Education Edition - 1736 Magazine, Fall 2019

Fortunately, the county was able to find a willing
private-sector partner in E.G. Meybohm, the founder
and chairman of Meybohm Real Estate and a Columbia
County native.
With the help of a Maryland firm known for
designing “new urban” projects, the county and the
developer drew up the $65 million Plaza concept using
Lady Antebellum Pavilion and the future $32 million
performing arts center as bookends for a pedestrianfriendly
commercial zone filled with boutiques,
restaurants, offices and apartments.
Under the deal, the Development Authority of
Columbia County deeded Meybohm eight acres for its
office building and two additional ones in exchange for
installing the infrastructure necessary to develop the
county’s 82,000-square-foot performing arts center
and 150,000 square feet of private-sector commercial
space.
Once completed, the property’s streets, sidewalks
and landscaping revert to county ownership, which
lowers Meybohm’s property tax burden to only the
vertical footprint of its buildings. Johnson said the
arrangement reduces the company’s development risk
while giving the county control over the development’s
aesthetics in perpetuity.
“We wanted to maintain ownership of that (public
space) because we want to make sure our downtown
looks nice,” he said. “We want to make sure the grass
is always cut and the bushes are always trimmed back
and the flowers are always blooming and those sorts of
things.”
The Plaza development’s pace largely hinges on the
success of the performing arts center, which is scheduled
to open in December 2021. Tied to the project
is a $4 million, county-financed parking deck that is
expected to break ground this fall, as well as a $3 million
public greenspace known as the “Farmer’s Market
Pavilion,” which can double as overflow parking for up
to 800 vehicles during major events.
Meybohm Commercial Development Director Jordan
An artist rendering depicts a fully
developed The Plaza at Evans
Towne Center, as viewed to the
east from Evans Towne Center Park.
The high-density development
is designed to give the area a
“downtown” feel. [SPECIAL]
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