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GSP- you bring up many great points some times. However, I think your comments are really aimed at "getting back" at a few people, but painted as expert knowledge that is incredibly one sided. If you're tired of something, then state such. But you're stooping to levels that are just as low as your "rivals" and creating more debate on this forum that you suggest should stop... And, I'm not defending anyone. But you seem the most exasperated, but also a flame feeder...
Very true....the fortunate thing is that Assembly has the structure to be the best city road in SC. But, the state and city will have to come to agreements on funding and plans. The width of the street provides a ton of options on rebuilding the road.
Almost forgot, someone asked earlier why those in Columbia are harder on the city. I agree with that assessment. I spent over 20 years in the upstate and surprise, folks from Greenville were very very high on the city. And, that is not bad...although you do get tired of hearing how great the area is and then you see a city like Charlotte, well I won't go there. But, Columbia has a ton to be pleased with. I like that the city is not stale, it seems to have a vibe. While hard to describe, I see more of the diversity (political, demographic etc...) that is present in Charlotte in Columbia. There are business men/women, college students, professors, and many other professionals working around town. I have yet to visit Columbia when there are not people moving in many directions. I see groups of people on Main, The Vista, Five Points, the museums etc....that is nice to see.
The only answers I have are that Columbia is a capital city, government in SC is not highly respected and some hate Carolina and blame the school for bad things and Columbia for letting it happen. While it does not make sense, neither does a lot of things in life.
How true. Some hate both government and the Gamecocks, and when they won't open their minds to see that there is so much more to Columbia, they hate Columbia. Oh well, their loss.
The width does give a lot of options... hopefully they incorporate a large median, bike lanes, and wide sidewalks. I never understood the purpose of all the parking meters in the middle of the road. They are underused and difficult/annoying to park at.
Many people in Columbia put down their own city, probably for the reasons you described. Most people have an issue with at least one politician which makes it easy to blame the city for all their problems. Also, if someone isn't a USC fan, they have a tendency to put down the city as well. Most people think USC has too much control over the city and their decisions. If people would open their eyes they would see how much having these entities located in our city is a great thing instead of a reason to be embarrassed, then we would have a happier set of people in the area. A lot of people seem to be content to living in the pristine suburbs of Richland and Lexington counties than actually create a community in the city. Some enjoy the soulless feeling they get when they drive home on their respective interstates to their cookie cutter houses. I hope they realize how their life could actually be sooner rather than later.
If my memory of Columbia History serves...Assembly Street waaay back in the day also was the site of the Farmer's Market. Produce vendors lined up in the median to sell their wares.. Im nots sure if the name "Assembly" was taken from that or the General Assembly..though the later is more likely. Once they moved it to Bluff Road they kept the median and used it for Parking and Travel lanes to serve the purpose that you mentioned which is basically to take thru traffic off of Main Street, which was the banking and business district of the City. It eventually along with Gervais, Hampton, Taylor, Elmwood, Huger, and I-126 formed the backbone for SCDOT to get folks in and out of downtown to the burbs.
The City is slowly working to change the characteristics of several of these streets to be more pedestrian friendly. One challenge, other than the SCDOT, is all the parking garages going up in town.. Yeah, I guess they are needed but they will continue to funnel cars into the CBD thus warranting use of all of these wide streets. Most of the garages in downtown touch either Sumter or Assembly thus furthering their use as major transportation networks.
Thirty new artist studios on the first two floors of the Tapp's building will soon join 12 that are already in the Arcade Mall, as a monthly arts event inspired by a single picture hanging in a Main Street business approaches 1,000 attendees. The arts scene effect of the monthly event is just beginning to spill over into the general vibe of the area.
GSP- you bring up many great points some times. However, I think your comments are really aimed at "getting back" at a few people, but painted as expert knowledge that is incredibly one sided. If you're tired of something, then state such. But you're stooping to levels that are just as low as your "rivals" and creating more debate on this forum that you suggest should stop... And, I'm not defending anyone. But you seem the most exasperated, but also a flame feeder...
