A new pizza place and community lawn are slated for this Columbia district. What to know
A new lawn and public space is being planned for an increasingly bustling development near downtown Columbia, with a growing in-state pizza chain set to be part of the project.
Officials with the BullStreet District on Thursday announced the coming addition of The Lawn, a 1-acre community hub and gathering space that will be located between the WestLawn office building and the Bennet at BullStreet apartment complex.
The Lawn will have a 3,750-square-foot artificial turf play area with tiered seating, an event stage, café and bistro tables, and other features. Catenary lights will cover the turf area and speakers will be installed in the planters around The Lawn, according to a release.
BullStreet officials said The Lawn will “serve as the central meeting space for dining, recreation,and cultural connection.”
And a key piece of The Lawn project will be a Coastal Crust Wood-fired Pizza restaurant, which will be located in the revitalized Williams Building. Coastal Crust currently has locations in Greenville, Travelers Rest, Mount Pleasant, James Island and the Isle of Palms. This will be the company’s first Columbia location.
“We were looking for just the right restaurant that reflects what The Lawn is all about, and we were thrilled to get Coastal Crust to do just that,” Robert Hughes, CEO of BullStreet master development firm Hughes Development, said in a statement.
Coastal Crust bakes its pizzas in a custom-built, 900-plus degree oven, and uses kiln-dried oak would to give it a smoky aroma.
“When I learned about the plans for The Lawn and saw all of the activity at BullStreet, it became clear that is the essence of the Coastal Crust tradition,” Coastal Crust president Brian Piesner said in a statement. “We create an elevated casual experience for everyone, particularly for families, and we cannot wait to get started.”
The Lawn is set to open in the first half of 2025. An opening date for Coastal Crust has not been announced. Its space in the site’s Williams Building will “combine the charm of the historic facade with a striking modern design,” project officials said.
The city of Columbia and Greenville’s Hughes Development are in the midst of a long-term plan to overhaul the 181-acre former State Mental Hospital site along Bull Street. The city has committed more than $100 million for infrastructure at the property.
The site is home to hundreds of apartments and residences, with more under construction, as well as the Columbia Fireflies baseball team, a Starbucks, an REI outdoor store, a Publico restaurant, the Iron Hill Brewery, and a host of professional offices, among other uses. The University of South Carolina also is planning a $300 million medical school campus on the northeast side of the BullStreet property.
And recently, storefront business and retail announcements have been gaining momentum at BullStreet. Fitness studio Pvolve has opened a location there, growing seafood restaurant chain Shuckin’ Shack is developing a location in the district, and Southern brunch favorite Tupelo Honey has a restaurant under construction near Segra Park. Popular Greenville coffee company Methodical also has announced a location in BullStreet. Additionally, high-end salon Image Studios recently opened its doors in the district.
This story was originally published December 12, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
