701 Whaley is a beautifully restored historic building in Columbia, SC, serving as a vibrant community center with a variety of unique event rental spaces, the 701 Center for Contemporary Art, office suites, live/work lofts, and the hallway:communityart, which showcases local artists.
**Rental Spaces:**
– **The Grand Hall** offers 6,000 square feet of space, featuring large windows, a Grand Staircase, glass storefront, original columns, and aged walls, creating an inviting and flexible venue.
– **The Olympia Room** provides a more intimate 2,000-square-foot space with hardwood floors, tall windows, and original turnbuckle queen trusses, ideal for rehearsal dinners, ceremonies, parties, or acoustic events.
– **The Granby Room** is a 2,600-square-foot street-level glass storefront space with raw character and two double-door entrances.
– **The Market** features over 3,700 square feet of open space with an additional 800-square-foot covered porch, complete with stately wood garage doors that open to a festively lit porch.
Each rental space is available for a full day from 10 AM to 12 AM, except on Sundays. Whether seeking an intimate setting for 50 guests or a distinctive venue for 1,000, 701 Whaley offers various options to suit different needs.
**History:**
701 Whaley, built in 1903 as the company store for Columbia’s textile mills, quickly became a community center known as “The Y.” It included a bowling alley, barber shop, library, auditorium, gymnasium, pool, and dance hall, making it a hub of social activity for mill workers and their families. This cornerstone of the community thrived until the 1980s when textile jobs moved away.
After a roof collapse in the early 2000s led to the building’s condemnation, it was nearly demolished. However, in 2006, a team of investors purchased and restored 701 Whaley, preserving its historic charm. Today, the 55,000-square-foot building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, exemplifies adaptive reuse, blending its rich history with modern functionality.
In 2022, the Pool, originally built in 1918 and closed in the 1940s, was renovated into a unique event space, featuring a glass floor, soaring windows, skylights, and hand-laid mosaic tiles.
Visit Our Website Get Directions