West Columbia, Cayce & Downtown Lexington

[digital_sandlapper]

Here are some pics I took recently of the Guignard Brick Works development:

Good to see the old brick kilns and support building are being saved (of course). It seems they are building streets within.

Old support building also being saved and reused somehow. Great!

I was disappointed that they demolished the handsome "Cayce" sign (in background along Knox Abbott). Not sure if it was planned to be done away with, or if it was accidental. They did manage to take off the letters beforehand, but this was after I noticed a couple of hits. It didn't seem to be in the way of anything, so not sure why it's gone.

New road looking west toward Alexander Street, with new bank on left.

New road looking north toward Alexander Street (after it curves east/west), with apartment complex in background.

I still haven't heard an explanation of what this project involves. There are no signs trumpeting anything. The State and other media have ignored it. I think I heard "mixed use", which would be ideal, but nothing definitive. Does anyone have a link to renderings? I want to see renderings!!

[waccamatt]

Thanks for posting the pics; I almost never go across the river and I haven't seen the progress of that development.

[Captain Worley]

I still haven't heard an explanation of what this project involves. There are no signs trumpeting anything. The State and other media have ignored it. I think I heard "mixed use", which would be ideal, but nothing definitive. Does anyone have a link to renderings? I want to see renderings!!

From what I've heard, they'd like to get mixed use in there, but there is no real plan yet. They are installing infrastructure hoping to make it more appealing to such development.

And I think the counterweight on an excavator took out the top right corner of the sign so they just decided to take it down. That's the way it looked to me.

[BrasilnSC]

I hope they at least have some kind of guidelines in place for whoever develops this property.....something urban / mixed-use / high-density.

Cayce really dropped the ball by allowing CVS to build such a mundane store at what could have been a prominent intersection (State and Knox Abbott). It's even worst than most suburban stores, with the building set back too far from the sidewalks and a sea of parking in between. They could have at least built the store up to the sidewalk, with parking along the side and in the rear. It's just awful planning and should not be allowed to happen.

Edited April 14, 2009 by BrasilnSC

[Captain Worley]

Gotta choose your battles, I guess. That lot sat with a vacant motel on it for 2-3 years without any takers and the CVS meets code. <shrugs> What can you do? I am amazed it is so close to, and on the same side of the road as, the one next to Joann's a mile or so away.

I was really surprised nobody glommed on to that hotel to turn into student apartments.

[Spartan]

I doubt that Cayce can make anything truly 'urban' happen. The best I'm expecting is some garden apartments like University Village and maybe a restaurant or something over looking the river. Or maybe instead of apartments its a gated townhome community.

[scnative]

"When everything's completed, we hope to develop the site with some retail space, office space and residential space to create a vibrant, mixed-use atmosphere," says Charlie Thompson, project manager for Thompson Co., a commercial property management company in Columbia, S.C. "This will all be organized around a town square feature in the center."

Article

[Captain Worley]

I doubt that Cayce can make anything truly 'urban' happen.

I suspect that's true. Doesn't fit in with Cayceland's vibe. The CVS kinda does. I do miss that HoJo's though. It was cool looking.

[Spartan]

"When everything's completed, we hope to develop the site with some retail space, office space and residential space to create a vibrant, mixed-use atmosphere," says Charlie Thompson, project manager for Thompson Co., a commercial property management company in Columbia, S.C. "This will all be organized around a town square feature in the center."

Article

Good find. I hope they do something great, but I'll be skeptical until I see some site plans and renderings.

[waccamatt]

I suspect that's true. Doesn't fit in with Cayceland's vibe. The CVS kinda does. I do miss that HoJo's though. It was cool looking.

I had my 10th birthday party at the old HOJO's Restaurant on the opposite corner.

[Captain Worley]

^See, I only knew it as Sambo's, then Jimbo's.

I'm glad Cayceland saw fit to preserve the Cinderella Coach. It is in the park by city hall and has been restored.

One thing I'm still upset about is the way CVS (Revco at the time) renovated the Parkland Pharmacy. It used to have an awesome, almost general storeish feel to it. All the corner glass was open so you could see the entire interior of the store from outside. used to be really cool.

[waccamatt]

^See, I only knew it as Sambo's, then Jimbo's.

