New event venue and mixed-use development coming soon to the historic Laundry Building in the BullStreet District

Extensive renovations are nearing completion to restore the Laundry Building, the oldest surviving service building in the historic BullStreet District campus. Avant Holdings LLC, the property’s developer, is transforming this landmark into a 15,700-square-foot mixed-use development that will feature an event venue, green space, and prime opportunities for future restaurants, retail and/or creative offices. The Laundry event venue, set to be the flagship of the building’s dynamic tenant mix, will be available for weddings and other rentals starting in December 2024.

“Restoring the Laundry Building has been a labor of love, and we’ve worked meticulously to bring this historic building back to life — transforming it into a unique mixed-use development that honors its past while integrating modern amenities,” says Todd Avant, managing partner of Avant Holdings. “We’re excited to be part of Columbia’s continued progress and to soon welcome events to The Laundry, as well as future businesses that will occupy the available spaces within the development.”

The Laundry: Downtown Columbia’s newest event venue.

The Laundry, a new venue located at 2046 Talley Street, boasts 7,000-square-feet of indoor event space, featuring the main and upper levels, along with an expansive greenspace known as The Grove. The Laundry will accommodate a wide range of special occasions from weddings, rehearsal dinners, corporate events, fundraisers and birthdays, to intimate cocktail receptions. The Laundry’s rental options include:

• Main Level: The 4,326-square-foot main level features a bridal suite, a dedicated catering room, a large brick archway and views of the iconic Babcock Building. The open layout with exposed brick and sleek concrete floors adds to the charm and uniqueness of the space.
• Upper Level: The 2,716-square-foot dazzling, light filled room perfect for a wedding ceremony, dinner, meeting or party. Vaulted, accent-lit ceilings give this space a chic and intimate vibe. Architectural features include a large historic clerestory, original steel sash windows, and restored exterior steel staircase overlooking the historic Bakery, Segra Park and “Steam Tunnel Green.”
  • Steam Tunnel Green is a nod to the old steam tunnel that runs under the Laundry Building and once served the building’s initial use as a steam plant.
• The Grove: Guests can step out of the main level onto The Grove to enjoy the canopies of mature trees and one of downtown Columbia’s largest event venue green spaces. Endless possibilities for customized outdoor tenting, seating and amenities with uniquely terrific views of the iconic Babcock Building.
  • Rich in history, under the tree canopies in The Grove once sat Camp Asylum, a prison camp for Union soldiers during the waning months of the Civil War. During the Civil War, the “Asylum” hosted a variety of visitors, including partygoers, prisoners and refugees.

“We are thrilled to welcome The Laundry as the newest addition to BullStreet,” says Robert Hughes, president of Hughes Development Corporation, the master developer of the BullStreet District. “This adaptive reuse project not only preserves the rich history of the Laundry Building but also creates an exciting space for events and future retail and commercial opportunities. We look forward to seeing The Laundry become a hub for community gatherings and a catalyst for continued growth in BullStreet.”

The Laundry is poised to become the premier destination for unforgettable events, offering a unique blend of historic charm and modern amenities. To learn more or to book The Laundry, visit www.thelaundryatbullstreet.com and stay up to date on construction by following on Instagram @thelaundryatbullstreet.

Flexible leasing opportunities now available.

In addition to the event venue, Avant Holdings is excited to announce leasing opportunities in the Laundry Building, designed to appeal to restaurateurs, retailers and creative office tenants. With 7,059 square feet of available space, including flexible configurations for a variety of uses, the building’s dynamic tenant mix will reflect the broader vision of the BullStreet District as a thriving urban destination where history meets modernity.

“Combined with the BullStreet District’s proximity to downtown Columbia and its ongoing development into a vibrant neighborhood, we believe these leasing opportunities will become some of the most sought-after spaces in the city,” says Avant.

For more information about leasing opportunities at the Laundry Building, email Todd Avant at [email protected].

Preserving the historic Laundry Building.

Located steps from Segra Park and directly behind the historic Babcock Building, the Laundry Building is an Italianate-influenced building dating back to 1883. It is adjacent to other historic service buildings, like the Bakery, which were part of the hive of industry supporting the mental asylum. Avant Holdings has worked closely with architect Studio 2LR during the restoration process. No stranger to the BullStreet District, Studio 2LR was the architect for the renovations to the historic Ensor and Parker Annex buildings.

Avant Holding’s restoration features an open layout, respecting the historic character of the Laundry Building, with soaring ceilings, exposed antique heart pine wood beams and trusses. The interior is exposed brick, including a massive brick archway with a mix of historic plaster walls and sleek concrete floors throughout. Existing steel sash windows and restored window openings flood the space with natural light. Original elements fully restored further enhance the natural light with clerestories throughout, skylights and the cupola. The cupola’s original spire and large year 1901 industrial fans have been enhanced visually with storefront glass, accent lights and the fans motorized to slowly turn as before. Avant Holdings plans to work with local artists on several projects, including repurposing some of the original dryers into art installations and adding an exterior mural to the old loading dock.

Restoring Columbia’s past and shaping its future.

The Avant family has deep roots in Columbia and throughout South Carolina. Dan Avant, who retired from Edens & Avant many years ago, maintains a long-standing stock ownership position in the successor EDENS entity. EDENS boasts a leading real estate portfolio of over 100 open-air retail and mixed-use places in high-growth markets nationwide, including notable local holdings such as Trenholm Plaza and Cross Hill Market.

The Avant family has earned recognition for its pivotal role in numerous award-winning historic restoration projects, including most recently winning a Historic Columbia Preservation Award for the Maxcy Gregg House project in the Robert Mills Historic District.

“Thanks to its recent rehabilitation, the historic Laundry Building—once an integral facet of daily operations at the former State Hospital—will assume a prominent role in the lives of contemporary residents and visitors to the BullStreet District,” says John Sherrer, director of preservation at Historic Columbia. “In adapting this notable 19th-century landmark to modern uses, Todd Avant and Studio 2LR have deftly and sensitively transformed the formerly derelict ca.-1883 building all while maintaining the property’s unique form and architectural details.”

 

About Avant Holdings, LLC

Avant Holdings is a South Carolina-based real estate development and investment company. Our focus is urban infill, historic adaptive reuse, build to suits and value-add opportunities. The principals of Avant Holdings have decades of diversified development experience, including urban mixed-use, historic preservation, medical, shopping centers, land development and office buildings. For more information, please email [email protected].

About The BullStreet District

Known as the largest urban redevelopment project on the East Coast, the BullStreet District is an active transformation of the historic,181-acre South Carolina State Hospital campus into a vibrant, mixed-use lifestyle district that reflects the authenticity of downtown Columbia, S.C. The state’s first urban gigabit community, BullStreet is a city-within-a-city, located one mile from the S.C. State House and anchored by the award-winning stadium, Segra Park, home of the Columbia Fireflies Minor League Baseball team. The district is home to an array of local and national businesses, including REI Co-Op, Starbucks, Capgemini, Founders Federal Credit Union, Publico Kitchen and Tap, Pvolve Columbia, Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant, and more. BullStreet contains 125,000+ square feet of commercial/office and retail space and is zoned for up to 3.3 million square feet of commercial use and 3,558 residential units. Visit http://www.bullstreetsc.com for more information.