Arnold Companies Announces the Re-Development of 700 Gervais Street
April 14, 2015
COLUMBIA, SC – Arnold Companies announce the new re-development plans for 700 & 800 Gervais Streets in Columbia, South Carolina. Currently home to Tsunami, Rocket Man Piano Bar, Wet Willies and Jillian’s, this entertainment complex will soon have a total of 7 restaurant/entertainment concepts. The Arnold Companies will be rebranding the complex as “West End Alley,” named after the West Gervais location and the new alleyway that will be used for better connectivity.
Sitting in the heart of the Vista, 700 and 800 Gervais Street bring a lot of history to the West Gervais corridor. Built in 1926, 800 Gervais was Columbia’s Train Depot building. The Arnold Companies renovated this building for Jillian’s entertainment and restaurant use in 1996. This renovation paved the way for entertainment venues and restaurants in The Vista, as it was one of the first to open in the West Gervais corridor. 700 Gervais Street was an old warehouse located next to the historic Train Depot that was later renovated in 2007 by the Arnold Companies into the office and entertainment uses they are now. This large complex takes up the entire block and houses over 94,000 SF combined. The private parking lot alone has 478 parking spaces, wrapping around the perimeter of the complex.
The redevelopment is slated to begin in the 2nd quarter of 2015, and major changes include a new exterior façade to the front of the building facing Gervais Street, a new stamped sidewalk that will connect the front entrance on Gervais Street to the back parking lot behind 700 Gervais, the addition of covered outdoor seating in the alleyway and new lighting and landscaping. The Arnold Companies is also excited to announce the addition of new tenants to include, Tin Lizzy’s Cantina, an Atlanta-based restaurant specializing in fun food with unique FlexMex flavors, and a new martini bar and fondue restaurant called City Bar and Fondue, offering unique cocktail concoctions as well as a fondue-style menu. Tin Lizzy is slated to open in Suite C, the space on the front left of the building, in mid 2015, and City Bar and Fondue will be opening in 700 Gervais’ alleyway around the same time. The remaining 3,338 SF in Suite B-1 is currently available for lease. It is the perfect location for a restaurant or retailer who wants to be in the heart of this lively entertainment center, and a stone’s throw away from the Columbia Convention Center and many hotels and new residential projects coming to The Vista.
“I am really excited to see the Vista and downtown moving to the next level,” says Ben Arnold, president and CEO of Arnold Companies. “The redevelopment of 700/800 Gervais Street into West End Alley will provide space for additional concepts that are new to Columbia. With 7 concepts, a central location and on-site parking, this development is sure to be a success!”
The re-development of this historic warehouse is a string of new investments coming to The Vista in 2015. With the estimated $1 Billion+ of investments in downtown Columbia from companies all across the southeast, the Arnold Companies is a Columbia-based company that has been instrumental in the area’s development. The redevelopment of West End Alley is evidence of an exciting new time in the Midlands region.
About Arnold Companies
The Arnold Companies is one of the most diverse owners and developers of commercial and multi-family properties in the Southeast. The Arnold Companies design and build properties that vary from traditional commercial real estate to mixed-use entertainment complexes, to neo-traditional town centers and marinas. For more information, contact Darcy Earhardt at (803) 731-4321 or go to www.arnoldfamilycorp.com.
