Columbia developments (Clarksville, Franklin, Brentwood: low income, for sale, real estate)
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Does anyone know of if any mixed use developments are in the pipeline for downtown Columbia?
I highly doubt any large mixed use projects are coming to downtown Columbia. Columbia, much like Dickson, has a long way to go for anything like that to happen. Another factor is that Columbia doesn't have the demographics for that to be profitable. The median household income for a family is barely over 50k according to Census.
That's not to say it will never happen but it has a long way go. I still see abandoned or vacant buildings just a block out of the downtown square.
With all that being said, Columbia does have a nice downtown square and I see that improving as the years go by.
I highly doubt any large mixed use projects are coming to downtown Columbia. Columbia, much like Dickson, has a long way to go for anything like that to happen. Another factor is that Columbia doesn't have the demographics for that to be profitable. The median household income for a family is barely over 50k according to Census.
That's not to say it will never happen but it has a long way go. I still see abandoned or vacant buildings just a block out of the downtown square.
With all that being said, Columbia does have a nice downtown square and I see that improving as the years go by.
Dickson and Columbia aren’t fair comparisons. Columbia is almost 3x the size and has a bigger economic base (that is going to get much larger with the GM battery plant and some of the other economic developments coming). Columbia’s population is probably going to double in the next 20 years; a lot of new housing developments are in the pipeline (including the aforementioned 1,400 Columbia Bluffs, which will have almost direct access to downtown via Iron Bridge Road). As such, the income level will rise and there will be pent up demand for downtown mixed use.
You’re right, it’s probably not quite ready yet, but if I’m a real estate developer, I’m buying up lots in downtown, particularly the areas north and east of the square and in and around the arts district and the Mulehouse music venue.
Dickson and Columbia aren’t fair comparisons. Columbia is almost 3x the size and has a bigger economic base (that is going to get much larger with the GM battery plant and some of the other economic developments coming). Columbia’s population is probably going to double in the next 20 years; a lot of new housing developments are in the pipeline (including the aforementioned 1,400 Columbia Bluffs, which will have almost direct access to downtown via Iron Bridge Road). As such, the income level will rise and there will be pent up demand for downtown mixed use.
You’re right, it’s probably not quite ready yet, but if I’m a real estate developer, I’m buying up lots in downtown, particularly the areas north and east of the square and in and around the arts district and the Mulehouse music venue.
Columbia is already a boomtown. Dickson is bubbling beneath the surface, but it will come in the next decade. They are very different towns, with Columbia being a bit more "genteel" (like Franklin), having been a larger town in the state for a lot longer, and Dickson being more of a "scrappy" Mayberry town. Columbia will easily have 50,000 by 2030 and Dickson will have somewhere between 23-25,000. They're both great towns with bright futures.
Columbia is already a boomtown. Dickson is bubbling beneath the surface, but it will come in the next decade. They are very different towns, with Columbia being a bit more "genteel" (like Franklin), having been a larger town in the state for a lot longer, and Dickson being more of a "scrappy" Mayberry town. Columbia will easily have 50,000 by 2030 and Dickson will have somewhere between 23-25,000. They're both great towns with bright futures.
That’s true, though I’d say Columbia has only just started to become a boomtown within the last 5 years or so. Before that, it was pretty stagnate. The difference is Dickson will likely grow more steady whereas Columbia will grow more rapidly for the next bit. The Spring Hill/Columbia area is really evolving into an edge city that could potentially rival Brentwood/Franklin one day.
But my point was about Columbia downtown being redeveloped with mixed use developments. Sooner or later, that will happen. Money is really starting to be pumped into Maury County, and while it won’t obviously reach Williamson levels, it should be enough to support higher-end mixed use developments in Columbia eventually.
That’s true, though I’d say Columbia has only just started to become a boomtown within the last 5 years or so. Before that, it was pretty stagnate. The difference is Dickson will likely grow more steady whereas Columbia will grow more rapidly for the next bit. The Spring Hill/Columbia area is really evolving into an edge city that could potentially rival Brentwood/Franklin one day.
But my point was about Columbia downtown being redeveloped with mixed use developments. Sooner or later, that will happen. Money is really starting to be pumped into Maury County, and while it won’t obviously reach Williamson levels, it should be enough to support higher-end mixed use developments in Columbia eventually.
Uhm, no. Columbia/Spring Hill is for bargain shoppers, those who can't afford Franklin/Brentwood, and there's nothing wrong with that. The Nashville metro needs cheaper alternatives to Franklin/Brentwood. Columbia will never rival Franklin. Ever. People are still willing to pay a premium for that Williamson County address which says a lot about the lure of Franklin and CoolSprings. There's still plenty of room for more development in Williamson County which doesn't seem to be slowing down at all. Columbia will continue to capitalize on what it is: a nice town that's solidly middle class/blue collar and which will continue to develop as such. Its very mediocre school system is one thing that's getting in the way plus the large swaths of run down neighborhoods and low income housing projects, things Franklin (and certainly Brentwood) never had before their building and population booms.
