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CVS?


JFER1980

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I don't know how everyone feels, but I was pretty dissapointed to find out a CVS was being built on Assembly Street. Of all of the new promising developments in the downtown area, I found this to be almost strange. I'm not at all excited about seeing another tacky, generic CVS building right on what I thought was a prime spot more suited for a taller structure or apartment building. With the exception of the gas station across the street this CVS seems very out of place. I don't know anything about how land leasing deals like this work, but I don't want to see Assembly street become a fast food/retail strip. The Wendy's and gas station is enough. This is not suburbia.

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Don't assume its going to be a generic CVS. The city has pretty strict design guidelines for that area I'm sure. That Wendy's was built a while back. It was definitely before the city cared what things look like. I lived in that area for three years and I would have LOVED a drug store within walking distance of campus. I hated going to Eckerds in Five Points. Most of the time I just waited and got what I needed at the Winn Dixie Pharmacy in Cayce. Anyway, I know that this store will be used by students and faculty/staff nearby. The current employment and resident base around that site will enjoy it, and its only going to increase.

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I was disappointedly and disgusted when I saw yet another open parking lot facing Assembly Street. At least the building itself is out at the side walk and not stuck in the back corner with the parking lot in the front. Still the open parking lot is another visible cancer along what could and should be a premier street.

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I know we all like big, pretty developments downtown, but let's not forget that downtown must also be functional as well. That's one of the things I happen to like about downtown Columbia. That said, I'm more concerned with form here. I, too, will be disappointed to see your typical suburban CVS on this spot. I sure hope that doesn't turn out to be the case.

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I know we all like big, pretty developments downtown, but let's not forget that downtown must also be functional as well. That's one of the things I happen to like about downtown Columbia. That said, I'm more concerned with form here. I, too, will be disappointed to see your typical suburban CVS on this spot. I sure hope that doesn't turn out to be the case.

Leave it to Krazee to inject reason into the conversation. I still can't believe that it was economically feasible for CVS to tear down a 4 story office building on prime land to build a drug store. It could have at least been a Walgreens. Hopefully the design will have some merit to it.

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I try Matt. :blush:

Well, at least that's more office space off the market, boosting the occupancy rate, even if by a little bit. I, too, would have preferred a Walgreens. It seems as though they're slow on taking on downtown locations. They'd better jump on it before CVS really gets a corner on this burgeoning market and surpasses them (in terms of revenue).

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There is potential for it to be a really offensive design. But CVS has done plenty of urban projects... I just don't know if anyone is making them adhere to urban design specifications in this case. From the framing, it does seem very "parking-lot oriented" which is a suburban trait, but it could have other urban features.

What really should have gone up there is something like this:

116004129_c9dcd04071_m.jpg

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I don't know how everyone feels, but I was pretty dissapointed to find out a CVS was being built on Assembly Street. Of all of the new promising developments in the downtown area, I found this to be almost strange. I'm not at all excited about seeing another tacky, generic CVS building right on what I thought was a prime spot more suited for a taller structure or apartment building. With the exception of the gas station across the street this CVS seems very out of place. I don't know anything about how land leasing deals like this work, but I don't want to see Assembly street become a fast food/retail strip. The Wendy's and gas station is enough. This is not suburbia.

I agree completely . . a free-standing suburban-style CVS in the heart of the Innovista? :sick: It should've been put on the bottom floor of a parking deck--the city's ordinances need updating to prevent this sort of development along our city streets.

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I honestly have no problem with the examples of CVS's in this thread. The thing for me is that it may be nice to have a CVS within walking distance. But if I wanted conveniences such as that I would move to Irmo or Northeast Columbia. I like the pattern the city has been taking, and I just don't think I like to see chunks of prime land used for a drug store. Not to mention drug stores have quite a history of struggling in the downtown area. Independent drugstores actually outnumber the chains in downtown Columbia. I just am not a fan of the modern freestanding drugstores of today. They are making them into way more than drugstores and I still am a fan of independent pharmacies such as Hawthornes or Longs.

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I honestly have no problem with the examples of CVS's in this thread. The thing for me is that it may be nice to have a CVS within walking distance. But if I wanted conveniences such as that I would move to Irmo or Northeast Columbia. I like the pattern the city has been taking, and I just don't think I like to see chunks of prime land used for a drug store. Not to mention drug stores have quite a history of struggling in the downtown area. Independent drugstores actually outnumber the chains in downtown Columbia. I just am not a fan of the modern freestanding drugstores of today. They are making them into way more than drugstores and I still am a fan of independent pharmacies such as Hawthornes or Longs.

