Sarasota Livin'

As the City of Sarasota contemplates removing one of its finest community gardens...

From The State.com "South Carolina's Home Page"
Foundation wants garden to grow

Posted on Sun, Nov. 26, 2006

BUILDING OUR CITY
Foundation wants garden to grow

Historic Columbia planning to build landscape district near historic homes

By JEFF WILKINSON
jwilkinson@thestate.com

Historic Columbia is embarking on an estimated 10-year, multimillion-dollar effort to turn the area bounded by Calhoun, Taylor, Marion and Barnwell streets into a destination garden district.

Under the plan, the 18 blocks that encompass downtown’s five historic homes would feature landscapes spanning 100 years of gardening, from 1820 to 1920. The project would include interpretive signs, streetscaping and pedestrian walks intended to attract tourists and locals alike.

Also, the new district would be a walkable link between adjacent but disparate neighborhoods: Main Street to the west, Bull Street to the north, USC to the south and Allen and Benedict colleges to the east.

“What we want to do is create a destination area where people can move comfortably from site to site and from neighborhood to neighborhood,” said Robin Waites, executive director of Historic Columbia, which manages the homes.

The effort is significant because city officials, developers and marketers are beginning to “connect the dots” of downtown’s ongoing building boom.

“Connecting the city through green spaces, gardens and parks is very important,” Mayor Bob Coble said. “This could be an excellent connection between areas of the city that have historically been divided. It’s a tremendous step forward and deserves the city’s support. It’s perfect.”

In the Capital City’s sprawling downtown, areas like Five Points, Olympia, the Vista and Main Street are all moving forward — but often separately — with beautification efforts and retail and residential development. Most have separate master plans, advocacy groups, marketing plans and funding streams.