Plans for apartment tower on Assembly Street likely pushed back

A developer likely will push back its request for design approval of an apartment tower on Assembly Street, while it continues to work out concerns with Columbia city officials.

The request for design approval of the 260-unit, $70 million apartment complex named The Edge could be pushed back until December, instead of going before the Columbia Design/Development Review Commission on Thursday as planned originally, said Chris McKee, president of Chicago-based Clayco Realty Group.

City planners listed a “number of significant concerns that need to be addressed” with the project in the design panel’s agenda documents.

Those included a “jumbled pattern of windows” and “minimal detailing” on the building’s upper facade, city planners wrote.

McKee said Clayco is considering changes to the window pattern and shortening the building from 14 stories to 12, and adding “texture and character” to the complex.

“We’re looking forward to continuing to work on the design,” McKee said. “We view it as a collaborative process with the city. The city has so far been great to work with and has given us some good feedback.”

The complex will include up to 600 beds, McKee said. He said the parking garage could have up to 300 spaces.

McKee said he expects the complex, planned for a site next to the Richland County Public Library in downtown Columbia, to be filled primarily with students.

“There’s a lot of great things about Columbia,” McKee said. “Obviously, you’ve got the university, which is growing. It continues to add students, which is creating a very vibrant downtown and, we think, a very vibrant housing community in the city.”

He said it is likely Clayco will apply for Columbia’s 10-year, 50-percent property tax break for new apartment buildings that ends Dec. 31.

The credit has spurred a number of new apartment projects in Columbia, including several aimed at college students.

This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 4:53 PM.