Columbia DDRC approves 174‑unit mixed‑use building on Blossom, with conditions

The Design and Development Review Commission on Monday approved a certificate of design approval for a 174‑unit mixed‑use apartment building at the Hughey/Blossom/Pulaski intersection in the Innovista design district, with conditions requiring additional ground‑floor activation, material changes and coordination on right‑of‑way improvements.

The approval covers a building that will rise five to six stories, include about 263 structured parking spaces and roughly 5,400 square feet of ground‑floor retail, and faces Pulaski, Hughey and Blossom streets. The commission’s action was taken after a staff presentation, comments from the applicant and brief public testimony in support; the motion passed on a recorded vote of 6–0.

Staff told the commission the project “substantially meets the design guidelines” but recommended a set of conditions to reduce the visual impact of visible parking openings, better activate the Blossom Street frontage, refine materials on a north‑facing base, and ensure rooftop equipment and right‑of‑way fixtures are appropriately screened or located. The staff report noted the building’s Pulaski‑street facade would be about 61 feet tall (five stories) while the Hughey‑street end reaches about 81 feet (six stories), reflecting the site topography.

Josh Harding, with PMC Property Group, said the developer has worked in Columbia since 2004…