| |
Downtown Columbia
Living Living in downtown Columbia has never been so attractive.
Blending the historic and the new, the growth of city living is
becoming more exciting each year. Renovations of Victorian and
four-square homes are prevalent in the neighborhoods of Earlewood,
Elmwood Park, and Cottontown. The beautiful, tree-lined streets of
these neighborhoods contain homes with features such as large rooms,
unique staircases, stained glass and detailed architecture. Many of
the houses located in this area of Columbia can be found on the
National Register of Historic Places.
Eau Claire is made of up 32 eclectic
neighborhoods in the northernmost part of the City of Columbia and
offers classic homes built at the “end of the trolley line.
”including 1920s and 1930s cozy bungalows, postwar brick capes, and
late century ranch homes nestled in the hills and valleys of the
area. Eau Claire is home to four institutions of higher learning—The
Lutheran Southern Theological Seminary; Columbia College, one of the
Top Ten Liberal Arts Colleges of the South; South University; and
Columbia International University, a Christian institution located
on the Broad River. Once part of the old town of Eau Claire,
Earlewood was annexed into the City of Columbia back in the 1920s
and now boasts four-square, brick, and craftsman bungalow houses, as
well as the new Laurel Hill development of bungalow style homes
reminiscent of the1930s. It is the home of a house older than the
City itself—a frontier log cabin built in 1754 (and now moved to
Sesquicentennial Park in northeast Columbia for preservation
purposes).
Governor’s Hill, another neighborhood located in
downtown Columbia, overlooks South Carolina ’s Governor's Mansion
and Finlay Park. These newly built homes are three-story
Charleston-style houses built within private, walled gardens. This
neighborhood provides residents with new construction, old-world
charm and convenience to downtown amenities. And the City is now
home to many newly renovated apartments and condominiums overlooking
the Main Street and surrounding areas of downtown from their perches
over established retail stores and restaurants.
Neighborhoods such as Shandon, Melrose Heights, and Heathwood
surround the Five Points commercial center, the epicenter of
Columbia nightlife and shop-ping. These neighborhoods offer
residents the mixture of fine schools and beautiful homes combined
with access to fine dining, live music, coffee shops and shopping.
And don't forget the charming Rosewood community near the University
of South Carolina. All of these downtown neighborhoods are within a
five-to-ten-minute commute of the central business district, the
University of South Carolina, most state government buildings, the
lively and growing theater district and the Congaree River. For
recreation, work, shopping, and all the benefits of modern urban
life, Columbia’s downtown neighborhoods are a unique treasure.
Northeast Columbia
Award winning schools, golf courses, country clubs and farms are
just a few of the features offered to the residents of Northeast
Columbia. These neighborhoods located off of major arteries I-20 and
I-77 are some of the finest residential neighborhoods in the region.
Local and national developers and builders have built their
reputations from projects completed in this area of town.
Subdivisions such as Spring Valley, WildeWood, Woodcreek Farms, and Longcreek offer
upscale, new home construction.
With a superior school system and a variety of shopping and dining
facilities, both families and businesses populate this part of the
region. The newly renovated Columbia Place mall and The Village at
Sandhill, as well as numerous
smaller shopping centers serve Northeast Columbia.
Marvelously
maintained golf courses do the area as well as a variety of other
activities for families. Sesquicentennial State Park, full of beautiful walking trails, is
located in the center of this rapidly growing area.
East & Southeast Columbia
The East and Southeast areas are centrally located off of I-77 near
the Fort Jackson Military Base. Most of the homes in this area are
well established and maintained; however, new construction is still
available. The area southeast of Columbia offers adverse mixture of
shopping centers and excellent restaurants as well as country
living. Beautiful horse farms dot the countryside. Employment
opportunities abound due to the numerous profitable industries in
this area. The Veteran’s Administration Hospital is located here as
well. Several neighborhoods commonly referred to as the Hamptons
have been developed in this area.
Residents benefit from the convenience of city while avoiding the
bustle of downtown living. The area, including the city of Forest
Acres and Arcadia Lakes, is located east of Columbia. This part of
Columbia is known for its large, established homes, private lakes
and unique shopping and dining facilities. These neighborhoods
provide all that is best of suburban living. All the neighborhoods
of Forest Lakes/Arcadia Lakes are convenient to major shopping
malls, grocery stores, movie theaters and Columbia’s interstate
highway network.
This location gives easy access to all the major employment centers
in the city. Whether you work downtown, at the University, on the
I-77 high-tech corridor or at Fort Jackson, the neighborhoods of
Forest Lakes/Arcadia Lakes put you there quickly.
Northwest Columbia
Northwest Columbia is without a doubt one of the fastest growing
residential parts of the area. Housing choices are plentiful and
prices range from moderate to upper end. The primary areas in the
Northwest are St. Andrews, Harbison and Irmo. Harbison Boulevard
features a spectacular regional mall, Columbiana Center, as well as
numerous other shops and restaurants. Dutch Square Mall, one of the
region's first enclosed malls, is also located in St. Andrews.
For hikers and bikers, the trails in Harbison State Forest offer
miles of scenic beauty in a totally natural environment. Irmo,a town
which borders the north side of Lake Murray, has the highest
population of any municipality in Lexington County. Irmo also boasts
award-winning Richland/Lexington District 5 schools and offers
plenty of family amenities.
Home communities offer a wide variety of styles and amenities.
Harbison and Quail Valley, both established neighborhoods, are
perfect matches for families whose interests include tennis,
basketball, racquetball, swimming and more. Upper-scale communities
include Wexford on the Lake, offering spectacular Lake Murray views
and community dock and boat ramp.
City of Lexington
For those wanting the great feeling of a small town with all the
amenities of a large city, Lexington is the place. Lexington not
only boasts one of the fastest growing school districts in the
state, Lexington District One, but also has a wonderful menu of
housing from which to choose. From a city feel to lake living,
Lexington can offer it all and is located only 10 miles west from
downtown Columbia. Although the Town of Lexington is relatively
small (11,000 residents), it is one of the fastest growing
municipalities in the nation and the fastest growing town in South
Carolina. It is the political center of Lexington County.
One of the most attractive features of Lexington is Lake Murray.
This lake is 41 miles long and 14 miles at its widest point and
touches four counties Richland, Lexington, Saluda and Newberry.
Accessibility is easy with exits off I-20 in Lexington and I-26 at
Irmo and Chapin. It is no wonder that year round lake living has
become very popular, and, as a result, many upscale neighborhoods
have developed in recent years.
The true beauty of Lake Murray is evidenced by the peaceful and
natural countryside. Well-maintained farms, with original farmhouses
and out buildings spread over the rolling hills, are tastefully
mingled with new home communities.
|
|
