Adaptive reuse in Columbia

[Istvan]

soon the old fire station in the vista will join this list. i love the historic preservation here.

[Spartan]

I was glad to read about the fire station being preserved- even though it will be in an enhanced state.

[krazeeboi]

Gallery 701 is also joining the list.

[krazeeboi]

Here's a picture of the old fire station headquarters from The State:

[Spartan]

My guess is that they will tear down the one storey section in the back and build up from there.

[Istvan]

i walked by it again tonight...on one hand, it feels like a long stretch, and besides the prominent tower, not that historic-enough to preserve. but on the other hand, by and large it does, and i'm happy as hell for this to be annoucned, and happier when it goes through....and for the great spirit of preservation behind it. it is a great location, and the new tower will be prima terra for the vista (and columbia.)

[JT Boy]

i walked by it again tonight...on one hand, it feels like a long stretch, and besides the prominent tower, not that historic-enough to preserve. but on the other hand, by and large it does, and i'm happy as hell for this to be annoucned, and happier when it goes through....and for the great spirit of preservation behind it. it is a great location, and the new tower will be prima terra for the vista (and columbia.)

I'm excited about this because it is preserving a building in the Vista that is from a different time period than most of the other buildings in that area. Also the building is different stylistically than nearly any other building in the Vista. It is brick, but it is that very clean-lined International style that can look quite handosme. This sort of layered preservation effort, where you walk through a neighborhood and see buildings from different time periods all rehabbed and being used for new purposes creates a real sense of vibrancy, and, in my view, shows that a neigbhorhood is still a living and breathing entity not a petrified museum piece. I think this project will make a particularly nice visual link with the convention center.

Now if we could just get a more interesting and original hotel design for the new convention center hotel...

[waccamatt]

I'm excited about this because it is preserving a building in the Vista that is from a different time period than most of the other buildings in that area. Also the building is different stylistically than nearly any other building in the Vista. It is brick, but it is that very clean-lined International style that can look quite handosme. This sort of layered preservation effort, where you walk through a neighborhood and see buildings from different time periods all rehabbed and being used for new purposes creates a real sense of vibrancy, and, in my view, shows that a neigbhorhood is still a living and breathing entity not a petrified museum piece. I think this project will make a particularly nice visual link with the convention center.

Now if we could just get a more interesting and original hotel design for the new convention center hotel...

I concur completely; a neighborhood should reflect all of its history, not just that of one era. I am equally disappointed in the architecture of the hotel, though I do like the design of the Convention Center.

[krazeeboi]

My biggest disappointment in the convention center is the size. 233 rooms? Come on. Shreveport's convention Hilton will have more rooms than that, and its metro area is smaller than Columbia's.

[waccamatt]

My biggest disappointment in the convention center is the size. 233 rooms? Come on. Shreveport's convention Hilton will have more rooms than that, and its metro area is smaller than Columbia's.

Yes, but the Hampton Inn is adjacent, too and S'port has gambling.

[krazeeboi]

Yeah, that's true about gambling in Shreveport. Well what does Montgomery, AL have? Their new convention center hotel will have 346 rooms. Columbia's Hampton only has 122 rooms; Montgomery's new convention center hotel will have almost the same number of rooms of the Hilton plus the Hampton. There needs to be a more rooms that are easily walkable to the convention center IMO.

[Spartan]

Yes, but the Hampton Inn is adjacent, too and S'port has gambling.

Don't forget about all of the other hotels that are springing up around downtown. I am certain that there will be plenty of room.

[waccamatt]

I agree with Krazee that the convention center hotel should be bigger, but it's too late to do anything about it. I believe another hotel is proposed for the old Heart of Columbia property, too. Hopefully that will be large and a premier brand.

[krazeeboi]

Did we ever hear anything definite about the HOC motel site? I know in the meantime it will be used for parking, but I've also heard that it the site will be incorporated into Innovista.

[waccamatt]

Did we ever hear anything definite about the HOC motel site? I know in the meantime it will be used for parking, but I've also heard that it the site will be incorporated into Innovista.

The most recent thing I've heard is that it will be developed into a hotel.

[Spartan]

Aha! Plenty of hotels near the convention center

[emerging.me]

I was recently talking to someone about the Palmetto Compress Warehouse condo adaptation and they brought up an interesting point. The building is SO freakin' big (7.5 acres under one roof) that something like 60% of it would have to be interior space (i.e. no windows!). Bryant told The State that he is planning "173 urban lofts that would incorporate the warehouse

[waccamatt]

I was recently talking to someone about the Palmetto Compress Warehouse condo adaptation and they brought up an interesting point. The building is SO freakin' big (7.5 acres under one roof) that something like 60% of it would have to be interior space (i.e. no windows!). Bryant told The State that he is planning "173 urban lofts that would incorporate the warehouse

[krazeeboi]

The building, due to its size, has such enormous potential to be something other than just another condo building. I would hope to see something interested integrated into it...what, I don't know--but that's why I'm not a developer.

[Spartan]

The units could be somewhat long and narrow and have the windows at one end of the unit. I doubt any units would be built without windows.

Doing so would most likely be illegal. Plus, who in their right mind would by such a thing?

[krazeeboi]

Not sure if Trustus Theater was mentioned here, but it's a great example as well.

I only noticed the old faded lettering at the top of building fronting Lady after I'd taken this shot. Apparently the theater is housed in an old machine shop.

[Istvan]

Doing so would most likely be illegal. Plus, who in their right mind would by such a thing?

i stayed at the Britannia Hotel in Manchester, England, which was once a large cotton/tradesman's warehouse built in 1858. i read online some rooms were windowless, so i made sure to request one with windows (which i got, and a great view.)

maybe they could park cars inside it? or make an indoor paintball range? (i saw one of those in London.)

[krazeeboi]

The Historic Columbia Foundation's website has some links to past newletters that are worth checking out. The Winter 2005 edition has a great story about the history of the Confederate Printing Plant which now houses Publix on Gervais.

[CorgiMatt]

Yesterday I rode by the Pacific Mills (not sure that's its name actually, but it's the building where the roof caved in in Olympia that has been bought by the Five Points restaurateur and his partner), and a Hood Construction Company sign was on the building with the front doors flung open. Construction workers were walking in and out of the building. As I rode on down the street I looked across at the humongous Olympia Mills building. All of its windows are now refurbished, and when they take the film off all the window panes, we will have one immense, sparkling example of adaptive reuse in Columbia, next to another fine example that is just as attractive but not as gigantic, the Granby Mill building.

[krazeeboi]

I think you're referring to the Gallery 701 building where the roof caved in. Good to hear of some activity there as well as Olympia Mills.

Another good example of adaptive reuse would be the old Claussen's Bakery building, which now houses Claussen's Inn.