love regional lingusitics and enjoy hearing uniquely indiginous terms. In Wisconsin they refer to water fountains as bubblers and in South Jersey where I'm originaly from sprinkles on top of ice cream are known as jimmies! Don't ask me why, I don't get it either. lol Depending upon where you live in the country a sandwich on a long oval shaped bread with meat and cheese can be known as a sub, hoagie, grinder, or po boy. Even though I often butcher it I love the english language.

Haha. Bubblers, Grinders, and jimmies....All the norm up here. I had a hard time breaking my southern mannerisms when I moved up here. Sadly, I probably have no trace of being from SC left except for the palmetto flag on my truck.

Anyways, its wicked cool to see McBee finally open. I remember living not too far from there when they were tearing down the apartments. I just want to see more pics of whats going on in Greenville.

[interestedexpat]

I too thought I'd lost my southern accent when I lived in Boston, but then someone pointed out that I still had a southern accent - only it was more properly called a "southie" accent now 'cause I lived in South Boston. To this day - I can still speak a little 'southie'.

I remember the first time I moved into a really urban neighborhood, I couldn't for the life of me figure out why they had the concrete waist high cylinder posts so close together and bordering the sidewalk in front of the supermarkets. "You can't even get the freakin' cart (buggy, trolley) through those things to get to the parking lot." Then someone pointed out that was the point. If you can't get to the parking lot, you can't get out of it either. Cuts down on theft.

From the on, my measure of whether a supermarket is truly urban has always been - Can the carts get to the parking lot? If the answer is "yes" then it's not really urban.

[Greenville]

I thought I had lost my Southern accent while I was in DC. Then I was in Boston for a short time thereafter, and I learned that I evidently still had the accent!

[linkerjpatrick]

I thought I had lost my Southern accent while I was in DC. Then I was in Boston for a short time thereafter, and I learned that I evidently still had the accent!

What is the big deal about wanting to lose a southern accent? I can understand not wanting to sound like redneck with all the "ignorant" ramifications of that but why have a bland "middle america" lack of accent if that is what you call it. Now if you excuse me I need to go the store and buy a new hose pipe.

[Greenville]

What is the big deal about wanting to lose a southern accent? I can understand not wanting to sound like redneck with all the "ignorant" ramifications of that but why have a bland "middle america" lack of accent if that is what you call it. Now if you excuse me I need to go the store and buy a new hose pipe.

Make sure you hook it up to the "spicket"!

[DowntownCityGirl]

Bump.

Anyone heard anything lately about other retailers at McBee Station, besides Publix, Staples and Urban Nirvana?