BullStreet cupola reaches milestone in return to Columbia skyline

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An iconic part of Columbia’s skyline is one step closer to making a comeback.

Workers on Wednesday, July 26, raised part of the cupola back to the roof of the Babcock Building, the historic centerpiece of Columbia’s BullStreet District.

The 48,000-pound section is the windowed base of the cupola, called a clerestory. In August, the building’s familiar red dome will be placed atop the base, making the cupola whole once again and bringing back a signature Columbia landmark that many people say is second only to the State House dome for recognition.

Three years ago, many feared the historic domed cupola — and the Babcock Building itself — were doomed after a Sept. 12, 2020, fire caused heavy damage to the building and caused the cupola to fall. Luckily, the fire damaged less than 15% of the historic building, making restoration of the dome and the continued renovation of the building possible.

The ongoing renovations of the building are being handled by Clachan Properties, a Virginia-based company that specializes in acquiring, renovating and managing historic properties. The company’s portfolio includes properties in North Carolina and Virginia. The Babcock project is its first in South Carolina and its largest to date. Walter Parks Architects of Richmond, Va., is the architect for the restoration while Rehab Builders Inc. of Winston-Salem, N.C., is the contractor.

Clachan has worked for the past three years to transform the 254,000-square-foot building, which once housed mental patients, into a 208-unit apartment building.

The 2020 fire and the fall of the cupola briefly put the whole project in doubt.

Clachan’s vice president, Amy Creason, recalls the morning she heard about the fire.

“When the cupola fell, we were concerned that we wouldn’t be able to keep going on the project,” she said. “We were all in tears. We thought we were done.”

Creason and others said the quick work of firefighters that morning controlled the damage enough so that work on the Babcock Building could continue.

Everyone knew that the historic dome had to be restored. The problem was finding someone who could make it as close to the original as possible.

“Rebuilding a cupola is not something you do a lot — the challenge was finding companies who could do it,” Creason said.

The structure has been restored in two parts. The clerestory was built by Museum Resources of Williamsburg, Va., and Kentucky-based Campbellsville Industries has built the new metal dome, which will be 18 feet tall and weighs about 10,000 pounds. With the clerestory back on top of the roof, now the waiting begins for the dome, which is set to arrive in Columbia in early August.

“The dome will be the crowning glory for this Renaissance revival building that has been a Columbia landmark since it was first built,” said John Sherrer, director of preservation for Historic Columbia. “It’s been a huge undertaking for Clachan to take one of South Carolina’s most iconic and recognizable buildings and transform it into apartments. This kind of historic project has huge importance not only for the state but for the nation.”

Residents started moving into the Babcock Building in 2022 and currently only 24 of the 208 apartments are available for lease, Creason said.

The apartments vary in size from one to three bedrooms and each is unique because of the building’s design, she said. The building is full of original elements, including the 1,800 historic windows which were removed from the building, restored and then carefully replaced.

The original layout of the Babcock Building has been preserved as much as possible, down to former dayrooms for patients and visitors which now have been transformed into lounge space for residents.

“The Babcock building means a lot to Columbia, and it’s significant we were able to resurrect it, save it and create homes for people,” Creason said.

Sherrer said the restoration of the cupola and the Babcock Building’s new role as an apartment building offers a chance to reflect on both the building’s history and that of the BullStreet District itself.

“This building means so many things to so many people who all had different experiences based on why they were here,” he said. “We want this restoration to be a gateway to Columbia’s future while also preserving the past.”