COLUMBIA, S.C. — 1525 Bull Street also known as the Beverly Apartments turned 109 years old this year. Although the building has not had residents for a long time, a group of historic preservationists hopes the historic charm will draw in a new crowd.
After receiving tax breaks, known as the Bailey Bill, to restore the apartments in May last year, Janie Campbell a historic preservationist with Rogers Lewis, says the property is moving right along.
"It's just a gorgeous building, I think everyone loves those big arches, the cool windows that were once there, which are going to be restored, it's just a beautiful building," Cambell said with a smile.
The apartments were originally built in 1913 as a part of the early twentieth-century rise of apartment buildings in downtown Columbia. After several changes of hands, a couple bought the apartment building in 1948 and subdivided the original 6 apartments into 12 units.
Now boarded-up windows and vines growing on the bricks show signs of being unoccupied for nearly 20 years.
"There will be six apartments, potentially eight, but it will remain apartments like it always was," Cambell explained. "I think is a really cool testament to wanting to be in Columbia and live, work, and play downtown."
The developers who are restoring the property are hoping to utilize the basement space to add two additional apartments, as well as two rooftop decks. However, they are having some trouble getting the decks passed through the City of Columbia's Design/ Development Review Commission.
In a meeting on October 20, the Design Commission deferred the addition of the rooftop additions, saying they would be too visible from surrounding areas to the property. They also felt the decks would not fit the historic character of the property.
Although that part of the project has been deferred, for now, the historic preservation group is hoping to start construction soon and says that they plan to keep the interior of the building as original as possible.
The apartments will not be affordable housing, but those restoring the property hope to bring it back to its former glory filled with young families and working people.