West Columbia, Cayce & Downtown Lexington

[emerging.me]

That would be like next to the chicken plant, wouldn't it?

I'm doing a bad job of describing it. It's actually off Violet Street. The property overlooks Jarvis Klapman, but is not accessible from there, obviously. Here's a map.

[Captain Worley]

Hmmm...I hope it can revitalize that area. There are some decent homes back there, but 'gritty' is a pretty good euphamism.

[emerging.me]

Hmmm...I hope it can revitalize that area. There are some decent homes back there, but 'gritty' is a pretty good euphamism.

There are. I think it will clean up pretty quickly once we get the chicken plant moved -- I'm not speaking negatively of the people that live in there, but of the slum lords that don't keep up the properties. I keep hearing that West Columbia has "big plans" for that area, but don't know any real details. I spoke to a well-placed gentleman the other day who said something to the effect of, "Oh man! I wish I could tell you everything that's going to happen!" I wouldn't be surprised if a developer has their eye on the Capitol Square shopping center. We've said this before, but it would be a great spot for a "town center" development.

Edited April 10, 2007 by emerging.me

[Spartan]

I see. I wouldn't have thought of this area. That site is a prime location for a highrise with a nice view though.

I think West Columbia in general has the most potential, probably the most in Lexington County, to become a cool urban place- even more than Cayce. It has a lot of issues to work out, but it already has many key features in place to take advantage of:

• State Street/Vista West (possible urban village)
  
• Triangle City (possible urban village)
  
• Great skyline view
  
• Prime access to downtown Columbia with lower costs of living
  
• Well connected street network
  
• The Avenues
  
• A mill village (I forget the name?)
  
• Other large neighborhoods in place
  

There is a lot of work and cleaning up to do, but like emerging.me said, its a lot of slum lords who don't maintain their property. I percieve that there is a lack of pride in W. Columbia as a whole. All of this COULD be changed. It will take more than crappy developments near the Congaree River though. W Columbia could use the river as a starting point and move back from there. I just hope there is enough vision within the elected government to DO SOMETHING about it.

[Captain Worley]

What is West Columbia doing with that tract of land near the end of the Gervais Street bridge? I've seen plans for condos, and plans for parks (which that area was back in the 20s and 30s), but nothing in stone.

I love that mill village and think it would be a great investment to buy a house there and fix it up. Sadly, most of them are rentals and suffer from many years of neglect. Also, though my wife an I have an attachment to the village (we met each other there), the houses are too close together for us. The Avenues works much better for us.

I have high hopes for Triangle City. That could be a great funky urban village the way Five Points used to be.

[JT Boy]

I see. I wouldn't have thought of this area. That site is a prime location for a highrise with a nice view though.

I think West Columbia in general has the most potential, probably the most in Lexington County, to become a cool urban place- even more than Cayce. It has a lot of issues to work out, but it already has many key features in place to take advantage of:

• State Street/Vista West (possible urban village)
  
• Triangle City (possible urban village)
  
• Great skyline view
  
• Prime access to downtown Columbia with lower costs of living
  
• Well connected street network
  
• The Avenues
  
• A mill village (I forget the name?)
  
• Other large neighborhoods in place
  

There is a lot of work and cleaning up to do, but like emerging.me said, its a lot of slum lords who don't maintain their property. I percieve that there is a lack of pride in W. Columbia as a whole. All of this COULD be changed. It will take more than crappy developments near the Congaree River though. W Columbia could use the river as a starting point and move back from there. I just hope there is enough vision within the elected government to DO SOMETHING about it.

Excellent points Spartan. I completely agree about the potential for West Columbia (and for Cayce). My hope is that the city leaders don't try and compete with the fringe suburbs but take advantage of their "old school" urban grid and density, and proximity to the river and downtown Columbia. I also hope that WeCo leaders learned their lesson from the abysmal development along the Riverwalk - that thing is just an embarassing white elephant and a slap in the face to the beauty of the Riverwalk. I understand that there are plans underway to develop that big dead space between the Riverwalk park and the Meeting Street bridge. This would also be a huge boost to West Columbia's progress.

Edited April 10, 2007 by JT Boy

[Spartan]

Actually, I think that Cayce is in a far less desirable spot so far as urban development is concerned. Cayce is already the "better" of the two cities in so far as it has nicer and more wealthy neighborhoods, but it just doesn't have the potential for cool urban places like West Columbia has at this point. It will continue to see suburban style growth to be sure. But as far as urban growth, Cayce could get in a few highrises and perhaps enhance its neighborhoods some, but I think the future appeal of W. Columbia will be much, much greater than that of Cayce.

[Captain Worley]

A lot of the undeveloped parts of Cayce are also wetlands, so they're off limits for development. There is plenty that could be done along Knox Abbott, though.

[krazeeboi]

West Columbia is just geographically in a better position than Cayce. Maybe if riverfront development every hits south of Blossom in Columbia, Cayce may get a jumpstart. But other than that, West Columbia is definitely in a better position.

