Impact Study: Business, Real Estate and Finance
Downtown Columbia has recently enjoyed a major revitalization, and the attorneys of the Ellis Lawhorne Business, Real Estate and Finance Practice Group have played a major role in this process.
Our attorneys have negotiated and drafted agreements for the financing and other development incentives necessary for the revitalization of blighted areas, the rehabilitation of historic structures, the adaptive re-use of environmentally contaminated sites, the construction and rehabilitation of multifamily projects, and the conversion of vacant office and retail sites to residential use. These agreements have included public assistance contracts, joint venture agreements, property tax incentive agreements, tax credit financings, tax increment financings, condominium conversions, façade grants and environmental cleanup contracts.
Some examples of the projects with which our attorneys have been involved include the following:
Main Street:
Sylvan Building acquisition and restoration
Carolina First Building and Boyd Plaza (conversion of former Belk department store)
Kress Building acquisition and conversion to apartments and retail
Barringer Building acquisition and conversion to apartments
Silver’s Building (1546 Main Street) conversion to condominiums
Berry’s on Main Building (1600 Main Street) conversion to apartments
1520 Main Street condominiums
Canal Dime Building (1530 Main Street) conversion to condominiums
Fox Theater Building acquisition for Columbia Film Society (Nickelodeon Theater)
The Vista:
City Club condominiums
Mixed-use project at Gervais and Lincoln Streets (remediation and adaptive re-use of Brownsfield site)
Vista Commons Apartments
Riverfront:
Village at Riverwalk residential development
Congaree Park residential development
Other Downtown:
Olympia and Granby Mills acquisition and conversion to apartments
Whaley Row townhouses in Olympia Village
Vision condominiums at 1321 Lady Street (planned)
Broad River Terrace Apartments acquisition and rehabilitation
Final Impact
Ellis Lawhorne is committed to, and has impacted the growth and revitalization of, downtown Columbia. Our attorneys have been involved in the planning and development of a substantial number of the projects that have transformed the downtown area from a banking, office and governmental hub to a revitalized center for residential projects, restaurants, nightclubs, the arts, and the rehabilitation of historic structures.
