Uptown Columbia?

[Spartan]

Have you ever heard downtown Columbia referred to as 'uptown' Columbia?

I ask for two reasons. One is that it is in this article in the State: http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/13405391.htm

And the other is that I have heard other people call it Uptown. Until now I have always dismissed it as ignorance of some sort, but this article give it a touch of legitimacy. So I am wondering of some of you that live or have lived in Columbia know anthign about it?

[TruantSpeakEZ]

it's uptown for me, yes, because it's actually uptown. but i've never called it that.

[emerging.me]

I don't know what that's about. I've lived here all my life and it's new to me.

[sonofaque86]

Never heard it called Uptown...I know Charlotte is known for that, but Columbia is also built on a big hill or bluff so don't know why they don't call it that.

[krazeeboi]

I've never known it to be such. As a matter of fact, I only found out recently that Gaffney and Spartanburg refer to their downtown areas as "uptown." I thought it was unique to Charlotte (more recently done as a marketing ploy), but it seems as though this is somewhat common in towns in the Carolina Piedmont.

[The_sandlapper]

Never herad it called uptown before but who knows maybe they are trying to paint a new picture since Innovista will be located there.

[mainstreeter]

That is the term that only the YMCA uses. City officials and local organizations want the whole downtown area to be referred to "City Center". They feel downtown people only think of the business district (main st area) and not the vista (i don't agree) so they want the whole core of the city to be called "City Center". I personally would have liked uptown or something a little more creative.

[Temeteron]

Well I'm not sure about other cities but for example in Boston and in NYC...there is downtown, midtown, and uptown....which are different areas.....or they just say "the city" depending on the person....

[Doug L]

When I was a young lad in the late 40s and early 50s the, then older folks like my grand parents et.al., refered to downtown as 'uptown'. I left Columbia and returned here to retire in the mid 90s and found that almost everyone refered to it as 'downtown' as do most cities.

I lived the majority of my life in Philadelphia who refers to their downtown as 'center city'. I like that unique designation for Phila as do I like 'the Loop' for Chicago. I really like to see things shaken up a bit rather than everyone fitting into the same mold.

To me, I prefer 'midtown' for Columbia. We have 'Midtown', 'the Vista', and 'Five Points'. These designations sort of make Columbia unique and seem to fit quite well. These areas go from west to east whereas in New York 'uptown', 'midtown', and 'downtown' go from north to south.

This, of course, is nothing more than just one persons opinion.

[Spartan]

I've never known it to be such. As a matter of fact, I only found out recently that Gaffney and Spartanburg refer to their downtown areas as "uptown." I thought it was unique to Charlotte (more recently done as a marketing ploy), but it seems as though this is somewhat common in towns in the Carolina Piedmont.

Actually, its just Gaffney- which has always called it Uptown so far as I know.

There is one company in Spartanburg that advertizes their location as 'uptown' but that is it. However the City, and everyone else call it 'downtown.'

I agree with Doug that Midtown would be more appropriate, as the center col COlumbia is actually in the middle of everything.

[Hybrid0NE]

Columbia can't use Midtown since Atlanta already owns that title and shares it with about a dozen other cities scattered around the country. How about USC-North?

[803metlife]

Columbia can't use Midtown since Atlanta already owns that title and shares it with about a dozen other cities scattered around the country. How about USC-North?

The word Midtown gives downtown a new meaning. I like midtown, but being so close to atlanta i would not recommend using that name. Columbia needs to be a trend setter and do things different to compete in the regional market. Charlotte has uptown and ATl has midtown, we can always go to the drawing board and come up with something grand. The last one to do it, always does it better!!!

[ROBTEX]

I guess my experience with this term is a little different, though Doug L comes closest to its essence. I grew up in Columbia, and the older folks then always said "up town," but not to be confused with "uptown" or "Uptown." As a kid in the 70's, before much of the "suburban sprawl," a person went up town to do things. One might have said something like, "We're fixin' tuh go up town and look for Johnny some new pants." As a kid, it was a REAL TREAT to go up town. We would take the SCE & G city bus up town for 10 cents...and the paper transfers were free. If I was a good boy, it also meant buying peanuts at Cromer's and feeding the squirrels at The State House...they'd eat right out of your hands. You're simply talking about the time when all or most of the "hustle and bustle" was still in the "downtown" area...certainly to an even greater degree for people like Doug L and his parents. Man, most of you guys must be really young...I'm only 34, and you're making me feel like I'm 103. To sum this up, this is a colloquial term or phrase, but I don't now if it's just Columbia, just parts of South Carolina, The Carolinas, The Deep South, or what. "Going up town" simply meant "going downtown," for you young whipper-snappers. It's interesting, though, in this day and time...most of us seem more concerned with how big and tall we can build things than we are with the small, obviously very quickly forgotten, pieces of "cultural fabric" that make or should make the town and its people what they are...its richness and flavor, passed down from our elders. It sounds corny, but that's the stuff that makes you feel like you belong, that you own a piece of the city and don't simply reside in it. It shouldn't be about which city gets a Nordstrom first, etc. Don't get me wrong, though...I love seeing cities grow, and I love new skyscrapers!