Uhm, no. Columbia/Spring Hill is for bargain shoppers, those who can't afford Franklin/Brentwood, and there's nothing wrong with that. The Nashville metro needs cheaper alternatives to Franklin/Brentwood. Columbia will never rival Franklin. Ever. People are still willing to pay a premium for that Williamson County address which says a lot about the lure of Franklin and CoolSprings. There's still plenty of room for more development in Williamson County which doesn't seem to be slowing down at all. Columbia will continue to capitalize on what it is: a nice town that's solidly middle class/blue collar and which will continue to develop as such. Its very mediocre school system is one thing that's getting in the way plus the large swaths of run down neighborhoods and low income housing projects, things Franklin (and certainly Brentwood) never had before their building and population booms.
I should have clarified, when I meant rival Brentwood/Franklin, I meant population, not amenities. I’m fully aware no suburb of Nashville will be able to fully replicate what Cool Springs is.
But don’t underestimate Spring Hill. Several nice mixed use developments are now underway in June Lake, Kedron Square, and several other smaller ones. That’s not including potential new developments on the east side of I-65 once the interchange opens in June Lake. And that’s not even including a potential southern gateway to Spring Hill via Kedron Road interchange. Columbia has a lot of room to develop the Bear Creek Pike corridor into a major suburban corridor if they play their cards right.
Spring Hill’s population is projected to be 80,000-100,000 by 2030. By the 2030s, they’ll have enough amenities that there will be minimal leakage to Cool Springs, and people from Columbia will be more willing to simply drive to Spring Hill for more common things that right now, you can only get in Cool Springs (i.e, Costco).
I should have clarified, when I meant rival Brentwood/Franklin, I meant population, not amenities. I’m fully aware no suburb of Nashville will be able to fully replicate what Cool Springs is.
Spring Hill’s population is projected to be 80,000-100,000 by 2030. By the 2030s, they’ll have enough amenities that there will be minimal leakage to Cool Springs, and people from Columbia will be more willing to simply drive to Spring Hill for more common things that right now, you can only get in Cool Springs (i.e, Costco).
Spring Hill is never going to be 80k or 100k by 2030. Not one Census projection supports that.
Population is one thing but housing prices, corporate offices, and overall general wealth and desirability is another.
Median Household Income 2020:
Columbia: $50,378
Brentwood: $160,174
Similar peer cities to Columbia in terms of median household income:
Lebanon: 58,859
Clarksville: $55,819
Dickson: $52,399
Columbia:$50,378
I think a comparison to the above other cities is more applicable and they are all county seats or a primary city of outer collar county of Nashville. I think Columbia's trajectory will be a similar fashion to the above peer areas.
Spring Hill is never going to be 80k or 100k by 2030. Not one Census projection supports that.
Population is one thing but housing prices, corporate offices, and overall general wealth and desirability is another.
Median Household Income 2020:
Columbia: $50,378
Brentwood: $160,174
Similar peer cities to Columbia in terms of median household income:
Lebanon: 58,859
Clarksville: $55,819
Dickson: $52,399
Columbia:$50,378
I think a comparison to the above other cities is more applicable and they are all county seats or a primary city of outer collar county of Nashville. I think Columbia's trajectory will be a similar fashion to the above peer areas.
The 80k to 100K for Spring Hill is what they are projecting according to this article.
I’ve seen other articles with similar projections. I’m personally skeptical of 100k by 2030, but 80k is certainly doable with the way things are going (I’m personally thinking 75k-80k myself). Remember, they will begin developing the east side of Spring Hill along I-65 once the Buckner interchange is complete, and that is a whole new frontier for the city. As June Lake and future similar developments east of I-65 are built out, they will eventually rival similar developments in Berry Farms, Maryland Farms, etc (not including Cool Springs here because as mentioned, that is a one of a kind situation) for shopping and corporate office development. Spring Hills median income is $90,000 and rising.
All of this benefits Columbia in the long run because it providers better work/shipping options closer to home without having to make the drive to Cool Springs. The spillover growth from Spring Hill/Williamson will help pump more $$$ into Maury in the long term and raise the average income in Columbia in ways that the other cities you mentioned won’t have.
All this to say, to be abundantly clear, I do not believe Columbia is the next Franklin or it is going to get a ton of high end development. My point is with the growth that is happening in the area, Columbia will make the transition over the next 10-20 years from a pure blue collar/middle class community to a hybrid middle/upper middle class community, and we’ll see some new redevelopments downtown eventually.
Interesting discussion. I said in another thread that Columbia is going to be a blue collar Franklin, and I still think that is largely true. The white collar development is predominately going to stay in Williamson County, which will continue to grow. There won’t be any more office park/mixed use along I-65 south of June Lake because that is the southern edge of Williamson.
That said, upon another visit to Columbia, their downtown does have a ton of potential, I’d argue they have the pieces to be one of the best suburban downtowns in the Nashville area, they just need to figure out how to put them together. As the new residential rooftops keep popping up in Columbia, the average median income is going to rise. The Maury County mayor has talked about making Columbia a destination town, so there is clearly enthusiasm there. But there will need to be redevelopment/mixed use projects in order to make that happen, and Columbia is not quite ready for that yet. Give it about 10 years.
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