Thoughts on Columbus, GA

[SDK4]

Columbus has got to try and get a pro sports team again after losing the Cottonmouths to Sarasota

[Atlman1]

Originally Posted by SDK4

Columbus has got to try and get a pro sports team again after losing the Cottonmouths to Sarasota

They still have the Cottonmouths. The team moved to another league. I went to a game about 2 weeks ago. I think they moved to the SPHL which has Winston-Salem, Knoxville, Asheville, Jacksonville, and a few other cities.

[gah]

Things Columbus needs (in no particular order)

1. Extend I-185 south to I-10 (new alternate route to Fla = more traffic/commerce/notariety for area) by making Hwy 27 interstate from Chattanooga to Tallahassee
2. New interstate connection to Montgomery and B'ham = access to Atlantic and points west. Make Fallline Freeway interstate and extend it to points west
3. A break, as in new splashy announcement of tech facility ala AMD
4. Much more aggressive PR in general and especially of new expanded convention center
5. Coordination of promotion efforts with surrounding attractions, as tourism is a vast untapped resource. Ashville capitalizes on its scenery/location, whereas Columbus needs to capitalize on its (Pine Mt, Providence Canyon, whitewater, new proposed marina) as well as being centrally located for numerous historical attactions (Little White House, Naval Museum, Infantry Museum). Crying need for new hotels
6. Promote proximity to Atlanta, touting Columbus as a viable business alternative with all (or most) of the benefits without the hassles
7. Promote Harris County as possible bedroom community for Atlanta as well as Columbus (thought of doing that myself, communting from Pine Mt).
8. High-speed rail connection to Hartsfield (up I-185/85 median) with stops in Pine Mt, LaGrange, Newnan, S. Fulton County)
9. Decentralization of state government with some departments moving out of Atlanta into other venues (as recent move of Archieves to Clayton County). Columbus might be good location for Insurance Dept, considering AFLAC, or department regulating banking considering Synovus

My experience is that Columbus seems to suffer neddelessly from an inferiority complex. It needs to crow, ala Atlanta, which was built on bluster as much as fact. I am surprised at how few people know about Columbus. Most who have heard of it and not been there in the past 10 years or so think of it as an isolated mill/military stagnant backwater. While it seems to be moving away from dependence on mill/ military, it is still some what isolated transportation/reputation-wise. It does not have the colonial charm of Savannah, but it has the capacity to become the 19th century/Victorian counterpart if it has the will to promote itself as such. Come to Georgia and see the 20/21-century (Atlanta), the 19-century (Columbus) and the 18-century

[IHateBirds]

I didn't know anything about Columbus before ATLman posted these threads. And to be honest, I wasn't totally aware Georgia had a place called Columbus before this. Therefore, my input as an outsider can't be too specific, but I will comment on what I can.

gah, I definitely agree with your idea regarding freeway access. Columbus looks like it is a bit isolated, and I believe someone here or on another forum spoke of how it was really isolated before I-185 was built. This kind of enhancement is a no-brainer

I also agree that the place needs some publicity as well as a more diverse job market--definitely more white collar type jobs over a variety of disciplines. Perhaps it could house some satellite offices for companies in Atlanta? This would really help get some more people in the area, and as I said before (and you also hit on), could be touted as a more life-size place to live than Atlanta, with fewer headaches and greater convenience.

Columbus is really close to "Pine Ridge", correct? It is a very cool looking geographic feature on a topo map. Combine that with the river and Columbus has a lot of natural treasures to capitalize upon.

These things require quite a bit of infrastructure and therefore a LOT of money. I suspect that these things will happen in some form, but it may take decades of build up before we'll really see it all come together in a cohesive package. I would just hate to see this area become Atlanta's "bitch", you know? Columbus strikes me as a good pencil sketching, waiting to be painted. You don't want it painted by someone who sucks!

Being a train buff, I love your train idea and I believe it would help Columbus seem more accessible to tourists or future business travellers, however I couldn't begin to imagine the cost of such a project. You never know, in the distant future it may become a reality.

