Pictures From The Urban Assets Main Street Tour

[waccamatt]

Is anyone going on the Urban Assets tour on Saturday 4/29? Anyone interested in going?

Info

The cost is $15 and tickets and brochures will be available at the corner of Main and Hampton in front of the art museum.

[krazeeboi]

Take pictures (if you can)!

[waccamatt]

Take pictures (if you can)!

I'm going to, but I was hoping maybe we could have a last minute forum meet; none of my friends want to go, they think $15 is too expensive, lol. Cheapskates!

[goodbye]

$15 is practically FREE! I can't imagine anyone who really cares about urban development skipping such an opportunity.

[waccamatt]

$15 is practically FREE! I can't imagine anyone who really cares about urban development skipping such an opportunity.

I think its because my friends are more interested in other things, lol.

[Spartan]

Perhaps a UP{sodEmoji.{sodEmoji.|}}Columbia field trip is in order?

[waccamatt]

Whew, it took a long time to upload these pictures, but here it is!

Here are some pictures I took during "Urban Access Columbia" hosted by the Historic Columbia Foundation

The Historic Columbia Foundation held an "Urban Assets Tour" on April 29, 2006 showing historic Main Street structures that are being (or are already) converted into residences. I have also included pictures of installment art and other surrounding buildings to get a feel for the space. Aside from the Barringer Building and the Arcade Mall, all of these residences are in the 1500 and 1600 blocks of Main Street; between the 2 main areas of office buildings on and around Main Street.

The red brick Barringer Building (1903) was Columbia's first skyscraper and is being converted into apartments

The lobby

A bank occupies the retail space on the ground floor

an old mail chute

an apartment interior under construction

The view toward the northwest includes 1401 Main Street, the Wachovia Building and the Palmetto Building on the right

The western view has Washington Square in the foreground (right), another office building and the Congaree Vista followed by West Columbia and Cayce in the distance

looking northeast with the Palmetto Building and the old Security Federal Building

looking west with Congaree Vista Buildings and in the top right corner, Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia

southeast view towards USC and Five Points

A rare close-up of the top of the Palmetto Building

[waccamatt]

The Arcade Mall is next door to the Barringer Building and is the site of an installment art sculpture

A hair salon in the Arcade Building; most of the stores were already closed late this Saturday afternoon.

The basement of the Arcade Building used to be "Downunder Columbia", the site of a number of restaurants and bars in the 1970's. I expect it to regain its glory in the very near future.

The Sherlock Holmes Pub used to be located in the basement of the Palmetto Building; now that the building is being renovated into a Sheraton Boutique Hotel, the hotel restaurant will be located there and Sherlock Holmes will be moving into the basement of the old McCrory Building, another building on this tour being converted into residences.

The Palmetto Building; being renovated into a Sheraton Boutique Hotel

[waccamatt]

The next tour was of the old Kress Building. One of the best things about all of these newly residential buildings is that there are retail establishments on all of the ground floors. Rising High Restaurant is in this building.

the courtyard entrance

This is the lobby with art deco features; the apartment on the tour was occupied so I didn't take pictures of the inside.

Building info

More Installment Art

An architectural firm is also located in the building and this is their conference room.

Leaving the courtyard with a sculpture by renowned Columbia Artist, Blue Sky, at the end.

The old Kress Building surrounds the beautiful Sylvans Jewelers Building; probably the finest Victorian building in Columbia.

Hampton Street Vineyard is a restaurant located in the basement of the Sylvans Jewelers Building. The jewelry store has been there since 1897 and the building also houses offices.

1520 Main Street is a 4 story new construction that will house condominiums and is next door to the Kress Building Apartments.

Street art

Next to the 1520 Main new construction is the renovated Canal Dime Savings Bank Building. One of the condos was open for viewing, but it was occupied so I didn't take pictures. The interior was gorgeous and had a beautiful view of Main Street and the Columbia Museum of Art across the street. It also had an awesome huge rear balcony.

Further up the same block are the former Silvers and McCrory Buildings. The Silvers Building is now occupied and renovations have just begun on the old McCrory's Building.

Silvers' apartments entrance in rear

Looking south from the Silvers Building

McCrory Building construction; the Sherlock Holmes Pub is moving into the basement

[waccamatt]

The former Berry's on Main Building is in the next block and has been converted into apartments; The ground floor contains a clothing store, barber shop and soon, a Chinese restaurant.

Exterior

Entrance

The former Tapp's Department Store is now apartments and businesses; the basement houses the Firm Aerobics Studio and the ground floor houses The Factory Gym.

Tapp's Apartments

Looking southeast from the Tapp's Building

Looking south

Looking north

Looking northeast

A northeast closeup shows Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital in the distance along with the Marion Street Highrise.

The old Greyhound Bus Station is next door; I've always wanted to open a dance club there.

Columbia's oldest Italian restaurant, Villa Tronco, is across the street in Columbia's oldest fire station.

Hennessy's Restaurant is on the other side of Main Street from Tapp's.

A street concert was being setup in the next block

Tapp's is diagonally across from the Richland County Courthouse.

[waccamatt]

More installment art; this one was unfortunately "cleaned up" by the Main Street Beautification Team after a serious windstorm had blown it down; very embarassing.

More Installment Art

The Columbia Museum of Art is across the street from the Kress Building, 1520 Main and the old Canal Dime Savings Bank. Who can remember when Macy's was in this building?

ththth...that's all folks!

[krazeeboi]

Great job, Matt! We applaud your efforts.

The Arcade building is an grand opportunity waiting to happen.

I had no idea the Silver's building was residential; it looks so nondescript on the outside.

The exterior of Berry's needs a little TLC.

