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Old Jan 19, 2009 | 03:18 PM
  #1  
moete87's Avatar
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From: Cincinnati, OHio
Moving to Columbia, SC??

First of all I just want to say, I know I have only 3 posts but I am very active on the rx8club.com forum. I drive a BB RX8 and have a lot of time, money and sweat poured into my car and I love it to death. I use the same screenname over there.

Well..my wife and I are thinking about moving to Columbia, South Carolina. We love the location and never really been there before, but we plan on making a trip there this summer to check everything out. We have been doing a lot of research on the city and feel like its a great fit for us, but we would just like to get some locals opinions on the city before we make the trip.

We were wondering where is a good, affordable place to live. Also, what parts of the city is best to live in and with the most activities.

Also, is there a rotary community there? There is a close knit one here in the Cincinnati / Indy area where I have made a lot of friends. So I am curious if there is the same thing.

If you guys can help, that would be awesome.

Thanks,

Jeff
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Old Jan 19, 2009 | 05:48 PM
  #2  
RX_Spec's Avatar
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From: Columbia, SC
Welcome to the neighborhood if you do move...Columbia is pretty cool as long as you have stuff to do! I use to live in the Harbison/ Irmo area, that's where all the car locals hang on Friday and Saturday nights and living around there is fairly affordable...but traffic during the week is horrible so my wife and I moved back to the Southeast area.
Your most active area is going to be the Vista(adults) and 5 Points(college, young adults), basically down town Columbia.
As for the rotary community, we're close but everyone's schedules don't line up when wanting to do special events. Most of us are either in the army, medical, or just busy, but if we plan ahead it can be done! You'd definitely meet some interesting folks out here....I'm from NY so I see a different character everyday!
Lots of info, but the best way is to do what you said.....come for a visit.
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Old Jan 23, 2009 | 09:47 AM
  #3  
RotaryRoadRage's Avatar
i say deez , you say doze
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From: lost in south carolina
move to clemson.. they have a better football team lmao
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Old Jan 23, 2009 | 10:18 AM
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From: Charleston, SC
Born and raised there, left in 1991 because it was just sooooo boring unless you wanted to go drinking, the only racing action was drags and the old Columbia Speedway dirt oval which, AFAIK, went asphalt for a while and then closed down. Maybe things have changed since then, I dunno; I only visit family a few times a year there.

Get ready for the hottest summers of your life!
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Old Jan 23, 2009 | 02:29 PM
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From: Columbia, SC
I've been in Columbia for the most part for several months now and it's def. grown on me. Not fond of the downtown area but I really enjoy the Irmo/Harbison, Lake Murray and Lexington areas. The GF and I enjoy the outdoors and have yet to get bored with it. She's been teaching school here for about a year now and we have decided on staying for at least several years.

A few things I've found interesting is that when the local power plant is running multiple turbines during the summer that there is enough water flow to provide <a href="http://www.palmettooutdoor.com/PO-rafting-trips-in-Columbia-South-Carolina.htm">rafting-kayaking trips</a> on the river running downtown and the water is cool enough exiting the dam area to support trout and is stocked accordingly. They also provide canoe trips free of charge at the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/cosw/">Congaree National Park</a> along with some hiking trails, boardwalk and some award winning sized trees. <a href="http://www.state.sc.us/forest/refharb.htm">Harbison State Forest</a> has some hiking and biking trails down by the Broad river and the Harbison community has approx. 8.5 miles of concrete walking trails ranging from the state forest area to the Columbiana Mall. Some good bands frequent <a href="http://www.headlinerscolumbia.com/">Headliner's</a> and there are many great places to grab a bite to eat. Oh, and if you have kids there's <a href="http://www.riverbanks.org/">Riverbanks Zoo</a> and <a href="http://www.edventure.org/">Edventure</a>. There is also a local tree farm where you get the pleasure of hunting down your christmas tree and sawing it down yourselves. Kinda got a kick out of that.

It is very hot/humid here in the summer but the winter has been very mild minus the last week or so. In my experience the people here seem to be nice for the most part. I haven't ran into any real jerks which is odd these days.

