Burdette Building

The Burdette building has been a landmark in downtown Simpsonville for a century. Built of yellow brick with classically inspired terracotta and limestone trim, the building created a large mixed-use commercial block for a growing Simpsonville.

The Burdette Building was added to the National Register in 2003 but struggled to find a comprehensive vision well into the 2000's in part because of its large size and complex challenges for access, code compliance, and use. That changed in early 2019 when a new ownership group began planning a comprehensive rehabilitation of the building in order to create a vibrant mixed-use gathering space for the community.

In order to minimize the impact of the rehabilitation on the building's historic character the exterior mortar was carefully matched, and pressed tin ceiling tiles were sourced to match the original patterns. The interior plaster was repaired, and the wood floors patched with custom milled flooring in order to blend with the existing. The original windows and the skylights were also refurbished with great care being taken to retain all the original glass panes. Finally, the terracotta trim was cleaned and the exterior wood trim repainted in a historic green tone, meanwhile new striped awnings were installed to provide a more period appropriate look the exterior.

The building was completed in December of 2020. The response in Simpsonville has been overwhelmingly positive with patrons flocking to the outdoor common area on weekend evenings to enjoy a meal from the barbeque tenant or listen to music provided by the coffee shop. Building will serve as a landmark for the Simpsonville for many years to come