Columbia apartments to have rooftop pool, bars and restaurants, developer says
The renovation of the five-story former Veterans Administration building in downtown Columbia into an 88-unit luxury apartment complex called “The Federal” will feature a rooftop infinity pool, private health club and five bars and restaurants, the developer of the project, Justin Etzin, told The State.
“The ex Federal building sits at the highest point in Columbia and offers spectacular views across the city,” he said. “We aim to create the most desirable residential address in Columbia with cutting edge separate facilities you would normally see in an international 5 (star) hotel.”
Etzin is the founder and CEO of Global Ocean Investments, which is based in the Republic of Seychelles, an archipelago nation off the coast of East Africa. Etzin is a Paris-based diplomat who served as the country’s consul general and tourism ambassador to the United States for 12 years, ending last year.
The building at the corner of Laurel and Assembly streets was scheduled for demolition in 2015. Federal officials wanted to raze the building to create parking for the adjacent Strom Thurmond federal building.
The effort was abandoned after opposition from Columbia Mayor Steven Benjamin, downtown development boosters and historic preservation organizations.
The entrance to the Veterans Affairs building features an agriculture-themed sculpture of five people, including Clemson University benefactor Thomas Clemson. Building advocates argued a parking lot on the prominent corner atop a hill across from Finlay Park would not conform with city design guidelines.
“This is an important building in an important location, and any planner knows the worst of all possible land uses is a parking lot on a prime corner location, particularly one overlooking Columbia’s premier public park,” Benjamin said in a statement at the time.
The building was purchased in 2018 for $2.8 million, according to county records. The building is now listed for sale on commercial real estate websites for $8.9 million.
The company said the ads are old and the building is not for sale.
“I felt Global Ocean Investments could create a development that will underpin the start of new things to come in Columbia,” Etzin said. “This development will be a first for Columbia.”
The project has a major hurdle, however. The building has no on-site parking, and the developer has filed for a parking variance with city’s Board of Zoning Appeals.
The board is to consider the request Thursday at 4 p.m. and can be accessed here.
The building was rezoned from office to residential Monday by Columbia’s planning commission.
This story was originally published August 5, 2020 at 3:47 PM.