Historic Congaree Vista Developments

[Captain Worley]

I think the better question is, what's a better site for Staybridge.

Waccamatt, that's how I would have gotten there from Elmwood.

[waccamatt]

What should have gone there instead?

Anything that wouldn't have created the number of people trying to turn right on Richland that a hotel will. I'm hoping maybe they will close Richland Street right there and force people to go one more block to the light at Laurel, otherwise there will be a terrible accident someday with someone coming around that blind curve from 126 too fast.

[CorgiMatt]

More people get into the left lane to turn left onto Richland, and that's harder than watching where you're going straight on after slowing down to 35 around that big curve, because they have to glance over your left shoulders for traffic coming off of Elmwood onto Huger around that curve. The highway department probably studied it closely.

[krazeeboi]

From 8/30:

I also see there's construction going on at 1231 Lincoln Street at the corner of Lincoln and Lady for a new pizza restaurant.

[scguy88]

Two zoning signs are up on Gervais St. One is next to "Hush" (beside the Regions bank branch) in the vacant storefront. I know there is an Oyster Bar coming somewhere, but I thought that was beside Nonnah's. Anyone know about this? The other is the vacant parking lot on the corner of Gervais & Assembly (by Doc's Gumbo). I was trying to read the sign while driving in traffic (prob not a good idea) and I thought I saw something about an eating establishment on it. Again, haven't heard anything about this. Anyone know? That spot should really be developed into something cool.

[CorgiMatt]

The Z signs in the building's window are for the restaurant itself and for leased off-site parking for the restaurant, and the Z signs at Assembly and Gervais are for the leased off-site parking that the restaurant will use. I don't know what kind of restaurant is opening there. The little space next to Nonnah's has been idle going on a couple of years now.

[krazeeboi]

Just took a look at the agenda for the next city council meeting. Looks like a new 118K sq ft office building is planned at 411 Senate, which is on the other side of Huger, across from the state department of agriculture laboratory building. Looks like Stevens and Wilkinson is designing it. That's a pretty decent size, being just a little over twice the square footage of the SCBT headquarters building at Gervais and Pulaski. Not sure who the tenants are though. With the addition of this office building and City Club, this area is starting to see something of a small transformation.

[krazeeboi]

Did a little more sleuthing (just a Google search really) and found out that this will be a 5-story, 118,200 sq ft commercial building housing a financial institution and a law firm (is it just me, or has Columbia been building a lot of those lately?). A 5

[CorgiMatt]

That, my friends, is very pretty, and I don't want any backtyping (backtalk).

[krazeeboi]

It actually somewhat reminds me of the SCBT headquarters building in terms of the basic architectural elements (pillars, brick and glass, top level, etc.).

[Spartan]

^That was my thought too, krazee. I think this is going to be a fairly generic building for the Vista, but it will be a good addition since it will be filling in that vacant lot. Its an interesting choice to front Senate St. I always wanted to see them continue the median on the entire length of that street even though its broken up by the railroad, etc.

[BrasilnSC]

Nice looking building and it's great to see another vacant lot get developed......but I see some drawbacks. First, there is no street level retail space (a restaurant facing Huger would be nice or even something facing Williams or Senate on the ground floor of the parking garage, anything that will create foot traffic after 5pm). Also, like Krazee said, the midblock driveways along Huger and Gervais are a big mistake IMO. Why not just have entrances along Senate and Williams Streets? The proposed drives on Huger and Gervais will most likely be right-in/right-out only and their proximity to Senate and Williams Streets (which basically serve the same purpose) makes them very redundant.

[Captain Worley]

That's a good looking building!

And, yes, there do seem to be a lot of law firm/financial building lately. I think that's a pretty good sign.

[dobboard]

Great news and a good looking building indeed. I just hate that it is right behind the McDonalds.

One day, the Huger St. corridor is going to be a very attractive portion of the city. Projects like this certainly help.

Is there a start date for construction?

[krazeeboi]

I think there might be some type of retail or commercial space on the ground level, but I'm not entirely sure. The site review plan talks about it some. But even if there isn't, I don't think it's really a big deal right now in that location (although it would be good for the future once that whole area starts filling out). The Huger/Gervais intersection is starting to bulk up a bit--even more so if/when the Kline development gets out the ground.

Not sure when construction is scheduled. I'll see what I can dig up about that.

[krazeeboi]

The rendering for this building also resembles the American City Building here in Charlotte, which I like; it's a good, solid building:

I wonder what bank will be housed in the new building?

As I said before, new buildings housing banking and law offices seem to be commonplace for Columbia these days. When you think about banking in particular, there appears to be an upward trend. The SCBT headquarters opened in 2003, First Citizens in 2006, the Tower at Main and Gervais will be the new home of NBSC, a renovated 1441 Main will be the new home of Wachvoia's Midlands headquarters, and now 411 Senate Street will house banking operations. That's a good trend to have in any city.

[Spartan]

Lets not forget Bank Meridian...

[krazeeboi]

^True.

[krazeeboi]

It was rumored here that there are whisperings of a hotel coming to the lot across from the old fire department HQ building. I think something like the Westin National Harbor in Prince Georges County, MD would look great at that location:

[emerging.me]

It was rumored here that there are whisperings of a hotel coming to the lot across from the old fire department HQ building. I think something like the Westin National Harbor in Prince Georges County, MD would look great at that location:

That's a very site-appropriate design example from the rumored chain -- of course I'd make a few tweaks. It even has a similar site grade from this angle. I would love to see a Westin or any Starwood hotel on that block.

Edited September 26, 2008 by emerging.me

[IRR-SC]

Here is an aerial that shows the Red Rock Development site behind McDonalds. Bill and David will do a great job on the development if it happens.

[krazeeboi]

That's a cool aerial. Imagine the new office building, CanalFront, and the Kline Steel development all completed. It would transform this area of the Vista.

[CorgiMatt]

What's the name of the hotel they're building at Huger and Lady? It would seem that the picture they have on site is a company portrait or something, because it has very little brick with none along the foundation, and on the building itself they had bricked all along the foundation (even higher) along Huger when I drove past it the other day. By the way, they are now framing the fifth floor.

[krazeeboi]

You're right about that, Corgi. Here's a rendering of the SpringHill Suites from the architect's (RBA Group) website:

Unless they are going with the original design, which had much more brick:

A construction shot from 10/4 is attached below.

[Spartan]

So now we have a dead corner and an uglier color scheme. Great.