Sunday, Jun. 08, 2008

Communities: Town of Lexington

Rapid growth in the past 25 years has made the community the second-largest municipality in the Columbia area.

The town is popular because of its proximity to Lake Murray and lower Saluda River as well as its good schools.

The population of 16,000 is more than triple what it was in 1990, with projections of 30,000 people by 2020.

A new commercial strip is taking shape on U.S. 378 near I-20, making the area a regional shopping magnet. That growth adds to road congestion but keeps taxes and utility fees stable.

Slice of history: The town has been a commercial and political center since becoming the Lexington County seat in 1820. It has bounced backed from many disasters — it was virtually destroyed by Union Army forces in 1865, endured major fires downtown in the early 1900s and recovered from a tornado that skipped through its center in 1994. It’s a rapidly growing suburb with ambitions to become bigger while keeping a small-town atmosphere.

What to watch for in the future: More well-known national merchants are coming, with a new shopping center in the works. Growth will largely continue east. Development also is steady in unincorporated Red Bank along S.C. 6 to the south.

Homes and neighborhoods

Hot ZIP codes: 29072, 29073

Who’s moving here: Families attracted by good schools and a suburban lifestyle centered on school and church activities

Median range of home prices

Summer 2007: $155,900-$168,690

Summer 2006: $156,500-$158,000

Average cost

Summer 2007: $97 per square foot

Summer 2006: $96 per square foot

Among hot neighborhoods: Golden Hills, Governor’s Grant, Woodcreek

Dollars and sense

Tax rate: $145 a year for the owner of a $100,000 home

Sewer rate: $35 monthly average in town, $59 out of town

Water rate: $31 monthly average in town, $56 out of town

Note: Sewer and water amounts are based on charges by Lexington Town Hall, the main supplier in the area. Other sources provide that service in some neighborhoods at different costs. Some homes, particularly those near Lake Murray, rely on wells and septic tanks.

Drive times

Distances from Lexington Town Hall:

State House: 17 miles

Columbiana Centre mall: 16 miles

Lexington Medical Center: 8 miles; its local clinic, one mile

Williams-Brice Stadium: 19 miles

Columbia Metropolitan Airport: 10 miles

School district

Lexington 1: 100 Tarrar Springs Road, Lexington; (803) 359-4178 or www.lexington1.net

5 things to know

1. Plans to ease traffic congestion downtown — where three major commuter routes converge — are a few years from completion. The plan includes conversion of some roads into one-way streets.

2. Virginia Hylton Park and Gibson Pond Park are wooded escapes in the busy suburb.

3. The library is home to records popular with amateur historians and genealogists.

4. Town leaders hope a new conference center will spark a commercial revival on Main Street.

5. A 1,200-seat performing arts center remains on the drawing board amid discussion whether is doable.

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