I don't think that I have a rival on this board. I do think some on here like to use half truths to try and cast Columbia is a bad way. While no city is perfect, the threads created by some Greenville posters on Columbia's boards are sad, especially when you look at the timeframe, number of screen names, and number of internet boards used for that purpose. Unfortunately, when you see a screen name from another part of the state bashing the city, it is natural to draw comparisons. If you think they are out of control, you should call them out as a Greenville resident.
What have I said that is one sided especially without backing it up with facts? While I don't share the relentless praise for Greenville, it has a lot of challenges, I have nothing against the city. I would not be surprised if I have to move back at some point in time. If you want to discuss further, PM me.
But, I would also not try and steer Columbia in the same development pattern, it will not work. Columbia is a different type of city and needs to follow a pattern that works best for a large grid city. Luckily, with all of the districts developing in all parts of downtown, the linkage between the areas will go a long way to enhancing the walkability and retail development downtown. Some of the new housing opportunities downtown are awesome. So, I think Columbia, while not there yet, is a lot further along than most on here want to admit.
I posted earlier, not to suggest that Columbia's downtown should try to become a replica of Greenville's downtown, but rather to suggest that Columbia can learn some lessons from Greenville. I strongly believe this is true. IMHO, Greenville's downtown is nicer and more inviting than Columbia's. I intentionally used the word inviting because Greenville's downtown has been developed in such a way that it draws people in. It is that attribute that I believe Columbia's downtown is lacking. And, it is that lesson that Columbia can learn from Greenville's downtown development.
Obviously, Columbia's downtown is larger than Greenville's downtown. It is also obvious that it has different challenges. Several people have used the term "larger footprint" to describe Columbia's downtown compared to Greenville's. Yet, I do not think that this larger footprint explains why Columbia's downtown lacks an inviting feel. I am reminded that there are much larger cities, with much larger footprints than Columbia's, yet their downtowns are still inviting. Here, I am not expressing hate; rather, I am providing constructive criticism on what I think Columbia needs to take into consideration as the footprint gets further planned and developed.
Clearly, I am a Columbia resident. I know that some have speculated on why they feel that Columbia residents are harder on the city than non-Columbia residents. I cannot speculate on this issue because I think that such speculation is too presumptuous. I would imagine that there are mulitple reasons why some critique Columbia - and, I am certain these reasons do not fall neatly into a few categories. In short, I do not know why others are critical of Columbia. I do, however, know what motivates my comments.
I am not from SC, and was educated outside of the state of SC. Thus, my comments are not motivated by a hatred toward the University of South Carolina, nor a Carolina/Clemson rivalry. SC is politically and socially conservative, and Columbia is no exception. I knew that when I moved here. Thus, that does not motivate my comments. Could it be that I need to open my mind? Well, I did suggest that we cannot easily lump people's criticism of Columbia into nice, neat categories. This, IMO, exemplifies open-mindedness. A lack of open-mindedness does not motivate my comments.
So, what does motivate my "constructive" criticism? The answer is very simple. It is a desire to see Columbia improve its downtown in a way that draws people in.
I posted earlier, not to suggest that Columbia's downtown should try to become a replica of Greenville's downtown, but rather to suggest that Columbia can learn some lessons from Greenville. I strongly believe this is true. IMHO, Greenville's downtown is nicer and more inviting than Columbia's. I intentionally used the word inviting because Greenville's downtown has been developed in such a way that it draws people in. It is that attribute that I believe Columbia's downtown is lacking. And, it is that lesson that Columbia can learn from Greenville's downtown development.
I posted earlier, not to suggest that Columbia's downtown should try to become a replica of Greenville's downtown, but rather to suggest that Columbia can learn some lessons from Greenville. I strongly believe this is true. IMHO, Greenville's downtown is nicer and more inviting than Columbia's. I intentionally used the word inviting because Greenville's downtown has been developed in such a way that it draws people in. It is that attribute that I believe Columbia's downtown is lacking. And, it is that lesson that Columbia can learn from Greenville's downtown development.
