OT: Lexington SC

[stevestrat2]

My son & his wife live in West Columbia just down the road from downtown Lexington. He took me to the brewery in the textile mill a couple of months ago, and this past weekend a bunch of us ate at Ohara’s downtown Lexington. Had a great time, food was really good, and the place was packed. The downtown was small but seemed to have something going on. I had not been to Lexington in YEARS, but I have been impressed of late. What kind of town is Lexington? - regular folk?, high brow, working class?? I don’t know much about it, but from what I have seen, must be a good place to live. Am I right?

 

[lakemurraycock1]

I like it. Icehouse amphitheater is a great addition to the town. Free concerts start up soon there. I live outside of town though. Go through it every day.

 

[hobcawcreekcock]

Lexington used to be in the country. Just like any place, has some high dollar homes, lol at if middle class, and a few rough areas. As a whole, Lexington is a good place to live, except traffic, but you can say that about just about anywhere in SC. Good schools, lots if restaurants, shopping, and close to Lake Murray.

I've never lived there but know people that do! Again, the growth there has been tremendous, and infrastructure hasn't kept up.

 

[JohnnySolo]

Lived here for 14 years. I like Lexington a lot. It reminds me of my hometown. Getting busy so I moved to Gilbert. You can find all levels of society here. Baseball is huge. Schools are rated well, too. It’s on the up and up.

 

[JeffTweedyFan]

Loved it when I first moved here 20 years ago. Now, can't wait to get out. I appreciate what is happening downtown but the rest of the town is just the worst. I hate that I have to time errands, meals around traffic and that it takes me 40 minutes to get to downtown Columbia on the weekdays.

 

[Kitchenlabs]

Lexington is one big strip mall with horrible traffic.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

Lexington is one big strip mall with horrible traffic.

This is exactly what it's turned into. I used to have aspirations of living in Lexington when I moved back to Columbia. However, if I'm going to spend 45 minutes in traffic, it will be on an interstate coming from Chapin, before it's spent on 378 with those fools.
And don't get me started on the fiasco that is the I-20 construction.

 

[coolcock2001]

Too much traffic, strip malls and urban sprawl. That said there are some gems like you mentioned...the Old Mill, the Main Street area, the new Icehouse Ampitheater. Krafty Draft is another place you "wouldn't expect" in Lexington; like 100+ beers on tap

 

[USCBatgirl21]

Too much traffic,

Truly. It's getting Charleston-like.

 

[sclawman77]

As a fellow Irmo native, my response to Lexington folk: "Stay on your dam side". (Pun intended).

 

[coolcock2001]

I'm from Saluda originally. Hope the sprawl never makes it that far down 378

 

[king ward]

I'm from Saluda originally. Hope the sprawl never makes it that far down 378

I can't envision sprawl in Saluda. But maybe in 50 years or so...

 

[martwing]

This is exactly what it's turned into. I used to have aspirations of living in Lexington when I moved back to Columbia. However, if I'm going to spend 45 minutes in traffic, it will be on an interstate coming from Chapin, before it's spent on 378 with those fools.
And don't get me started on the fiasco that is the I-20 construction.

I share your point of view on I26 vs. 378. Living on the Chapin side gives great access.....BUT, I am dreading the widening project of I26 that's coming. If its anything like the I20 mess, we are hosed.

 

[redrogers]

As a fellow Irmo native, my response to Lexington folk: "Stay on your dam side". (Pun intended).

Where in Irmo? I grew up a stone’s throw from the high school.
“Just win The Dam Game!”

 

[Shadow86]

I live in Lexington on 378 going towards Saluda. If you know when you have to leave to miss traffic it’s fine. I love my neighborhood, family friendly, and my parents and wife’s parents live in the Lexington area. If I didn’t have to go to Columbia for work I would never leave Lexington. Do wish we would get one or two more restuarnts though.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

I share your point of view on I26 vs. 378. Living on the Chapin side gives great access.....BUT, I am dreading the widening project of I26 that's coming. If its anything like the I20 mess, we are hosed.