I like the Tapp's building, but I wasn't too fond of the exposed brick I saw inside the apartment.

What's happening with the old Greyhound Bus Station? That's a good opportunity waiting to happen as well (a dance club wouldn't be too bad at all).

I hope the facade of 1520 Main looks better than in the renderings. As is, it looks pretty "blah." Since it's a totally new development (as opposed to adaptive reuse), the exterior needs to be more modern if you ask me.

I'm glad that more residential is coming to Main, but overall I'm not really impressed with the entire look/feel of Main; it just feels too inconsistent and aside from Meridian and First Citizens, nothing really demonstrates what's new about Columbia. With a few exceptions, I'd rather see the whole street totally razed and rebuilt. Drastic I know, but that's how I feel. Hope I didn't put a damper on the thread.

[waccamatt]

OK Krazee, who licked the red off your candy tonight? Just kidding, but I think razing most of the street is a little harsh. I think getting more people living on Main Stret is the first step to its revitalization; also remember that this portion of Main Street has not had the streetscaping done yet. They completed Main from Gervais through Hampton Streets, but theyr waiting on Lady Street and Five Points to be finished before finishing Main Street's streetscaping. It will look alot better when that is done. Besides, its taken almost 5 hours to upload all of those pictures to my website, insert comments and then repost them on UP and SSC, so you better be nice, lol!

[krazeeboi]

LOL, I didn't mean to be rude.

Yeah, the streetscaping will do wonders for that part of Main as well. Apparently that will not get started until next year sometime, since the Five Points streetscaping was pushed back to November, and who knows when Lady will be completed, especially since the city is considering declaring the contractor in default over the delays. Hopefully more aesthetic improvements will come as more people begin to live there.

Again, we appreciate your efforts, especially those of us who were unable to attend.

[waccamatt]

You weren't rude, I was just giving you a hard time. The Lady St contractor has been dragging their feet. It is so hard to get good contractors; I found that out when I renovated my house.

[Spartan]

Thats fantastic. FYI, the first set of pictures repeats itself a few times...

I didn't realize that there was that much residential going in on Main St. That area should really take off in a few years!

[waccamatt]

Thats fantastic. FYI, the first set of pictures repeats itself a few times...

I didn't realize that there was that much residential going in on Main St. That area should really take off in a few years!

Thanks Spartan, it took a few tries to get the number of pictures per post correct, but I think they're right, now.

[BryCola]

Thanks waccamatt...that was awesome. A few points...

What the heck is a "boutique hotel"? Never heard the term before. I originally had heard the Palmetto Building was going to be a "5 star hotel"...is that possibly what "boutique" means?

As for the Lady Street contractor...I work downtown, and took a break one Friday afternoon and walked down to the Vista. This was 2:30 last Friday...and there was not a SINGLE person working on the streetscaping. There was lots of construction equipment around...bulldozers, etc...but they were all just sitting still with no one anywhere around. So I'm not surprised it's dragging on so long. They either didn't work that day, or quit at lunchtime.

And Krazee...that's the first post I've ever seen you be so negative. I always enjoy reading what you have to say. Bad mood? I actually love what's going on on Main Street. Main Street had years of neglect, and to see everything happening there is very exciting. And tear it all down????? NOOOOOOOO. Just continue what's already begun by renovating, and building.

[waccamatt]

Bry, "Boutique Hotels" are not common in the South, they are much more common in NYC, Chicago and Europe. They are usually small to medium in the number of rooms with luxurious features, but are not quite full service hotels. In Columbia, I would consider The Whitney and Claussen's Inn to be Boutique Hotels if they had more services (like a restaurant and room service). They usually have a restaurant and room service, but they don't usually have meeting rooms and things like that. The pictures below are what I think of with a boutique hotel.

[krazeeboi]

And Krazee...that's the first post I've ever seen you be so negative. I always enjoy reading what you have to say. Bad mood? I actually love what's going on on Main Street. Main Street had years of neglect, and to see everything happening there is very exciting. And tear it all down????? NOOOOOOOO. Just continue what's already begun by renovating, and building.

Bry, I think my biggest gripe with Columbia would indeed be Main Street. I mean I just see SO much potential there, and it's a lot of the little things that get under my skin, like how dark it is at night, relatively few evening destinations, lack of retail variety, the need for facade improvements, etc. I'm hoping that the residential developments, along with the completion of the streetscape, will jump start things in this regard.

[CorgiMatt]

Bry, I think my biggest gripe with Columbia would indeed be Main Street. I mean I just see SO much potential there, and it's a lot of the little things that get under my skin, like how dark it is at night, relatively few evening destinations, lack of retail variety, the need for facade improvements, etc. I'm hoping that the residential developments, along with the completion of the streetscape, will jump start things in this regard.

The lighting on Main from Gervais to Hampton is super with the new street lanterns. Everyone email their city council reps and the mayor and tell them to get the rest of Main Street up to Elmwood done ASAP. I already did.

[krazeeboi]

I like how the city seal is incorporated into the top arch of the lanterns; way cool.

[goodbye]

Great job, waccamatt! Thanks for doing this for us.

[colajnp]

waccamatt

great pics - I wish I could have gone but had prior engagement

Which were your favorite buildings or apartments?

[Ellen]

Matt, your virtual tour is fantastic! Thank you so much for the pics and comments. (Your photography is excellent, by the way.)

I can't wait to see what the Palmetto Building becomes. I do hope the restaurant they put in the basement is going to retain the fabulous old tile floors.

Sherlock Holmes in McCrory's - I can't wait til they are open! Man, I sure have missed their lunches.

And the underground! Finally we have pictures, after so much discussion. My hat's off to you, Matt.