[gah]

Frack -- Thanx for comments. Glad we are in so much agreement
Actually, the geographic feature is called Pine Mountain. Probably a misnomer, as is only ~ 1000 ft at highest. But that is what passes for a "mountain" there at the fall line. It is the first high ground north of the fallline/coastal plain.
It is a pretty interesting place, as I think it was once a spur of the Appalachians but became isolated during the last Ice Age. (There is that "isolation" concept again) At any rate it has trees/animal life which is more like Smokies than would be expected this far south. My weekend place is there and I am a member of a hiking group which hikes/works trails on mountain in FDR Park twice a month. I have turkeys, deer, rabbits, raccoons, armadillos, coyotes, wildcats, beavers, snakes, turtles and (I suspect) a bear on my place. Quite a change from the urban jungle! The area is just becoming discovered by Atlantans and "half-backers" (those folks who moved to Florida and now want a place to live/vacation that is not so flat/hot but also not all the way back North). It has FDR Park (largest in Ga) and Callaway Gardens, as well as Little White House/Warm Springs
In truth nature was pretty kind to the Columbus area so I do think that that is something it should capitalize on more than it has. Providence Canyon/Westville, for example, are fabulous places but off-the-beaten track, get almost no publicity and
are overlooked even by natives. If you ever get to the area drop by my place for drinks and a chat!

[Atlman1]

The Pine Mountain and Callaway Gardens area north of Columbus is a great place for a vacation. Callaway has done a lot in the last few years to bring in more tourists. They completed a new convention hall and are in the plans of adding another hotel. They also broke ground a year ago on a residential development on the Callaway property. I went hiking a few months ago on Pine Mountain. This is truly a beautiful place with unbelievable views. Warm Springs which is only a few miles away has a great museum of FDR. If you are in Warm Springs try the Bulloch House restaurant, it is great place to eat.

[gah]

Hey Atlman 1 -- why not join my hiking group for a Saturday hike? Saturday March 18 is next scheduled event. Check out our website

pinemountaintrail.org.

Same invite to you regarding drinks at my place!

[Atlman1]

Anymore ideas on what Columbus needs in order to become more competitive in the Southeast?

[SDK4]

Urban renewal can't hurt if done in small amounts.

[SkyscraperBuilder]

Columbus really does have the potential to be a BOOM city. Yes, it is relatively small. But it was the birthplace of Coca Cola, and it has Aflac, Synovus, which are major Fortune 500 companies.

[IHateBirds]

Aflac is the only Fortune 500 company headquartered in Columbus. Synovus and TSYS are respectable corporations but they are not in the list.

gah and I pretty much agree on most points--the basics for making Columbus a more attractive place to live and work. Use Atlanta as an advantage--tap off of that energy. Don't just let Atlanta eventually leak out into the Columbus area. Attract satellite campuses, improve travel infrastructure, embrace an intelligent growth policy from the get-go... don't do "more of the same", people are tired of that.

Columbus's major employers don't really employ a huge number of people. Therefore I would assume that they are not the big draw. Columbus does have its share of blue-collar or narrow-skill jobs, but the existing white-collar jobs appear to lean towards health insurance and financial processing. Given the existing infrastructure for those industries, I would think that Columbus should attact more pertinent employers and naturally expand what they have. <-- Build from that.

[SkyscraperBuilder]

It also has a very excellent airport as well that can expand. My general practioner lives in Harris County and commutes to the extreme northside of Atlanta four days a week. But has a 125 acre plantation home in Pine Mountain that is stunning, and also a minimal condo in an old complex in Atlanta, but loves living near Columbus.

Believe me it is an up and coming city.

[Atlman1]

Originally Posted by SkyscraperBuilder

It also has a very excellent airport as well that can expand. My general practioner lives in Harris County and commutes to the extreme northside of Atlanta four days a week. But has a 125 acre plantation home in Pine Mountain that is stunning, and also a minimal condo in an old complex in Atlanta, but loves living near Columbus.

Believe me it is an up and coming city.