Cities have gotten so large these days, both in terms of physical corporate limits and population, that they have developed large populated areas outside of the old "downtown" area, as well as 1 or more addtl skylines. This brings us to the current meaning of "uptown" or "Uptown." Dallas has a booming Uptown, for example, with a blossoming skyline that just won't stop. As far as I can tell, "Uptown," these days, means an area north of "downtown" that has, for some reason, become another focal point for the city...perhaps an "Arts District" has developed, along with a few highrise condo towers and a dozen or so restaraunts and cafes that offer eclectic modern cuisine!

[The_sandlapper]

I guess my experience with this term is a little different, though Doug L comes closest to its essence. I grew up in Columbia, and the older folks then always said "up town," but not to be confused with "uptown" or "Uptown." As a kid in the 70's, before much of the "suburban sprawl," a person went up town to do things. One might have said something like, "We're fixin' tuh go up town and look for Johnny some new pants." As a kid, it was a REAL TREAT to go up town. We would take the SCE & G city bus up town for 10 cents...and the paper transfers were free. If I was a good boy, it also meant buying peanuts at Cromer's and feeding the squirrels at The State House...they'd eat right out of your hands. You're simply talking about the time when all or most of the "hustle and bustle" was still in the "downtown" area...certainly to an even greater degree for people like Doug L and his parents. Man, most of you guys must be really young...I'm only 34, and you're making me feel like I'm 103. To sum this up, this is a colloquial term or phrase, but I don't now if it's just Columbia, just parts of South Carolina, The Carolinas, The Deep South, or what. "Going up town" simply meant "going downtown," for you young whipper-snappers. It's interesting, though, in this day and time...most of us seem more concerned with how big and tall we can build things than we are with the small, obviously very quickly forgotten, pieces of "cultural fabric" that make or should make the town and its people what they are...its richness and flavor, passed down from our elders. It sounds corny, but that's the stuff that makes you feel like you belong, that you own a piece of the city and don't simply reside in it. It shouldn't be about which city gets a Nordstrom first, etc. Don't get me wrong, though...I love seeing cities grow, and I love new skyscrapers!

I agree but I still like scrapers as well. Anyway my vote goes for midtown ie as in the middle of uptown CLT, and downtown ATL.

[emerging.me]

I guess my experience with this term is a little different, though Doug L comes closest to its essence. I grew up in Columbia, and the older folks then always said "up town," but not to be confused with "uptown" or "Uptown." As a kid in the 70's, before much of the "suburban sprawl," a person went up town to do things. One might have said something like, "We're fixin' tuh go up town and look for Johnny some new pants." As a kid, it was a REAL TREAT to go up town. We would take the SCE & G city bus up town for 10 cents...and the paper transfers were free. If I was a good boy, it also meant buying peanuts at Cromer's and feeding the squirrels at The State House...they'd eat right out of your hands. You're simply talking about the time when all or most of the "hustle and bustle" was still in the "downtown" area...certainly to an even greater degree for people like Doug L and his parents. Man, most of you guys must be really young...I'm only 34, and you're making me feel like I'm 103. To sum this up, this is a colloquial term or phrase, but I don't now if it's just Columbia, just parts of South Carolina, The Carolinas, The Deep South, or what. "Going up town" simply meant "going downtown," for you young whipper-snappers. It's interesting, though, in this day and time...most of us seem more concerned with how big and tall we can build things than we are with the small, obviously very quickly forgotten, pieces of "cultural fabric" that make or should make the town and its people what they are...its richness and flavor, passed down from our elders. It sounds corny, but that's the stuff that makes you feel like you belong, that you own a piece of the city and don't simply reside in it. It shouldn't be about which city gets a Nordstrom first, etc. Don't get me wrong, though...I love seeing cities grow, and I love new skyscrapers!

