City Public Private-Partnership wins International Award

Publix Grocery Store
501 Gervais Street, Congaree Vista

The Vista Publix Grocery Store, the City of Columbia's public-private partnership in the historic SC Dispensary Building, has received the Special Achievement Award For Economic Development from the International Downtown Association. The IDA is the leading organization for urban downtown revitalization and development. The award was presented to the Columbia Development Corporation, the City of Columbia economic development office that works in the Vista area.

The Special Achievement Award for Economic Development was the top award presented at the IDAs 51st annual convention in Denver, Colorado September 12, 2005. Present to accept the award was Marty Holmes, HSD, Inc., and Ned Pendarvis, Chairman of the Columbia Development Corporation. The Publix project was recognized as a unique public-private partnership, which rehabilitated a 150-year-old building, resulting in over $300 million in residential development, in the Columbia City Center.

Columbia's Publix project was in competion with 10 other economic development initiatives worldwide, including the Clinton Presidential Center, in Little Rock, Arkansas, and projects in Greenville, SC; Winnipeg, Manitoba; San Mateo, CA, and Georgetown, Washington DC.

The Publix Project was envisioned as a residential development catalyst, a prediction that held true in just two years since the project was announced. In that time a flurry of announcements for new residential opportunities of all types occurred within just blocks of the store. Included are over 750 residential units at Canal Side, on the site of the old Central Correctional Institute; Renaissance Plaza, 77 condominiums just behind the Publix; and City Club, a 45-unit town home development about two blocks away. Main Street residential development has also flourished with plans for renovation of the Barringer Building, and announcements of several new condominium projects by Capitol Places, a local downtown residential developer.

The Special Achievement Award for Economic Development is just one way the International Downtown Association highlights towns and cities engaged in downtown revitalization. IDA is a world leader of and champion for vital and livable urban centers.

This is the second major award for the Publix project in the field of public-private development. In 2004, the project received the Community Builder's Outstanding Public- Private Partnership Award. An awards ceremony was held locally, Wednesday, Sept 21 at 2PM at the Publix Grocery Store in the Vista.

For Additional Information Contact: Fred Delk, Columbia Development Corporation 988-8040
Martin Holmes, HSD, Inc. 803.446.4369


Holmes Smith Developments Wins 2005 Preservation Award
From Historic Columbia Foundation

Publix Grocery Store
501 Gervais Street, Congaree Vista

Made possible through a collaborative effort between HSD, Inc., the City of Columbia, and Publix Super Markets, one of the cityís most recognizable and historically significant landmarks enjoys new life as a neighborhood grocery story. While originally utilized for less than a year as a printing plant for Confederate money, bonds, and stationery during the Civil War, this block-long warehouse had a greater impact during its use under the South Carolina State Dispensary system, which ran from 1898 to 1907.

Tackling substantial physical challenges inherent in the circa-1864 masonry structure is design and construction, HSD Inc. transformed the derelict building into much-needed space necessary to accommodate a Publix Grocery Store, a move that enhances the viability of residential life in the revitalized Congaree Vista. In its adaptive reuse of the historic structure, HSD Inc. respected the integrity of the landmark is west and south elevations, which front two of the city is most traveled thoroughfares.


New Publix in Vista having ripple effect
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The “Field of Dreams” mantra, “If you build it, they will come,” is ringing true for the new Publix and condos downtown.

One hundred fifty residential condominiums could go up in the Congaree Vista within the next 18 months, spurred on in part by the building of the new grocery store.

The condos will be clustered within about 4½ blocks of the Publix grocery store going into the old Confederate printing plant at Gervais and Huger streets, said Fred Delk, executive director of the Columbia Development Corp.

The grocery is scheduled to open in September.

“Watch the additional residential development that will be announced as a result of this project coming into our city center,” Delk said. “People are excited about this Publix grocery store.”

The first of the new developments "65 to 70 units " could be announced soon, said Delk, who declined to provide any details.

The Publix is an $8.25 million public-private partnership project that is redeveloping the historic building, which has been vacant for 30 years.

The 30,000-square-foot grocery will occupy the building and an addition on the Lady Street side. The entrance will be from Pulaski Street.

Holmes Smith Development owns the building; M.B. Kahn Construction is doing the work.

“What you are seeing is truly, as Mayor (Bob) Coble talks about it, a renaissance of our city center,” Delk said. “It is an amazing place, and a lot of things are going on.”

Part of the rebirth is the development of two new office towers. The 17-story Meridian opened in the 1300 block of Main Street. It will be joined by the new corporate headquarters for First Citizens Bank to be built across Lady Street in the 1200 block of Main.

The combined construction costs for the two buildings will exceed $100 million. Holder Construction of Atlanta built the Meridian for Holder Properties and also will build First Citizens, which should break ground in the fall.

City officials estimate the two buildings will have a $2.75 million tax impact, with $1.68 million going to schools.

On the residential side, Columbia Development Corp. has been a leader in pushing downtown development.

The corporation is a partner in Vista Commons, a 184-apartment development on Pulaski Street just below Gervais. The apartments are less than a block from the new Publix.

The corporation also oversaw development of Governor’s Hill overlooking Finlay Park. Twenty-two of 30 home sites are occupied. Values range from $300,00 to $1.3 million.

Delk said all of the 12 luxury condominiums in the Justice Square Townhomes project have been sold. The project is being built by Estates Inc. at Gadsden and Hampton streets. Units are priced between $300,000 and $325,000, he said.

The fact that expensive developments like Governor’s Hill and Justice Square sell so readily proves people want to live downtown, Delk said.

Delk, Matt Kennell, executive director of the City Center Partnership, and Jim Gambrell, Columbia economic development director, provided an update Thursday at the monthly Business at Sunrise breakfast of the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

Kennell said residential development is taking off in the heart of downtown just as it is in the Vista.

In all, 109 apartments and condominiums have been developed downtown, Kennell said.

“The vast majority of those are apartments, and the occupancy is virtually 100 percent. Most of those were occupied before the paint was dry.”

The largest of the residential projects, the redevelopment of the former Tapp’s store into 42 apartments, took a little longer, but it is now pretty much full, he said.

The newest project is the development of 75 apartments in the Barringer Building on Main Street, just two doors from the new Meridian office tower. The Barringer should be done in about a year, Kennell said.

“I expect those to be sold very, very quickly to take advantage of that strategic location,” he said.

The projects Delk and Kennell are touting do not include the 400-plus residential units the city hopes to see in the CanalSide project on the former Central Correctional Institution property.

Progress on the $125 million mixed residential and commercial area has been slower than expected, said the city’s Gambrell.

The project is “finally to a point where we have a clean palate and we are getting ready to start building,” Gambrell said.

The city expects some construction to get under way in about 12 months, he said. Five developers have reserved parcels in the project.

“We have backup agreements on eight of the 13 parcels, “ Gambrell said, “which means we have more than one developer who wants to buy the property.”



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