Innovista

[dobboard]

Innovista appears to be a major flop.

[Captain Worley]

That's pretty much my take on it so far. Who knows what'll happen when the economy picks back up, though.

Edited April 8, 2009 by Captain Worley

[krazeeboi]

Innovista appears to be a major flop.

I wouldn't say that, since the project has actually started already. It's the private buildings that are having trouble, and it appears as though the wrong developer was picked from the start. Hopefully, Innovista will reap some benefits from the recent NHA convention.

[Spartan]

They also got the first buildings open right when the economy started tanking.

[scnative]

USC has received the largest research award in school history - a $12.5 million federal grant to set up a research center on alternative fuels.

Article - WISTV

Edited May 1, 2009 by scnative

[Spartan]

This is a huge announcement for Innovista. The largest award in the history of USC is quite an accomplishment.

The USC news release says that they will "concentrate on designing and creating materials essential for engineering devices such as fuel cells, electrolyzers, electrodes, photovoltaics, combustion devices, fuel-processing devices and functional membranes and coatings. A key element of the center

[krazeeboi]

This is big. From USC's press release:

The center is one of 31 Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) being set up by DOE’s Office of Science at leading universities around the country for advanced scientific research on energy. Sixteen additional centers are being established at DOE national laboratories, non-profit organizations and private firms across the nation.

This is most definitely welcome news for Innovista as well as for the city of Columbia.

[growingup15]

Question everyone. Is Columbia still planning to build the master project(Innovista)

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/kraz...i/Innovista.jpg

http://www.freewebs.com/growingup15/Innovista.gif

[growingup15]

Ok i know this might a little off topic but check out my video on youtube on the city's projects. Its very good

[krazeeboi]

An item from the most recent agenda of the Planning Commission (April 6th):

This amendment is the application of the proposed new MX-2 zoning district and ID overlay

district to the Innovista area to implement the land use components of the Innovista Master

Plan. This area historically was populated with warehouse and manufacturing uses, which is

reflected in the largely industrial zoning classifications found here. This zoning makes it

difficult to develop a mixed-use or general commercial project which often results in the use

of PUD zoning, The City attempted to address some of these issues in the 1990s with the

application of the -PD overlay which restricted industrial uses and permitted restaurants and

residential by special exception. Much of the PD was replaced by the -DD, which allowed

residential as of right and launched urban design review. These initiatives were helpful, but

it remains that retail, university, and many service uses are not permitted and the land

development regulations promulgated by the M-1 and M-2 prescribe a development pattern

that is out of character with the urban, pedestrian-oriented development desired for this

district.

This rezoning will provide the land use tools necessary to achieve the goals of the Innovista

Master Plan. It will grant additional area for development through the reduction of setbacks

and required parking as well as increased height allowance. Uses are expanded to include

retail and research, while maintaining manufacturing on a limited scale. The ID applies

design guidelines similar to those previously employed by the DD area, but they have been

streamlined and adjusted to better respond to the more sparsely developed nature of this area

and the recommendations of the Plan. In addition, the ID provides a height transition next to

the residential neighborhoods on the south and the historic district to the north. Existing

PUD districts and the West Gervais Street Historic Commercial District remain unchanged.

Good to see the city is moving forward with this.

The minutes from this meeting can be found here, with the relevant discussion concerning Innovista starting on page 9. It's too much to post here but it's definitely worth a read.

[CorgiMatt]

Ok i know this might a little off topic but check out my video on youtube on the city's projects. Its very good

growingup15, I'd say you've just about grown up. That is a superb video. I hope you are posting it as far and wide as you can get it, and I think you should post it in the Columbia Tourism forum, the South Carolina's Beautiful Places forum, and The South's Next Rising Stars forum. You're doing what I dream of doing, and you beat me to it. I would have omitted the two or three blurred pictures, but other than that it's magnificent. Thank you.

Edited May 2, 2009 by CorgiMatt

[growingup15]

growingup15, I'd say you've just about grown up. That is a superb video. I hope you are posting it as far and wide as you can get it, and I think you should post it in the Columbia Tourism forum, the South Carolina's Beautiful Places forum, and The South's Next Rising Stars forum. You're doing what I dream of doing, and you beat me to it. I would have omitted the two or three blurred pictures, but other than that it's magnificent. Thank you.

Thanks corgimatt i made that video almost a year ago its very old.

[BryCola]

Question everyone. Is Columbia still planning to build the master project(Innovista)

First of all, Columbia is not building Innovista...USC is. And considering that a good number of the buildings are already up and running, the answer is obvious.

[growingup15]

Well that great to hear. thanks

[krazeeboi]

Nothing that we didn't know, but The State has an article about Innovista's slump as of late. The state of the credit market isn't helping the current developer. If he can't secure financing, the university may have to bring in another (3rd) developer. Not surprisingly, John Holder put his name in the hat the first time, but Craig Davis was picked instead. Holder is still expressing interest if the current developer can't get a loan.

Now I don't think it's good to see one developer associated with just about every new project in the city, but you've got to give Holder credit; he's really cashed in on the Columbia market and seems rather bullish about it. If he can make it happen and the current developer can't, let him have at it. He's got a good track record of actually getting projects completed in Columbia. And furthermore, making Innovista successful will make Adesso, which has had very slow sales, successful, so he'll have more of a stake in making sure that he can get financing for the Innovista buildings.

[CorgiMatt]

I absolutely agree.

[waccamatt]

If Holder can makes things happen, which he has proven he can, then it is the fault of the other developers if they can't compete. Most of Holder's projects have turned out well, so I think it would be a plus if he developed the buildings currently planned for Innovista. I think he probably realizes he tried to put the Adesso price-points too high and out of range for how the building turned out. It is nice, but it doesn't compare to some of the nicest condo/townhouse developments in town like The Heritage on Senate Street or City Club.

[lifer]

Good news - financing has finally been completed for Horizon II - construction will start ASAP.

[scnative]

Good news - financing has finally been completed for Horizon II - construction will start ASAP.

Can you please provide the source to this news?

[dobboard]

Good news - financing has finally been completed for Horizon II - construction will start ASAP.

That is GREAT news!

Edited July 8, 2009 by dobboard

[krazeeboi]

I would also like to see a source. But if so, that's definitely good news. Will the Horizon I and Discovery I buildings get upfitted as well?

[CorgiMatt]

They've said so many times they were going to start construction only to let the lot grow weeds till I won't believe it until I see beams coming up out of the ground, even with a source of the latest news cited on here.

[lifer]

They've said so many times they were going to start construction only to let the lot grow weeds till I won't believe it until I see beams coming up out of the ground, even with a source of the latest news cited on here.

I understand the skepticism - but I have seen the executed documents. Things should start happening very soon.

[dobboard]

Good to hear. Any idea if there are plans to bury the power lines along the Horizon block?

That area (Horizon, Addesso, Honors Dorm) has gone through a major transformation and would really look quite stunning if not for the mess of tangled lines that front the various buildings (especially Horizon I and Horizon II).

[krazeeboi]

I think I'll start calling that area the "vanilla intersection" for obvious reasons...LOL.