Obviously, Columbia's downtown is larger than Greenville's downtown. It is also obvious that it has different challenges. Several people have used the term "larger footprint" to describe Columbia's downtown compared to Greenville's. Yet, I do not think that this larger footprint explains why Columbia's downtown lacks an inviting feel. I am reminded that there are much larger cities, with much larger footprints than Columbia's, yet their downtowns are still inviting. Here, I am not expressing hate; rather, I am providing constructive criticism on what I think Columbia needs to take into consideration as the footprint gets further planned and developed.
Clearly, I am a Columbia resident. I know that some have speculated on why they feel that Columbia residents are harder on the city than non-Columbia residents. I cannot speculate on this issue because I think that such speculation is too presumptuous. I would imagine that there are mulitple reasons why some critique Columbia - and, I am certain these reasons do not fall neatly into a few categories. In short, I do not know why others are critical of Columbia. I do, however, know what motivates my comments.
I am not from SC, and was educated outside of the state of SC. Thus, my comments are not motivated by a hatred toward the University of South Carolina, nor a Carolina/Clemson rivalry. SC is politically and socially conservative, and Columbia is no exception. I knew that when I moved here. Thus, that does not motivate my comments. Could it be that I need to open my mind? Well, I did suggest that we cannot easily lump people's criticism of Columbia into nice, neat categories. This, IMO, exemplifies open-mindedness. A lack of open-mindedness does not motivate my comments.
So, what does motivate my "constructive" criticism? The answer is very simple. It is a desire to see Columbia improve its downtown in a way that draws people in.
It is good to see that you want Columbia to become a nicer place, I think most, not all, on this board agree with you. And, your comments are well thought out. I am curious to know what you would like to see downtown as far as development. Where do you live in Columbia?
As I have mentioned, I do think the large footprint pulls the center of gravity out further from the center city which makes it harder to create a cohesive feeling, assembly adds to this divide. It only makes sense that the more gaps you have to fill in requires more development and that takes a lot of time. It is a geographical challenge to bridge a large university, a state government, business interests and homeowners. Columbia may never have a warm/welcoming feeling like Greeville, and to me that is ok. I am in Charlotte which in no way has that feel but, downtown Charlotte is awesome. That being said, I think Columbia is doing 1000x better than many on this board give it credit for.
The neighborhoods between Gervais and Elmwood are very interesting. I do want to walk through there at some point to get a closer look. The plan to turn an old rail bed into a pathway is one that will pay huge dividends. The Vista is just a cool area, I like the fact that you see a mixture of old mill buildings, an old train station and newer structures all within a very walkable area. The Vista has some depth as it moves over to Lady & Senate Streets all the way down to the state museum and greenway/river. Continued residential development should add to the Vista area's restaurants and retail. Five Points, which can be irritating at times, is a neat area. Some may not like the edgier side but, it reminds me a lot of Southend, NODA, Elizabeth and Central Avenue areas in Charlotte.
As for Main, it has had a lot of success on the commercial side in completing three highrises within the past few years while reducing the vacancy rates. It seems more and more tech firms are locating downtown which adds another aspect to the corporate and legal industries. Residential on Main seems to be doing well. The recent announcement at Lady/Main and others will only add to the street's life. Retail seems to always be a step behind in Columbia. But, this area is seeing signs of life on Main. And, since retail likes to cluster, more should be coming.
The challenge for Columbia is linking the districts....Main, The Vista, Five Points, Carolina, The State House etc....together. While that may not ever provide the feeling that you have in Greenville, Charleston has a different feeling than Greenville and does very well. Charlotte has a different feeling than Greenville and has a terrific downtown. Columbia has a vibe downtown that I think is cool, it should only get better with more residences, retail and commercial development.
Finally, while Columbia can learn from Greenville, I think it would do better looking at cities with similar characteristics, cities like Madison, Richmond, Austin etc......Because they all share similar traits, I think there is more value in looking there and also at Charlotte.
I was hesitant to post a message in this forum, as it already seems heavily "baited." I am certain that my comments will only add fuel to the fire.
I have said many times before that Columbia's Main Street, and its downtown more generally, has great potential. I have already seen progress since I have lived here. Yet, I think that everyone will agree that more needs to be done (with Main Street and with the downtown area, more broadly speaking).
One of my best friends recently got a job in Greenville. So, I have had the opportunity to visit him on a few occasions. This, of course, gave me the opportunity to see the highly touted Greenville downtown. I should say upfront that I grew up in a mega-city. Thus, I typically do not get impressed by downtown areas. That is why I was so critical of Columbia's downtown when I first moved here -- well, I am still critical, but that's for another thread and time. I will admit that I have been pleasantly surprised by Greenville's downtown. In fact, on a scale from 1 to 10, I will give it a 9+.
I mention this, not to ignite a Greenville/ Columbia debate, but rather to speculate about the future "possibilities" for Columbia's downtown development. The first thing that struck me about Greenville's downtown was that I was drawn to it, wanting to walk around and see more. By contrast, I have never felt drawn to Columbia's downtown. This made me wonder what Greenville has done right, and what Columbia needs to take note of.
Greenville is not a large city, yet their downtown feels "much more" cosmopolitan than Columbia's. There were significantly more people walking around Greenville's downtown compared to Columbia's. This has been the case every time I have visited. Greenville's downtown is pedestrian-friendly, with walking paths and several areas to sit around. This, of course, invites people to hangout in the downtown. Greenville has Falls Park, which is brilliantly done. I do not see anything in Columbia's downtown that is equivalent to it, which is somewhat ironic given that Columbia has a river in the downtown.
Overall, when I visit Greenville again I will visit the downtown area, just because I want to walk around. The very fact that I can say that speaks to the fact that Greenville has done something right with the planning of their downtown.
The title of this thread is: "It's not like there's nothing going in the Main Street area of Columbia." Of course there is. However, as Columbia's Main Street area, and downtown, continues to development, it would behoove planners to look more closely at what Greenville is doing right!
I am certain that some will disagree with what I wrote. That is fine, and their prerogative. I am simply being honest.
Downtown Columbia is a lot more than Main Street, Have you ever been to the Vista and Five Points on weekend evenings to see how packed those downtown districts happen to be?
I posted earlier, not to suggest that Columbia's downtown should try to become a replica of Greenville's downtown, but rather to suggest that Columbia can learn some lessons from Greenville. I strongly believe this is true. IMHO, Greenville's downtown is nicer and more inviting than Columbia's. I intentionally used the word inviting because Greenville's downtown has been developed in such a way that it draws people in. It is that attribute that I believe Columbia's downtown is lacking. And, it is that lesson that Columbia can learn from Greenville's downtown development.
Obviously, Columbia's downtown is larger than Greenville's downtown. It is also obvious that it has different challenges. Several people have used the term "larger footprint" to describe Columbia's downtown compared to Greenville's. Yet, I do not think that this larger footprint explains why Columbia's downtown lacks an inviting feel. I am reminded that there are much larger cities, with much larger footprints than Columbia's, yet their downtowns are still inviting. Here, I am not expressing hate; rather, I am providing constructive criticism on what I think Columbia needs to take into consideration as the footprint gets further planned and developed.
Clearly, I am a Columbia resident. I know that some have speculated on why they feel that Columbia residents are harder on the city than non-Columbia residents. I cannot speculate on this issue because I think that such speculation is too presumptuous. I would imagine that there are mulitple reasons why some critique Columbia - and, I am certain these reasons do not fall neatly into a few categories. In short, I do not know why others are critical of Columbia. I do, however, know what motivates my comments.
I am not from SC, and was educated outside of the state of SC. Thus, my comments are not motivated by a hatred toward the University of South Carolina, nor a Carolina/Clemson rivalry. SC is politically and socially conservative, and Columbia is no exception. I knew that when I moved here. Thus, that does not motivate my comments. Could it be that I need to open my mind? Well, I did suggest that we cannot easily lump people's criticism of Columbia into nice, neat categories. This, IMO, exemplifies open-mindedness. A lack of open-mindedness does not motivate my comments.
So, what does motivate my "constructive" criticism? The answer is very simple. It is a desire to see Columbia improve its downtown in a way that draws people in.
I guess it depends on what the individual finds inviting, and I find downtown Columbia very inviting.
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