Built in 1935 by architect Edward F. Sibbert, who designed and built the majority of the Kress department stores around the country, the Kress Building is on the National Register of Historic Places and qualifies as Columbia’s best example of Art Deco Style of architecture. It operated as a Kress Store until it was closed in 1993, and remained vacant until Capitol Places purchased it in late 1998.

The 41,000 square foot, 2 story building wraps around the historic Sylvan Building at the corner of Main Street and Hampton Street, 3 blocks North of the State Capitol, and fronts both Main St. and Hampton St. Two retail spaces, totaling 7,300 sq ft, occupy the first floor levels on each street front. Rising High Natural Bread Company’s flagship store is on the Main Street side facing the Art Museum.

The lobby entrance to the building is accessed from a gated courtyard at 1502 Main Street directly across from the Columbia Art Museum Plaza. The courtyard enters into a spacious lobby with an 18 ˝ foot ceiling and four beautiful columns with capitals from the original Kress Store. The lobby gives a preview of the ceiling heights in the ten first floor apartments, where loft bedrooms with spiral staircases overlook the main living area. The balance of the 31 studio, 1BR and 2 BR apartments are on the second floor accessible by elevator. Some of these apartments overlook the Art Museum and the Adams Mark Hotel, with the balance facing out towards the sides of the building. Second floor ceiling heights are 10 feet plus with large windows reaching to the ceilings in most apartments. Columbia's design architect, J. Lesesne Monteith has cleverly fit the 31 apartments into the building space creating many unique and distinct floor plans. The general contractor responsible for the renovation was Weathers Contracting Company, Inc, of West Columbia.

Capitol Places
PO BOX 2851
Columbia, SC 29202
Phone: 803-779-5171 Fax: 803-782-8246
Web: www.CapitolPlaces.com