Columbia, SC. GBX Group LLC, a Cleveland-based historic preservation real estate firm, and partners proudly announce the completion of renovations to the W.B. Smith Whaley House in downtown Columbia, S.C.

Located at 1527 Gervais Street, across from the University of South Carolina's School of Law, developers retrofitted the nearly 130-year-old property with a first-floor public cafe and six apartments to create a proper mixed-use development. 

Highlights of the new residential spaces include 12-foot ceilings, historic fireplaces with the original mantels, hardwood floors, and original doors and trim, along with all the current amenities such as wireless internet, a workout room, a business center, and new kitchens and baths. It features a grand stairway that goes all the way to the three-bedroom apartment on the top floor.

The cafe, operated by the locally based Knowledge Perk Coffee Company, also provides a comfortable meeting spot for patrons along the Gervais Street corridor.

Lewis continued, "The new residential properties retain incredible charm. And having attended the University of South Carolina School of Law in the 1980s, I can say how important and welcoming it is to have a familiar gathering place near the campus. We are excited that Knowledge Perk will anchor this historic property that is so recognizable to anyone who lives in or travels to Columbia."

Whaley, an architect, engineer, and builder of cotton mills in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, designed the Queen Anne-style house built as his personal residence between 1892 and 1894. In the 1920s, it became the Dunbar Funeral Home, a business that operated in the space until 2006. In 1979, the venerable building received the distinction of being listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its significance to Columbia’s architectural heritage. Championing its significance, local organizations, have attempted to repurpose the property since the it ceased to be a funeral home.

Plans for the current renovations materialized in 2020 when GBX and Lewis' team connected with Historic Columbia, a local nonprofit dedicated to preserving the area's cultural heritage, to offer a preservation easement. The easement donation is a historic preservation tool designed to ensure that the building retains its historic character and integrity. This program, among other programs utilized in the rehabilitation and preservation, unlocks government funding that makes these projects possible.

For Historic Columbia, the redevelopment offers up yet another example that underscores the importance of such programs.

"A high-quality rehabilitation of a one-of-a-kind landmark like the Whaley House can be a game changer for a city. We expect nothing less from the developers behind this exciting project," stated John Sherrer, Director of Preservation for Historic Columbia. "As an organization, we have spent years hoping for just the right fit—one that would amplify this historic site through preservation of existing and restoration of missing architectural elements."

“We look forward to the completion of the entire Whaley House site.”

The final phase of the adaptive reuse of the site is in the planning and permitting stage and will include 27 additional new ground-up apartments to be built on the parking lot of the former Dunbar Funeral Home.

About GBX Group, LLC

GBX Group LLC specializes in acquiring, preserving and operating historic real estate in urban markets. The company partners with investors to fund the purchase and preservation of historic real estate to generate community revitalization and economic growth. Since its founding in 2001, GBX has completed over 135 projects in 21 states. For more about GBX, visit gbxgroup.com/.

About Historic Columbia

In November 1961, a small group of individuals intent on saving the Ainsley Hall House from demolition officially incorporated as the Historic Columbia. Over the next five decades the organization, which was founded on the premise of preservation and education, would take on the stewardship of seven historic properties in Richland County. Today, the organization is committed to local preservation efforts and interpretation of local history. Visit historiccolumbia.org or find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube for more details.

About The Developers

The development group is comprised of Tom Prioreschi, Robert Lewis, Chris Rogers, and Will Brennan of Columbia, SC. Beginning with Tom Prioreschi, an expert in historic rehabilitation in downtown Columbia, who was influential in bringing downtown living to the city over 20 years ago. Robert Lewis and Chris Rogers are partners in the Rogers, Lewis, Jackson, Mann, & Quinn law firm and focus their practice on real estate development and local, state, and federal historic tax incentives. Will Brennan is a principal in Brennan Works LLC focusing on commercial construction and design consultation. Through their partnership, they have developed such other Columbia projects as the Hunter-Gatherer Brewery at the Curtiss-Wright Hangar, Hotel Trundle, and a trio of buildings on the 1600 block of Main Street which include Lula Drake's Wine Bar, and the Pastor's Study event space. Combined, the development partnership has over 75 years of experience in historic preservation and rehabilitation.

Contact:
Phil Winton
VP, Strategic Messaging
602-317-5004