Right now, something very exciting is happening in the City of Columbia, yet many locals are unaware of it. Spirit Communications Park, home to the Columbia Fireflies, our minor league baseball team, has quickly become a Cola favorite. But did you know that the baseball stadium is just the beginning of a vast BullStreet District makeover? Columbia soon will have a small, quaint village within it, bringing adventure to the city’s downtown area. From restaurants and local shops to a large, beautiful public park, the 181-acre BullStreet Project is barreling full-steam ahead right before our eyes.
The State of South Carolina decided to sell the undeveloped BullStreet parcel years ago, but maintained a vision of a master developer to purchasing the entire S.C. Department of Mental Health campus with the promise of retaining many of its historic buildings. The one offer that came for the entire parcel was from Hughes Development Corporation, which is now set on building a one-of-a-kind neighborhood within the City of Columbia. Focused on preserving history and culture, the BullStreet Project is redefining the urban experience with a mix of residential, retail, restaurant, and recreational uses alongside and within the historical buildings. The undeveloped land is set to be transformed over a 20-year period into a district with walkable streets and a vast array of new experiences right in the heart of Columbia.
So, you ask, what is currently going on in this 20-year project? The Ensor Building, a historic building once used for research and as a morgue, will soon to be home to first brick-and-mortar Bone-In Barbeque restaurant. Bone-In Barbeque was started by Chef Scott Hall as a food truck, and has become a Columbia treasure that has been featured in GQ and Smithsonian magazines as well the Cooking Channel, Bravo and the Travel Channel. With roll-up garage doors and a large outdoor patio, Bone-In Barbeque will be a perfect spot for people to meet up for a beer and some southern BBQ. For more information on Bone-In Barbeque, Ensor, or other happenings on BullStreet, visit http://bullstreetsc.com/and https://boneinbarbeque.com/.
As someone who has lived in Columbia for almost a decade, the prospect of the completed BullStreet District not only entices me but makes me hopeful for Columbia’s future as an attractive destination for South Carolinians. So, residents of Columbia, get up, get out, and see all the many things that are going on right in your backyard!