At the end of May, I got to check back on the boom of student housing that has come, belatedly, to Columbia. In the months to come we’ll see more retailers and restaurants opening up to serve these new downtown developments — especially restaurants, because students are never that eager to cook.

Since this went to press, there’s been controversy over the development on South Main Street, the former site of Sandy’s Hot Dogs. Some at USC believe the 15-story building is too tall and will cast unpleasant shade on the Horseshoe.

During the summer here in Columbia, I have trouble thinking of more shade as a bad thing.

Here’s the online version of the story in Columbia Regional Business Report.

 

 

 

 

I’ll take just a minute to brag here. My long takeout article on Columbia’s student housing boom and the tax credit that supporters say fueled it won first place from the S.C. Press Association’s annual contest in the Business Reporting category.

It was a ripe idea to take the student housing issue and broaden the story to ask whether the tax code was discouraging a lot of development in the city. My colleagues at the Business Report did a good job editing and displaying the piece.

Don’t believe me? Look for yourself here:

I can’t look at any journalism contest without thinking of the wisdom of the great columnist Dave Barry, who warned that many journalism contest entries should be labeled: “Warning! Journalism Contest Entry! Do Not Read!” I think we were a little more readable than that.

Got to tour the new Darla Moore School of Business at UofSC shortly after it opened. Much of it was still under construction during the media tour, and in fact, the Media Relations folks nearly had a nightmare on their hands when an elevator threatened to trap a full media contingent on board.

It’s an fascinating building, designed to promote interactions and to use energy efficiently. You have to see it from the internal courtyard to really see it; those driving by are likely to see just a hodgepodge of shapes.

Here’s the story I wrote about it for Columbia Metropolitan magazine, though they decided to edit out some of my architectural observations about the exterior appearance. So much for my run as a critic.

http://columbiametro.com/Columbia-Metro/November-2014/Best-is-the-Enemy-of-Better/