Hood Construction, Garvin Design Group celebrate Gather COLA grand opening
December 23, 2025
Lto R – Mark Hood, Scott Garvin, Christine Alsina, Frank Cason, Mack Cross, and Robert Hughes
On December 5th, Hood Construction and Garvin Design Group joined Cason Development Group, Four Oaks Property Group, and Hughes Development for the grand opening of Gather COLA. Located at the corner of Freed and Sabal Streets, Gather COLA is The BullStreet District’s newest food hall and community hub.
Inspired by Gather GVL—one of America’s top food halls according to USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards—Gather COLA brings a fresh and unique perspective to community gatherings in the Midlands.
Spanning over 32,000 SF across multiple levels, the Gather COLA offers ten diverse restaurants and food vendors, three retail spaces, a craft cocktail bar, a brewery and taproom, a stage designated for live music, as well as event space for private gatherings.
Additionally, Gather COLA offers versatile office space and meeting rooms that span two floors, slated for completion in early 2026.
“It was an absolute privilege to work alongside Four Oaks Property Group, Cason Development Group, Hughes Development Corporation, Garvin Design Group, the design team’s group of talented engineers, and our specialty subcontractors,” said Alex Shuler, Project Manager with Hood Construction. The entire team worked tirelessly to make sure that Gather COLA provided a wonderful community-enriching experience for guests, and we are all very excited to bring such a unique venue to the people of Columbia.”
“This project was all about interpreting the magic of Gather GVL for the Columbia context,” said Andrew Rogerson, Project Architect with Garvin Design Group. “Our team worked closely with Gather’s founding partners, Cason Development Group, and The BullStreet District to be sure Gather COLA is right for its setting and local audience.”
At the ribbon cutting, Mack Cross, Managing Principal at Four Oaks Property Group and Co-Developer of Gather COLA stated: “We hope this is a place of fellowship, connection, and shared experience. A place that welcomes all people, all ages, and something for everybody.”
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 39th 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.
About Garvin Design Group
Celebrating its 22nd anniversary this year, Garvin Design Group 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, Garvin Design Group strives to provide client-driven design solutions throughout South Carolina. The firm of 21 people has completed more than $1.2 billion 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, the Columbia Chamber’s 2020 Small Business of the Year Award, Columbia Metropolitan Magazine’s Best of Columbia Award, and recognition as a Top 3 Best in Business Award from SC Business Monthly. For more information, visit www.garvindesigngroup.com.
