Columbia's commercial retail space filling up, bigger uptick predicted for 2012 (St. Andrews: hotels, new construction)

[Columbiadata]

Even big boxes are being utilized as retail moves into the market or expands. Everywhere I look something is being renovated or a "coming soon" sign is in a window.

http://www.columbiabusinessreport.co...refronts?rss=0

[Columbiadata]

Academy Sports and Versona, a women's fashion and accessory store, will bring others to the Village at Sandhill, developer Alan Khan says. Versona chose VAH for one of its first stores in the nation. The other locations are in Charlotte, Baton Rouge and Louisville. They're an affiliate of Cato.

Versona Accessories - Women's fashion jewelry and accessories (http://www.versonaaccessories.com/index.html - broken link)

[Woodlands]

I am real hopeful about the SE Cola area.. From Ft. Jackson Blvd on out Garners Ferry to just below the Wal- Mart is prime for the redevelopment of some of the older shopping plazas. Most have either been renovated or transformed as in the case of the old Woodhill Mall with the Target and the Columbia East Shopping Center with several businesses/hotels opening up on the outparcels. I hope the trend continues and even some improvements over on Leesburg Road as well.

I went into Columbia Place the other day to go to Macy's. I was surprised how far that center has fallen over the years.. including the strip mall behind it that used contain a Circuit City. Anyone have any ideas on what may happen to revive this center? Its not a ghost town.. but for those of you who have lived for a long time in the area.. you know what it used to be. I believe Richland Mall days are ahead of it.. though Columbia Place may be going in the opposite direction

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

Originally Posted by Woodlands

I am real hopeful about the SE Cola area.. From Ft. Jackson Blvd on out Garners Ferry to just below the Wal- Mart is prime for the redevelopment of some of the older shopping plazas. Most have either been renovated or transformed as in the case of the old Woodhill Mall with the Target and the Columbia East Shopping Center with several businesses/hotels opening up on the outparcels. I hope the trend continues and even some improvements over on Leesburg Road as well.

I went into Columbia Place the other day to go to Macy's. I was surprised how far that center has fallen over the years.. including the strip mall behind it that used contain a Circuit City. Anyone have any ideas on what may happen to revive this center? Its not a ghost town.. but for those of you who have lived for a long time in the area.. you know what it used to be. I believe Richland Mall days are ahead of it.. though Columbia Place may be going in the opposite direction

In my opinion, the Columbia Place area is falling victim to the fate of many inner-ring suburban areas (though it is technically part of the city of Cola, I think it's fair to say it's suburban in nature). There is revitalization action in town, and there is outer-ring suburb growth out towards the Village at Sandhills, etc. Columbia Place, therefore, is stuck in the middle. To be honest, I don't see any point in trying to hard to save it.... I mean, if I had a choice between revitalizing, say, Main St, Richland Mall, or Columbia Mall (Columbia Place. Whatever you call it), Columbia Mall would come in dead last. If Macy's decided to shutter that store and move it closer into town, I'd be on board with that decision.

In short, I hate to see any commercial area fail, but there's not a whole lot that makes Columbia Mall worth saving...

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by CarolinaBredChicagoan

In my opinion, the Columbia Place area is falling victim to the fate of many inner-ring suburban areas (though it is technically part of the city of Cola, I think it's fair to say it's suburban in nature). There is revitalization action in town, and there is outer-ring suburb growth out towards the Village at Sandhills, etc. Columbia Place, therefore, is stuck in the middle. To be honest, I don't see any point in trying to hard to save it.... I mean, if I had a choice between revitalizing, say, Main St, Richland Mall, or Columbia Mall (Columbia Place. Whatever you call it), Columbia Mall would come in dead last. If Macy's decided to shutter that store and move it closer into town, I'd be on board with that decision.

In short, I hate to see any commercial area fail, but there's not a whole lot that makes Columbia Mall worth saving...

It will likely become like Eastland.. I rode by there while in CLT and it was completely vacant..atleast the part I could see from the street. The entire Decker Blvd area aka Dentsville could use a boost. It is similiar to St Andrews though I think that Dutch Square may be faring a bit better given its proximity to downtown and interstates. Its also not as large and has become a quasi lifestyle center by increasing the number of stores the face the outside.

[Columbiadata]

Fred Delk, the executive director of the Columbia Development Corporation, has been named the Brownfield Renewal Person of the Year for 2011 in recognition of his and his staff's success in bringing practical uses to properties that had fallen into eyesore status. The renovation of the Lourie's building, now known as Mast General Store, was part of the reason for his award. A Bassett Warehouse conversion may be in the works for the Vista. If that happens heads are really gonna turn.

http://www.brownfieldrenewal.com/POY

[Columbiadata]

The trend continues. Columbia is adding national retailers that probably would have been here a few years ago if the recession hadn't hit when it did. Retail space is filling up, and new construction and more retail may be coming.

Columbia Regional Business Report | Columbia, SC

[kingofCola]

Re "About 565,500 square feet of retail space remains available in the Columbia area. The Harbison/St. Andrews market had 206,804 square feet of retail space available, followed by northeast Richland, 183,876 square feet; southeast Columbia, 48,333; Lexington, 47,909; Cayce/West Columbia, 34,059; north Columbia, 26,948; Forest Acres, 10,394; and downtown Columbia, 7,200."

Best info in here to me is the mere 7200 sq ft of vacant retail downtown. A couple announcements and they'll need to build more space likely that vacant field once slated for a shopping strip in front of the lady street parking garage to fill new demand.

[mettler]

or they could update the underground and open that back up.. that'd be cool

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by kingofCola

Re "About 565,500 square feet of retail space remains available in the Columbia area. The Harbison/St. Andrews market had 206,804 square feet of retail space available, followed by northeast Richland, 183,876 square feet; southeast Columbia, 48,333; Lexington, 47,909; Cayce/West Columbia, 34,059; north Columbia, 26,948; Forest Acres, 10,394; and downtown Columbia, 7,200."

Best info in here to me is the mere 7200 sq ft of vacant retail downtown. A couple announcements and they'll need to build more space likely that vacant field once slated for a shopping strip in front of the lady street parking garage to fill new demand.

With all the housing coming downtown... there will be plenty of new customers..This is great news for downtown...