Interview With Greg Hamm Part II
December 15, 2008Here is the 2nd part of our interview with Greg Hamm. This video talks about the focus on attracting young professionals to the new downtown.
Also save Janaury 22 on your schedule. This is the first Planning Board meeting and we’ll be having a huge rally before the event!
From: Ms.Ronnie Koppelman, M.Ed
Some suggestions (given our Columbia history):
My husband & I were part of the few Columbians who came to Columbia (from NYC) specifically for Columbia (& not becasue of jobs,)when we were in our 20’s because we wanted to raise children in what was billed as “the Utopian planned community: the Next America.” We consider ourselves 2nd wave Columbia pioneers because we came to Columbia in 1973 when it was only 6 years old and the original villages were still being developed. We stayed for 32 yrs and our 2 children (now adults) grew up in Columbia. (We chose to move to Atlanta & have been living here 3 yrs.)
Suggestions: Over the years we have visited different college towns and cities that had planned open air shopping areas/plazas that were for walking around only (cars were parked on the perimeter and were not allowed within these walkable shopping mall plazas.) I always thought this walkable outdoor mall idea would be good for Columbia. The most interesting part is that they did not contain the typical mall chain stores as the open air shopping areas now do (eg Talbots, Pottery Barn, etc.) They contain unique shops that are more artisan & cafe centered.
It is a shame that nowadays whereever you go in our country shopping centers all look alike. You can’t even tell sometimes which city you are in. It’s been a lot of years since I visited towns/cities with the type of plazas I am suggesting so I may not remember their specific names but I’m listing below some notable open air plazas (no cars allowed) to look at as a model for Columbia (that young people, families, and empty nesters would enjoy):
1)The one near the Univ. of VA (can’t recall name)
2)City Market in Savanah
3) Cape May, New Jersey
4) In a section of Victoria, British Columbia
5) In Colorado – sections of Denver & Boulder
Doing research on these & others might be helpful.