Five Points

[BrasilnSC]

Well the design COULD be a lot worse. I hate the drive thru, but other than that, it's better than I was expecting. It's just sad that such a quality urban development has turned into this. I didn't really read much of the PDF, so does anyone know if this is going to be a 24-hour Walgreens? If so, the parking cannot be used by the public at night, which just makes the parking in 5PTs worse. Yesterday's used this parking lot for their parking. Are they going to lose it?

Yeah, the design is not your typical Walgreens....at least they will have windows all the way to the floor and hopefully the landscaping will be top notch.

I'm pretty sure Yesterday's parking lot is not being affected by this. Also, I do hope it's a 24 hr store. We need something like that in the area and as far as parking being eliminated, no one parks there now so it's unchanged.

So it's not FPS, but I really am tired of seeing an empty lot. Construction starts Monday.

[krazeeboi]

In his weekly Free Times editorial, Kevin Fisher advocates supporting the Walgreens and BB&T branch in order to make them better instead of fighting them. He says that "using your influence to positively impact these projects is better than fighting and losing. Moreover, it is in the footprint/design/appearance of these buildings that much can be achieved in terms of harmony with the surroundings. One need look no further than the intersection of Gervais and Huger in the Vista to see why this matters. On one corner sits the best-looking McDonald

[Captain Worley]

That is a good looking McDonald's, although I have always wondered how sales at that store compare to those at a more traditional store, like the one on Elmwood.

[CorgiMatt]

It has been busy every time I've been in there - five times maybe since it opened. And I'm sure they get bus loads of people from the State Museum and Edventure.

[scnative]

That is a good looking McDonald's, although I have always wondered how sales at that store compare to those at a more traditional store, like the one on Elmwood.

Of course I don't have numbers to compare the two, however I did visit that McDonald's on Huger a while back midday on a weekday and that place was packed. Almost all the seating was taken inside, and the drive thru had a few cars in line as well. As we were leaving a bus or two must have arrived because a large amount of kids were coming in. I would assume since it was a school day that they might have been on a field trip to one of the museums across the street. I don't believe the store design negatively effects the business at all. (side note - the place was clean and staff friendly despite the crowd)

Sorry, back to Five Points.

[BrasilnSC]

That McDonald's is always very busy and they also get the bus loads of visitors from the museums like previously mentioned. They have a double drive-thru which is by far the quickest I've ever gone through and they are extremely friendly. Overall, it's one of the best McDonald's around.

[Ronak]

That McDonald's is always very busy and they also get the bus loads of visitors from the museums like previously mentioned. They have a double drive-thru which is by far the quickest I've ever gone through and they are extremely friendly. Overall, it's one of the best McDonald's around.

Jimmy Buffet stopped there in his Limo after his concert a few years back.

[Captain Worley]

They do have the best BEC biscuit in town. It is a good looking building and I'm glad the non-traditional look hasn't hurt it.

Back on topic, I think architecture like the McD's would fly in 5pts, but that FPS building was just a big...too big and overwhelming for the locals.

Edited May 15, 2009 by Captain Worley

[krazeeboi]

It still would have been a better centerpiece for Five Points....AND they would have still gotten a Walgreens incorporated into the development...AND it would have provided parking. But hey, no use in crying over spilled milk now.

[vicupstate]

Is this the only approval from the city that they need, or is a design review board also going to review it?

As I understnd it, the Zoning Board was only considering the sq. footage aspect (ie the variance from 10,000 sq. ft). If so, they really didn't have much of a leg to stand on to disapprove it.

[krazeeboi]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe the DDRC already gave their approval.

[Spartan]

The Five Points McDonald's looks ok, but it's just a standard McDonald's that's made to blend in instead of stand out. The Chick-fil-a on Main St is a better example of the type of fast food that I'd prefer to see within the city. the drive-thru lines really destroy what it could contribute to the urban environment.

[waccamatt]

The Five Points McDonald's looks ok, but it's just a standard McDonald's that's made to blend in instead of stand out. The Chick-fil-a on Main St is a better example of the type of fast food that I'd prefer to see within the city. the drive-thru lines really destroy what it could contribute to the urban environment.

What Five Points McDonalds?

[Spartan]

Sorry, the one in the Vista.

[goodbye]

...On one corner sits the best-looking McDonald

[krazeeboi]

Here's the best I could come up with from Google Streetview:

[GamecockEngineer]

That Walgreens in Vegas is very similar to the CVS on George St. in Charleston. It actually reminds me of what the Walgreens would have looked like if the orginal project was being built.

It's funny you mention the Biltmore Village McDonald's. I was there for the first time this past weekend. It felt too much like Disney World for my taste.

[Spartan]

I wonder how it compares to the McDonald's at Biltmore Village? I know it is not really "urban" in design, but it is as nice a McDonald's as you can find anywhere, with live piano music and more. I suppose "best-looking" is highly relative according to different people's opinions.

The McDonald's in the Vista is above average because it's not that generic looking McDonald's "playhouse" design. It makes an attempt to fit into the the design requirements of the Vista.

Both the Vista and Biltmore are all relative comparisons because at their heart they are still just a McDonalds.

[krazeeboi]

Here's the proposed rendering of the BB&T building to be built on the Hiller Hardware site:

[krazeeboi]

I know it's not the most groundbreaking design, but no opinions?

[CorgiMatt]

Well, villages are often made up mostly of one-story buildings. It's brick, and from what I read the windows won't be BB&T's typical dark, reflective ones. So I can live with it.

[BrasilnSC]

It's a much better improvement to Hiller's facade and I think the design will fit well. I don't like that it's another bank, it's not anything original and with no activity after 5pm , but it's on the edge of 5 pts near residences and the retirement high rise, so I guess that's a good thing.

Edited June 14, 2009 by BrasilnSC

[krazeeboi]

I hate the fact that the two newest developments coming to Five Points will have drive-thrus, but oh well, what can you do.

[GamecockEngineer]

...so much "keeping Five Points Funky".

[Spartan]

Indeed.

On the plus side, if there has to be a drive through, they've done it right. It looks like it will be behind the front, off of Devine. The main part of the building should be pleasant enough. They are utilizing the corner for their pedestrian entrance (which should actually get used in this set up) and they are still honoring the Five Points 'urban' look, which as we now know, can be ignored without any consequences. We should be thankful that this project is as good as it is, IMO.