June 21, 2012
Mashburn Construction and Garvin Design Group and were recently honored with two awards from the Historic Columbia Foundation for the rehabilitation of two buildings in downtown Columbia. The team won a Preservation/Restoration award for the renovation of the Mast General Store at 1601 Main Street, and an Adaptive Use award for the restoration of the Columbia Innovation Center at 1000 Catawba Street. The Mast General Store has a long history, dating back to the late 19th century. In 1919, Efird’s Company restructured the building for their business, adding a third floor, a brick facade and a new store entrance. In 2011, the building was completely renovated in preparation for the Mast General Store. The new design included an extensive façade renovation, new entrance canopy, and uncovering existing windows to recall the 1920’s appearance. A new entrance courtyard with a glass elevator was also added to the rear for access to the apartments on the 2nd and 3rd floors. "We are thrilled that Historic Columbia has honored the Mast General Store project with this award. Mashburn Construction and Garvin Design Group worked diligently to make this project a unique and successful addition to Columbia’s Main Street,” states Lee Mashburn, Executive Vice President, Preconstruction of Mashburn Construction. The Columbia Innovation Center underwent extensive changes from a dilapidated warehouse to a technology hub for start-up companies. The base building is 66,000 sq. ft. with 58,000 sq. ft. of open space that can be configured to suit tenants’ needs. Amenities include on-site parking, a common break room, meeting rooms, card-reader access and 24/7 security monitoring. "The challenge for the design team was to convert an unsightly warehouse into a facility with the look and infrastructure to attract high-tech startup companies", said Scott Garvin, President of Garvin Design Group. “Vast, open spaces with bright colors and modern finishes create the perfect atmosphere for knowledge-based companies.” The Columbia Innovation Center is now home to several high-tech companies and also serves as the Columbia office of the South Carolina Research Authority’s (SCRA).
