West Columbia, Cayce & Downtown Lexington

[emerging.me]

I've said more than a few times that West Columbia should be looking at the NoDa neigborhood in Charlotte as a model for their redevelopment. Got an email from a developer contact the other night saying that the city is indeed hoping to become something similar. I don't know if they're spying on our posts here or not, but that's fine with me if it moves things along. Specifically, the SteelGardens development in NoDa was mentioned... It's a former steel mill village that is being redeveloped into a cool 'hood:

http://steelgardens.com/Home/

Edited April 25, 2007 by emerging.me

[803metlife]

Shops, restaurants and offices are planned for one of the most prime pieces of real estate along the Midlands

[emerging.me]

Shops, restaurants and offices are planned for one of the most prime pieces of real estate along the Midlands’ urban riverfront.

Developer Wade Caughman and his partner Wes Taylor are buying nearly 4 acres of land at the State and Meeting street intersection from the city of West Columbia for $3.85 million. A bank, coffee shop, ice cream shop, pizzeria, retail stores and a family-style restaurant already have agreed to be tenants.

Excellent! What's the source on this? I missed it. Also, can we move this to the West Columbia thread? I had recently posted there a rumor I'd heard that that parcel would *not* be sold as one and that the city was just going to parcel it out. Would have been a crap development. This sounds more promising. Glad to see something finally going on there! But no more skyline views from House Coffee.

Edited July 31, 2007 by emerging.me

[krazeeboi]

Posts have been moved.

[emerging.me]

Excellent! What's the source on this? I missed it. Also, can we move this to the West Columbia thread? I had recently posted there a rumor I'd heard that that parcel would *not* be sold as one and that the city was just going to parcel it out. Would have been a crap development. This sounds more promising. Glad to see something finally going on there! But no more skyline views from House Coffee.

I see it now... in The State. Along with a HUGE valentine to Wade Caughman.

Edited July 31, 2007 by emerging.me

[Captain Worley]

Watch how fast prices in the mill village rise now, emerging.me!

[krazeeboi]

So this development is for that vacant piece of property between State Street and the Riverwalk that we've been talking about? Sounds like it's going to have some nice density to it.

[Captain Worley]

That's it. I'm sure it'll be more appealing to the eye than Fast Freddie's and the used car lot.

[krazeeboi]

If not, something's wrong.

[krazeeboi]

Apparently, the chicken plant won't be moving any time soon.

[Captain Worley]

That photo really shows what a small footprint the chicken plant has. I had a feeling it wasn't going anywhere soon.

[emerging.me]

That photo really shows what a small footprint the chicken plant has. I had a feeling it wasn't going anywhere soon.

It may have a small footprint, but its "noseprint" is huge! hahaha. wokka wokka wokka.

[Captain Worley]

It may have a small footprint, but its "noseprint" is huge! hahaha. wokka wokka wokka.

I have honestly never smelled it from the road, the strip mall across the street, or The Eggroll Station. And I've lived in the area for well over a decade. Granted, I don't live close to the plant, so I can't give a 24/7 report, but I am in the area a lot.

Is it that much worse on the Riverwalk?

What's the latest on the blue building next to Ed's Editions?

[emerging.me]

I have honestly never smelled it from the road, the strip mall across the street, or The Eggroll Station. And I've lived in the area for well over a decade. Granted, I don't live close to the plant, so I can't give a 24/7 report, but I am in the area a lot.

Is it that much worse on the Riverwalk?

What's the latest on the blue building next to Ed's Editions?

Ha! I guess it's not THAT bad... it's stinky on the Riverwalk and I can smell it driving over the Jarvis Klapman bridge every once in a while. I just wish it would move....

[BryCola]

Ha! I guess it's not THAT bad... it's stinky on the Riverwalk and I can smell it driving over the Jarvis Klapman bridge every once in a while. I just wish it would move....

I drive by it everyday, and have never smelled it. But I want it to move because our riverfront has SOOOOO much potential...but as long as that eyesore is there, that part of the river will never develop into anything cool. It may have a small footprint, but there's only so much riverfront. And having that nasty thing taking up so much prime space is such a huge shame. And it's also a shame how little the owners seem to care. (and yes, I realize they're in business to make money)

[Spartan]

Obviously, the larger point here is that a chicken plant on the river is not good for what West Columbia needs to do to improve its quality of life. You can't force anyone to move, and they know they are sitting on a goldmine of a site. Its going to be a while longer I think.

[waccamatt]

The plant employs 800 people; I can think of worse things to be located there. Maybe WC could just spend some money on dressing up the outside...a little paint, a nice (tall fence, etc. would help. I've never noticed a smell coming from the plant so I don't think that's a huge issue.

[StephenW]

From The State (Friday 8/17) Letters to the Editor

[emerging.me]

From The State (Friday 8/17) Letters to the Editor

[TheSuperPope]

Processing chicken... the new american pasttime

[krazeeboi]

The funny thing is that guy seems to be serious.

[scguy88]

There have been signs for a Zoning meeting on the large chunk of land at the corner of Knox Abbot and Alexander (right across the Blossom St Bridge across from Monterrey's). I think a while back someone said Columbia property owner Arnold? owned it and was sitting on it. Just wondering if anyone knew of any plans for that property? Whatever goes there has the possibility to make a great tie-in to Cayce/West Columbia and the Riverwalk. I think the signs are asking for rezoning for general commercial and residential and include all of the square property blocked in by knox abbot and Alexander's curve.

[emerging.me]

This brings a point to mind... Maybe we should expand the scope of this thread to include Cayce -- I know we've already talked plenty about it here, but the change should probably be reflected in the title. Whatcha think, mods? This West Columbia and Cayce stuff runs together so often...

Good eye on the zoning spotting. I hadn't noticed that! I checked that parcel on the Lexington County website and verified that it's still owned by Indigo Associates. If I'm not mistaken that's Jimmy Skipper -- a prominent Cayce/West Columbia landowner. Hope something cool goes in there!

[scguy88]

I actually stopped and read the signs today. Apparently the meeting was back in August and was requesting rezoning from general commercial and residential to Mixed Use Development.

[Spartan]

I wonder if this is the rebirth of the 15 storey condo tower that was proposed for that site about 3 or 4 years ago?