A.W. Smith Law Building

A.W. Smith Law Building is a modern-styled limestone office building in central Columbia Missouri. It is located at The Intersection of Broadway and Stadium Boulevard and sits diagonally across from the Shelter Office Plaza.

The A.W. Smith Law Building is home to The A.W. Smith Law Firm, P.C. The building has three separate office suites that are joined by doors through the middle of this 6,500 square foot structure. The A.W. Smith Law Firm, P.C. occupies the largest suite in the middle. The rest of the building is intended for other businesses such as physicians, architects, or engineers.

Lawyer and philanthropist A.W. Smith is the owner of the building.

Property

Prior to construction of The A.W. Smith Law Building, the environment of its location was not maintained. It consisted of abandoned homes. Currently, this neighborhood is in transition as older homeowners leave and families with children or renters move in. Most homes in this neighborhood are ranch-styled brick homes built in the 1960s. Many of these homes are being purchased, remodeled, and resold.

Some of the neighbors were initially against the building's formation. The Bourne Avenue Neighborhood Association fought the redevelopment plans. Smith made multiple concessions to the neighborhood. The Columbia City Council met in October of 2010 to address the controversy. The rezoning was approved, pursuant to certain restrictions on the property. The new zoning ordinance limited the size of the building to 6,500 square feet, authorized professional office use only, and prohibited medical and dental businesses from utilizing the space.

Design

The design of The A.W. Smith Law Building mimics the design of old limestone courthouses that are found throughout Missouri. The design is meant to BLEND in with the neighborhood. The exterior of The A.W. Smith Law Building is covered in large limestone blocks (each block weighing several hundred pounds). The building stands at approximately 30 feet at its highest point and has a total square footage of 6,556. The interior of the building contains high ceilings. The interior walls of the building are mostly painted in navy and neutral tones. The building also features hardwood flooring. Architectural and interior designs were done by the firm Peckham and Wright Architects, Inc..

Construction

Demolition of the old structure commenced on February 14th of 2011. Abandoned homes that previously inhabited the property were demolished. Construction was then delayed due to ongoing zoning and technical difficulties. The zoning process took six months before new construction began in early fall of 2011. Construction progressed through the winter of 2011-2012. The building is expected to be completed in the summer of 2012. Construction of the building is being handled by Coil Construction of Columbia.