Columbus is definitely moving in the right direction. With the new Muscogee Technology Park, Columbus will continue to bring in high-tech industry. Techsphere Systems International is building its new HQ in the park which will create over 1,000 new jobs in the next 4 years. Also, Heckler & Koch is building a big operation in the park creating 500 new jobs. This new park is only in the beginning stages and will be unbelievable when fully built out. Downtown is also seeing a lot of new development along the river with Columbus State University and new lofts. You are right SkyscraperBuilder, Columbus is really becoming an up and coming city.

[Atlman1]

Here is some new information on the DT redevelopment of a mill that will turned into condos, retail, and restaurants. This is from the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. It is a long article but sounds really interesting.

Development to bring residences, restaurants, retail and office space to historic site

A historic Columbus mill site dating back to the mid-1800s is on the verge of dramatic change.

The old Eagle & Phenix Mill that sits on the east bank of Chattahoochee River in downtown Columbus will be converted to residences, restaurants and office space. The project is projected to cost more than $50 million and take up to 10 years to complete.

The mill and 16 acres of prime riverfront real estate was purchased from the bankrupt Pillowtex Corp. for $5.8 million by the W.C. Bradley Co. more than a year ago.

Now, the Columbus company, with its partner Columbus-based Flournoy Development Co., is moving forward with plans to tear out non-historic chunks of the mill. That work began earlier this month.

That demolition -- which will leave six historic mill structures standing -- will open up a world of possibilities for reuse of the city's oldest industrial site.

"We hope at the end of the day it is a community within itself," W.C. Bradley Real Estate Division President Mat Swift said.

It is another significant investment step being made along the river.

Consider the recent riverfront expenditures:

• $100 million TSYS campus that opened in September 1999.

• $40 million Columbus State University performing and visual arts campus that is under construction and renovation at the base of Dillingham Street Bridge.

• $30 million expansion of the Columbus Convention & Trade Center that was complete last year.

• $22 million Synovus Centre, a five-story office building opened last year between 11th and 12th streets.

The more than $242 million in reinvestment -- counting plans for the Eagle & Phenix -- has happened along a one-mile stretch of urban riverbank.

The plans

Plans for the mill were developed over the last 18 months after visits to similar mill restoration projects in Savannah, Atlanta, Chattanooga, Tenn., and Greenville, S.C.

The Eagle & Phenix property includes multiple buildings with river views and river access.

There are three main mill buildings that will be used for residential purposes. Current plans -- which could and probably will change over the 10-year course of the project -- call for condominiums that will be sold to buyers in two buildings and rental apartments in the third building.

Developers expect between 50 and 60 condominiums, which could range in price from $125,000 to nearly $500,000 per unit.

"We looked at a lot of old mills and old mill buildings," Swift said. "The one thing that we found is there is a trend toward people owning their own units."

Tom Flournoy, president of Flournoy Development Co., said the condominiums will diversify the downtown residential population.

"Part of the reason for doing condominiums is to bring a different element -- a permanent resident," Flournoy said.

And those residents will have a major say in what their home looks like. The plans call for residents to be able to purchase certain square footage, then go in and design the interior -- room sizes and locations. The company is currently arranging focus groups with prospective buyers to discuss the possibilities.

In addition to the condominiums, there is a plan to turn Mill No. 3, the building closest to 12th Street, into an apartment building with up to 100 units. The ground floor space in that building will be marketed as the site of a grocery store.

There are four possible sites for restaurants along the backside of the mill buildings, facing the river. Plans also call for the Chattahoochee Riverwalk to run along the backside of the project. It will create a mixture of public and private access to the property.

Lisa Collins, president of Uptown Columbus Inc., has seen the plans for the mill site and said it will be a "shot in the arm" for continued downtown redevelopment. She expects the project will drive more people back to the central business district.

"The restaurants they are planning will give more people the opportunity to be able to enjoy those views of the river," Collins said.

Historic significance

Before the old mill property was purchased, W.C. Bradley officials began consulting with historical preservationist at Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Ray Luce, director of the department's Historical Preservation Division, has made two visits to the Eagle & Phenix Mill.

"We wanted them on board early," Swift said.

There are a couple of reasons for that.