[Captain Worley]

I'm not holding my breath for riverfront development in Cayce, since SCE&G owns all the riverfront land south of Riverland park on Old State Road.. I've heard its classified as wetlands and SCE&G is using it if they need wetland offsets in the future.

[Spartan]

River adjacent is more like it. There was a 15 storey tower propsed on that site across from Monterrey's in Cayce a few years back but nothing ever came of it. Thats still a ways back from the river.

[Captain Worley]

^ I thought that tower was supposed to go between the river and the Riverside Inn...

What is that property across from Monterrey's going to be used for? A while back someone mentioned a park, which would be great for access to the Riverwalk from Knox Abbott.

[emerging.me]

^ I thought that tower was supposed to go between the river and the Riverside Inn...

What is that property across from Monterrey's going to be used for? A while back someone mentioned a park, which would be great for access to the Riverwalk from Knox Abbott.

I, too, thought that tower was proposed for the property between the inn and the river. I've heard recently that there's talk of putting another neighborhood in there. Hope it's better than the others.

You know... The Guinyard brickworks area there should be made into a park that connects to the Riverwalk. It's a historic site and it's right there at the entrance. They just need to add some signage and some paths and benches. There should also be more defined connectivity between the network of parks in Cayce -- the Riverwalk should appear to go up from the river and connect to Guinyard Park along Knox Abbott, and State Street Park in the Avenues.

Spartan... we are completely off topic -- my fault probably. Should we move some of these threads to more general established topic?

Edited April 11, 2007 by emerging.me

[Spartan]

No its ok. I'm going to change the title of this to a more general West Columbia developments thread, which willl of course include the Cityline Condo project. I like where this disucssion is going

[Spartan]

I moved the discussion on Triangle City from a few days/weeks ago to this thread from the Columbia Area Developments thread

[Captain Worley]

I, too, thought that tower was proposed for the property between the inn and the river. I've heard recently that there's talk of putting another neighborhood in there. Hope it's better than the others.

Hmm..they must be planning something pretty dense because there's already an older neighborhhod back there. They have already put a couple of 8-10 house McMansion developemnets back in that area, so i guess it could be done, bbut I have an uneasy feeling you aren't going to like it.

You know... The Guinyard brickworks area there should be made into a park that connects to the Riverwalk. It's a historic site and it's right there at the entrance. They just need to add some signage and some paths and benches. There should also be more defined connectivity between the network of parks in Cayce -- the Riverwalk should appear to go up from the river and connect to Guinyard Park along Knox Abbott, and State Street Park in the Avenues.

Cayce's got an impressive number of parks, plus bike lanes down Knoxx Abbott. They've done a really good job, but I don't think they promote themselves enough. Maybe they want to keep it on the down-low <shrugs>.

[digital_sandlapper]

I, too, thought that tower was proposed for the property between the inn and the river. I've heard recently that there's talk of putting another neighborhood in there. Hope it's better than the others.

You know... The Guinyard brickworks area there should be made into a park that connects to the Riverwalk. It's a historic site and it's right there at the entrance. They just need to add some signage and some paths and benches. There should also be more defined connectivity between the network of parks in Cayce -- the Riverwalk should appear to go up from the river and connect to Guinyard Park along Knox Abbott, and State Street Park in the Avenues.

Spartan... we are completely off topic -- my fault probably. Should we move some of these threads to more general established topic?

You are right--making the Giugnard brickworks property the entrance to the River Walk seems a no-brainer! Let's hope that the Cayce town fathers are in negotiations now.

I disagree that West Columbia is "in a better position than Cayce" like someone said in an earlier post. Cayce has A LOT going for it that W. Columbia does not, and vice-versa, so they are equally on the verge of something great, IMO. Cayce's part of the Riverwalk is MUCH nicer than what is in W. Cola., it has the much nicer Knox Abbott corridor, is home to Brookland-Cayce HS and its growth, and even has a potential "downtown" area across from the quarry entrance. With all those college kids in Cayce within walking distance, I can't believe the owners of these properties haven't re-developed these buildings into cool cafes and bars. Also, the dumb--- that owns the old motel on the corner of State and Knox Abbott--that could be renovated into student housing or a great tiki bar/restaurant, but instead sits empty. Get a clue, developers! Wish I had some $$$ for such . . .

Edited April 11, 2007 by digital_sandlapper

[Spartan]

I think you missed my qualifier^

Cayce is in a better situation right now, but I think W Columbia is in a better position for the future in regards to urban development. Right now their position as I see it is "unrealized potential." They have a great foundation upon which they can build a distinct place. They just need the vision to realize what they have and make the most of it. I haven't heard otherwise. It sounds like with a plan for Triangle City, they are moving forward in the right direction.

Meeting Street needs a lot of work. Triangle City needs a lot of work. Sunset Blvd needs a lot of work. The whole city needs work. But West Columbia gives off an urban vibe that Cayce doesn't. It already has the urban institutions in place to make it a great place. It just needs to wake up and realize what its sitting on.

