September 12, 2020

By Robert Hughes, President of Hughes Development Corporation, Master Developer

It is impossible to properly express our deep emotions as Columbia firefighters continue to battle the fire at the Babcock Building.

First, we appreciate the brave firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMS personnel and other first responders for what they are doing. We are thankful that, as far as we can determine, no one has been seriously injured.

For many decades, the community has worked together to preserve one of South Carolina’s most iconic buildings. It is a labor of love for so many people who cherish its historical significance.

Clachan Properties, which owns the building and specializes in reviving large-scale historic properties, was in the final stages of preparation to renovate it for future generations. Site cleanup had begun.

Though the iconic dome and the central portions of the interior are destroyed, we are thankful that the Columbia Fire Department was able to contain most of the damage to the central portion of the building. We are working closely with various law enforcement agencies to help determine the cause of the fire and will support Clachan as they move forward. 

Progress will continue at The BullStreet District. We are grateful to all who have expressed their concern and to those who continue to work to mitigate the impact of the fire.

About the BullStreet District

Known as the largest urban redevelopment project on the East Coast, the BullStreet District is an active transformation of the historic, 181-acre South Carolina State Hospital campus into a vibrant, mixed-use lifestyle district that reflects the authenticity of downtown Columbia, S.C. The state’s first urban gigabit community, BullStreet is a city-within-a-city, located one mile from the S.C. State House and anchored by the award-winning stadium, Segra Park, home of the Columbia Fireflies Minor League Baseball team. Well into a 20-year buildout that started in January 2015, the district already is home to an array of local and national businesses, including REI Co-Op and Capgemini. BullStreet contains 125,000+ square feet of commercial/office and retail space and is zoned for up to 3.3 million square feet of commercial use and 3,558 residential units. Follow @BullStreetSC and #BullStreetSC on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and learn more at https://bullstreetsc.com.  

Website: https://bullstreetsc.com

Facebook: The BullStreet District, Columbia, S.C., http://www.facebook.com/BullStreetSC

Twitter: @BullStreetSC, http://www.twitter.com/BullStreetSC

Instagram: @BullStreetSC, http://www.instagram.com/BullStreetSC

Hashtags: #BullStreetSC #BullStreet

Contact: info@bullstreetsc.com, 844-285-5787