Historic Congaree Vista Developments

[scnative]

There are sidewalks on Huger St, from Gervais to I-126, except for in front of Springhill. I'm not sure about the rest of Huger.

Wow, I saw the old car wash place being torn down and a for sale sign go up, but had no idea there was already something in the works. I welcome this non-brick building. It's nice to see new projects coming off the ground, while others have stalled....aka Centre Vista.

That's right...sidewalks go from I-126 south on both sides down until Senate St. For some reason they were removed or just not present in front of Springhill Suites. As I stated before...if the complete Innovista plan takes place sidewalks would be continued from Senate to Blossom.

[dobboard]

Considering what was demolished, and what will be built on the site, this is a great addition to Gervais Street.

Good news.

[CorgiMatt]

Here's a larger rendering of the office/retail building to be built at Gervais and Pulaski; I think it will be cool to see such a contemporary building go in that spot amidst the traditional brick buildings:

Per the article, the 8,000 square-foot building will have individual entrances for retailers along Gervais and an open terrace area in the second floor. The terrace is a request of the second-floor office tenant. The project will reuse a building at the back of the site that had been part of an antiques mall and an adjacent structure that had been part of the antiques seller will be demolished to make way for parking. The two buildings will be connected by a 35-foot, plant-filled courtyard. The developer is in talks with potential tenants, but none have been officially secured as of yet.

I hate that part of the lot will be for parking, but I hope it isn't the part that front Lady Street even though something tells me it may be.

No part of the property fronts Lady Street. At Lady and Pulaski there's a little office supply store of some kind. The parking will be where they tear off part of the blond-colored building next to where the car wash or garage or whatever sat. In fact, I'm as glad they're going to renovate the existing blond building into what you see in the picture as I am about the new building, which incidentally of course is going to sit at the corner.

Edited July 9, 2009 by CorgiMatt

[waccamatt]

This is a small project, but it replaces an eyesore with what looks to be a pretty nifty design.

[emerging.me]

This is a small project, but it replaces an eyesore with what looks to be a pretty nifty design.

Rendering looks solid! Studio 2LR is a great design firm. Hope the follow through is there in construction.

[krazeeboi]

^It's one more piece of the puzzle that goes toward making Gervais a solid wall of restaurant/retail/residential from Assembly to Huger.

[waccamatt]

Slightly off topic, but my long term plan is to stay in my current house for about 10 years and then get a loft or condo in the heart of the Vista. At the rate things are happening, though, I might have to move up that timetable a bit, lol.

[digital_sandlapper]

Here's a larger rendering of the office/retail building to be built at Gervais and Pulaski; I think it will be cool to see such a contemporary building go in that spot amidst the traditional brick buildings:

Per the article, the 8,000 square-foot building will have individual entrances for retailers along Gervais and an open terrace area in the second floor. The terrace is a request of the second-floor office tenant. The project will reuse a building at the back of the site that had been part of an antiques mall and an adjacent structure that had been part of the antiques seller will be demolished to make way for parking. The two buildings will be connected by a 35-foot, plant-filled courtyard. The developer is in talks with potential tenants, but none have been officially secured as of yet.

I hate that part of the lot will be for parking, but I hope it isn't the part that front Lady Street even though something tells me it may be.

WOW! Very cool architecture! Wonder how that got by the Vista design gurus? Glad they are allowing it, and hope this is a sign of things to come all over Columbia--we need more modern design in our new buildings!

[krazeeboi]

WOW! Very cool architecture! Wonder how that got by the Vista design gurus?

I suppose they are starting to loosen up a bit. Remember, the retail spaces that are to front the new parking garage on Lady won't have a traditional red brick exterior either--at least from the preliminary renderings.

[Spartan]

Good. Red brick is over done. This will add some variety.

[Ronak]

Cupcakes!

A new store on Lincoln Street in the Vista is bringing the national cupcake trend to Columbia. Kristin Kuhlke, who started her first cupcakes-only store in Charleston three years ago, plans to open Cupcake in mid-August, across from the Blue Marlin restaurant.

http://www.thestate.com/101/story/867381.h...nk=omni_popular

[waccamatt]

Great; and I'm trying to lose weight.

I keep wanting to call you Ronak the Barbarian, but that was Conan, wasn't it?

[Ronak]

I keep wanting to call you Ronak the Barbarian, but that was Conan, wasn't it?

HAHA, yeah, it was Conan...although there was also a Kronak the barbarian:

http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix3/kronakthebarbarian.htm

I got bored one day and started doing random searches online.

[GvilleSC]

Cupcakes!

A new store on Lincoln Street in the Vista is bringing the national cupcake trend to Columbia. Kristin Kuhlke, who started her first cupcakes-only store in Charleston three years ago, plans to open Cupcake in mid-August, across from the Blue Marlin restaurant.

http://www.thestate.com/101/story/867381.h...nk=omni_popular

I believe I visited their store in Charleston, if it's the one on upper King. Good product! The one in Charleston was doing heavy business when I was there. It should be a good landing for Lincoln.

[johnpro318]

twelve14Pulaski project is coming one step closer to reality!

http://www.thestate.com/business/story/872733.html

[krazeeboi]

The State was really late in picking that story up. They basically said everything the article in the business journal already said.

[johnpro318]

Yeah I noticed that after I posted it haha.

[CorgiMatt]

A groundbreaking for the SC Bar's new three-story conference center at Park and Hampton in the Vista will take place September 2nd.

http://www.columbiabusinessreport.com/news...-columbia?rss=0

[GamecockEngineer]

I hate it when they don't provide renderings.

[CorgiMatt]

I remember reading about the design. It is supposed to be sensitive to its surroundings. The roofing materials and design were of special note, but I forget the details.

In The State this morning it says the Bar has 13,000 members and that the new center will be a central place where attorneys from all over the state will come for training, training that will often last more than a day. That will mean attorney's wallets and purses being opened in the Vista and other parts of downtown. Its location was decided upon because the Bar wanted to be a part of downtown's revitalization and because there are so many attorney's offices on or near Main Street. The location is quite strategic for both Main Street and the Vista.

[CorgiMatt]

Here's a color rendering of the South Carolina Bar's new conference center to be built at Park and Hampton.

[krazeeboi]

^Looks to be a decent "filler" building, but I grow weary of these buildings occupying just a corner of these lots with the rest of the space going to surface parking (I've seen the site plan). But there's just really no other option in auto-centric cities like Columbia.

[CorgiMatt]

It sure beats parking in front.

[Spartan]

I guess since it's on Hampton it doesn't need a better street frontage. It's "ok."

[CorgiMatt]

A potential major tie-in between the Vista and the CBD is occurring. The old John Paul's Armadillo building is undergoing renovations inside and out to become a new restaurant and they're taking down the pear trees that hide the front of the building. A couple of new trees there with a higher canopy should make the building an eye-catcher that will go beautifully with the renovated old armory building next door.