Young suburbanite who loves the city moves into town (Columbia: to live in, stores)

[sportsgal]

I was just wondering ColumbiaData--do most people in Columbia consider Forest Acres the suburbs?

[kingofCola]

nope, Forest Acres while technically a seperate entity with it's own city hall etc is considered part of Columbia by 99% of folks.

[Charlestondata]

I'll put it this way. When I leave my house I can drive to the end of my block, turn left, go a block, turn left again, and drive exactly one mile to Zesto on Forest Drive; or I can go forward instead of making that last left and drive exactly a mile to CVS on Forest Drive, and then turn right toward downtown Columbia. You know how I feel about suburbia, and I almost never go the Zesto way. Forest Acres can't show me a downtown that looks like a downtown, so I'll have to answer your question in the affirmative, but that's just me.

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by sportsgal

I was just wondering ColumbiaData--do most people in Columbia consider Forest Acres the suburbs?

Forest Acres is the definition of a suburb - it is a separate incorporated and suburban area.

[Charlestondata]

That's right. Its founders incorporated to avoid paying Columbia city taxes. It's official mantra on its signs is "A City Apart."

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

Sure... but it's not really a city apart at all. If there were no sign, you'd never know you were in another "city". Same school district. Continuous neighborhoods between the two. If you're downtown and want to go see a movie, the closest wide-release theater (leaving aside indie theaters or anything on campus) is actually in Forest Acres. It's closer than the other theaters that are actually in Columbia, proper.

So, yes it's a suburb, technically, but it doesn't seem like one.

That's a funny thing about Columbia, from my perspective. Its borders are pretty arbitrary. There are lots of areas of West Columbia, Cayce, Forest Acres, etc., that are closer to the downtown area of Columbia than is much of the city, proper.

[Akhenaton06]

Forest Acres can best be described as an "anti-city."

[worldtraveler22]

forest acres is an acre of forest.

to akenaton: i like the anti city thing but i dont foresee rage against the machine playing there anytime soon lol

[Charlestondata]

A new member who likes the anti-city sentiment on City-data.com - interesting

[worldtraveler22]

oh no sorry columbiadata didnt mean that i am anti city. i have lived everywhere cities countrysides everything. i use to live in forest acres even. i am just anti society so i just get on these forums to screw with people and watch how easy it is to control everyones emotions and lines of thinking. its real easy all you have to do is say a small something here and watch everyone go to crap. its pathetic. but it wakes people up sometimes.