Former Mayor Steve Benjamin bought a Columbia mansion for $850K. What will he do with it?
Would your next corporate retreat benefit from a wraparound porch and chandeliers? Former Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin is betting on it.
The longtime city leader, who did not seek reelection in November, has purchased a mansion in Columbia’s historic Robert Mills district with plans to make it an event space. Dubbed The Mansion on Blanding, the property at 1329 Blanding St. is intended to be used for everything from weddings to corporate gatherings, according to a yet-unpublished website shared by Benjamin.
Among the features in the 5,000-square-foot house are wraparound porches, a caterer’s kitchen and a boardroom for corporate meetings. There’s a lush backyard for outdoor weddings. A brick triplex separate from the main house comes with the property, which Benjamin said he will use for Airbnb rentals.
The mansion, located at the intersection of Blanding and Marion streets, was constructed in 1886 by Tozer Engine Works’ George Louis-Dial, but the property’s roots in Columbia history are deeper than that. Benjamin said the deep history is partly why he fell in love with the Blanding Street property long ago.
“I love history, I love the historic district,” he said, adding that he feels a soft spot for this building in particular because of its connection to early abolitionists.
The property’s initial owner, Abraham (or Abram) Blanding, built the city’s first waterworks in 1820 and then donated it to Columbia free of charge.
Blanding also spoke out against slavery and worked to uplift Columbia’s Black residents. Blanding donated property on Sumter Street for “the religious training” of African Americans. That land eventually became host for what is now Ladson Presbyterian Church at 1720 Sumter St, according to that church’s website.
Renters hoping to book an event at Blanding’s original home will be disappointed, however. The original house was reportedly burned during Union Gen. William Sherman’s infamous occupation of Columbia. When Louis-Dial bought the property in the late 1800s he built the mansion that currently sits on the site. That house is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Dial-Willis-Heyward House.
Most recently, the building was used as a law office.
Benjamin purchased 1329 Blanding St. under Blanding House LLC, for which he is the registered agent, for $850,000 in early October, according to the property deed.
The property, which includes parcels for 1329 and the triplex at 1323 Blanding St., had an assessed value of $718,600 in 2021, according to Richland County records. Benjamin said he could eventually take on partners.
He said the site should be ready to host events by April. He’s already tested the venue, which recently hosted his daughter’s 17th birthday party.
This story was originally published March 8, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