I'm glad Cayceland saw fit to preserve the Cinderella Coach. It is in the park by city hall and has been restored.

One thing I'm still upset about is the way CVS (Revco at the time) renovated the Parkland Pharmacy. It used to have an awesome, almost general storeish feel to it. All the corner glass was open so you could see the entire interior of the store from outside. used to be really cool.

Sambo's and Jimbo's were down the block where Monterrey's is now. Hojo's was where the BofA building is located now.

[Captain Worley]

Are you sure? I'm pretty sure warehouses were across from Monterrey's (they were torn down 2005), and HoJos-->Sambo's-->Jimbo's-->BoA.

[krazeeboi]

I can't believe the restaurant was actually named "Sambo's" at one time.

[digital_sandlapper]

Sambo's and Jimbo's were down the block where Monterrey's is now. Hojo's was where the BofA building is located now.

Are you sure? I'm pretty sure warehouses were across from Monterrey's (they were torn down 2005), and HoJos-->Sambo's-->Jimbo's-->BoA.

The motel torn down used to be HoJo's, didn't it? The separate office/restaurant building looked like the classic A-frame HoJo's restaurant design. Regardless, I was very disappointed that it wasn't made into a cool restaurant (something we have NONE of in Cayce, but should with the hundreds of college students and young professionals around), and the lodging made into housing for students. Also, that HUMONGOUS lot was cleared, and all we get is a rinky-dink CVS?

I believe they ARE building a small branch bank in the remainder of the lot, to the left of CVS. It would have been cool if they would've built the CVS to the sidewalk, and parking in the rear, but Cayce is not that advanced in urban design guidelines (re: it has NO such guidelines, but should). The large landscaped area on the corner with the palmettos is city property, and two other corners are of similar design (BoA and Lizard's Thicket). Guignard Park is the fourth one, making that corner, albeit suburban, at least nicely landscaped.

The repaving of State Street is so nice (on my part), and long overdue! Woo-hoo! Can't wait until they finish it to West Columbia.

BTW, have y'all checked out West Cola.'s improved crosswalks and new traffic lights at State Street/Meeting Street? A huge improvement!

[JT Boy]

^See, I only knew it as Sambo's, then Jimbo's.

I'm glad Cayceland saw fit to preserve the Cinderella Coach. It is in the park by city hall and has been restored.

One thing I'm still upset about is the way CVS (Revco at the time) renovated the Parkland Pharmacy. It used to have an awesome, almost general storeish feel to it. All the corner glass was open so you could see the entire interior of the store from outside. used to be really cool.

I agree Captain. I was no longer living in Columbia when Parkland Pharmacy became a Revco, but was so sad to see it change. I used to love going in there as a child. They had a huge magazine and COMIC BOOK area and I loved to spend as much time as I could hanging out there. Loved their awesome old sign as well, huge and neon, very cool. Even if it was of a chemist's beaker pouring out drugs.

I was back in Cola. a few weeks ago and was disappointed, but not surprised, to see the CVS where the old HoJo's was. It is truly a very poor use of that prime spot

[Captain Worley]

I can't believe the restaurant was actually named "Sambo's" at one time.

The name came from the founders' names, but when they found out the association, they ran with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambo%27s

Edited April 16, 2009 by Captain Worley

[krazeeboi]

^Ran with it, or away from it?

[waccamatt]

^Ran with it, or away from it?

It's hard to believe it was actually a national chain at one time (before Krazee was born

[krazeeboi]

Yes, definitely before my time.

[Captain Worley]

I keep forgetting that the matts and I are the old folks in this bunch.

Krazee, they ran with it before they ran from it.

[krazeeboi]

^OK, I gotcha.

[Captain Worley]

Does anyone know what they are building between the Wendy's and the new Taco Bell on Knox Abbot? I'm hoping for a Central Park. Or a Chick-fil-A, but it looks too small for that.

As the CVS nears completion, it looks like there is room for something else to go in just to the west of it.

[CorgiMatt]

I can't figure that one out myself. A drive-through carwash comes to mind, but that makes no sense. Maybe it's a fancy storage or utility house for Taco Bell.

[waccamatt]

it might be a new Taco Bell like they built on Broad River Road across from the old one.