Oh it will be a CF of monumental proportions. We know that. Add in the widening of Broad River Road, and it will be Hades. My parents live near the intersection of 6 and Dutch Fork Road in Ballentine (although their address says Irmo). I never take exit 101 to get to their house (since Broad River Road is a parking lot, even on weekends), but go up to 97 and take Bickley Road to their subdivision.

 

[coolcock2001]

I live in Lexington on 378 going towards Saluda. If you know when you have to leave to miss traffic it’s fine. I love my neighborhood, family friendly, and my parents and wife’s parents live in the Lexington area. If I didn’t have to go to Columbia for work I would never leave Lexington. Do wish we would get one or two more restuarnts though.

Have you tried the new Alodia's? Saw that popped up on Main Street, haven't heard anything about it

 

[USCBatgirl21]

Have you tried the new Alodia's? Saw that popped up on Main Street, haven't heard anything about it

Alodia's is amazing, at least the one in Irmo. I've been there quite a bit.

 

[sclawman77]

Where in Irmo? I grew up a stone’s throw from the high school.
“Just win The Dam Game!”

I got zoned to Dutch Fork so never went to Irmo high though I ran cross country/track for Irmo my freshman year when I was at Irmo middle Campus I and had many friends at Irmo high. My neighborhood was a good place to live when we moved there in '80 but it's getting pretty run down-New Friarsgate. I haven't been to see the old homestead in over a decade.

 

[colacock#]

I moved to Lexington about 10 years ago. In those years, 3 new schools have opened up within a few miles of my house. All great schools, but traffic SUCKS! In just the 10 years since I moved there, traffic has gotten WAY worse. If I'd have known, not sure I would have moved there. Other than that, it is a pretty good place to live. Lots of choices of things to do.

 

[Flameout12]

Truly. It's getting Charleston-like.

...miserable.

 

[tjdisbrow]

It has not been made public yet. USC purchased Lexington Middle School. There is a reason everyone is moving in. Would rather deal with 4-lane traffic vs two in Chapin

 

[coolcock2001]

It has not been made public yet. USC purchased Lexington Middle School.

Old news, this was actually part of the Demetris Summers package

 

[Rhizzlebop]

Why would usc purchase a middle school? Why would a district have it for sale?

 

[coolcock2001]

Why would usc purchase a middle school? Why would a district have it for sale?

(I think he was kidding)

 

[silverspur4life]

My son & his wife live in West Columbia just down the road from downtown Lexington. He took me to the brewery in the textile mill a couple of months ago, and this past weekend a bunch of us ate at Ohara’s downtown Lexington. Had a great time, food was really good, and the place was packed. The downtown was small but seemed to have something going on. I had not been to Lexington in YEARS, but I have been impressed of late. What kind of town is Lexington? - regular folk?, high brow, working class?? I don’t know much about it, but from what I have seen, must be a good place to live. Am I right?

If you do not have kids in school look at West Columbia. Great home values and close to everything. Plus lower taxes and water rates if you are in the city.

 

[cockycurran]

I recently escaped Lexington after living there for almost 25 years. I would never go back if I didn't have to for various reasons. Brutal traffic and way too many strip malls for me. I am now in the Earlewood neighborhood of Columbia and loving it.

 

[vacock#]

I recently escaped Lexington after living there for almost 25 years. I would never go back if I didn't have to for various reasons. Brutal traffic and way too many strip malls for me. I am now in the Earlewood neighborhood of Columbia and loving it.

I used to live on Abingdon Rd.

 

[Forever Fowl]

I've lived in Lexington County for most of my adult life. Currently in Irmo since 2001 and I avoid the town of Lexington whenever possible. It's a town that grew so fast the roads can't support the traffic. Give me Harbison Blvd anytime vs the parking lot that 378 has become.

