Rooftop bar, basement ‘speakeasy’ among proposed plans for downtown Columbia hotel

Details are beginning to emerge about a planned hotel at one of the key intersections of Columbia, including that a rooftop bar is proposed for the project, as well as a basement “speakeasy” bar.

Columbia hotelier Rick Patel is planning a Marriott Moxy brand hotel at 1200 Main St., directly across from the S.C. State House, according to plans set to be considered by the city’s Design/Development Review Commission at a Thursday meeting. Patel is a familiar name in downtown hotels, as he also was behind the Sheraton at 1400 Main St.

The building at 1200 Main St., which is 11 stories tall and includes a basement, debuted back in 1913, according to Historic Columbia, which notes it as Columbia’s second skyscraper. It was first home to Union National Bank, an entry on Historic Columbia’s website said. In more recent years, it formerly served as home to ABC Columbia. It’s long been known as home of The Whig underground bar, which has announced it plans to close this year in light of the forthcoming hotel construction.

The hotel project would also include the neighboring building at 1202 Main St., which in recent years was home to the now-closed Persona Pizza restaurant.

According to Marriott’s website, its Moxy hotels are “a playful, affordable, and stylish hotel brand designed to give guests everything they want and nothing they don’t.” The company said the Moxy brand is “created for the young at heart” and “celebrates nonconformity, open-mindedness, and originality above all.” It is a brand that also offers customers a complimentary drink at check-in.

When reached Tuesday, Patel was quick to note the plans still need approval from the city design board. He also said he is enthused by the new development.

“We are very excited about this project, and everyone is excited,” Patel said. “We have also received incredible support from the city. As you know, this support and cooperation is imperative to historic development.”

Paperwork filed with the city ahead of the design commission meeting offers various plans about the project. A rooftop bar is part of the proposal. There also would be a bar on the first floor, and a “speakeasy” style bar in the basement, according to the proposed plans.

The planned hotel indirectly made headlines this summer when owners of The Whig, a well-known Columbia dive bar that has been in the basement at 1200 Main for 17 years, announced it would be leaving that space, as its lease wasn’t being renewed amid extensive demolition and construction associated with the coming hotel. The Whig remains open for now and has not yet announced a closing date, but the bar is expected to exit its longtime space before the end of the year.

There would be significant work on the exterior of the building that would be a direct nod to its historic roots, according to the hotel plans filed with the city.

“Extensive rehabilitation work will be conducted on the exterior of the building,” said the proposal submitted to the design board. “The work will focus on bringing the building back to its original 1912-1913 appearance. This will be achieved with a combination of removal of the current non-historic panels, evaluation of existing terracotta, and replacement (of) decorative panels where necessary.”

Patel said he has admired the building at 1200 Main for years, noting it was built back in 1913 by the same contractor, John J. Cain, who worked on the Palmetto Building at 1400 Main that Patel redeveloped into the Sheraton in 2008.

“Historic projects are challenging but are so rewarding and have been some of my favorite work,” Patel said.

Matt Kennell, who leads the City Center Partnership group that advocates for property owners in the Main Street District, said he has long seen the potential for redevelopment at the tower at 1200 Main.

“That has been one of the buildings that has been discussed over the last 20 years of, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if someone took that building and did an historic renovation of it?’” Kennell said. “It’s been that building. Its location is so good, directly across from the State House. There is so much historic significance to the building.”