Innovista | USC-Guignard Plan

[krazeeboi]

How about the Gervais Street bridge in the rendering? It look fantastic. I like how the stadium fits into the plan as well.

This project will also force Columbia to get on the fast track in resolving some its existing problems, such as homelessness. If that problem in particular isn't dealt with efficiently, all of this new open space will just become camping grounds for the homeless.

[krazeeboi]

So the next installment in this series by The State is typical when projects of this magnitude are announced: "Wow, that's nice. Now who's going to pay for it?"

In situations like this, our strict annexation laws really do make a difference. City bonds aren't an option, because they're just about maxed out. More flexible annexation laws = more people in the city = larger tax base = more ability for the city to pony up more money. But even then, a project of this magnitude must also get state, federal, and private funds in the mix as well.

[sonofaque86]

Well I wouldn't help Olympia neighborhood except the parts in the city limits...Thats money that would help I read in that article...If they want improvements because Richland County didn't want to fund them then they better join the city and help out or get nothing at all.

[BrasilnSC]

WOW!!!! I think I wet myself

[BryCola]

When I read today's article in The State, I was worried that there are 70 different property owners that must get on board, but apparently, they're going to be beating down the doors to get in on this. Here are a few quotes...

"Lynette Allston, also a member of the steering committee, said she could not envision a single property owner who will not want to be part of the project and take advantage of opportunities to redevelop their property.

What is more likely to happen, Kahn said, is that property owners who are outside the planning area are going to want to know why they weren

[CorgiMatt]

Bry is absolutely correct; the project is already underway and many other projects are about to begin. The Arnold School of Public Health is almost finished, the Horizon Block is under construction, the Greek Village is nearing completion, the baseball stadium, as Bry said, Adesso, etc. As far as the naysayers, I think we would find that most of them don't live in the city of Columbia. I personally heard no naysayers at work today.

Affordable housing: gosh all of us want it, but how realistic is it? Has any city been truly successful at creating "affordable" housing on any major scale in a prime location? I make a pretty decent salary, but I can't afford any of the expensive condos being built. It would help if I had a second household income. Although I may not be able to live in the primest location, I can still enjoy all that these developments will offer and continue to live a couple of miles away.

Andrew Sorensen said yesterday that he had talked with a critical player in the project and had told him that he wants some housing in it where custodians and groundskeepers at USC will be able to afford.

[Infinite1]

Here's the Coliseum Promenade rendering:

Now how exactly are they going to do this? What angle would this be from?

Simply develop the units you see on the right on the colisuem side of Greene St (where the parking lot /drop off area for the colisuem is). That would produce that type of effect.

[BrasilnSC]

I don't think the buildings straight across Park St will be at the same level as the coliseum like it is shown in the rendering. Unless they are planning on doing some massive filling.

[Spartan]

I don't think the buildings straight across Park St will be at the same level as the coliseum like it is shown in the rendering. Unless they are planning on doing some massive filling.

Agreed. But then, they will have to do something to the back side of the Coliseum. Its not exactly the best view in town (from Park St).

Was there any mention of what will become of the Coliseum? I don't think there was.

I see that there are a lot of naysayers out there in the paper, but really their only complaint is "who will pay for it?" The park is an issue, but the rest will probably be done by private contractors. A plan is just that- a plan. Its a guide for what will happen. That video shows what they see happening based on their plan. It will be a combination of many things. I am confident that they can pull things together. The largest obstacle is that park. If they can pull that off, the rest will probably fall into place.

The next phase that they will ahve to think about is transit. Greene St looks like a good corridor for a street car now. Hopefully someone is thinking about how all of these people will get around.

I am excited that they are going to extend the existing grid- Williams St in particular- to make things better connected. Greene St will also be extended to Williams St. I am very interested to see what will happen next...

[krazeeboi]

I don't think the buildings straight across Park St will be at the same level as the coliseum like it is shown in the rendering. Unless they are planning on doing some massive filling.

That's what I was thinking also.

BryCola, next weekend? How about THIS weekend?

CorgiMatt, I'm glad to see that President Sorensen is concerned about affordable housing for those who will be responsible for the massive upkeep of Columbia's new front lawn.

[Infinite1]

I don't think the buildings straight across Park St will be at the same level as the coliseum like it is shown in the rendering. Unless they are planning on doing some massive filling.

thats a good point...maybe those buildings are elevated above the existing parking

[UrbanSoutherner]

This is an impressive plan. I am hopefull that it can be pulled off over the next couple of decades. My primary point of optimism is the fact that USC is a major player in the plan. If it was just the City of Columbia, I would be afraid of another CCI project dragging on forever. But USC is the state's flagship research university and may very well have the clout and resources to really give this project a real chance.

[The_sandlapper]

Again I just can't get over how huge this friggin thing is! Can't wait to see it take sahpe! I read that this is what it would take to attract the nations & worlds best and brightest to Columbia hope they dont hold any punches, the stage is set to take Columbia to the next level! It's these types of urban distrcts/neighborhoods that really give larger urban cities their flavor. This will give Columbia four such areas maybe five if we see spill over into Olympia which I'm sure will most certainly happen.