• The mill, along with other riverfront mills from Bibb City to the Trade Center, are part of the National Historic Landmark. There are only 200 such landmarks in the state.

• The Historical Preservation Division holds the key to federal historic tax credits, which will make the project financially feasible. The project could qualify for millions in income tax breaks if approved.

Luce said the site holds major historical significance.

"You can see the layers of history on that site," Luce said. "It is a terribly important location. It is important to Columbus, it is important to Georgia, it is important to the South and it is important to the United States."

Luce said he is impressed with the plans to preserve and reuse the historically significant structures.

"The thing that is important is they are not trying to do it as a museum," Luce said. "They are going to reuse it, but they are also going to do something that retains the authenticity."

Developers will peel away more than 700,000 square feet of space. Most of that was built in the last 50 years and does not carry historic significance. What it will leave is a historic footprint from the early 1900s as the textile mill was expanding and flourishing.

When demolition is complete later this year, six historic mill structures dating back to the 1860s will be left standing between 13th and 12th streets.

"It will be similar to the 1910 look of the mill," Swift said.

Virginia Peebles, the outgoing executive director of the Historic Columbus Foundation, said the developers have been innovative in their approach to the project.

"They are doing what we have been preaching -- adaptive reuse," Peebles said.

In the 1990s, a riverfront mill was demolished to make way for the TSYS campus. That drew the ire of the state's Historical Preservation Division, though they could do nothing to stop it.

Peebles said by bringing the state officials into the conversation early, some of the problems of the past can be avoided.

"I just think Mat is trying to do the right thing," she said. "Perhaps everybody in Columbus has learned from past experiences."

The partnership

This is not the first time W.C. Bradley and Flournoy Development have formed a partnership for downtown redevelopment. Three years ago, they reworked three 11th Street buildings for 46 loft apartments and restaurant space.

"They did a great job on 11th Street," Swift said of Flournoy Construction Co.

The partnership works for several reasons.

The W.C. Bradley Real Estate Division has developed a number of large projects, including Maple Ridge golf community, Bradley Park and Brookstone Centre, a North Columbus office park. Flournoy Development Co. is one of the nation's largest apartment builders and property managers. The company, which owns its construction company, operates in more than 120 communities across the country.

The partnership between the two homegrown companies makes sense, Flournoy said.

Flournoy Construction Co. will do the construction work, while Flournoy Development Co. has experience in apartment leasing and management. The W.C. Bradley Co. brings riverfront development experience, real estate sales experience and commercial leasing experience to the deal.

"It makes for a good team," Flournoy said.

In addition to working on the redevelopment of the old mill properties, the two companies will also have the opportunity to build new buildings north of the 13th Street bridge. All of the mill buildings, none of which are historic, will be torn down, creating more than a block of wide-open riverfront property.

"It is a blank piece of paper," Flournoy said. "Do we put nice condominiums? Do you back it up with another office like the Synovus Centre? The only reason this is a 10-year program is because you have that blank piece of paper up there."

Swift cautions that plans will change as the project progresses.

"When we started development on Maple Ridge, I had an image in my mind of what it was going to be," Swift said. "Ten years later, it is totally different."

He said look at it this way:

"What we have is a concept of taking the mill back to a look of the early 1900s," he said. "But that is what it is, a concept."

[MattSal]

Forgive the size, still can't figure how to do thumbnails . . .

Broadway Street


Singer Opera House


Golden Park


Rivercenter


Civic Center


Courthouse


Museum

[gah]

Mattsal -- outstanding! Thanks for sharing. Keep em coming!
I am envious, and wish I had the talent for taking great shots.

1. Picture of building on Broadway is of Rankin Art Center (notice the sign under iron balcony). An old 1870's hotel with a courtyard and now
beautifully restored inside to Victorian elegance. Used for art/dance/etc classes and as dorm for college students. Most of Broadway on both sides has wonderful old buildings that have been or could be restored to this level. Broadway is being relandscaped block by block, and hopefully the as yet unrestored buildings will be returned to former glory.

