As Columbia embarks on a series of construction projects focused around both business and student living, it looks like the city has yet another appointment with the bulldozers, this time along Assembly Street.
The Capital City Stadium, once home to the Capital City Bombers and Columbia Blowfish, is on the verge of being contracted to Bright-Meyers, a developer that plans to build a Kroger grocery store and more student housing in the area.
This isn’t the first time Bright-Meyers has eyed the area. Wal-Mart has offered claims for the space before, but crucially failed to set up environmental protections to prevent runoff into Rocky Branch creek. After residents around the city, the company sweetened the deal with environmentally friendly solutions like putting rain gardens in parking areas.
On its face, the deal has few downsides. Keeping such a large space unused isn’t good for anyone, and new construction could give the area the facelift it so sorely needs.
It’s no secret that USC students need more places to live near campus; that’s why there’s a growing boom of housing closer to downtown. The Kroger’s location is conveniently placed for students in that area. Getting there would be just a short drive from many spots on campus. And no one’s complaining about more convenient access to food.
Nevertheless, construction projects on this scale are always worth looking at with a healthy dose of skepticism. Because the city proceedings won’t be finalized until May 8, it is the responsibility of the City Council to ensure that Bright-Meyers keeps its word, should the deal go through. It must ensure both that the environmental side of the deal is put into practice and that the new housing fits with the area’s unique aesthetic, like the developer has promised. Analyzing the potential impacts, especially as the compare to those of the Wal-Mart proposal, is crucial here.
In other words, if the deal pans out the way it has been presented to the public, then this construction would be a welcome addition to the numerous student housing projects lined up in the near future. But it’s key that we have plenty of assurance that those plans become reality.