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I have been looking at Street Malls over the past day or so and one caught my eye. The 16th Street Mall in Denver. I think if Columbia want's to really bring people in I think we should strive to turning Main Street from Gervais to Elmwood into a vibrant dense walking only street similar to The 16th street Mall.
I have been looking at Street Malls over the past day or so and one caught my eye. The 16th Street Mall in Denver. I think if Columbia want's to really bring people in I think we should strive to turning Main Street from Gervais to Elmwood into a vibrant dense walking only street similar to The 16th street Mall.
Theres so much potential there it's crazy.
Main Street between Gervais and say Taylor could do this without as much difficulty and kind of does already with the farmer's market, but I think this could be a really cool ambition for South Main Street. The streets are quite wide as is, but with streetscaping they should look closer to this in terms of walkability and shading over time.
The Article said that some believe it can be a thing but that it's not dense enough yet.
How about this then? An Idea I brought up a few times before. Start off with closing Main Street off after 6pm with automatic raised barriers and turn it pedestrian until the morning. Maybe start it off on Weekdays it raises up after 6pm until 6am and on Weekends Friday it raises 6pm but doesn't come back down until Monday 6am Give it a trial run before fully switching over to Car Free.
Seems that most of the "density" opportunities are along Sumter St and along Assembly on the ocean of surface lots. I wonder if the city could somehow encourage these lots to redevelop...especially the one across from The HUB. Other opportunities include the Richland County Courthouse if/when they relocate. The other city owned parcel across from the COMET hub as well....so between Richland and Gervais could become more urban for sure and I would put Laurel St on a road diet in between Sumter and Assembly and maybe take the Main St Streetscape up to Richland St in front of the old Jefferson Square. It also provides a nice gateway up to Finlay Park via Laurel St and you can add more retail potentially with new development along Main to Richland
In fact.. I wonder if Laurel St between Sumter and Assembly could be converted into a "Festival Street" that could be closed off for events and gatherings. It would provide a northern anchor to Main Street and a connection to Finaly Park. Its not a well traveled street in this location and with City Hall, the Fed Building, and the Office Tower.. it likely would not impact any business especially on nights and weekends. The COMET is at the other end for transit connections. The city owned block and the Richland Courthouse will be redeveloped for additional amenties over time. The link below is in Raleigh.. just to highlight a multipurpose street ...I am sure others can find there are better examples
Interesting listing on LoopNet, it appears that Seibels will be leaving their downtown location. Wonder if they are relocating within the metro area, leaving Columbia all together or just downsizing due to many employees switching to work from home.
Interesting listing on LoopNet, it appears that Seibels will be leaving their downtown location. Wonder if they are relocating within the metro area, leaving Columbia all together or just downsizing due to many employees switching to work from home.
Seems like a good candidate for an office to residential conversion. The views of downtown from there could be nice and its proximity to USC is also a plus. I would have liked the State of SC to consider keeping their office space intown. There may not be an existing building to accommodate them but it would likely be the city's only shot at getting a new midrise office building if it had an anchor tenant like the State of SC (DHEC) in it.. but I think they will likely decamp for the NE Richland. The land they leave behind being redevelop may be a consolation prize.
Whatever happened to the old VA building above Finley Park? Is that still moving forward? I thought I saw it for sale as well at one time on Loopnet marketing the entitlements and designs it has to be residential as a selling point? If that has stalled then that may not bode well for the old Seibels property because that one certainly has high dollar views.. though its location may not be as desirable as something closer to USC.
Seems like a good candidate for an office to residential conversion. The views of downtown from there could be nice and its proximity to USC is also a plus. I would have liked the State of SC to consider keeping their office space intown. There may not be an existing building to accommodate them but it would likely be the city's only shot at getting a new midrise office building if it had an anchor tenant like the State of SC (DHEC) in it.. but I think they will likely decamp for the NE Richland. The land they leave behind being redevelop may be a consolation prize.
Whatever happened to the old VA building above Finley Park? Is that still moving forward? I thought I saw it for sale as well at one time on Loopnet marketing the entitlements and designs it has to be residential as a selling point? If that has stalled then that may not bode well for the old Seibels property because that one certainly has high dollar views.. though its location may not be as desirable as something closer to USC.
From what I understand on the VA building, they started doing demolition inside but were unable to secure funding needed and stopped. It is now listed again as a possible apartment complex or hotel.
Is parking really that big a problem in downtown Columbia? I have found it problematic..on the street. But there is plenty of parking, from what I have seen, in the neighboring garages. I dont know if the issue here is people absolutely have to park within eyesight of their destination or they will drive all the way out to Harbison in protest or is there actually adequate parking overall in downtown if you are not afraid to....*gulp* PARK IN A GARAGE.... the horror?
From what I understand on the VA building, they started doing demolition inside but were unable to secure funding needed and stopped. It is now listed again as a possible apartment complex or hotel.
The initial funding seemed a bit questionable to be honest since it was a Seychelles-based son of a diplomat who did something in London, but had never developed in the US. No surprise it didn't pan out.
So I am sure downtown boosters will love this and some homeless advocates will decry it . I also wonder where they are planning to move and consolidate these services. They will likely have to be in the City Limits and on a city bus route. I am sure no neighborhood would want it there nor would a commercial area. I suspect the winner will be Beltline Blvd between Farrow and Two Notch, Farrow Road itself or far North Main.. if it remains in the City Limits. If that is no object.. then I suspect Two Notch Road or Broad River will be winners. There is also no guarantee the homeless will go to an area outside of the CBD. Services aside.. the CBD has the most concentration of workers/customers/ shoppers that they an approach to panhandle.. That cant/wont happen any area outside of downtown unless its a shopping center parking lot. Since those are private property and not a public sidewalk..that too will be limited. Way more public land to hang out on in the CBD vs the suburbs along with places to crash sleep that are not occupied at night. Not as much in the burbs or inner burbs.. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.. no pun intended....
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City wants to relocate homeless shelters