 

[BobbyFoosball]

As a fellow Irmo native, my response to Lexington folk: "Stay on your dam side". (Pun intended).

No worries. We ain't lost nothing in Irmo.

 

[Stickman413]

I sell residential real estate in the midlands area and especially in Lexington. I also live in Lexington. The reason we have so many people moving into Lexington because the schools are so good. We are growing at a rate that we need a new elementary school each year and a new middle school every 5 years and a new high school every 10 years. But we do have plenty of shops and dining and new craft beer places are opening up as well.

 

[JeffTweedyFan]

Alodia's is amazing, at least the one in Irmo. I've been there quite a bit.

Just don't go to their Sunday brunch.

 

[Forever Fowl]

Irmo is the better town by a dam site.

If you can't find it on Harbison it doesn't exist.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

Just don't go to their Sunday brunch.

I go to DiPrato's for Brunch.

 

[Gamecock Lifer]

If you do not have kids in school look at West Columbia. Great home values and close to everything. Plus lower taxes and water rates if you are in the city.

1,000% agree- I just moved to West Cola, barely across the Gervais st bridge- literally less than 2 miles from my office in the Vista! Used to live in the NE so it gives me back over an hour of my life each day... the commute is awesome but I got a bigger/nicer house than I could afford in the Elmwood area which is where I started looking and it cost me $30-40k less! Because I am in West Cola, lots of bills are lower and I feel like- as close as I am to downtown- the home values are on the rise in this area... Regarding the OP- Lexington is nice, but go look in Saluda Gardens area- you can ride up Sunset and be in Lex in 10 minutes, or go a ross the bridge into the heart of downtown Cola in about 5 minutes. (Plus- really quiet, river walk right around the corner, zoo right beside it..) Home prices are lower for older, better built homes in a more convenient area. The problem with Lexington is not the people or the town it is TRAFFIC. There are two main roads to get in and out of Lexington and that’s it- so EVERY morning and evening is a solid traffic jam on the I and on Sunset. Every single day. If you live in Lexington and have to go to Columbia often you will get sick of that real quick! Schools are great but West Cola is mostly in Lex county and their schools are fantastic as well- Lex/Richland SD is very good compared to the downtown schools. I have lived back in West Columbia (previously lived there like 15-20 years ago) and I have yet to regret anything about choosing that area! Every week I feel like I find something new close to me that makes me love it more.

 

[JeffTweedyFan]

I go to DiPrato's for Brunch.

I would eat there every week if I lived closer. Probably a good thing I don't!

 

[JeffTweedyFan]

1,000% agree- I just moved to West Cola, barely across the Gervais st bridge- literally less than 2 miles from my office in the Vista! Used to live in the NE so it gives me back over an hour of my life each day... the commute is awesome but I got a bigger/nicer house than I could afford in the Elmwood area which is where I started looking and it cost me $30-40k less! Because I am in West Cola, lots of bills are lower and I feel like- as close as I am to downtown- the home values are on the rise in this area... Regarding the OP- Lexington is nice, but go look in Saluda Gardens area- you can ride up Sunset and be in Lex in 10 minutes, or go a ross the bridge into the heart of downtown Cola in about 5 minutes. (Plus- really quiet, river walk right around the corner, zoo right beside it..) Home prices are lower for older, better built homes in a more convenient area. The problem with Lexington is not the people or the town it is TRAFFIC. There are two main roads to get in and out of Lexington and that’s it- so EVERY morning and evening is a solid traffic jam on the I and on Sunset. Every single day. If you live in Lexington and have to go to Columbia often you will get sick of that real quick! Schools are great but West Cola is mostly in Lex county and their schools are fantastic as well- Lex/Richland SD is very good compared to the downtown schools. I have lived back in West Columbia (previously lived there like 15-20 years ago) and I have yet to regret anything about choosing that area! Every week I feel like I find something new close to me that makes me love it more.

And if there is an accident on either of those 2 main roads in the morning, forget about it.