It is quite a thrill to see a new tall structure in downtown Columbia that is not student housing. The newest addition is the 803 E Walnut building to the east of Columbia’s courthouse. The building is taking over what used to be Bleu’s old patio, which ended up being an under utilized space (even though it was one of the best patio’s in town). The new structure is 6 stories tall and will be anchored by Hawthorne bank. It also has quite a bit of space opened up for other tenants as well.

I really do appreciate this structure because of its nod to most of Columbia’s other masonry. Columbia is a brick town, plain and simple. 803 E Walnut made sure to compliment its surrounding even on the east side of the building, where cinder blocks were painted to blend with much of the rest of downtown. Some of the finishes are even used to mix with the courthouses sleek sandstone finishes to its west.

We should also appreciate the developers decision to not tear down another of Columbia’s historical buildings and to instead find a unique piece of vacancy to fill with thoughtful design. When the world moves toward cheap material and quick profits, it is nice to sit back and watch Columbia grow with another great addition to its beautiful downtown skyline.