It's amazing what Soresen has been able to accomplish and push for in such a relatively short period of time! Maybe he should think about running for mayor, or govenor???? This state's leaders are in dire need of visonaries.

[krazeeboi]

I'm sure his current job pays more.

I think it's great that Columbia is actually beginning to capitalize on the mistakes other cities have made, or at least improve upon other things other cities have done. Instead of building a research campus on the periphery of the city, it's being done downtown and involves riverfront development at that. Columbia may be years behind some other cities, but hey, if it's taken this long so that it can be done RIGHT, that's really what matters.

[803metlife]

My primary point of optimism is the fact that USC is a major player in the plan. If it was just the City of Columbia, I would be afraid of another CCI project dragging on forever. But USC is the state's flagship research university and may very well have the clout and resources to really give this project a real chance.

That's what I was saying. When usc plans it gets built. This is not just the city of Columbia. USC knows what they have to do to lure people to the city for Innovista. I guess it does pay off to have USC located downtown

[waccamatt]

Also it seems as though the university will be intent on keeping the Coliseum intact, since it is present in the rendering above.

Have any of you guys viewed the video? Good stuff.

The innovation district is pictured below. What's the water feature to be located behind the convention center?

I think that land should be reserved for expansion purposes for the convention center. I can just see Columbia landing more conventions when downtown gets overhauled with riverfront access, and saving room for expansion would be necessary.

Actually, the master plan for the Convention Center has it being doubled in size on the land it is currently on. I believe the surface lot would become an underground garage and the Center could be doubled or tripled in size. I know that is a future plan.

[Spartan]

Actually, the master plan for the Convention Center has it being doubled in size on the land it is currently on. I believe the surface lot would become an underground garage and the Center could be doubled or tripled in size. I know that is a future plan.

Yeah, the convention center has plans for two expansions at some point in the future.

[krazeeboi]

AWESOME news. I'm glad they were forward-thinking when they built it, yet cautious since the convention business as a whole isn't as strong as it used to be in the mid-90's.

[vicupstate]

As far as custodians and groundskeepers living anywhere in this project, that will require heavy subsidy on somebody's (read :taxpayer's )part. Someone of that means, often can't afford a crappy New Friarsgate house, much less new construction of premium materials. We saw how difficult it was to attempt affordable housing in Canalside. This will be no different. A friend of mine's family just sold land in this very project footprint for $45 a foot. To do affordable housing in this project will probably add millions more to the cost.

There were some good articles in the paper on this project today.

[waccamatt]

As far as custodians and groundskeepers living anywhere in this project, that will require heavy subsidy on somebody's (read :taxpayer's )part. Someone of that means, often can't afford a crappy New Friarsgate house, much less new construction of premium materials. We saw how difficult it was to attempt affordable housing in Canalside. This will be no different. A friend of mine's family just sold land in this very project footprint for $45 a foot. To do affordable housing in this project will probably add millions more to the cost.

There were some good articles in the paper on this project today.

Not necessarily; it is possible that a clause in allowing developers to play a part in the grand scheme will be that 10% of the residential units built will have to be set aside to provide low to moderately priced units for USC workers. Believe it or not, there are ways for things to be inclusive of all people.

[sojay]

I know they are just renderings that should be taken with a grain of salt, but I'm not so keen on all the buildings being of the same design - very repetitive. Makes it look too planned. More variety would be better. But I love the emphasis on open space and greenery. The park design is fabulous, although not very much shade.

[BryCola]

I know they are just renderings that should be taken with a grain of salt, but I'm not so keen on all the buildings being of the same design - very repetitive. Makes it look too planned. More variety would be better. But I love the emphasis on open space and greenery. The park design is fabulous, although not very much shade.

I agree about not wanting all the building to look the same...but from what I read, lots of different property owners would be using lots of different builders and developers. So I would imagine we'd see lots of different architecture. So I'm assuming the renderings were just for the sake of giving us an idea. (of course this is just my opinion...which means ZIP)

[waccamatt]

I agree about not wanting all the building to look the same...but from what I read, lots of different property owners would be using lots of different builders and developers. So I would imagine we'd see lots of different architecture. So I'm assuming the renderings were just for the sake of giving us an idea. (of course this is just my opinion...which means ZIP)

I was thinking the same thing. I doubt the designers could have a building design in mind for all of those properties.

[Spartan]

Its most likely that the designers just drew some general concepts so that you aren't looking at grey boxes like in the video. I think that tehre will be more variation that is apparant from the renderings. I am not overly fond of the renderings myself either.

[krazeeboi]

One of the developers, Craig Davis Properties out of Raleigh, also developed NC State's Centennial Campus. Here are a few phots of that campus (courtesy of forumer Orulz):

I kinda see the same theme in the Innovista renderings. Craig Davis is only developing the first two buildings that I know of (public health building, Horizon block), so we'll see what comes afterwards--although the public health building doesn't really look anything like Centennial Campus or Innovista renderings.