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Historic Congaree Vista Developments


CorgiMatt

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Four indications that Urban Outfitters is coming to the Charlton Hall building:

1. They were already bidding downtown on Main Street last year

2. The free times said last week that Urban Outfitters was slated for the Vista

3. The state newspaper reported a few weeks ago that the Charlton Hall building will get a major overhaul

4. Also the state newspaper reported a few weeks ago that a 'game changing' tenant is to be announced in the Vista

Do you have a link to the article (#4) in The State?.  It got past me somehow.

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  • 1 month later...

The State confirmed tonight that Urban Outfitters is opening on Gervais St. this summer. Great news for Columbia and a real coup for the Vista!

 

That is awesome. Always fun to peek into those when I visit towns. They usually are really good at creating a unique retail space from old buildings. 

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American Outfitters, which markets to a similar crowd, had a store in Five Points years ago that didn't last too long. I think locating in the Vista was brilliant and I think Columbia's downtown retail market has matured enough to support big national retailers like Urban Outfitters. This is great news that will hopefully build upon itself. I think Columbia could someday have the cool downtown feel of an Athens, GA or Austin, TX if this keeps up.

 

EDIT: American Apparel. Can't believe I transposed the two stores.

Edited by carolinagarnet
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A chain-link fence is now up in front of the State Museum entrance where they will be putting a new face on the entrance and enhancing the roof line.  The space observatory construction on the end closer to Huger Street is full steam ahead.  This development, Canal Front adjacent to EdVenture Children's Museum, the improvements for pedestrians on Gervais Street, stores like Urban Outfitters and other Vista announcements, along with Main Street's growing energy, will put a lot more feet on the street.      

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American Outfitters, which markets to a similar crowd, had a store in Five Points years ago that didn't last too long. I think locating in the Vista was brilliant and I think Columbia's downtown retail market has matured enough to support big national retailers like Urban Outfitters. This is great news that will hopefully build upon itself. I think Columbia could someday have the cool downtown feel of an Athens, GA or Austin, TX if this keeps up.

I think you're referring to American Apparel, which closed many of their locations across the country. I was disappointed when they closed because I liked their t-shirts. 

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  • 1 month later...

Try this one. It appears the corner of Gervais and Wayne will be landscaped parking for the restaurant with the restaurant facing Wayne. In an ideal world, 100% of corners would be built out, but landscaped parking will beat the little boarded up gas station that's been sitting there for years.

https://www.columbia.sc.gov/cocextranet/assets/File/PlanningDevelopmentServices/BoardsCommisions/Agendas/PDS_DDRC_Packet_2012_10_11_Gervais_619_Eval.pdf

 

I was wondering how this project got approved with parking facing Gervais. In reading the minutes of the meeting, I see where guidelines demand new projects to be built right up to the street edge, but this isn't mandated when it comes to redevelopment of existing buildings (p. 22). It seems to me that a change should be considered in this regard to increase and maintain the pedestrian friendliness of the Vista and Gervais Street. After all, the development next door (TD Ameritrade building, twelve14 Pulaski) consists of new construction that fronts Gervais with redevelopment of the rear building--and that turned out really great.

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^ I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that the developers could claim that building a new structure with street frontage would cause substantial hardship (which it would). I wish the street frontage was consistent, but a Chipotle parking lot is infinitely better than a dilapidated gas station. At least the entrance to the lot is not on Gervais Street as that would be an invitation for car accidents.

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They hardly touched the existing building in general except to gut it.  While the city should update the guidelines, and while the parking lot there isn't ideal, the contractors have installed an iron (or gray heavy metal) fence and lined it with shrubbery, and they've planted a tree on the corner that will join with an existing young live oak tree on the corner to buffer the site.  And there's a sidewalk on Gervais as well.  The maturing of the trees will define the corner a lot more than it is now.

Edited by CorgiMatt
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  • 2 months later...

I've been reading this site for over a year but this is my first post.

 

This video http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=239149

mentions the "West Columbia City Council" examining developing the big open space in West Columbia just across the bridge. Anyone know what happened with this?

Edited by alexstro
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I've been reading this site for over a year but this is my first post.

This video http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=239149

mentions the "West Columbia City Council" examining developing the big open space in West Columbia just across the bridge. Anyone know what happened with this?

I hope you find your answer, and welcome to the forum! Post away! Come visit us in the Greenville threads if you get the chance!

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Here are three snapshots of it I took today.

 

Bleh.

 

I've been reading this site for over a year but this is my first post.

 

This video http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=239149

mentions the "West Columbia City Council" examining developing the big open space in West Columbia just across the bridge. Anyone know what happened with this?

 

Welcome to UP! Hope you'll become an active participant!

 

In other news, the new Urban Outfitters on Gervais opens tomorrow with a grand opening on Saturday.

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Here is a pic of the bulbout @ Gervais and Lincoln.  Repaving is currently in progress so it should look much better once the crosswalks are repainted.

IMAG1869_zps01a041ab.jpg

I don't guess they're going to put in the new pedestrian crossing material this go-round.  I haven't heard anything about it.

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Finally got the new address

 

http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=239149

 

 

 

West Columbia, SC (WLTX) - West Columbia City Council will read a letter of intent to develop a four acre parcel off Gervais Street at their meeting Tuesday night.

The land connects the West Columbia Riverwalk to the string of restaurants and shops on State Street.

"When you look down state street it's got a certain feel," said Donna Smith, Director of Economic Development in West Columbia.  "State street was basically the first downtown of West Columbia and so it has a lot of historic value."

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I think the bulbouts are going to be great traffic calming devices. Just having the permanent cut-ins in the outside lane makes the road feel narrower and therefore more like a main street.

 

As for "the hole", I've been waiting so long for that connection to happen. Even if the development is somewhat suburban, I still think it will make the area feel more connected.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The state has an article up on the new renderings for the apartments at Blossom and Huger. I can never get to the actual agendas for the Design Review Commission (would love some advice on how to find these) but it's going before the board tomorrow. 

 

http://www.thestate.com/2013/08/06/2904603/new-blossom-and-huger-student.html

 

2dZS9.AuSt.74.jpg

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The state has an article up on the new renderings for the apartments at Blossom and Huger. I can never get to the actual agendas for the Design Review Commission (would love some advice on how to find these) but it's going before the board tomorrow. 

 

http://www.thestate.com/2013/08/06/2904603/new-blossom-and-huger-student.html

 

2dZS9.AuSt.74.jpg

Go to columbiasc.net and click on departments, then click on planning and development, then click on boards and commissions, then click on each board/commission and then on agenda.  That's columbiasc.net>departments>planning and development>boards and commissions>board/commission>agenda.  Once you click on agenda you can click on the date for the specific agenda you want to see.  I don't think I left out any clicks.

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I like those curb extensions. Those will do a lot to make Gervais feel more 'main streety.'

 

The Blossom/Huger apartment design looks similar to what has been posted before. I hope they are able to provide a connection underneath the Blossom St railroad bridge so that pedestrians can access Devine St to get to campus.

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I like those curb extensions. Those will do a lot to make Gervais feel more 'main streety.'

 

The Blossom/Huger apartment design looks similar to what has been posted before. I hope they are able to provide a connection underneath the Blossom St railroad bridge so that pedestrians can access Devine St to get to campus.

And they have marked the pavement for four defined crosswalks to be made of a different material for three intersections:  Gervais and Park, Gervais and Lincoln, and Gervais and Gadsden.

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