Council extends BullStreet development agreement

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Columbia City Council extended its development agreement with Hughes Development Corp. in the build out of the BullStreet District for another five years.

The agreement is renewed every five years and specifies commitments from both parties in the partnership.

“We had a collective vision for the largest undeveloped tract of urban land east of the Mississippi,” Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin said in a release. “What we envisioned five years ago we now see with our eyes. For the first time in decades, the land has been reconnected to our citizens, and they have embraced it. I encourage everyone to stay tuned.”

The BullStreet District is a 20-year, 181-acre project to transform the S.C. State Hospital site into a mixed-use neighborhood. It is the state’s first urban gigabit community and features Spirit Communications Park, home of the Class A Columbia Fireflies baseball team, which was recently recognized as the top minor league park in the U.S.

“In many ways we are ahead of schedule,” said Robert Hughes, president of Hughes Development Corp. “We have met or exceeded all of our commitments to each other and will continue to do so, including buying more land from the Department of Mental Health than the timetable called for and saving nine historic structures so far, four more than anticipated in the original agreement.”

Highlights from the last five years of BullStreet development include:

• The largest private office building built in Columba since 2009. The First Base Building currently is home to Capgemini, Ogletree Deakins law firm and Founders Federal Credit Union.
• Construction on 28 three-story townhomes at TownPark at BullStreet.
• Construction of a 20-acre park with a daylighted Smith Branch Creek, scheduled to be completed this summer.
• The site’s first restaurant, Bone-In Barbeque, scheduled to open in March.
• The installation of more than two miles of underground utilities and a mile of new roadways.

“The collaboration among our team, city council and staff, the BullStreet Commission and many others is making an exceedingly complex project work,” Hughes said. “We appreciate the city’s continued support and thank everyone in Columbia for trusting us with such a special and unique piece of the city.”