We're staying at an apartment in Harbison at the moment and looking to buy a house this summer over on the Lake side of the Irmo area. Only gripe I have as of right now is trouble finding a decent full time job but I think that's more of the economy in general and not this particular area. Plus I'm forced away from my seven because there's no where for me to keep it up here at the moment
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Old Jan 23, 2009 | 06:17 PM
  #6  
NoviceRotaryTech.'s Avatar
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From: GooseCreek SC
Originally Posted by hub_01_69
I've been in Columbia for the most part for several months now and it's def. grown on me. Not fond of the downtown area but I really enjoy the Irmo/Harbison, Lake Murray and Lexington areas. The GF and I enjoy the outdoors and have yet to get bored with it. She's been teaching school here for about a year now and we have decided on staying for at least several years.

A few things I've found interesting is that when the local power plant is running multiple turbines during the summer that there is enough water flow to provide rafting-kayaking trips on the river running downtown and the water is cool enough exiting the dam area to support trout and is stocked accordingly.
http://www.palmettooutdoor.com/PO-ra...h-Carolina.htm

They also provide canoe trips free of charge at the Congaree National Park, along with some hiking trails, boardwalk and some award winning sized trees.
http://www.nps.gov/cosw/

Harbison State Forest has some hiking and biking trails down by the Broad river and the Harbison community has approx. 8.5 miles of concrete walking trails ranging from the state forest area to the Columbiana Mall.
http://www.state.sc.us/forest/refharb.htm

Some good bands frequent Headliner's, and there are many great places to grab a bite to eat.
http://www.headlinerscolumbia.com

Oh, and if you have kids there's Riverbanks Zoo
http://www.riverbanks.org
and Edventure.
http://www.edventure.org

There is also a local tree farm where you get the pleasure of hunting down your christmas tree and sawing it down yourselves. Kinda got a kick out of that.

It is very hot/humid here in the summer but the winter has been very mild minus the last week or so. In my experience the people here seem to be nice for the most part. I haven't ran into any real jerks which is odd these days.

We're staying at an apartment in Harbison at the moment and looking to buy a house this summer over on the Lake side of the Irmo area. Only gripe I have as of right now is trouble finding a decent full time job but I think that's more of the economy in general and not this particular area. Plus I'm forced away from my seven because there's no where for me to keep it up here at the moment
Fixed.

j/k
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Old Jan 24, 2009 | 09:08 AM
  #7  
hub_01_69's Avatar
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From: Columbia, SC
Originally Posted by NoviceRotaryTech.
Fixed.

j/k
Haha, Thanks.
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Old Jan 24, 2009 | 09:50 AM
  #8  
20B10AE's Avatar
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From: Irmo, SC USA
Hub, how old are you? What gen do you drive? Just wondering. I've got a red turbo swapped vert.
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Old Jan 24, 2009 | 10:15 AM
  #9  
hub_01_69's Avatar
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From: Columbia, SC
I'm 26 and have the black 3rd gen shown in my avatar which is currently down for a rebuild. I've spotted several rx7's cruising around the area. A week or so ago on 26 right past the mall heading towards Newberry there was a dang nice white 2nd gen that got behind me just before I took the lake murry blvd exit. Didn't get a great view of it but it looked straight and very clean.
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Old Jan 24, 2009 | 01:11 PM
  #10  
moete87's Avatar
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From: Cincinnati, OHio
Hub, thank you for your response.

How is the cost of living there? Is Irmo pretty nice? What are some of the towns to live in that are pretty close to downtown that are reasonable in price to live?

My wife and I dont mind the hot weather since it get up in the 90s here during the summer time. We just are sick and tired of the snow and col weather here. We are looking for something different.

Would you consider Columbia to be a wealthy city or no? Because my wife is a CFP and is either looking to start her own business or going into another firm down there.
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Old Jan 24, 2009 | 03:49 PM
  #11  
wmelon137's Avatar
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From: Columbia, SC
Originally Posted by moete87
Hub, thank you for your response.

How is the cost of living there? Is Irmo pretty nice? What are some of the towns to live in that are pretty close to downtown that are reasonable in price to live?

My wife and I dont mind the hot weather since it get up in the 90s here during the summer time. We just are sick and tired of the snow and col weather here. We are looking for something different.

Would you consider Columbia to be a wealthy city or no? Because my wife is a CFP and is either looking to start her own business or going into another firm down there.
It's not a bad place to live at all. The cost of living is pretty low. Irmo is one of the nicer areas of town. There are some decent areas the St. Andrews/Irmo as well out towards Lexington.

Let me just warn you now. 90s anywhere else in the country is NOTHING like 90s in Columbia. It's like the Seventh Circle of Hell! it's definitely different from ohio though.

Columbia is a decently wealthy city, it's not as filthy rich as charleston or atlanta, but it's still pretty good.
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