1649 Main Street wins prestigious regional design award
September 22, 2021
Columbia’s 1649 Main Street received a Merit Award for Adaptive Reuse/Preservation from the American Institute of Architects – South Atlantic Region (AIASAR) at the organization’s annual design awards presented virtually on September 15, 2021. This latest award is the fifth honorific the building has received for adaptive reuse and preservation. Other awards include a 2021 Historic Preservation Award from the South Carolina state government, a 2021 Historic Preservation Award for Revitalization from Historic Columbia, and Citation Awards for Adaptive Reuse from AIA South Carolina and AIA Greater Columbia.
Presented annually, the AIASAR Design Awards recognize architectural design projects that improve the quality of the built environment in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. AIASAR’s 5,500-person membership includes all AIA chapters within the Carolinas and Georgia. Winning projects are selected by a jury of architects and designers from beyond the South Atlantic Region. This year the jury reviewed more than 240 submissions for awards in the New Construction & Substantial Renovation, Housing, Adaptive Reuse/Preservation, Interior Architecture, and Unrealized Project categories. In its presentation of awards the selection jury highlighted 1649 Main Street’s clever selective removal of the Blanding Street sidewalk to bring daylight into the subgrade level.
One of Columbia’s oldest surviving buildings, 1649 Main Street had been altered throughout the 20th century to accommodate various tenants and commercial uses. Careful rehabilitation of the building from 2017 to 2018 employed Columbia’s own architecture & interiors firm Garvin Design Group, general contractors Hood Construction Company, and small local engineering firms Belka Engineering Associates, Mabry Engineering Associates, and Swygert & Associates. Restoring the building’s historic features and bringing it new life showcased Columbia’s local design talent.
“One of the best things about this project was the opportunity to restore a local gem that had been a well-known dining location in Columbia,” said Scott Garvin, President of Garvin Design Group and a development partner with Main & Blanding LLC. “We saw a unique opportunity to enliven the rooftop as well as the basement level to repurpose the entire building. For the project to receive a regional design award is truly an honor – it’s a testament to our local talent that this project stood out in such a deep field of nominations.”
“We really enjoy working on historic structures. They’re interesting projects and it’s rewarding to see how a building can come back to life after a comprehensive renovation like this one,” said Amanda Harter, Hood Construction Project Manager for 1649 Main Street. “We also had a great team working together on this project to make it a success, and while we don’t do it for the awards it is very gratifying when a project you have put a lot of time and effort into is recognized in this way.”
Beyond design awards, the rehabilitated 1649 Main Street has also garnered recognition for its economic impact on the city. New building tenants Hendrix and The Woody won The Columbia Chamber’s Golden Nail Award in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Both tenants were recognized for the positive impact their respective building upfits had on the continued revitalization of Main Street.
About Garvin Design Group
Celebrating its 18th anniversary this year, Garvin Design Group (GDG) offers comprehensive planning and design services for a variety of project types and sizes. From master planning and programming to interior up-fits and new construction, GDG strives to provide client-driven design solutions throughout South Carolina. The firm of 16 people has completed more than $900,000,000 worth of projects since its founding in 2003. GDG’s contributions to the community and the profession earned it the American Institute of Architects – South Carolina’s (AIA SC) 2019 Firm Award and the Columbia Chamber’s 2020 Small Business of the Year Award. The 2021 AIA SAR Design Award is GDG’s 27th award for adaptive reuse/historic preservation. For more information, visit www.garvindesigngroup.com.
About Hood Construction
Hood Construction Company was founded in 1986 as a full-service Construction Management firm, currently licensed in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. Now in its 35th year, Hood specializes in CM-R and Design-Assist Delivery, Pre-construction Consulting, Site Analysis, Project Management and General Contracting for a broad spectrum of commercial and industrial clients. For more information, please visit us online at www.hoodconstruction.com.