Cayce on the other had, while nice in appearance, just gives off a more suburban vibe to me. There isn't any place that has the potential to become another urban village today. That certainly doesn't mean that there can't be one, just that I don't see where that could happen. That shopping center on State St where Winn-Dixie used to be could become something much better, but again- that would have to be created from scratch rather than building on a foundation.

[krazeeboi]

Triangle City needs a lot of work. Sunset Blvd needs a lot of work. The whole city needs work. But West Columbia gives off an urban vibe that Cayce doesn't. It already has the urban institutions in place to make it a great place. It just needs to wake up and realize what its sitting on...Cayce on the other had, while nice in appearance, just gives off a more suburban vibe to me.

Those are my perceptions as well.

[Captain Worley]

Also, the dumb--- that owns the old motel on the corner of State and Knox Abbott--that could be renovated into student housing or a great tiki bar/restaurant, but instead sits empty. Get a clue, developers! Wish I had some $$$ for such . . .

I've thought the exact same thing, but I have a feeling that there may be asbestos issues that make that unfeasible. The owners asked Cayce for 128K to help with demolition, but I'm not sure if Cayce desided to go ith it.

It really is a shame, because that would make for some great efficiency apatments.

You're right about the mini-downtown at the quarry entrance. That could be revialized without a whole lot of work and would be within an easy walk of Sterling.

[emerging.me]

You're right about the mini-downtown at the quarry entrance. That could be revialized without a whole lot of work and would be within an easy walk of Sterling.

That was the original Cayce "downtown" as I'm sure many of you know. I read somewhere that they were planning on doing some streetscaping down there.

[digital_sandlapper]

Cayce is in a better situation right now, but I think W Columbia is in a better position for the future in regards to urban development. Right now their position as I see it is "unrealized potential." They have a great foundation upon which they can build a distinct place. They just need the vision to realize what they have and make the most of it. I haven't heard otherwise. It sounds like with a plan for Triangle City, they are moving forward in the right direction.

Meeting Street needs a lot of work. Triangle City needs a lot of work. Sunset Blvd needs a lot of work. The whole city needs work. But West Columbia gives off an urban vibe that Cayce doesn't. It already has the urban institutions in place to make it a great place. It just needs to wake up and realize what its sitting on.

Cayce on the other had, while nice in appearance, just gives off a more suburban vibe to me. There isn't any place that has the potential to become another urban village today. That certainly doesn't mean that there can't be one, just that I don't see where that could happen. That shopping center on State St where Winn-Dixie used to be could become something much better, but again- that would have to be created from scratch rather than building on a foundation.

Spartan, I agree with you that W. Cola. does have an urban feel in parts. Also, you are right that it has so much potential, and the areas you mentioned need lots of work. But Cayce DOES have a downtown area, as I described in my post, and the others below mention:

You're right about the mini-downtown at the quarry entrance. That could be revialized without a whole lot of work and would be within an easy walk of Sterling.

That was the original Cayce "downtown" as I'm sure many of you know. I read somewhere that they were planning on doing some streetscaping down there.

Have you not seen this area of Cayce, Spartan? If not, ride down State Street past Knox Abbott, the high school, and keep going until you start seeing the old "downtown" buildings. There is a cluster of some in two places near each other. With some $$$, this could be a primo setting for a cool village with cafes, coffeehouses, boutiques, and watering spots. The surrounding Avenues area, as well as several apartment complexes, is loaded with college students, young couples, retirees, and everything in between. One of the main entrances to the River Walk is right there, providing even more potential visitors. It could really be a huge asset to Cayce, and the town fathers should be publicly flogged for totally neglecting it!

[emerging.me]

Have you not seen this area of Cayce, Spartan? If not, ride down State Street past Knox Abbott, the high school, and keep going until you start seeing the old "downtown" buildings. There is a cluster of some in two places near each other. With some $$$, this could be a primo setting for a cool village with cafes, coffeehouses, boutiques, and watering spots. The surrounding Avenues area, as well as several apartment complexes, is loaded with college students, young couples, retirees, and everything in between. One of the main entrances to the River Walk is right there, providing even more potential visitors. It could really be a huge asset to Cayce, and the town fathers should be publicly flogged for totally neglecting it!

I agree 100% digi. I'm sure I did read on some public documents where Cayce was at least considering a streetscaping project there -- I'll see if I can dig it up. One of the more significant structures down there has recently been renovated. The area also has historic significance... the last building on the right before you get to the railroad yard was originally W.J. Cayce's store -- the city's namesake.

[Captain Worley]

The State paper said yesterday that the Cayce School, now abandonded, will be redeveloped into 24 homes, but didn't elaborate on the TYPE of homes.

[krazeeboi]

Here's the article on some developments going on right across the river in Cayce and West Columbia. Here are some of the projects planned: