Columbia firm bullish about future

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By Jason Thomas
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It’s a new beginning for a Columbia-based law firm. 

Robinson Gray Stepp & Laffitte recently moved to WestLawn, the BullStreet District’s newest office building and the first mass timber commercial building in Columbia, according to a news release from the firm. 

Featuring 79,000 square feet, WestLawn is the largest of its kind in South Carolina. 

Created in partnership with Hughes Development Corp., master developer of the BullStreet District, WestLawn gives Robinson Gray the room it needs for future expansion with an office layout that enhances workflow and collaboration and elevates client services, the release stated. The firm occupies the top two floors, including a private rooftop terrace on the fifth floor.  

“We are extremely proud to be part of this dynamic BullStreet community,” said Cal Watson, the firm’s managing member, in the release. “We are already inspired by the energy of our surroundings and look forward to enhancing client services through integrated technology and focus on collaboration.” 

The building’s mass timber construction uses a renewable resource that adds texture and warmth, while reducing the structure’s carbon footprint, according to the release. There are currently fewer than 400 large mass timber buildings in the United States, according to The New York Times.  

WestLawn was designed by globally renowned architectural firm Perkins&Will in collaboration with Robinson Gray. The interiors feature exposed wood ceilings and a system of steel columns and beams in innovative sculptural forms. WestLawn utilizes 10-foot-plus windows to maximize natural light and includes gigabit-speed internet. 

WestLawn’s first floor will house retail stores, with the remaining floors offering Class A office space. Public green spaces are included in the exterior design plans, which reflect the new urbanist vision of a walkable, vibrant district for BullStreet, the largest urban redevelopment project on the East Coast.  

“WestLawn’s development was a wonderful partnership with Robinson Gray and some of the best architects, engineers and contractors anywhere,” said Robert Hughes, president of Hughes Development Corporation, the master developer of the BullStreet District. “Its design and use of renewable resources and green spaces represent the future of urban office architecture. We are excited to have it in Columbia, and look forward to Robinson Gray’s continued success in this signature building.” 

Robinson Gray’s mission is to provide exceptional client service, to promote excellence among attorneys and staff, and to encourage professionalism and inclusion in the firm, the Bar, and the community. 

WestLawn is located between Starbucks and Segra Park on Pickens Street between Freed Street and Matilda Evans Street.