Columbia Real Estate Listings, Columbia Homes for Sale, Columbia Condos, South Carolina, SC

Columbia Real Estate Overview

Columbia is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. Columbia has an estimated 2005 population of 121,395. According to the 2004 estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau, Columbia's metropolitan area population is 679,456. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a small portion of the city extends into Lexington County.

Columbia is the primary city of the Midlands region of South Carolina, which comprises several counties in the central portion of the state. As such it is centrally located to the rest of the state. The Columbia area is often cited for its high quality of life offerings, with its many cultural amenities, parks, and recreational features. Columbia was recently one of 30 communities named “America's Most Livable Communities.” The award was given by the Washington-based non-profit Partners for Livable Communities and honors communities that are developing themselves in the creative economy.

A resident of Columbia is known as a Columbian.

Columbia grew up at the fall line of the Congaree River, which is formed by the convergence of the Broad River and the Saluda River. The Congaree was the farthest inland point of river navigation. The energy of falling water also powered Columbia's early mills. The city has capitalized on this scenic location which includes three rivers by recently christening itself "The Columbia Riverbanks Region."

Columbia's metropolitan counties include:

• Richland County
• Lexington County
• Fairfield County
• Calhoun County
• Kershaw County
• Saluda County

In recent years, Columbia has been experiencing a downtown renaissance that shows no signs of slowing down in the near future. The most impressive redevelopment has occurred in the historic Congaree Vista, a 1200-acre district in the heart of the city. This historic area features a high concentration of historic buildings, which have been rehabilitated with contemporary flair. Of note is the adaptive reuse of the Confederate Printing Plant, which was used to print Confederate money, bonds, and handbills during the American Civil War, into a Publix grocery store, making Columbia one of only three cities in the Carolinas to have a downtown full-service grocery store. The grocery store garnered Columbia the 2005 Special Achievement Award for Economic Development from the International Downtown Association. Restaurants and bars, art galleries and museums, unique shops and professional office space, sporting arenas and entertainment venues add up to make the Congaree Vista popular with area residents and visitors. The Colonial Center is the largest arena in the state and is home to the University of South Carolina's men's and women's basketball teams. Another significant asset in the Vista is the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, which opened in 2004. This state of the art facility contains nearly 150,000 square feet of exhibit, classroom and ballroom space, and has brought much new convention and meeting business to the Vista area, even exceeding the expectations of city leaders in its first year of operation. Construction on a new Hilton convention center hotel is underway, along with an 800 space parking garage. Many residential projects have already been completed in the Vista, with more planned for the near future. A significant portion of the Three Rivers Greenway is located in the Congaree Vista, and the University of South Carolina's research campus will stretch across the historic district on over 200 acres.

Main Street, Lady Street, and the Five Points neighborhood are all undergoing beautification projects, conducted block by block, replacing curbs and gutters, adding brick pavers for sidewalks, angled parking, new street lights, plantings and site furnishings. Special efforts have been aimed at Main Street, which was once the center of the city's activity but suffered decline, like many other cities, due to retailers and shoppers moving out to suburban malls. The goal is to re-establish Main Street as a vibrant commercial and residential corridor. However, the streetscapings, along Main Street and in Five Points in particular, have taken their toll among local businesses located there. Many have been forced to close during the refurbishing, and some—notably the local favorite Sherlock Holmes Pub on Main Street—have actually gone out of business. In spite of this, many affected merchants believe that the streetscaping and beautification projects represent a positive aspect of the city's evolution.

