Former furniture store in Columbia’s Vista being revamped for dining, other uses
New details have emerged about a mixed-use development project that will see the revitalization of several buildings in the heart of Columbia’s Vista district that were long home to a well-known furniture business.
Avant Holdings earlier this year purchased the three historic properties at 911 and 919 Gervais St. and 914 Lady St. — which collectively were formerly home to Whit-Ash Furnishings — with the intention of revamping the buildings into a mixed-use development that could be home to retail, restaurants, residences and offices.
Project officials said in a Thursday release that the development has been christened Seaboard Vista, a nod to the Seaboard Air Line Railroad that was once prominent in the area. Construction on the redevelopment project is set to begin in early 2026, with tenant occupancy potentially coming in late 2026. No tenants have been announced for the project, though organizers teased in a release that they anticipate soon “unveiling a major corporate headquarters relocation that will serve as the flagship office tenant for the development.”
The buildings in the Seaboard Vista project total nearly 48,000 square feet across 1.3 acres in the Vista just west of the South Carolina State House. Father and son duo Dan and Todd Avant and brothers Paul and Lee Mashburn are partnering on the Seaboard Vista venture.
“Our research highlighted the remarkable influence of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad on both our properties and the broader Vista district,” Todd Avant, managing partner of Avant Holdings, said in a statement “Embracing ‘Seaboard’ as the core of our project’s branding quickly became the obvious choice, reinforcing our vision and inspiring the acquisition of an authentic vintage train caboose.”
Developers said in a release that the caboose will be a “defining feature” of the project, anchoring a courtyard between the buildings and serving as an event space.
The three buildings in the project — 911 and 919 Gervais and 914 Lady — each are more than a century old and have had various uses through the years. Most recently they were home to Whit-Ash Furnishings, which closed in 2024 after more than 50 years in business.
“Preparing these important structures for the next century of use, while preserving what makes them special, is work that excites us,” Mashburn Construction president Lee Mashburn said in a release. “It speaks to our commitment to delivering exceptional work and contributing to Columbia’s continued growth.”