Right on, dude. I am 30 and I remember going "up town" with my mom and grandmother (she was from the Dutch Fork area, but I don't know if the use of "up town" has any regional implications) on shopping trips when I was a kid. We would go to Taps -- which really fascinated me for some reason -- then we'd go feed the squirrels at the State House... I had totally forgotten about that. Do people still do it, I wonder? They probably all have rabies now or something. lol

[ROBTEX]

Right on, dude. I am 30 and I remember going "up town" with my mom and grandmother (she was from the Dutch Fork area, but I don't know if the use of "up town" has any regional implications) on shopping trips when I was a kid. We would go to Taps -- which really fascinated me for some reason -- then we'd go feed the squirrels at the State House... I had totally forgotten about that. Do people still do it, I wonder? They probably all have rabies now or something. lol

I think Cromer's Peanuts closed a few years back, didn't it? I doubt anything similar to Cromer's exists downtown today. Too funny about the squirrels! Yeah, odds are that so few people actually feed them by hand these days, they probably get the crap bit out of 'em when they try! The squirrels don't care if they're downtown, uptown, midtown, abovetown, belowtown, or aroundtown...their little squirrely asses just want some peanuts!

Yeah, going up town was da bomb. I thought I was so cool when I could go up town with my mom to the actual Levi's shop and get some new Levi's cords! 8 Slims in navy, rust, and brown. Heh.

[waccamatt]

I think Cromer's Peanuts closed a few years back, didn't it? I doubt anything similar to Cromer's exists downtown today. Too funny about the squirrels! Yeah, odds are that so few people actually feed them by hand these days, they probably get the crap bit out of 'em when they try! The squirrels don't care if they're downtown, uptown, midtown, abovetown, belowtown, or aroundtown...their little squirrely asses just want some peanuts!

Yeah, going up town was da bomb. I thought I was so cool when I could go up town with my mom to the actual Levi's shop and get some new Levi's cords! 8 Slims in navy, rust, and brown. Heh.

Cromers is now located on Berea Drive just south of Williams-Brice Stadium. It is now being surrounded by new condo developments.

[Doug L]

Hi emerging.me,

I live in Midtown Columbia (University Hill Neighborhood) and love it! Yes, I feed the squirrels as often as the weather and my time allows. And yes, they still will sit on your lap and feed from your hands. The only problem is the flying rats (pigeons). They will sit and sh.. on you and fight the squirrels away.

..............................................................................

[ROBTEX]

Cromers is now located on Berea Drive just south of Williams-Brice Stadium. It is now being surrounded by new condo developments.

Wow. Wonder why they moved so far? Maybe they sell more peanuts to Cocks fans than they did to the squirrels feeding the squirrels! Well, that's okay. I'm glad they're still a presence in Columbia. Since they are no longer up town in downtown, where the heck are they?!?! Thanks for the update.

[waccamatt]

Wow. Wonder why they moved so far? Maybe they sell more peanuts to Cocks fans than they did to the squirrels feeding the squirrels! Well, that's okay. I'm glad they're still a presence in Columbia. Since they are no longer up town in downtown, where the heck are they?!?! Thanks for the update.

They moved from the Vista because prices had gotten so expensive. They moved to a smaller site in a lower rent area.

[Ellen]

Yep, Cromer's is now in a big warehouse behind Williams Brice Stadium. But there's another fabulous place to visit in the Vista. Check out the Palmetto Candy and Cigar Company across from the Blue Marlin. Fabulous store with a wooden Indian out front and creaky wood floors inside. Old fashioned candy in bulk.

You'll love it. I promise.

[waccamatt]

Yep, Cromer's is now in a big warehouse behind Williams Brice Stadium. But there's another fabulous place to visit in the Vista. Check out the Palmetto Candy and Cigar Company across from the Blue Marlin. Fabulous store with a wooden Indian out front and creaky wood floors inside. Old fashioned candy in bulk.

You'll love it. I promise.

I've been in there and it is awesome. They sell cases of Mike and Ikes! Cloud Nine, on the same block, is pretty cool too.

[krazeeboi]

Interestingly enough, I ran across this article about Raleigh's "midtown" and whether it even exists. Some information in the article is pretty general and could also apply to Columbia in defining "downtown," "midtown," and "uptown."

I know in the Richland Mall development thread we spoke of how that area could become known as Columbia's "midtown," but I've seen the Vista referred to as "midtown" at times. Interesting....

[sonofaque86]

Yeah, the Richland Mall development would be good for midtown since it's basically in the middle of Columbia (if it wasn't in Forest Acres), and it's a short distnace from downtown

[waccamatt]

Yeah, the Richland Mall development would be good for midtown since it's basically in the middle of Columbia (if it wasn't in Forest Acres), and it's a short distnace from downtown

Ummm, the development at Richland Mall is going to be called "Midtown at Forest Acres" or something like that.

http://www.midtownatforestacres.com/