Chiquola

[GSP Tiger]

Chiquola will be saved

Anderson, SC Independent-Mail (05-Dec-2005)

A great write up today on the Chiqoula and efforts to revitalize it...

[Spartan]

That is truely exciting.

• The first floor will hold

  three to five retail spaces

• a 60-seat bar

• a 100-seat restaurant where residents could get a four-star experience without the four-star price, plans say.

• The upper levels will be cut into 19 luxury condominiums starting at $279,000.

• A glass elevator would run through the middle of the building, but only residents will have access to condo floors.

[GSP Tiger]

The Victorian tower effect in one corner is really nice.

[Spartan]

I like that as well. Does anyone know if the building used to resemble that more in the past?

[interestedexpat]

According to the Independent Mail the Chiqoula's fate is official. The Condo developers closed on the property, have their permits and will start renovating the first of January. They estimate it will take 14 months to complete.

The encouraging thing is that 7 units are already reserved and they haven't really gone on sale yet. Expensive (for Anderson) too, starting at over $250,000 for two bedrooms. Also the developers say there has been interest from national retailers.

The city is throwing in a parking garage too. All this sounds wonderful.

[Spartan]

Excellent news for Anderson! Thanks for keeping us informed

[interestedexpat]

Independent Mail

March 19

Article Here

Great news out of downtown Anderson. 11 of 18 upscale units in the Chiquola project are sold without advertising. They sound optimistic about the others selling quickly and the developers are saying that once sold, they plan to do other projects in downtown. They hinted at the old Belk property (which would be fabulous). They also indicated they are considering projects bigger than the Chiquola. Wow!

The other really cool thing was that they've got 9 tenants wanting in on 4 or 5 retail spaces left in the Chiquola project (including Starbucks).

[Spartan]

That is fanstastic! I was downtown the other day, and you can really see some progress on the Chilquola. Anderson is really setting itself up for a bright future

[GSP Tiger]

Article: City gives $650,000 to Chiquola project

Anderson Independent Mail (SC)

2006/5/9

The city is giving the developer a boost with the building's renovation into apartments. It seems they are seerious about bringing some residential living back to downtown.

[Spartan]

That is great news. The City showing that it believes in downtown with this move. I can't wait to make a trip down to Anderson once the work is under way.

[GSP Tiger]

Anderson Independent-Mail: Chiqoula's developer are wanting to use the adjacent parking lot to the former Belk for new residences. This creates some opposition to neighboring businesses who depend on the lot for customer parking.

It seems people do not consider parking a block away and walking some distance to get to their destination quicker than driving around looking for such a space.

[interestedexpat]

This is parking issue is interesting. The article said they surveyed the lot and it was rarely full (only Thursday nights) but if you talk to downtown patrons - they say it's full a lot. Is someone misinformed? Is it full in the evenings (dinner time), but not during the daytime hours. I have to say, I've never seen any parking in downtown full unless there was an event.

Perhaps the city should lease commercial spaces (there are plenty within a two block walk) for residents until the parking deck is completed. The Chiqoula was going to lease spaces in the deck from the city when it is complete, so they would pay a reduced rate (inconvenience factor) for use of the commercial spaces the city is leasing.

Make sense?

[Spartan]

I thought that the deck was specifically for the Chiquola as well as general city parking? Did that change or was that never the case?

[interestedexpat]

The deck has been in the city thoughts for a long time. I think the Chiqoula was a primary contributing factor to getting it done now. I believe part of the deal between the city and the developers was that the deck would be available for the condos to lease parking from. It seemed like a win all the way around - until the city moved slowly and now the renovated Condos are almost finished and almost sold out and the parking deck hasn't even begun construction.

I do think the demolition for the deck is supposed to start later this month though.

[interestedexpat]

AIM published a very nice rendering of what the parking deck near the Chiquola should look like. The article talks about a proposed covered walkway between the parking deck and the condos. The rendering is very nice. If it turns out like this, it will really create a small urban square in the middle of town.

Article and rendering here.

[GvilleSC]

This looks great! Anderson's downtown, once complete, will have added another dimension all together.

[Spartan]

I don't see the point in this walkway. I think that Anderson would be better served by investing that money in fixing up the facades on that row of buildings and improving the sidewalks between the garage and Chiquola.

[GSP Tiger]

Does not the covered walkway include improving the sidewalk? It probably has received consideration, and West Whitener deserves some touch up to link to Murray as the western entrance to downtown.

[Spartan]

Right, but I mean improve it without the covering. What advantage is there to having that contraption that couldn't be solved by planting trees or adding awnings on the buildings themselves?

[GSP Tiger]

Perhaps it can be easily improved by adding various flora at the curb of the street and some hanging off the balcony to give it the hanging gardens of Anderson effect. I do not favor each building having its own awning assuming it would be those cheap vinyl or plastic kind which would not fit in with Anderson's downtown.

[Spartan]

Well, I suppose anything is possible. I think that you can achieve that without the walkway though. Those types of covered walkways make a less pleasant pedestrian environment, even though their purpose might be to improve it. Those columns push pedestrians out closer to the street and closer to cars, away from shop/restaurant windows where you'd want them.

[interestedexpat]

Well, I suppose anything is possible. I think that you can achieve that without the walkway though. Those types of covered walkways make a less pleasant pedestrian environment, even though their purpose might be to improve it. Those columns push pedestrians out closer to the street and closer to cars, away from shop/restaurant windows where you'd want them.

[GvilleSC]

I like the walkway, IF they add retail/restaurant space along the upper level as well. Essentially making it double the amount of storefronts on the same stretch. Seems like it could be a neat aspect with a lot of potential for downtown Anderson. It all depends on the final product as to whether it works well or not and should be there or not.

One thing that I do not like is the heaviness of the walkway. It's hiding the facades of the buildings. Something with glass and thin wires that is simplistic could do this same job and look more appealing, IMO. Anderson could use a good piece of modern design integrated with its urban fabric.

[GvilleSC]

By the way, the title of this thread is spelled wrong. It could be beneficial to correct the spelling to Chiquola to attract people to the discussion, etc. Thanks