2024 Preservation Awards | 1544 Main Street
Thursday, May 16th 2024
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.
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.
Check out some of the other 2024 Preservation Award recipients:
2024 Preservation Awards | 1214-1216/1218-1220 Taylor Street
Historically known as the Hillman’s Sporting Goods and Community Finance Company buildings, respectively, these ca.-1915 commercial destinations experienced more than a century of use by various owners that modified elements of their original appearance. Current sibling owners Greg Middleton and Sara Middleton Styles teamed up with Rogers Lewis, LTC Architects, and Pyramid Construction to design and implement a rehabilitation that would benefit from Bailey Bill tax abatement and historic tax credits by following the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. In doing so, the historic character of these mixed-use buildings was retained and restored, while stimulating further economic vitality within the National Register of Historic Places-listed commercial district.
2024 Preservation Awards | Campus Village
As part of its master plan, the University of South Carolina embraces design guidelines in its ongoing efforts to meet the housing needs of an ever-increasing student body while replacing obselete facilities within its urban campus. Opened in August 2023 as the initial step in a multi-phased initiative to transform an area of South Campus into a vibrant, community-oriented housing complex, Campus Village ranks as the largest state capital project completed to date.
2024 Preservation Awards | 1407 Gladden Street
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2024 Preservation Awards | 203 Wateree Avenue
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