The Meridian building, a 17-story $62 million office tower was completed in 2004 and First Citizens bank, which is the second-largest bank in the state, is in the process of completing a new $40 million, 170,000 square foot headquarters tower on Main Street. The historic Palmetto Building, also on Main Street, is presently undergoing renovations, preparing to become a five-star Sheraton hotel. Along with recent residential development, Main Street is beginning to enjoy a renewed surge in popularity in Columbia. The Congaree Vista district and Main Street aren't the only areas in downtown benefiting from new residential development. The 178-acre former state mental hospital’s central campus, located on Bull Street, is the last and largest tract of land to come available in urban Columbia in decades. The state of South Carolina has plans to sell the site--which represents a huge opportunity for the city of Columbia. The vision is a hallmark of new urbanism, the architectural movement that focuses on higher-density residential development interspersed with green space, offices and retail. For this future development, 1,200 residential units and over 800,000 square feet of retail and office space are planned. The new Bull Street neighborhood also would feature a “town center” of stores and shops near its main entrance at Bull Street and Elmwood Avenue. This project is expected to have a rather significant economic impact on the city of Columbia--something unlike the city has seen within the past 50 years, according to the Central Carolina Community Foundation's Bull Street Committee, which will oversee the project.

Columbia Neighborhoods

• Arsenal Hill
• Bellevue Historic District
• Cottontown
• Earlewood
• Eau Claire
• Elmwood Park
• Forest Hills
• Granby Mill Village
• Heathwood
• Hollywood-Rose Hill
• Old Shandon
• Olympia Mill Village
• Rosewood
• Sherwood Forest
• University Hill
• Wales Garden
• Historic Waverly
• Wheeler Hill
• Yorkshire

Columbia Parks and Outdoor Recreational Opportunities

One of the best known parks in the state of South Carolina, Finlay Park has hosted just about everything from festivals and political rallies to road races and Easter Sunrise services.

Granby Park opened in November 1998 as a gateway to the rivers of Columbia, adding another access to the many river activities available to residents. Granby is part of the Three Rivers Greenway, a system of green spaces along the banks of the rivers in Columbia, adding another piece to the long-range plan and eventually connecting to the existing Riverfront Park. Granby is a 24 acre linear park with canoe access points, fishing spots, bridges and 1/2 mile of nature trail along the banks of the Congaree River.

Memorial Park is a four-acre tract of land in the Congaree Vista between Main Street and the river. The property is bordered by Hampton, Gadsden, Washington, and Wayne Streets and is one block south of Finlay Park. This park was created to serve as a memorial to those who served their country.

In the Five Points district of downtown Columbia is the park dedicated to the legacy and memory of the most celebrated civil rights leader in America, Martin Luther King Jr. Park. Formerly known as Valley Park, it was historically known to be largely restricted to Whites. Renaming the park after Martin Luther King, Jr. in the late 1980's was seen as a progressive and unifying event on behalf of the city, civic groups, and local citizens.

Situated along the meandering Congaree River in central South Carolina, Congaree National Park is home to champion trees, primeval forest landscapes, and diverse plant and animal life. This 22,200-acre park protects the largest contiguous tract of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the United States. The park is an international biosphere reserve. Known for its giant hardwoods and towering pines, the park’s floodplain forest includes one of the highest canopies in the world and some of the tallest trees in the eastern United States. Congaree National Park provides a sanctuary for plants and animals, a research site for scientists, and a place to walk and relax in a tranquil wilderness setting.

Sesquicentennial State Park is a 1,419-acre park, featuring a beautiful 30-acre lake surrounded by trails and picnic areas. The park's proximity to downtown Columbia and three major interstate highways attracts both local residents and travelers.

In November 1996, the River Alliance proposed that a 12-mile linear park system be created to link people to their rivers. This was named the Three Rivers Greenway, and the $18 million estimated cost was agreed to by member governments (the cities of Cayce, Columbia, and West Columbia) with the proviso that the Alliance recommend an acceptable funding strategy.

Running beside the historic Columbia Canal, Riverfront Park hosts a two and a half mile trail. Spanning the canal is an old railway bridge that now is a pedestrian walkway. The park is popular for walking, running, bicycling, and fishing. Picnic tables and benches dot the walking trail. Markers are located along the trail so that visitors can measure distance. The park is part of the Palmetto Trail, a hiking and biking trail that stretches the entire length of the state, from Greenville to Charleston.

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Also: City of Columbia, South Carolina Official Website