I agree, drug stores doesn't always do well in downtown areas. Furthermore I don't agree with the location of the CVS. In one way it will go well for USC students and pedestrians, but for future developments it could have been prime realestate for something grand.

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I don't know how everyone feels, but I was pretty dissapointed to find out a CVS was being built on Assembly Street. Of all of the new promising developments in the downtown area, I found this to be almost strange. I'm not at all excited about seeing another tacky, generic CVS building right on what I thought was a prime spot more suited for a taller structure or apartment building. With the exception of the gas station across the street this CVS seems very out of place. I don't know anything about how land leasing deals like this work, but I don't want to see Assembly street become a fast food/retail strip. The Wendy's and gas station is enough. This is not suburbia.

I rode pass there earlier and the CVS does seem out of place. It's defintely not a urban CVS!!!! I guess it'll work well for USC but it still should have been located else where. They already have one on Rosewood and another on Harden St. by Palmetto Richland I don't see the use for another one.

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Even almighty Charlotte isn't immune from what is essentially a suburban CVS in Uptown...but its saving grace appears to be adaptive reuse, something Columbia is certainly no stranger to:

37338724-L.jpg

(photo courtesy of Dubone)

Wow! Now THAT is more like it. I wouldn't mind such a CVS as that one bit. Too bad they didn't do the same here . .

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Wow! Now THAT is more like it. I wouldn't mind such a CVS as that one bit. Too bad they didn't do the same here . .

Maybe the Assembly Street CVS will look good, too. If not, we need to call the architectural review board on it. We could flood one of their hearings or meetings or whatever they're called and let them know we won't stand for slackness anymore, no matter who the chain is.

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Maybe the Assembly Street CVS will look good, too. If not, we need to call the architectural review board on it. We could flood one of their hearings or meetings or whatever they're called and let them know we won't stand for slackness anymore, no matter who the chain is.

I spoke with a well-placed downtown development official this week who said it will "probably look like crap." It was also suggested that we write letters to The State about it and get some dialogue going.

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Maybe the Assembly Street CVS will look good, too. If not, we need to call the architectural review board on it. We could flood one of their hearings or meetings or whatever they're called and let them know we won't stand for slackness anymore, no matter who the chain is.

I agree.

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If there is anything we can do or want to do it will have to be soon. This to me is becoming a joke. I just dont' get it. Why would that be going there? I mean it looks like it's going to be the avg CVS and that is absolutely absurd to be located in this location. It just doesn't even make sense. You replace a university midrise with a one story drugstore?? This basically contradicts everything we have seen and believe in about the "new" Columbia. It just doesn't even make sense. I still think CVS belongs on the bottom floor of Cornell Arms or Claire tower. Not a freestanding store on Columbia's busiest throughway. I guess you have to make up your opinion. Do we need a drugstore downtown so bad that it should take up this kind of real estate? Why can't it be a few streets back like Gervais and Barnwell or something. I just don't get it. It seems like we just took several steps back in the new development standards of downtown.

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If there is anything we can do or want to do it will have to be soon. This to me is becoming a joke. I just dont' get it. Why would that be going there? I mean it looks like it's going to be the avg CVS and that is absolutely absurd to be located in this location. It just doesn't even make sense. You replace a university midrise with a one story drugstore?? This basically contradicts everything we have seen and believe in about the "new" Columbia. It just doesn't even make sense. I still think CVS belongs on the bottom floor of Cornell Arms or Claire tower. Not a freestanding store on Columbia's busiest throughway. I guess you have to make up your opinion. Do we need a drugstore downtown so bad that it should take up this kind of real estate? Why can't it be a few streets back like Gervais and Barnwell or something. I just don't get it. It seems like we just took several steps back in the new development standards of downtown.

I don't know what happened with that store, the whole project doesn't make sense. It could have been located in one of the new garages being built a couple of blocks away. The CVS is such a waste in that location, but a pharmacy was needed in that area - it needs to be architecturally pleasing, though.

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I don't know what happened with that store, the whole project doesn't make sense. It could have been located in one of the new garages being built a couple of blocks away. The CVS is such a waste in that location, but a pharmacy was needed in that area - it needs to be architecturally pleasing, though.

I like that idea. And your right about a pharmacy in that area. It's just not worth this though obviously. Especially since CVS's and other drugstores are way more than just pharmacies anymore. And then if the CVS goes out of business (like every other drug store in the area has) what will become of the site? This is an area of real estate that should have a guaranteed productive development located on it. It certainly shouldn't be that hard to find one.

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