The peculiar city of Columbus, GA (Atlanta, Macon: agriculture, military, landscaping)

[Bulldawgfan]

Originally Posted by ATLCOL1

As an alumni, go DAWGS!

Should be an interesting year for football. The SEC is wide open this year.

[King_X]

If you must know the truth about life in Columbus, just look at how excited people are about Wal-Marts being built. Columbus is progressive if you've lived in Talbot County all your life and never left.

[brentyoung12]

Bulldawgfan, I may be a kid, I know I have much to learn and experience, but
still I am not stupid.

I can determine when people are bending, stretching, and manipulating "stats"


For you to say Macon is half the size of Columbus only by bringing light
to the city limits population is ridiculous considering that there are other factors.

It's similar to Houstonians who talk about how much larger Houston is than Atlanta,
just by using the city limits population.

There are other factors.

For some of you people to act like Macon and Columbus are NIGHT and DAY
as for as "GHETTO" and "RESPECTABLE" is also exaggerated, considering Columbus
isnt THAT MUCH less "GHETTO" than Macon.

lol NOBODY and I MEAN NOBODY, is going to go to Columbus and Macon, and find
Columbus to be a city that is twice the size of Macon. If anything they would think
Macon is larger for reasons I have already mentioned.

A picture of 1 building reflecting off of another's glass, and a picture of a
statue does not necessarily make anything URBAN or not. lol

Columbus just looks and feels nothing like other cities that have 180,000 plus people.
Columbus seems more like a town of 50,000-80,000 people, with its
poor interstate access, 1 single floored mall, and poor choice of a night life
(for young adults and teens anyway), and "Warner Robins" looking traffic.

I wouldnt say Macon or Columbus was IDEAL for an "on the scene" 20 year old,
but I would for certain recommend Macon before Columbus.

If you feel Columbus is better that is fine and you or anybody else can have your opinion,
but dont twist and bend things out of shape to belittle Macon and build up Columbus.

Columbus doesnt look like a Mobile,a Huntsville,a Chattanooga,
or other cities it is supposedly in a similar size range as.

The difference between me and you is, I'm not exaggerating.

This is why I say Columbus is peculiar. Thanks

[ATLCOL1]

Columbus has very good nightlife. I went to school in Athens and live in Buckhead. It is not an Athens or Atlanta, but it is better than Macon or Augusta in my opinion. Columbus is really improving when it comes to nightlife. Downtown has a lot of options. A lot of college kids go down there to party. Street life (shops, restaurants, coffee houses, etc) are popping up all over downtown. There are several good places on the northside as well when it comes to bars.

[JLA]

Will you guys stop picking on Brent. And yes I'm looking forward to this college football season. We have got us a few new quarterbacks and a new offensive scheme. With a more mature team it's going to be a very interesting season. We'll see you Dawgs in November. W-a-a-a-a-r Eagle!

[yerocal]

Reality Check Columbus is not a city of a 180,000, the reason pop is 180K is because if combine with the County..... Same with Augusta there pop count is not a true reflection of there density because of the combine pop of city & county....on paper these cities appear to be larger because of the high pop count, but when you visit them, is kind of misleading because most city with a pop of that size is appear larger like Mobile, Chattanooga & Columbia which have pop of over 150,000 and they are not combine with the counties so that more of a true reelection vs the consolidated city/county status....

Before pop started moving outside Macon's city limits Macon toped at 120,000, now down to 97,000 but keep in mind they are not leaving Bibb county just left the city limits.. If Macon Annexation or consolidation plans ever go though Macon pop will shot up to over 160,000... when look at a report it says Columbus is a city of 188,000 you are expecting interstates, DT high rises, mild/mass transit..... Very strong work force and etc..... which Columbus is lacking all.....even though the Kia plant is near Columbus its doesn't prove that Columbus has a stronger work force that any other 2nd tier city. For example: Kia may bring 7000 jobs in one company but in the last 2years Macon area has 7 companies bring operations to area offering at least 300-1000 jobs a piece and more have proposed and are rendering ( Bass Pro DC, Kohl DC, Sara Lee DC, Chick Fil A DC, Nichini, Yohimo tires, Kellogg, Academy sports DC, Boeing to add 75 JOBS, Several banks new to area, Macon just Open it’s Second Mall(open Air) 750,000sqft. which is anchored by Macon’s second Dillard’s, Belk’s, Dicks & Circuit city ……
which also includes stores like Coach, DSW, Ultra and etc.
Just in North Macon along there is 3million sq ft of retail development and 2million in south Macon@475/75 split…...

• Shoppes at River Crossing (new open air Mall) 750,000-North Macon
www.shoppesatrivercrossing.com

• North Macon town center (small version of Atlantic station) -North Macon
RetailWorks of Georgia, Inc.

