COLUMBIA, SC (WACH) - Columbia leaders are hoping the phrase "Meet me at Tapp's" is more than a catchphrase in downtown Columbia. They're banking on the fact that the famous message painted on the refurbished Tapp's building along Main street will be an open invitation to the downtown corridor.
City leaders and members of the Columbia arts community cut the ribbon on the new Tapp's Arts Center Wednesday morning. The 24,000 square-foot facility is filled with art galleries and studios. There are plans for performance venues and arts workshops and classes for the general public in the future.
"There really is a need for a place...a hub. A hub for folks to be able to come in, ask questions and get answers," said Brenda Schwarz, executive director of the Tapp's Arts Center.
The historic building is a reminder of what downtown Columbia used to be. It was once home to a family owned department store that was a destination spot for clothing and food in the basement restaurant.
Loft apartments were set up there over the last decade, and now, after a year of renovations and construction, city leaders are hoping the new Tapp's Arts Center will be a magnet for commerce in downtown Columbia.
"We have to start talking about the ripple effects of institutions we have here, built in Columbia South Carolina," said Mayor Steve Benjamin. How they can help generate additional resources for our hotels and our restaurants."
A model for success is just blocks away in Columbia's Vista. Three decades ago it was nearly forgotten, now it's thriving after local artists set up galleries and turned empty space into a destination spot.
Developers and local leaders are optimistic the arts can do the same by making Main Street a must-see.
The Tapp's building has played host to several failed business ventures in recent years and critics worry this could be another. Naysayers lashed out against the plan this past winter and spring,criticizing the city for using a taxpayer-funded $200,000 loan to prop up the Tapp's arts project while other similar projects in the city get no such beneift.
This latest addition to Main Street is another piece in the ongoing efforts to revitalize the downtown Columbia corridor. This past spring, the Mast General Store opened to rave reviews. Since then, development officials say other businesses have gotten on board, looking to frame themselves around what's considered the new anchor of the downtown district.
While a good portion of the new Tapp's Arts Center is covered in colorful local artwork, they are still looking for more tenants and are renting space to Midlands artists for $150-400 a month.
Meanwhile, local leaders and Tapp's officials hope this jolt from the creative set will help turn a blank Main Street canvas into a thirving district again.
"That just makes the whole project sweeter to be a part of the revitalization of Main Street," said Schwarz. "To be able to say we were here when it was happening."
Do you think the project will help lead to a rebirth in downtown Columbia? Leave a comment below.
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