Bobbitt repurposes city arena to be diverse event space
February 15, 2016
CAMDEN, SC – Bobbitt Design Build recently renovated the City of Camden’s City Arena at the corner of Broad and Bull Streets to serve as a robust event venue.
Originally built in the 1960s, City Arena served the City of Camden for over 50 years as a primary recreation gymnasium and event location. In dire need of repairs, maintenance and overall improvement, the City of Camden chose to maximize the facility’s use and not only serve its core purpose of recreation but also host a wider variety of events. In addition, the city wanted to update the exterior of the facility to match the colonial aesthetics of the local surroundings.
“The City of Camden is excited to have the City Arena transformed into a year-round venue for tourism, recreational and community events, as well as an iconic gateway into the heart of downtown Camden,” said City Manager Mel Pearson.
Bobbitt cut and installed new overhead door openings to accommodate large-scale events such as boat and car shows. To accent Camden’s colonial surroundings, Bobbitt built porte-cochères, pilasters and other architectural features along with a new brick and stucco façade to reinstate the building’s grandeur. A drive-thru porte-cochère and custom wood doors were added to the south end to create a grand entrance, which is visible as motorists enter the city on Broad Street. A new gable roof and columns were added to the existing north entrance and canopy to match the new south porte-cochère. Bobbitt also made multiple interior improvements including new bathrooms, a catering kitchen, conference room and office space.
To implement the city’s vision for the project, Bobbitt worked with the architect and structural engineer, LTC Associates, to find ways to attach and construct exterior aesthetic elements in an economical manner to the 1960s pre-engineered metal building.
About Bobbitt Design Build
Celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, Bobbitt Design Build is the Carolinas’ largest design build contractor for commercial construction, which provides control of site and architectural design, engineering, permitting and construction services under one roof. The employee-owned company has built more than 3,500 commercial buildings throughout the Carolinas. www.bobbitt.com / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube
