Upstairs front office floors get new lease on life.


Artist Billy Mustard and Richard check out the railings in lofts. Billy is doing a good bit of the iron works and other finishes.

Painting Beams in 701CCA Gallery

Tile going in bathrooms

There has been a good bit of debate on saving the walls with their history of paint and plaster and life...
Some of us (Richard, myself and many more important people....) would like to keep as much of the old wall look as possible while others would rather see the clean white sheet rock walls. The brick was not an option according to the historic magic wand that gives tax credits.

The walls have been sprayed with a sealer.

Closer than it was...

Everything is really taking shape now.

It is AMAZING how this building is transforming.

Remember the big pink building that sat here a couple of years ago?


Check out this short video that shows how 701 is coming along.


SAVE THE DATE!

OCT 23rd will be the official OPEN HOUSE for 701 Whaley along with Historic Columbia Foundation's annual fundraiser.

The evening will include participation from the local neighborhood associations, live entertainment and other surprises.
More info to follow.


The State Paper came by to check out the space and ran a couple of articles.





Here are the updates:
Applied for Certificate of Occupancy for Sept. 1st.!
Tile, curb, gutter and pavers are going in.
All dry wall is up, priming has started.
Colors are being selected.
Wood floors being sanded.

Tile in loft bathroom.

Interest in the space is accelerating!
701 Center for Contemporary Art is setting up shop in the upstairs gallery and will occupy one of the live/work spaces with an artist in residence. 701 CCA plans to open in Oct. A local restaurateur is planning to open an organic bistro in the right hand storefront and a collection of non-profits are interested in the upstairs offices.

It all fits the vision for this grand old building.
It is confirmation that saving this building is well worth it.

Reflections

The glass has gone in the storefront!

Is that one of the reported ghosts in the window - Oh, maybe it is just Richard.


The live/work lofts are coming along!

701 Updates

Things are taking shape inside and out of 701.
This is the new stairwell that is on the back west wall.

New copper piping.

The impressive turn buckle trusses and new beams upstairs.

This view is of one of the lofts in progress and you can see where the old bead board ceiling meets the new roof.

When you consider all the progress, updates and renovations that have taken place in the past year it really is amazing how this building is getting new life.

Olympia Festival, April 19th

Come out to the neighborhood and enjoy music, food and fun for the whole family!
April 19th, from 11:00 - 5:00

Store Front

Got a nice view with the fencing down of the store front.


Remember this look?



Zoom in on the below photo to see the bird in the pipe.
He may have to find a new home soon.

The Front is Taking Shape

Several new items of interest are happening at 701.
We have completed the storefront framing. The new framing consists of tube steel welded to plates on grade and the I-beams up top, which are part of our seismic upgrades to the front facade. These make for an incredibly strong framing structure.







And of course, the part that the public will eventually see - the final millwork that wraps the steel and becomes the new "front facade", is ready. After months of review and changes, the final trappings of the new storefront are finally going in. Shenandoah has installed a mock up on the east corner. Dan Elswick with the South Carolina Department of Archives and History will be on site this month to review the mock-up in order for us to proceed with the final millwork details.
All of the bead board on the 2nd floor has been re-installed and the old crown molding which Hood painstakingly saved is being reinstalled on the 2nd floor this week.

Lowery Painting is beginning to paint the bead board and beams on the top west side.
Rough-ins continue on plumbing and electrical and as they complete, drywall is being hung. So far, drywall has been installed on all of the exterior walls of the 2nd floor and on one wall of each of the demising walls in the lofts.
All new HVAC units have been set up on the roof.
The elevator has been delivered and is waiting for final utility hook-up to be installed.
Four of the remaining secondary entrances have been completed and are ready for installation. T
Our new pad for SCANA's transformer is being poured this week so that the utilities can be connected in the next couple of weeks. We are bringing the new utilities for 701 in underground and getting rid of the unsightly power poles and electrical drops to the buildings.
The old Colonial Printing building next door, which we bought last month has been torn down to make way for our site improvements and parking.

Our new site plan - plantings, etc. are nearly complete. We had the final meeting with the city and got the go ahead for Mark Cotterill's design.
Stay tuned for further updates on all of the new advances being made!