Historic Columbia recognized the following 2025 Preservation Award recipients for their significant contributions to local preservation initiatives. Each recipient received acknowledgment from one of the following categories:
- Preservation Leadership
- Preservation, Rehabilitation, or Restoration (Commercial, Institutional, Rental, or Municipal)
- Revitalization (Any Ownership or Use)
- Preservation, Rehabilitation, or Restoration (Residential/Single Family)
Preservation Leadership Award winner:
Fred Delk
As former director of the Columbia Development Corporation, Delk championed the reuse of historic buildings like the Palmetto Compress, 701 Whaley, and the Curtiss-Wright Hangar.
Preservation, Rehabilitation, or Restoration (Commercial, Institutional, Rental, or Municipal) winners:
Barton House | 1500 Calhoun St.
Originally built in the 1850s and relocated from the former State Hospital grounds in 1980 to avoid demolition, the Barton House has once again been preserved through a comprehensive rehabilitation.
1225 + 1229 Lincoln St.
Jerry and Ben’s, LLC restored this pair of historic Vista buildings — once home to Palmetto Candy & Tobacco — by stabilizing fire-damaged structural elements, preserving original plaster and wood, and reconstructing the façade using historic materials.
Taylor House | 1501 Senate St.
Built in 1908 and later home to the Columbia Museum of Art, the Taylor House has been fully rehabilitated by USC and is now the Joseph F. Rice School of Law admissions office.
The Laundry | 2046 Talley St.
Built in 1883, this former laundry building on the State Hospital campus now serves as an event space in the BullStreet District after decades of vacancy.
Revitalization (Any Ownership or Use) winners:
1429 Hagood Ave.
Longtime Melrose Heights resident Martha Fowler transformed a historic garage behind her 1917 bungalow into a modern accessory dwelling unit, preserving its original footprint while adding a full kitchen, bath, and living space.
1700 Huger St.
Columbia Presbyterian Church repurposed this 46,000 sqft commercial space into a modern church facility, preserving original bow trusses and clerestory windows. The renovation includes a 700+ seat sanctuary, classrooms, offices, and a café.
1324 Richland St.
Built to honor local businessman Joseph Azar, this new commercial structure fills a vacant lot in the Robert Mills Historic District with a design inspired by the 19th-century cottage that once stood there. Drawing on historic photos and maps, the team created a building that reflects the former home’s Gothic Revival features.
Preservation, Rehabilitation, or Restoration (Residential / Single Family) winners:
DePass House | 920 Gregg St.
Archie and Sarah Parnell rehabilitated this 1910 home in University Hill that was once owned by a figure tied to SC’s last legal duel. Their work included porch reconstruction, upfitting the attic, and period-appropriate interior and exterior updates, all supported by state homeowner tax credits.
John C. Heslep House | 303 Saluda Ave.
Built in 1917 and transformed into a Spanish Colonial Revival villa by contractor John Heslep in the 1920s, this landmark residence was recently rehabilitated by the Tomlin family. Their work included restoring the original clay tile roof, adding a new pool house, and improving landscaping.
