What progess have we seen in the last decade

[803metlife]

Everybody can tell that columbia has grown over the years. What progress has the city really seen? And what would everybody like to see?

[803metlife]

Being born and raised in columbia i've seen alot of progress, but it hasn't been enough progress to actually cut a flip for. I think columbia has picked up it's pace toward the end of the 90's and beginning of the 00's.indicating columbia is defintely a future city. Ive seen Harbinson Blvd, go from majority trees in the mid 80's to big developments. The population has increased over the years, and the city buses are starting to pick up.And now the streets are never vacant no matter what time of day you go out, The traffic is alot heavier, And we all can gradually see the metro taking shape. But on the same token i believe columbia should be bigger than it's present size. In the early 90's columbia really turned alot of oppurtunities away, and other surrounding cities profitted from our mishappenings. Yeah we've added 3 towers in the last 15yrs, and the ball keeps on rolling for the Midlands, and Columbia is defintely getting bigger and spilling over to all surrounding counties Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry, etc.

[Mr.Marc]

The Garner's Ferry rd. area looks totally different from the way it did four years ago. I remember Garner's Ferry being the side of Columbia that I liked the least, especially considering the fact that it's the first area of Columbia you see when coming from my hometown of Sumter. Now that the area is really taking off I dream of the day when the Garner's Ferry rd. are meets Sumter's Hwy 76 with development. I know it would be sprawl, but it would be nice to see something other than trees coming from Sumter to Columbia. However, I know that something like that probably wouldn't happen for another 50-100 years.

[sonofaque86]

Yeah, Southeast Columbia is getting alot of things now...It used to have nothing a while ago, now its getting all these new restaurants and communities

[Spartan]

That part of town was cut off from the world so to speak because that was the last leg of 77 to be completed. I think it was finished in 96 or so?

[The_sandlapper]

I remember when harbison blvd. was nothing but trees on the opposite side of 26. When the mall went up that area just exploded.

[Mr.Marc]

The Clemson rd. area has sky rocketed recently with new development.

The new Village at Sandhill center on Clemson is really nice. I went by the other day and I was amazed at how many stores and restaurants have opened already. I believe this center is going to set a precedent for future shopping centers in Columbia and SC.

[Spartan]

I hope it doesnt.

[krazeeboi]

Although it's good that the people in Richland NE can shop closer to home, I agree with Spartan. Personally, I think the Village could eventually serve as a catalyst to the incorporation of that area.

[The_sandlapper]

It's already happened in SC, and it's not gonna slow down soon. There is just too much cheap available land here.

[803metlife]

It's already happened in SC, and it's not gonna slow down soon. There is just too much cheap available land here.

i would like to see the NE side in the next ten yrs. there is much more land for development than the harbinson area. so i see the village project bringing alot more anticipated development for that area, than the harbinson area could provide.

[Doug L]

I'd like to see all that NE development annexed into Columbia before it can be self

incorporated and present yet another roadblock for Columbia. All these little fiefdoms

surrounding Columbia are a real hindrance to orderly development and the efficiency

of having a single city. The people of this area deserve better.

[sonofaque86]

I know...I'd rather see the NE annexed into Columbia than incorporate itself...Atleast Fort Jackson is right there...It makes it a bit easier to annex out there like there doing off of Percival Rd and stuff now...

[Spartan]

Since Columbia owns the waterworks in the area, it really could annex alot more than it is. If it goes crazy then there will be mass incorportations thanks to Senator McConnell.

[UrbanSoutherner]

Having attended USC around a decade ago, the most visible changes that I notice on my occassionally visits back have been what has happened in the Congaree Vista and around USC. Back when I was in college, the Vista had still not really taken off. Many people wondered if all the public-funded projects (like the railroad relocations and the State Museum) would ever pay off. Well, it certainly has been paying off in the decade since I left Columbia. It serves as a good example of what priming the pump with public projects can do if done right. And as always, USC remains a vital part of Columbia. I really like the university's developments over the past ten years. And of course, there is much more coming later with the reseach campus. Alas, Main Street remains something of a disappointment. To me, that remains the nut that the city has yet to figure out how to really crack so to speak. And the city needs to figure it out in order to tie the intown areas together. One more thing that really strikes me when I go back to Columbia now is the refurbished State House. I was so used to the green patina on the dome that it really seems too dark or something now. But really, the State House renovation has really provided the city with a nice architectural gem.

[Spartan]

I remember htinking it was weird for the state house to have a dark colored roof. It had been green all of my life until they refurbished it. But I didn't see it on a daily basis. The copper dome is already starting to oxidize in some places though. I'd give it 5-7 more years and you will really be able to start seeing the green again

[sonofaque86]

got a new mall

[Cosocar]

I think the NE and Lexington as signs of progress (or at least spawl). I lived in Lexington most of my life, and the landscape has clearly changed from cute country hometown to mega suburbia. Just look at those new County Admin buildings they've got. Sure doesn't match the hometown "Mayberry" feel Lexington use to have.

[emerging.me]

We got smog.

[Spartan]

The other problem is that the congestion in Lexington is very bad because they can't figure out what to do with all the traffic. Lexington leaders need to realize they can't always be the small town they used to be. National chains are looking at that area for a reason, and its not because its a small town.

[krazeeboi]

Here's a great editorial in today's edition of The State that ties in with this thread perfectly as it highlights some of Columbia's accomplishments over the past 30 years or so.

I believe Columbia's best days lie ahead.

[803metlife]

Does anyone remember a big water sliding board that was located off two notch road in the mid 80's, it was located between the lexus dealer ship and columbia mall on the hill?