Columbia Economic Notes

[emerging.me]

Columbia won't have one in our lifetime I'm sure. I think that USC (and collegiate sports in general) provides better football than the NFL.

Agreed. I know some of you guys won't see where I'm coming from on this... but I actually don't want Columbia to get a major league pro sports team of any kind. We've got our own special things going here and we don't need the trappings of run-of-the-mill big cities to make a great place.

[CorgiMatt]

Grant Jackson reports in The State today that a high-tech Columbia start-up has received $8.5 million from a major venture capital firm in Silicon Valley, a first for South Carolina. This is great news.

WIS news said last night that USC has been designated a national place of beauty by an organization that bestows such designations upon places. It won the award for excellence in groundskeeping and horticulture.

Workers have reinstalled two of the light posts (no lights yet) on the Congaree River Bridge (more commonly known as the Gervais Street Bridge) on the EdVenture corner of the bridge. They are freshly repainted with the same beautiful green, which goes very well with the green trim on EdVenture's building.

[emerging.me]

That's good news. I hope the lights are back on in time for 3 Rivers.

It looks like the State Museum may be getting some cash for their planetarium/observatory/large-format theater expansion. That would be a really nice upgrade, I think. And it'd be great to have an IMAX in town!

Concepts:

Edited March 7, 2006 by emerging.me

[digital_sandlapper]

Agreed. I know some of you guys won't see where I'm coming from on this... but I actually don't want Columbia to get a major league pro sports team of any kind. We've got our own special things going here and we don't need the trappings of run-of-the-mill big cities to make a great place.

emerging.me, you are right on that we DO NOT need the trappings of run-of-the-mill big cities to make Columbia unique or wonderful. Cities tend to get so generic, and lose their sense of place when building skylines, courting sports teams, etc.

Columbia is blessed with its 3 rivers and their undeveloped riverbanks--THAT'S what makes us unique. We should exploit this CAREFULLY, and continue to give the public access, limiting private riverside development. Allowing us all to enjoy sitting by the water under the cathedral-like trees, sipping on a cup of joe or a cold one--now THAT would be a great way to make visitors from even bigger cities green with envy!

[krazeeboi]

^That and an urban beach in one of the old quarries. Imagine the envy!

[digital_sandlapper]

Welcome, smitchc57! I see we inhabit the same area.

As far as city/metro populations go, businesses are definitely more attracted to metro populations. SC's cities aren't the only cities to have relatively small cities for their metro areas. Hartford, CT has a municipal population about the same size as Columbia's and its metro is 1.1 million. Harrisburg, PA's population is about 50,000, while its metro population is ~650,000. Also, if Charleston does overtake Columbia in the next census (which it has a good chance of doing), I would view it more like a Memphis/Nashville situation in Tennessee, where Memphis has the larger city population, while Nashville has the larger metro population.

You are right, as usual, krazeeboi! Also, don't forget our neighbor to the north. Charlotte is by far the biggest city, followed by the state capital of Raleigh, which is still a very decent-sized city. Raleigh has all the amenities without the big-city worries of Charlotte.

Columbia can only stay the largest city and metro in the state by agressively annexing more, such as the NE portion of the city. I personally hope that Charleston never becomes an urbanized metropolis like Atlanta or Charlotte--what a dreadful thought! The Holy City is just too unique to become genericized. Somehow, I don't feel the same about Columbia or Greenville though.

^That and an urban beach in one of the old quarries. Imagine the envy!

Right!

[Hybrid0NE]

Back in the 70's, 277 was supposed to have been extended through Cottontown and Elmwood Park to connect with I-126 and eventually stretch along the Congaree down to I-77. Could you imagine downtown Columbia today with a freeway in place of 2 of our nicest in-town neighborhoods and replacing the following?

Riverfront Park

The State Museum

Canalside

The Kline Steel site development

The condo development across from the State Museum

The new USC Baseball Park

Granby Village and the Three Rivers Greenway

How would everyone like the Vista if a freeway ran through the middle of it?

[CorgiMatt]

The State newspaper reports this morning that Ben Arnold has purchased the Hiller Hardware building on Lady Street and is planning to renovate the building into a multi-tenant retail complex.

[CorgiMatt]

Half of the latern posts are are now reinstalled on the north side of the Congaree River Bridge. No lanterns yet.

