2024 Preservation Awards | 1544 Main Street

WINNER | Preservation, Rehabilitation, or Restoration (commercial, institutional, rental, or municipal)

1544 Main Street

Daniel Boan & Matthew Bridges — Property Owners 
Architectural Concepts — Architect 
Blackstone Construction — Contractor 
Rogers Lewis — Preservation Consultant 
Marcus Munse & Rita Patel — Proprietors

Erected in 1871, this two-story masonry commercial building housed many businesses after its original occupant, Duffie’s Book Store, closed in the early 20th century. Over the last three decades, while the property’s first floor hummed with patrons dining at Drake’s Duck-In, the building’s second story remained vacant, as it had since 1941. Owners Matthew Bridges and Daniel Boan sought to change that by following The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties to ensure their efforts would qualify for historic tax credits and Bailey Bill tax abatement. Their journey began by removing a 1950s-era slipcover façade in 2018 and then securing a second-floor tenant to reinvigorate the long-neglected space. Ultimately, they teamed up with Rita Patel and Marcus Munse to create The Flutter Wing, an expansion of Hotel Trundle, a thriving boutique hotel fronting Taylor Street.

Preservation consultation by Janie Campbell of Rogers Lewis guided architect Charlie Baker in rendering rehabilitation plan that contractor Don Blackstone would use in returning the missing staircase to its original location, installing historically compatible windows across the façade, and rebuilding an historically inspired storefront that suited both Drake’s Duck-In and The Flutter Wing suites. Downstairs, the building received updated finishes and structural repairs while retaining the character of its historically open floorplan. Upstairs, the plan maintained the original corridor while incorporating five new hotel rooms in the existing layout. Historic doors connecting each room were retained in three of the five units. Though no longer operable, they maintain the appearance of the original second-floor circulation pattern. Original wide plank hardwood floors were refurbished, and borrowed light windows in the corridors, including their original louvered shutters, were retained and fixed in place. Extant skylights were repaired and outfitted with remote-operated retractable blinds. The rear rooftop became a patio amenity following the installation of a new, raised floor and construction of a new exterior staircase as a second means of egress.  

Thanks to an inspired vision, the Reconstruction-era building has been reincarnated as a mixed-use retail and hospitality center, utilizing many of the historic elements that perpetuate the historic commercial character of Main Street.

Before & After

Before image courtesy Janie Campbell. After image courtesy Meredith Funderburk.

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Economic Impact Study

This study's findings reinforce our long-held position on the importance of historic preservation for the city's economy and support our work advocating for policies that encourage preservation and the reuse of historic buildings. Columbia’s architectural heritage is not simply an exercise in nostalgia; it is an informed, strategic investment in the future.

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