What's the most dense urban city in SC?

[City-man]

As time moves on, for a kind of small state like SC, its population increases.That means certain urban cities of SC have to adapt to change, which most of the time, leads to urban change. But what i'm trying to figure out is, which urban city in SC is dense in urban life and architecture, and is able to continue density and expanding in the future?

[krazeeboi]

Let me say it first: Of the major municipalities in the state, Greenville is the densest.

However, it seems that for what you're asking, at present, Charleston would be the densest in terms of urban life and architecture by a landslide.

As far as future densification and expansion, Columbia and Greenville have the most potential in this regard, simply because their cores are not as mature as Charleston's. Both have some quality infill going on right now, and areas adjacent to their CBD's are getting some significant investment. The Noisette project in Charleston has the potential to connect the neck to the peninsula.

[sonofaque86]

Probably Charleston...Columbia is able to expand in the future...Greenville is too...Charleston is a little older so I don't think they have as much room to get even denser

[GvilleSC]

Right on with the folks ahead of me... Charleston right now.

But most likely Columbia or Greenville in the future. It will definitely be fun to watch it all play out. Columbia and Greenville have so much room to grow that it will be fun to see them change, but also see how Charleston progresses and further matures in the future.

[goodbye]

It seems that most of Charleston's newest growth is trending toward North Charleston. That area could easily become another dense, major city someday, if such a growth-rate continues. The cities of GREENville and COOLumbia are constantly changing while increasing density and urban appeal downtown. IMO, these two have a much more upbeat urban environment than Charleston proper, but North Charleston could eventually grow into a similar look and feel.

[monsoon]

The old part of Charleston is not becoming more dense, it is becoming less dense. Because of the expense a lot of people are moving out and building restrictions are keeping high density development out of there. With that said, Charleston is the only major city in SC that did not go through the really bad urban renewal of the 1960s-1980s and as a result maintains much of its grid pattern and 0 lot line development.

[Charleston native]

The old part of Charleston is not becoming more dense, it is becoming less dense. Because of the expense a lot of people are moving out and building restrictions are keeping high density development out of there. With that said, Charleston is the only major city in SC that did not go through the really bad urban renewal of the 1960s-1980s and as a result maintains much of its grid pattern and 0 lot line development.

Metro, you keep latching on to that sentiment, and I know for a fact that this is not true. It may have been true in the last decade (1990-2000), but that is all changing. Some developments are being planned and built in the historic district, and many more are above it, north of Calhoun. DT Chas will probably gain some of the population it lost from the last decade.

[Infinite1]

^ I agree. There are a lot of decent scaled projects planned, under construction, or recently completed.

[holla_back_youngn]

well, downtown charleston in terms of people per square mile probably wins that one, but as for tall buildings and stuff greenville probably wins because charleston has height restrictions against them

[krazeeboi]

Not discounting Greenville's CBD, but Columbia obviously has more buildings and is denser in this regard.

[Spartan]

Let me say it first: Of the major municipalities in the state, Greenville is the densest.

However, it seems that for what you're asking, at present, Charleston would be the densest in terms of urban life and architecture by a landslide.

As far as future densification and expansion, Columbia and Greenville have the most potential in this regard, simply because their cores are not as mature as Charleston's. Both have some quality infill going on right now, and areas adjacent to their CBD's are getting some significant investment. The Noisette project in Charleston has the potential to connect the neck to the peninsula.

Actually, West Columbia is the most dense municipality in South Carolina.

Charleston's peninsula looks, feels, and is the densest in SC.... but the City includes its western suburbs and many large tracts of undeveloped land to the north and northeast that reduce its statistical density. Outside of that, Columbia's downtown is larger in look and feel than Greenville's, but I'm not sure that its "denser."

Are we talking about population or just structures?

[krazeeboi]

^Notice I said of the major municipalities in the state, Greenville is the densest.

And I think we're talking of both people and buildings.

[Spartan]

hmm... and West Cola isn't major?

[krazeeboi]

You may have a point; I hardly recognize the place these days.

[GvilleSC]

And I think we're talking of both people and buildings.

Excluding Charleston, I wonder who'd be more dense in terms of buildings and people...

[krazeeboi]

^In terms of downtown? Not sure. I'm familiar with what constitutes Columbia's CBD, but what about Greenville and Spartanburg? Any graphics/aerials available?

[GvilleSC]

^In terms of downtown? Not sure. I'm familiar with what constitutes Columbia's CBD, but what about Greenville and Spartanburg? Any graphics/aerials available?

Yea, I was referring to downtowns. I don't know about aerials... I know that Google Earth shows hardly anything of Greenville downtown and its data is usually aged. But there has got to be some out there... Or maybe someone who is familiar enough with each city.

[sonofaque86]

what about Myrtle Beach

[monsoon]

what about Myrtle Beach

Indeed. When you consider that it easily 450,000 people crammed into a 90 block area, it is easily the most dense place in SC, has the largest population, and the biggest skyline. However it does not get consideration for this because none of these people are counted as residents by the US Census. You can put up a 25 story condo in Myrtle Beach and nobody notices. Put up a 25 story condo anywhere else in SC and we would have a 20 page thread about it here on UrbanPlanet.

[The_sandlapper]

Naw, were not that starved for development here, maybe 5 pages or 6.

[Spartan]

The difference, as we have discussed before, is that the 90 block area, while densely occupied, has the dimensions of 1 x 90. Most urban centers are deeper than that. But that is not the issue at hand.

Yahoo maps has good aerials of most of SC: http://maps.yahoo.com/beta/index.php

In terms of downtowns, Spartanburg is not the most dense at all. It is probably among the largest in terms of area in SC behind the big 3, and probably Myrtle Beach too.

[krazeeboi]

Indeed. When you consider that it easily 450,000 people crammed into a 90 block area, it is easily the most dense place in SC, has the largest population, and the biggest skyline. However it does not get consideration for this because none of these people are counted as residents by the US Census. You can put up a 25 story condo in Myrtle Beach and nobody notices. Put up a 25 story condo anywhere else in SC and we would have a 20 page thread about it here on UrbanPlanet.

Another 25-story condo tower amid dozens of others is just another speck on the skyline in Myrtle Beach, whereas no other city in SC can boast of this.

[Greenville]

I have a difficult time considering a narrow row of beachfront condos and hotels a "skyline." I can sort of make an exception for a place like Miami, since it is a bona fide metro with significant population and density (and a skyline in the non-waterfront areas as well). I suppose a skyline only requires tall buildings, but Myrtle Beach just doesn't scream "urban" the way a city with a true skyline should. The buildings are pretty, no doubt, but for me a resort skyline like Myrtle Beach's should require an asterisk beside it.

This Wikipedia page has a nice picture of the Myrtle Beach skyline*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Myrtlebeach.jpg

[monsoon]

Anybody can take a bad photo of a city in SC. I dare say that I can find plenty in any of the big three metros. However with that said, if you look closely at that photo, which was taken from the Wacky Golf mountain across the street from the Pavillion, you will see a degree of density here that is more than just 1 block wide and beats anything else that you will find in SC. Do you guys actually think the land is not developed west of Ocean Blvd?

[monsoon]

Since this thread is about dense urban walkable areas I will present these satellite shots at 1 mile resolution. You be the judge where you see the sprawl and where there are large dense gridded areas. Looks to me that you could overlay downtown Myrtle Beach, which does not contain any freeways, and completely cover the CBD in Greenville. The Myrtle Beach photo is an old one too as it is missing Broadway at the Beach and the heavy development there, and the development at the former airbase which was a small city in itself.

Myrtle Beach

Greenville