2024 Preservation Awards | Good Samaritan-Waverly Hospital
Thursday, May 16th 2024
WINNER | Preservation, Rehabilitation, or Restoration (commercial, institutional, rental, or municipal)
Good Samaritan-Waverly Hospital | 2204 Hampton Street
Allen University — Property Owner
GMK Associates Architectural Division, Inc. — Architect
GMK Associates Design - Build Division, Inc. — Contractor
Crescent Growth Capital, LLC — Preservation Consultant
A state-of-the-art facility opened in 1952 as the first purpose-built hospital for Columbia’s Black community, Good Samaritan-Waverly Hospital operated until 1973. As a remarkable statement of resilience and perseverance during the Jim Crow era, the property received recognition by the Department of the Interior, which added it to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. Despite this distinction, the nearly 20,000 square-foot landmark property remained gutted and windowless, languishing for years as it awaited rehabilitation.
That long-awaited rehabilitation occurred more than a decade later as owner Allen University worked with various stakeholders and partners, including the Boeing Company, which pledged $1.5 million for the transformation of the historic building into a center housing an “Institute for Civility” and special exhibits highlighting Black leadership in the community and state. Rehabilitation work involved abatement of hazardous materials, installation of new windows and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing infrastructure, complete interior renovation, and the construction of a 4,675-square-foot addition housing an auditorium, classroom, and office space.
Fifty years after the hospital last closed its doors, Good Samaritan-Waverly again thrives as an integral component of the historic neighborhood in which it was founded.
Before & After
Images courtesy GMK Associates, Inc.
Explore the
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.