[digital_sandlapper]

The State newspaper reports this morning that Ben Arnold has purchased the Hiller Hardware building on Lady Street and is planning to renovate the building into a multi-tenant retail complex.

Woo-hoo!! Great news!

[BrasilnSC]

Does anyone know why construction of the Rosewood Hills project has been at a stand still for months now?

[krazeeboi]

Welcome to the forum!

From what I understand, they're starting to turn some dirt out there now.

[The_sandlapper]

Grant Jackson reports in The State today that a high-tech Columbia start-up has received $8.5 million from a major venture capital firm in Silicon Valley, a first for South Carolina. This is great news.

WIS news said last night that USC has been designated a national place of beauty by an organization that bestows such designations upon places. It won the award for excellence in groundskeeping and horticulture.

Workers have reinstalled two of the light posts (no lights yet) on the Congaree River Bridge (more commonly known as the Gervais Street Bridge) on the EdVenture corner of the bridge. They are freshly repainted with the same beautiful green, which goes very well with the green trim on EdVenture's building.

That's awesome news, and it's good to see that its a local start up that is recieving that kind of recognition. Already the idea of a knowledge based economy here is starting to make a stink!

[CorgiMatt]

The State newspaper reports this morning that Ben Arnold has purchased the Hiller Hardware building on Lady Street and is planning to renovate the building into a multi-tenant retail complex.

The same article says that American Apparel is supposed to be open in the Pro Bowl Motors building by May.

[krazeeboi]

Can you guys stomach yet another Wal-Mart coming to the area, this time on Killian (although the road cannot handle the traffic)?

[goodbye]

It's really sad because they diminish the impact and sustainability of many smaller local shops which make an area unique. This is the same wave sweeping across the nation. How should we deal with it?

[CorgiMatt]

They have reinstalled meticulously refurbished lanterns on some of the latern posts on the Congaree River Bridge. They are gorgeous. I'd say definitely they will be burning for 3 Rivers.

[BrasilnSC]

Another Wal-Mart, how can the planning commission allow this even after all the warnings. The Hell-Mart on Two Notch is only 5 or 6 miles from this location. What a shame :-(. The suburbanites can have that mess.

I was checking the 3 Rivers band schedule and it doesn't seem very impressive. Looks like they are going to fall short again this year. I hope the weather cooperates and people show up. I do like the new layout though, closing off the gervais street bridge with stages near the river in Cola and West Cola.

Edited March 9, 2006 by BrasilnSC

[BryCola]

Another Wal-Mart, how can the planning commission allow this even after all the warnings. The Hell-Mart on Two Notch is only 5 or 6 miles from this location. What a shame :-(. The suburbanites can have that mess.

Once they build the one on Bush River Road, there will be 3 Wal Marts within about 6 miles. Getting rediculous.

[waccamatt]

It's really sad because they diminish the impact and sustainability of many smaller local shops which make an area unique. This is the same wave sweeping across the nation. How should we deal with it?

Zoning laws need to be much stricter. I hate the proliferation of Walmart across the country. I think the way to stop them is to convince people to stop shopping there. If they can't make any money in a city they will leave it (hopefully).

[digital_sandlapper]

There probably won't be 3 Wal-Marts within 6 miles of each other for long . . you know they will abandon one or more of them. The only W-Ms they want are the **Super!** W-Ms, and those can't be too old, mind you. Wal-Mart will continue to abandon stores, leapfrogging about unabated at their whim. They seem to only want to be on the fringes of a community. God forbid them ever being in an actual CONVENIENT location. The attract clutter, then jump to the next spot of open space to clutter it up, then . . . and on and on and on . . .

They are a formidable force in this country, and will eventually take over it, and the world . . the only way to avoid them soon will be to colonize another planet where we can outlaw them!

I joke about it, but continued "Wal-Mart-ization" really does frighten me . .

[smithc57]

A new building is being proposed for the downtown area. If it goes through it is planned to be located on South Main. Lets cross our fingers.

[BryCola]

A new building is being proposed for the downtown area. If it goes through it is planned to be located on South Main. Lets cross our fingers.

Are you talking about the condo on South Main that's already been announced?

[krazeeboi]

^Where did you hear this? Residential or office? Mid-rise or high-rise?

[emerging.me]

Yes, yes... more info, please!