• Lullwater Village -North Macon

• Marketplace at Bass-North Macon

• Northwind Complex -North Macon

Downtown Macon loft apartment projects called The Lofts at 425 New and project called Wharf Street Centre, and it would include at least 224 apartment units in the first phase and a $29 Million Hotel-Residential-Retail Development DT

Under construction is High-rise Marriot convention hotel 220 rooms DT
www.marriottMacon.com

Under construction in South Macon just off of I-75 South on Hartley Bridge Road. Moon Family Properties is behind this 1.1 million sqft project. It will include 1,700 single family units, two to four story condos, and apartment community, retail, dinning, a mid-rise hotel, and office space

Last but no least Robins Air Force Base is less than 20 minutes away which is the largest employer in Ga employing about 30,000 people. Geico Largest Regional Corporate Office( Double High rises Complex),[I]Ikon, Allstate Claims Center, Ga Farmer Bureau HQ, Blue Bird & Step 2(ft valley) Frito Lays & Purdue(perry) Boeing, Tyco, Cox Communications, YKK, BB&T and Armstrong [/i] those are just the one s i can think of.......


So guys this is why Macon appear much larger that Columbus..... you guys should come check us out and when DOT Finish with the Major interstates expansions Macon is going to appear even larger there will be a tunnel included.....

[georgialaw]

Originally Posted by yerocal

Reality Check Columbus is not a city of a 180,000, the reason pop is 180K is because if combine with the County..... Same with Augusta there pop count is not a true reflection of there density because of the combine pop of city & county....on paper these cities appear to be larger because of the high pop count, but when you visit them, is kind of misleading because most city with a pop of that size is appear larger like Mobile, Chattanooga & Columbia which have pop of over 150,000 and they are not combine with the counties so that more of a true reelection vs the consolidated city/county status....

Before pop started moving outside Macon's city limits Macon toped at 120,000, now down to 97,000 but keep in mind they are not leaving Bibb county just left the city limits.. If Macon Annexation or consolidation plans ever go though Macon pop will shot up to over 160,000... when look at a report it says Columbus is a city of 188,000 you are expecting interstates, DT high rises, mild/mass transit..... Very strong work force and etc..... which Columbus is lacking all.....even though the Kia plant is near Columbus its doesn't prove that Columbus has a stronger work force that any other 2nd tier city. For example: Kia may bring 7000 jobs in one company but in the last 2years Macon area has 7 companies bring operations to area offering at least 300-1000 jobs a piece and more have proposed and are rendering ( Bass Pro DC, Kohl DC, Sara Lee DC, Chick Fil A DC, Nichini, Yohimo tires, Kellogg, Academy sports DC, Boeing to add 75 JOBS, Several banks new to area, Macon just Open it’s Second Mall(open Air) 750,000sqft. which is anchored by Macon’s second Dillard’s, Belk’s, Dicks & Circuit city ……
which also includes stores like Coach, DSW, Ultra and etc.
Just in North Macon along there is 3million sq ft of retail development and 2million in south Macon@475/75 split…...

• Shoppes at River Crossing (new open air Mall) 750,000-North Macon
www.shoppesatrivercrossing.com

• North Macon town center (small version of Atlantic station) -North Macon
RetailWorks of Georgia, Inc.

• Lullwater Village -North Macon

• Marketplace at Bass-North Macon

• Northwind Complex -North Macon

Downtown Macon loft apartment projects called The Lofts at 425 New and project called Wharf Street Centre, and it would include at least 224 apartment units in the first phase and a $29 Million Hotel-Residential-Retail Development DT

Under construction is High-rise Marriot convention hotel 220 rooms DT
www.marriottMacon.com

Under construction in South Macon just off of I-75 South on Hartley Bridge Road. Moon Family Properties is behind this 1.1 million sqft project. It will include 1,700 single family units, two to four story condos, and apartment community, retail, dinning, a mid-rise hotel, and office space

Last but no least Robins Air Force Base is less than 20 minutes away which is the largest employer in Ga employing about 30,000 people. Geico Largest Regional Corporate Office( Double High rises Complex),[I]Ikon, Allstate Claims Center, Ga Farmer Bureau HQ, Blue Bird & Step 2(ft valley) Frito Lays & Purdue(perry) Boeing, Tyco, Cox Communications, YKK, BB&T and Armstrong [/i] those are just the one s i can think of.......


So guys this is why Macon appear much larger that Columbus..... you guys should come check us out and when DOT Finish with the Major interstates expansions Macon is going to appear even larger there will be a tunnel included.....

Now that makes for a much better unbiased report on Macon.
Macon will eventually be the place to be in Georgia in the near future and it will be its interstates that will be its saving grace.
Congratulations.

