SCANA, The Vista and the riverfront (Columbia, Cayce: construction, zoning, fence)

[gsupstate]

Can't believe the city is letting SCANA get away with this. On prime riverfront property in The Vista (an area that is "supposed" to be pedestrian friendly), SCANA is building a substation and a 5 lane drive through service center. Horrible use of prime riverfront land.

Article from The State:
SCANA plans drive-through service center, substation in Vista - Business - TheState.com (http://www.thestate.com/2011/02/01/1673297/scana-plans-drive-through-service.html - broken link)

What is even worse though, is this response:
“This piece of property had amazing potential,” said Fred Delk, executive director of the Columbia Development Corp., which encourages and guides development in the Vista and other downtown areas. “But they own it, and they are putting it to a need they have. And in this economy, we are glad to see any construction.”
Read more: SCANA plans drive-through service center, substation in Vista - Business - TheState.com (http://www.thestate.com/2011/02/01/1673297/scana-plans-drive-through-service.html#ixzz1CiqJWun1 - broken link)

So, there is no fight against this? No negotiation for SCANA to build this in another place? What can the city do? Shouldn't Benji be on this?
Pathetic and a waste of prime land.....so much for the idea of redeveloping along the river.

[Woodlands]

Yeah ....South Carolina is a big property rights state and isnt SCANA is a quasi state agency so unless there are some zoning prohibitions there is not much that can be done. I HOPE that Fred Delk's shop did at least reach out to SCANA concerning the substation.. but here again those things are strategically placed so if they need one there.. then it had to go there. There are quite a few powerlines running up and down the riverfront and to relocate them for the sake of development and aesthetics may not be practical unless someone wants to kick out some major $$$ to SCANA to make it so.

I do think that they should screen it in on the sides where it is most visable. i have seen designs where brick facades and various types of screening have been placed in front of these types of facilities to lessen their visual impact.

[kingofCola]

yah so much for the Vista growing in size. It is Scana's prop so I figured they'd do something like this with it but the weird thing to me is not the substation but the five lane service station like really
there are enough people paying electric bills the old fashioned way or people who want to complain about their bills drive through window style instead of on the phone??

i spoke to a friend who works for SCANA and he was like "yah you'd be surprised how many people still pay their bills that way"

[Columbiadata]

It's a block and a half from the canal and won't interfere with the greenway, but SCE&G is still showing itself to be a poor corporate citizen to even request this.

[Greenville]

Originally Posted by Columbiadata

It's a block and a half from the canal and won't interfere with the greenway, but SCE&G is still showing itself to be a poor corporate citizen to even request this.

This is after SCANA abandoned their downtown highrise for the 'burbs, right?

[gsupstate]

Originally Posted by Columbiadata

It's a block and a half from the canal and won't interfere with the greenway, but SCE&G is still showing itself to be a poor corporate citizen to even request this.

So it's even closer to the center of the Vista than I realized. A shame.
I think the substation thing is much more repulsive than the payment center, though both are bad.

In reading everything about it though, the Fred Delk comment was the shocker, and he doesn't even work for SCANA...his job is to help guide the Vista.

[g-man430]

But it's a Fortune 500 company. That's the only thing that matters right? Go SCANA go. Rah, rah, rah.

[Columbiadata]

Cayce's true gem

[Columbiadata]

Even an electrical power substation will have to pass the aesthetics test the Vista requires. If it can't then it will be denied.

[kingofCola]

Only b/c there aren't multiple designs of these things.That would be like telling someone putting up powerlines that they have to be red.

The only thing SCG can do is put a fence to obscure it which they probably are planning on doing anyway but it'll remain an eyesore fence or no fence