A new lease of life will soon be given to four historic properties in the Vista district of Columbia.
A restoration project will begin on Gervais Street, transforming these buildings from the early 20th century into a modern mix of office space, loft apartments, retail shops, and restaurants, bringing new life to buildings that have been vacant for some time.
Seaboard Vista will be the name of the redevelopment project and it will pay tribute to the Seaboard Air Line Railroad that traveled through the area many years ago. A red caboose will be added to the courtyard for events, resembling those that traveled through the city in the early 1900s.
Banner printing can be used along urban streets to inform the public of such restoration projects and their benefits for a city.
Lee Mashburn of Mashburn Construction spoke of striving to preserve the historic character of the buildings while adding modern amenities. He said that they are trying to get the buildings to look as they did in the early 1900s.
Tax credits will be provided by the city for the project, which requires that the developers meet strict standards of preservation. Mashburn noted many historic requirements that need to be met to get these credits, and that a great deal of attention to detail was necessary.
Specific tenants, including shops and restaurants, will be announced in the coming months.
