New development could open up ‘wasted space’ in Five Points

To the casual observer, Five Points seems to be full to the top with shops, restaurants and bars, all jammed cheek to jowl along its star-shaped street plan.

But all those odd-shaped blocks hide some not-so-little alcoves of vacant spaces and alleyways that go unnoticed by most passersby. And with the perimeter of Columbia’s funky urban village, near the University of South Carolina, hemmed in by residential neighborhoods, railroads tracks and a park, there’s nowhere to expand but in those oft-forgotten spaces.

So longtime Five Points developer Richard Burts has come up with a plan to carve a pedestrian alleyway between 713 and 715 Saluda Ave., creating a plaza and intimate retail spaces around a hidden courtyard.

“It’s a window of opportunity in time,” Burts said. “It’s an opportunity to start utilizing the backs of buildings.”

Burts has a history of creative, groundbreaking projects in downtown Columbia.

In Five Points, he owns the building that houses Saluda’s, Starbucks and CJ’s. His former Monterrey Jack’s restaurant helped launch Hootie and the Blowfish nearly three decades ago. And, in Olympia, he came to the rescue of 701 Whaley, when the venerable old community center was to be demolished.

‘A lot of wasted space’

Earlier this month, Burts and his business partner, Elizabeth Ward, purchased the two Five Points storefronts that once housed Wish Boutique. The storefronts are next to Speakeasy bar.

Burts and Ward plan to carve an alleyway between the two storefronts and create five or six storefronts instead.

The stores will be from 350 to 1,850 square feet each. That is tiny by retail standards but perfect for some small businesses – like crafters or a tailor’s shop or maybe an artisan chocolatier, Burts said.

“They would lend themselves to owner-operator types of businesses,” Burts said of the small spaces. “They could be sort of incubator spaces and people could move on to bigger spaces in Five Points later ... or not.”

Another benefit is that it would open up one of Five Points’ largest and least known spaces for development – a vast barrel-roofed room behind Speakeasy that once was home to a cab company.

In fact, Speakeasy, the Loose Lucy’s hippie shop and the Bohemian boutique are the front half of the massive, 15,000-square-foot space, which runs from Saluda Avenue to the alley along the railroad tracks between Greene and Blossom streets.

“There’s a lot of wasted space back here,” Burts said.

‘Independent ... retailers would be ideal’

Burts and Ward have no plans for the larger space at this time. But they hope to have the former Wish properties ready for tenants by March 1.

“We’ve got about 10,000 feet in play,” Burts said. “About 8,000 in the back (the former cab company) and 6,000 in the front (the former Wish), with the courtyard connecting them.”

Plans still are evolving, Burts said. But Amy Beth Franks, executive director of the Five Points Association, said the ideas are intriguing. “The association staff is working with the owners to find the best fit to complement Saluda Avenue’s existing businesses,” she said. “We are open to letting the perfect fit define the direction of the space, and small, independent types of retailers would be ideal.”

This story was originally published September 28, 2017 at 6:17 PM with the headline "New development could open up ‘wasted space’ in Five Points."