[jam 5]

i wish yaw would grow up and leave columbus along and stop letting the city down columbus is trying its best to clean the city up and make it better for the people can yaw act lease give us being columbus some support and help just please stop puting us down we are trying our best to make the city look better and clean yeah we no columbus does not have a skyline or does not feel as big as macon or augusta or savanaah or does not have fast traffic or busy interstates but we are trying our best to make it very entertaining and fun for people who live and visit downhere i have lived here in columbus for over 30 years and i love it and im not moving from downhere i love columbus and all dont get me wrong but the only thing i hate is our mayor here in columbus it seems like it to me that our mayor is not running the city right but thats how i feel but i may be wrong

[yerocal]

No I wasn't trying to put Columbus down i was just expressing some facts about Macon in Comparison to Columbus due to a statement about Columbus having the strongest Workforce in Ga second after Atlanta, There is nothing wrong with selling and expressing the positive sides of Columbus, But On here we have to come strong with Macon because so many people are giving a bad impression about Macon a "Hell hole" reputation which is no way near true...... i think all of the Second tier cities are unique and have lots potential, but they all far behind when you compare them to other states cities there size....... Because if seem like Atlanta is a magnet for everything that comes to Ga, Everybody wants to be in Atlanta. Ga has pop of over 9 mill and 5 mill of that lives in metro Atlanta..... that something to think about which is bad because that enough to give the Metros of Augusta, Columbus, Macon & Savannah 1mill people if everybody didn't go to ATL....

[ATLCOL1]

Nice article from Dr. Jeffrey Humphreys: Director of the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia

Growth in Columbus

June 2008

The economic outlook for Columbus is good, but not great. The U.S. economy already is in recession and Georgia’s economy can accurately be described as “near recessionary.” The better news for Columbus is that the pace of growth will rise significantly in 2009 – and really take off in 2010. That’s when the Armor School begins to move into Fort Benning.

Expansions at Fort Benning and Aflac as well as the new Kia plant and its suppliers will provide major boosts to the economy. But it isn’t just a few mega projects that will fuel growth. The aerospace and food manufacturing industries will do well. The Cessna Aircraft parts manufacturing plant will benefit from strong growth in demand for general aviation airplanes, especially for small business jets. Late last year Cessna broke ground on its third facility in Columbus and expects to add 150 jobs over the next five years.

In mid-2007, after winning major military and civilian contracts, Precision Components International announced it will expand its facility in Columbus, creating 100 new jobs. AlaTrade Foods opened a new poultry processing facility in the Phenix Industrial Park, creating 600 jobs; and Sun Fresh Beverages announced an expansion of its Columbus bottling facility, which will add 50 jobs.

Driving along I-85 toward Alabama, it’s impossible to miss the construction under way on the $1.2 billion Kia Motors auto assembly plant. The plant will employ about 2,800 workers, many of whom will live or shop in the Columbus region. The opening will lead to about 2,000 jobs at suppliers in both western Georgia and eastern Alabama.

Hyundai Mobis will build a facility in West Point, creating 600 jobs by 2010. Sewon Precision will build a plant in West Point that will create 700 jobs. DaeLim USA will build a new LaGrange plant that will employ 75. Pretty Products will expand its current production in LaGrange, creating 130 new jobs, and Sejong will manufacture muffler and exhaust systems for Kia, creating 250 jobs. Dongwon Autopart Technology will locate a plant in Meriwether County, creating 300 jobs.

With respect to Fort Benning, three factors are critical. The number of military personnel, plus civilian and contractor jobs being created at the base will grow by about 10,000. Those who land the jobs will support 18,000 family members. And the multiplier effects associated with spending by people who land these new jobs should create in excess of 5,000 more jobs in the off-base economy.

The Columbus region’s economy will benefit from an increased annual training load of students. The economic impact of their spending on the off-base economy begins this year and will rise rapidly through 2011.

The Aflac announcement marks the largest private sector expansion project currently in Georgia’s economic development pipeline. The largest public sector expansion project? Fort Benning. And the largest project associated with a company entirely new to Georgia? Kia. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Another recent driver of job growth in Columbus is the hospitality industry. Increasing activity at Fort Benning generates more base-related travel. Downtown redevelopment projects also increased the appeal of Columbus to tourists and meeting planners. The opening of the new National Infantry Museum later this year will add to that allure. The museum was cited as a factor contributing to the decision to break ground on a new 120-room Suburban Extended Stay Hotel on Victory Drive.

The housing downturn will be the biggest drag on growth. Permits to build single-family homes in the Columbus MSA dropped by 8 percent in 2006 and by 35 percent in 2007; I expect a 10 percent drop in 2008. The free fall in new home construction may be over, but a 10 percent drop is still a major headwind.

The good news is that housing remains super-affordable in Columbus. The market never really got bubbly. From 2001-2006, existing home prices rose by only 39 percent. That’s tame compared to nationwide gain of 55 percent. Because so many of the fundamentals for the Columbus housing market are still favorable, I believe that existing home values will hold up well. Columbus has so many projects in the economic development pipeline that the economy should have the strength to sustain economic growth through a mild to moderate national recession. That doesn’t mean Columbus is recession proof. If the U.S. recession is sharp and long, then Columbus also will take a hit. I put the risk at roughly 25 percent.