2. Springer Opera House has been redone and is awesome. It is small but a real jewel. Also I recommend the bar -- though not sure whether it is open only for performances. Dont miss a chance to catch a play there.

3. In my opiniion, Rivercenter is much more impressive on inside than out. All the venues are terrific and I especially like the organ hall. When that thing gets cranked up it is heavenly

4. I think the "Civic Center" is, instead, the campus of TSYS. The Civic Center is further down river, past Golden Park and near the new Civil War Naval Museum. The TYSY campus is on the site of an old mill, and a beautiful old antebellum estate called the Mott House which has been restored on the outside but not inside.

5. The museum is pretty impressive. The permanent collection is extensive and I have seen some very interesting travelling shows there as well. Also the grounds-- though not extensive -- are well maintained and quite nice for strolling. The whole Wynnton area is charming and includes antebellum mansions and bungalows, including the childhood home of Carson McCullars (Heart is A Lonely Hunter, etc) which is now a house museum and workshop for visiting literary figures.

One of my favorite buidlings which is in sore need of restoration is the Empire building at 1st Ave and 12th St. It would make a wonderful condo. Any one who has a shot of it should post it. I also like the small building in 11th St between Ist and Bradway that houses the Tavern restaurant. the detain on that building is incredible! I hear that, in addition to recently announced Eagle & Phenix project previously noted here, an Atlanta developer has bought the old Jordan Mills on 12th Ave and Talbotton Rd with plans to make it into apartment complex designed for residents 55+ yrs, ie, empty nesters. It is an interesting building -- all brick and lots of windows, as is common in Columbus -- and should make for a beautiful complex when done. What is interesting is that this development is directly across from the old Peabody Apts, which have been razed and a new townhouse mixed use development is giong up there. These developments are only a few blocks from the Medical Center and growing concentration of medical offices, which probably explains the 55+ target group. That Medical Center area abuts the East Highland/Waverly Terrace are which I think is probably giong to become the newest urban pioneer area for residential restoration/redevelopment.

Finally, the annual Riverfest Festival is scheduled for the third weekend in April, and April 23 plans include a great evening outdoor concert on teh banks of teh river along teh Riverwalk and fireworks. Assuming teh weather is nice, anyone who can should come, as I think you would have a great time!

[MattSal]

You don't seriously think I took all of those pictures, do you?

Um . . . thanks anyways. I've never even been to Columbus.

[Atlman1]

Here is an interesting article from the AJC about Ft. Benning's population boom and what it means to Columbus.

'A business blessing'

By RON MARTZ
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/10/05

Columbus — From his office on the east side of I-185, Rob Doll can't quite see the future of this city, but he knows where it is.

The future is just a few miles away, at the southern end of the interstate highway at Fort Benning, one of the Army's key training facilities and the economic engine that drives the region.

Across the country, many communities are breaking out in a cold sweat over the prospect that their bases may show up on the Pentagon's chopping block in little more than six weeks.

But this post, which calls itself "Home of the Infantry" is about to grow. And as Fort Benning grows, so too will Columbus, Phenix City, Ala., and other nearby communities in west-central Georgia and eastern Alabama.

"It's a blessing, a business blessing," said Doll, owner of Rob Doll Nissan and an Army veteran of Vietnam.

Over the next 18 months, 5,400 additional soldiers will be permanently based here.

The majority, about 3,500, will be from the 5th Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division.

The others will be added to a variety of units, including about 900 more trainers. That will push the base's military population to more than 40,000.

The population of Columbus-Phenix City, including the new soldiers and their families, is expected to jump by more than 15,000, said Mayo "Biff" Hadden III, senior vice president of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce.

"It's a great economic shot in the arm," said Hadden.

But with that economic boom will come crowded schools — especially in Muscogee County — a housing pinch, increased traffic and a strain on child care services.

Those anticipated problems could get even worse if Fort Benning adds military personnel from other installations in Europe and throughout the United States as a result of this year's round of Pentagon-mandated base closings. The list of recommended closures will be made public on May 16.

Hadden is spearheading the region's efforts to prepare for the growth and head off potential problems through a coalition of community leaders known as the Fort Benning Futures Partnership.

