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This is true. Lots of great in-town, but-not-quite-downtown neighborhoods in Columbia. I agree with your list of neighborhoods that are ripe for renewed interest in the next few years.
For me, and going forward why more people will be willing to pay the price for proximity, is as Columbia grows and has more and more to offer, it's nice to just "pop in" to check something out, be it a new restaurant or a new festival. The farther out you are, the more of an event it becomes to go to the city center. My wife and I love going to check out a festival for an hour or so and then maybe grab a drink afterwards and head home. That's easy to do when we're 5-10 mins from anywhere downtown. We wouldn't do it nearly as much if we were in St. Andrews or the Southeast, not to mention Chapin or Blythewood.
The other thing columbia should study is if a neighborhood shuttle would be popular. This could simply be a rebranding of existing Comet buses by potentially using smaller buses or even trolley looking buses but the route would link the intown neighborhoods with downtown and entertainment districts. Places like rosewood shandon waverly Melrose Heights Cottontown Elmwood Park and eventually Columbia Commons and brookland in west Columbia. They could use the trolley or streetcar motif to connect these areas with downtown and USC via highly visible stops.
For example you or your wife live in one of these areas. Rather than going downtown and circling for parking you could use this service from a neighborhood stop and go downtown. At some point parking prices (and fines ) will rise as the city becomes less interested in building new garages and attempt to capitalize on high demand for parking. Downtown neighborhoods will push for zone parking in order to keep neighborhood parking from being totally consumed by visitors with things like zone parking or parking permits. A rise in these restrictions and an introduction of this type of neighborhood shuttle could be a win as demand to visit downtown increase.
The X favor in this is the growth of things like Uber and Lyft which may be more appealing to this demographic and the ever present phobia that buses are transportation for the poor and this service would be nothing more than provide homeless an opportunity to visit your community and wander around. True story I had a co worker attempt to have a bus line removed from his street because he thought it would bring undesirables on to his block and people would loiter at bus stops to case residents homes and simply tell an inquiring officer that they are lost and "waiting for the bus"
The other thing columbia should study is if a neighborhood shuttle would be popular. This could simply be a rebranding of existing Comet buses by potentially using smaller buses or even trolley looking buses but the route would link the intown neighborhoods with downtown and entertainment districts. Places like rosewood shandon waverly Melrose Heights Cottontown Elmwood Park and eventually Columbia Commons and brookland in west Columbia. They could use the trolley or streetcar motif to connect these areas with downtown and USC via highly visible stops.
For example you or your wife live in one of these areas. Rather than going downtown and circling for parking you could use this service from a neighborhood stop and go downtown. At some point parking prices (and fines ) will rise as the city becomes less interested in building new garages and attempt to capitalize on high demand for parking. Downtown neighborhoods will push for zone parking in order to keep neighborhood parking from being totally consumed by visitors with things like zone parking or parking permits. A rise in these restrictions and an introduction of this type of neighborhood shuttle could be a win as demand to visit downtown increase.
The X favor in this is the growth of things like Uber and Lyft which may be more appealing to this demographic and the ever present phobia that buses are transportation for the poor and this service would be nothing more than provide homeless an opportunity to visit your community and wander around. True story I had a co worker attempt to have a bus line removed from his street because he thought it would bring undesirables on to his block and people would loiter at bus stops to case residents homes and simply tell an inquiring officer that they are lost and "waiting for the bus"
Omg that's what Columbia need. Definitely within the 5-8 years. You're right on the part that the neighborhoods on the outside are growing fast a shuttle would be necessary very soon. And a lot a lot of my Uber and Lyft riders already do this from Lexington to Northeast and Harbison they take Uber and Lyft around a lot and most of my riders in the neighborhoods further out take it to work and play.
1 they changed the Lights on the blossom st bridge to a more bluish incandescent looking lights. Looks beautiful. Looks more modern then those orange lights.
2 wowza the Canalside is really ramping up in construction. There's a huge parking garage there. And it seems there's gonna be a lot of apartments with shops there. Looks so nice.
Both cities have very nice areas and areas that are not. I would never speak up and say, "yeah there are some really junky areas in greenville, and there is very little culture and diversity, and I can't imagine what people there would do to pass the time?"
I never got a chance to respond, but I wonder what others would have said, if in such a situation...
Both cities have very nice areas and areas that are not. I would never speak up and say, "yeah there are some really junky areas in greenville, and there is very little culture and diversity, and I can't imagine what people there would do to pass the time?"
I never got a chance to respond, but I wonder what others would have said, if in such a situation...
Omg yesterday one of my Uber riders was like that. She's like. (I'm moving to Maryland. Columbia sucks there's nothing to do here is too hot there's no attractions or anything.) Like you i got offended quick. Because as a native even i seen the changes and attractions in downtown. Do we need work. Oh of course.
Is it better then what it was 5 years ago. Definitely.
I think that stigma is still stuck in people's mines even a lot of natives who were born and raised here. Have that mindset.
I think ever since ive became an Uber Lyft driver I've seen more of the city and it's goods then most people who live here. Columbia is gaining it's place in the South.
If course we'll never be no Charlotte or Atlanta. But there's a lot and i mean a lot of chances we have to make it right for us. Mostly The Vista Bull Street and the Riverfront.
Both cities have very nice areas and areas that are not. I would never speak up and say, "yeah there are some really junky areas in greenville, and there is very little culture and diversity, and I can't imagine what people there would do to pass the time?"
I never got a chance to respond, but I wonder what others would have said, if in such a situation...
The areas that people frequent in Greenville are fairly clean. There is an ongoing process in redevelopment of anything that is around or in close proximity of downtown. The West End used to be rough. Plans are in place to redevelop Poinsett Hwy currently. I'm sorry your friends answered for you on Columbia.
Friends or not, I would have said that's an ignorant response to a good question, and proceeded to explain by talking about Columbia in a nonpatronizing, and ending it by telling them to come for a visit. It was also a rude response considering the mixed company.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, you can't let this bother you. There is a large contingent of people from Greenville that have, and always will, feel this way about Columbia. A large %, probably haven't been here in years. A lot of Charleston feels the same way. I would have just told them to ****. And in conclusion, Greenville is nice, but it's not that nice.
It seems like the columbia vs charleston, and columbia vs Greenville posts are happening on a weekly basis. Any way to curtail those? It detracts from the board IMHO
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