In the published report entitled Columbia's Commercial Heritage, the building at 1337 Assembly Street was included in a group of 28 structures described as "buildings of outstanding design, probably unique in the city... of primary importance to the visual quality of Columbia."  The renovation of our historic building has preserved the architectural distinction of the past while creating an attractive modern facility for business offices. 

The building offers approximately 8,330 square feet of prime office space which is divided into four office quadrants on two floors, abundant parking, windows/skylight wells in each office, exposed beams and plank ceiling on the second level, spacious conference and library rooms, five zone heating and air conditioning systems, insulated thermo pane glass windows, four panel solid core doors on all offices, cut pile carpeting, six inch baseboards, four and a half door trim, capacious basement storage facility, and prime location in the heart of downtown Columbia's business district.

The building itself was built in the late nineteenth century, and housed the Columbia Railway, Gas & Electric Company's first substation.  The CRGEC used two of only four rotary converters then in existence--machines designed by the "small, cigar-smoking electrical wizard" Charles P. Steinmetz (SCE&G informational booklet).  Early images of the building show it standing alone in its present location, surrounded by unpaved streets and sidewalks.  By mid-century, Columbia had grown extremely quickly, the streets were paved and full of beautiful new automobiles, and the building was acquired by a "We buy anything" used furniture salesman who advertised his wares quite prominently in the long, distinguished windows facing Assembly Street. Eventually the building was purchased by a succession of law firms and real estate management groups, and finally by Turnipseed & Associates. 

From its earliest stages to its present evolution as the home of Turnipseed & Associates, our building has enjoyed a colorful and unique history among Columbia's many remarkable structures.