The cooperation here has been cited by one national organization as a model for other communities where military bases might grow.

"What they have done is create a pretty useful model for other communities dealing with expansion," said Tim Ford, executive director of the Association of Defense Communities, which works with military communities on base closures and expansion.

Influx in Savannah, too

Fort Stewart, home of the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), near Savannah, is facing similar growth problems, though not of the same magnitude as Fort Benning's.

Billy Edwards, the city manager for Hinesville, said the division grew from 18,000 to 22,000 soldiers between spring and summer last year as it added a fourth combat brigade. By the time the unit left for Iraq in January, it had 24,000 soldiers.

Many of the soldiers did not bring their families, Edwards said.

But when the unit returns from Iraq early next year, the families are expected to move, increasing the population of Hinesville and surrounding communities and counties by at least 8,000.

That means more housing, more schools and more child care, just like Columbus. A joint land-use study is being conducted, and housing surveys are under way that are expected to present several scenarios for planners to consider to handle the growth.

"We're guardedly optimistic we'll see growth as opposed to diminution," Edwards said. "But you have to be prepared, and we're planning our infrastructure to handle that growth."

At Fort Benning, deputy garrison commander Chuck Walls said he would welcome even more growth.

"We're standing up with our arms open saying we've got space. We've got 184,000 acres here, and you'll never get that kind of acreage again," said Walls.

Fort Benning has become the single source of training for the Army's infantry. Last year, about 15,000 infantry soldiers trained at the post. This year that number will jump to 25,000, said Walls. Over the next three years, a total of 23,000 additional infantry trainees will be added to the Army to meet demands in Iraq and Afghanistan.

All will come through Fort Benning. And while the trainees have little impact on the local economy, those needed to train them do.

The trainers are usually senior enlisted, many of them married with children.

Walls said no new housing will be added to the 4,000 units already on-base, which means most of the new soldiers will have to find places to live off-post.

"We now [build] about 450 spec homes a year. We've got to get that to over 1,000 spec homes a year for the next two years," said the chamber of commerce's Hadden.

In addition, Hadden said, it is estimated that 1,600 more apartment units will be needed to accommodate the new troops and their families.

One of the keys to the construction is managing it in a way that it does not encroach on the base or its missions, said Hadden.

A joint land-use study is now in the works that will provide recommendations for long-term growth around the base, he added.

The additional recruits and the new brigade will be housed on-base in modular facilities. The brigade will eventually get about $400 million worth of permanent structures, but that will be over a 10-year period.

School crunch on way

Local schools will feel a crunch for the next few years as the new students hit town with their soldier parents. But until the houses and apartments are built, the school systems will not know where new schools will be needed, so temporary classrooms are being planned.

Officials here say Muscogee County is likely to be hit hardest by the influx of new students.

Robin Pennock, deputy superintendent for the Muscogee County School District, said her system could receive as many as 3,800 of the 4,700 new students. That would be more than 10 percent growth in 18 months.

"We are very excited and positive about this, but we do face some challenges," said Pennock.

Among those challenges are not knowing where the children will live or what grades they will be in. And that means school officials do not know how many more teachers in any particular grade will be needed.

Pennock said a rough estimate of the cost for additional teachers, portable classrooms, textbooks and other school supplies "could be well in excess of $25 million," about $15 million of which would come from state funds.

"We know we can handle the housing, and we are comfortable we can handle the education piece, although it will take us about three years to bring it fully online. If we do this right, we come out the winner and soldiers come out the winner," said Hadden.

The new brigade originally was scheduled to get to Fort Benning this September. Instead, it will now be next September.

The extra time, said Hadden, will enable area officials to more carefully plan for a complex situation that will have a major social and economic impact on the region.

[Atlman1]

Anyone have a prediction of which military bases in GA will be affected by BRAC?

[Tampa813]

I've heard about Columbus. It's coming up in the ranks. In my paper back in Tallahassee, it gives a little information on Columbus' job market. It also states how a lot of big corporations have migrated there, gives statistical info on the metro area as a whole.