NYT article about redevelopment of the Bull Street property

[GandBinNC]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/23/...rolina-bullstreet.html?searchResultPosition=1

Interesting read from a national publication.

I only get down to Columbia a couple of times a year now, so don't have a good sense of how people are feeling about this project. I know there was lots of heartache early on. Would be interested to hear thoughts on where you think this is headed and will it ultimately be a good or bad thing for Columbia.

Personally I think long term, this could be a wonderful thing. The comparisons to the revitalization of Greenville's downtown are apples and oranges. Completely different towns. Greenville's downtown and entertainment district is very compact - primarily right along their main street. Their economy is also fueled by industry.

Columbia is a government town, and for better or worse, has multiple entertainment districts (Five Points, Main Street, The Vista, and now Bull Street). The Vista is clearly thriving. Main Street, after decades of struggle, is doing quite well now. FIve Points, despite its problems, will always be there because of USC students. Is there room for Bull Street to thrive too? I hope so.

 

[sandlapper59]

Development of the old Bull is inevitable. The only question is whether it will be an asset or just another rich man's cash cow. It can be great if the wrong hands are kept out of it.

I lived in the old barracks of the Carovet (Carolina veteran's) apartments next to the Asylum while at USC .

 

[pisgah]

Was the property donated years ago or bought by the state? I worked with the state a long time ago and they always leased property instead of buying it. If it was donated, it would have been for the purpose of caring for the mentally ill.
Now, most of the mentally ill are homeless people. Los Angeles has thousands of them defecating in the streets.

 

[king ward]

This thing is still weighed in the balances - and will be for some time to come. How are the housing and retail coming along? Is development on schedule or behind, based upon the current state of the overall economy?

 

[lostcock]

I think some of the consensus is it’s a fail because it’s still in work, and nothing seems to be happening, but I believe this was a 20 year project, and things are moving. The Fireflies are a huge hit, pun intended, almost next door is a global giant in Capgemini, which has some of the sweetest offices I’ve ever seen, and has obviously invested heavily into Columbia, REI, which is a yuge, big bigger nothings been so big get is moving along nicely. Not to mention even more commercial/residential new construction near the the Calhoun street side, and Central Energy in the shadows of the Park. If this all keeps up, this project should be fantastic when it’s complete. And, I can tell you if you build the latest, greatest apartments, condos, whatever in Columbia, they will fill quickly. Those are close for our millennial friends to school, and work. They don’t do the crappy apartments like we used to.

 

[patback33]

It is behind but there are multiple projects moving forward according to a real estate attorney I know.

 

[GandBinNC]

It is behind but there are multiple projects moving forward according to a real estate attorney I know.

That's the sense I get too - momentum starting to build. REI is a huge deal. The soon-to-open park is a huge deal. Looking forward to seeing the progress when I'm back in town.

 

[cockhornleghorn]

It was always supposed to take many years to be completed, so people have gotten impatient. Construction is chugging along at a good pace, now, though.