Columbia Economic Notes

[CorgiMatt]

A five- or six-story new senior living center is going to be built at 5461 Farrow Road. It's in the city and is scheduled for completion in 2012. Senior Matters, a geriatric care management company headquartered in Columbia, is "the force behind" the development.

http://www.columbiasc.net/depts/public_relations/downloads/OLC%20Press%20Release%20Final%203-23-2010.pdf

[Ronak]

EDIT: Moved this reply to the appropriate location.

Thanks, Krazeeboi.

Edited April 6, 2010 by Ronak

[krazeeboi]

That project is being discussed in this thread.

[krazeeboi]

The Brookings Institute now has an extensively detailed map that displays statistics across a range of indicators that demonstrate the standing of the nation's 100 largest metro areas in those particular categories. Two interesting facts about Columbia that show up:

• The MSA has the second-largest percentage of workers in the FIRE (finance, insurance, real estate) industries in the Carolinas after Charlotte (Columbia's MSA ranks 21st nationwide) and the city ranks fourth in the nation in this category; the city ranked 36th in 2000. That was pretty darn surprising to me and certainly goes a long way towards demonstrating that Columbia is much more than a government town.

• The MSA ranks 10th nationwide for the percentage of workers who work from home. Raleigh, Atlanta, and Austin also ranked high in this category.

[gamecoxfan1]

The Brookings Institute now has an extensively detailed map that displays statistics across a range of indicators that demonstrate the standing of the nation's 100 largest metro areas in those particular categories. Two interesting facts about Columbia that show up:

• The MSA has the second-largest percentage of workers in the FIRE (finance, insurance, real estate) industries in the Carolinas after Charlotte (Columbia's MSA ranks 21st nationwide) and the city ranks fourth in the nation in this category. That was pretty darn surprising to me and certainly goes a long way towards demonstrating that Columbia is much more than a government town.

• The MSA ranks 10th nationwide for the percentage of workers who work from home. Raleigh, Atlanta, and Austin also ranked high in this category.

Thats Interesting! Good to here some more good news!

[gamecoxfan1]

If I saw and heard correctly, a Academy Sports is going across from Sportsman Warehouse.

[BrasilnSC]

A 3 story office building is being proposed at the site of an existing surface parking lot, 1212 Pendleton St next to Cornell Arms. Here's the agenda..

[krazeeboi]

A 3 story office building is being proposed at the site of an existing surface parking lot, 1212 Pendleton St next to Cornell Arms. Here's the agenda..

I saw that. It looks quite underwhelming.

[waccamatt]

I saw that. It looks quite underwhelming.

Yes, but at least it's better than a surface lot.

[krazeeboi]

Yes, but at least it's better than a surface lot.

Not much better, LOL.

[BrasilnSC]

The drawings is quite bland, but it could look modern depending on the material used. How about including a retail space.

[krazeeboi]

How about including a retail space.

That's my number one criticism. Even though the building won't be in the CBD, it will still be downtown and that should be enough reason for there to be some sort of retail/restaurant use on the ground floor.

[growingup15]

A 3 story office building is being proposed at the site of an existing surface parking lot, 1212 Pendleton St next to Cornell Arms. Here's the agenda..

looks nice

[gamecoxfan1]

KeenanSuggs Insurance to Relocate to Landmark Downtown Columbia Building

[krazeeboi]

Gamecoxfan, simply posting a link to an article without any sort of summary is strongly discouraged. Links get outdated, plus we want to actually generate discussion here and not just do a "hit and run" with a link. Thanks for your cooperation.

In regards to the article itself, it's great to see a local business relocating to the CBD and expanding. From the article: "Since 2000, KeenanSuggs has more than tripled the number of employees and diversified its business solutions. In addition to commercial and personal insurance, KeenanSuggs also offers employee benefits, supplemental insurance benefits and risk management consulting." Sounds like a great component of Columbia's relatively large FIRE sector.

[gamecoxfan1]

Gamecoxfan, simply posting a link to an article without any sort of summary is strongly discouraged. Links get outdated, plus we want to actually generate discussion here and not just do a "hit and run" with a link. Thanks for your cooperation.

In regards to the article itself, it's great to see a local business relocating to the CBD and expanding. From the article: "Since 2000, KeenanSuggs has more than tripled the number of employees and diversified its business solutions. In addition to commercial and personal insurance, KeenanSuggs also offers employee benefits, supplemental insurance benefits and risk management consulting." Sounds like a great component of Columbia's relatively large FIRE sector.

Ok gotcha! Will do next time! Thanks!

[Spartan]

A 3 story office building is being proposed at the site of an existing surface parking lot, 1212 Pendleton St next to Cornell Arms. Here's the agenda..

Barf. Hardie plank? This is going to be an ugly, crappy building.

[irmoscdad]

New Best Buy store being built in NE Columbia in Sparkleberry Square, about 1/2 mile from Sandhills.

Other store on Two Notch will also still be there....

Good to see a big retailer opening these days, especially in this area where it's been pretty stagnant lately.

[krazeeboi]

Morihiko Nakahara, conductor of the S.C. Philharmonic, believes he could help recruit new industry by showing off the Midlands’ depth in the arts. Nakahara’s pitch here for the arts: You have all the staples – orchestras, art museums, ballet companies – to go along with the fringe arts you could find in a college town. “We have a lot to offer. We’re an engine that could play an important part.”

[krazeeboi]

Back at the end of October, state commerce secretary Joe Taylor ran an editorial in The State about why he though the proposed penny transportation tax was bad for business in Columbia and Richland County. I'm posting the link here instead of in the other thread because he directly relates the tax to economic development potential.

Although I know it's beyond his sphere of influence, I don't think one can talk about high(er) taxes in the city of Columbia in particular without taking into account how the state's restrictive annexation laws hamstring the city. Columbia may have a population of ~125K, but it has a tax base about the size of Rock Hill's, which is half its size. That's what having tons of tax-exempt properties (state offices, USC, Ft. Jackson, hospitals, etc.) within a city that can't reasonably expand its borders will do.

[krazeeboi]

Trinity Episcopal Cathedral after restoration work has been completed. Taken 11/27:

[Spartan]

It looks much better now that it's not orange.

[krazeeboi]

I was fond of the orange, but I'm not complaining about the natural look either.

[krazeeboi]

It's good to see all of SC's metros at 2.0% growth and above.

[CorgiMatt]

In their Money section today USA Today provides their usual Moody's survey on projected job growth. Moody's projects metro Columbia will have 2.4% job growth over the next year.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-02-06-new-jobs-growth-graphic_N.htm