John Gumm Building, Adaptive Reuse Renovation

The adaptive reuse of the historic John Gumm Building provides Columbia County with much needed space for the various departments they support. The existing structure is 28,400 sf and received major improvements to the interior and exterior. Project scope also included a new elevator and updates to existing plumbing, electrical, fire sprinkler, and mechanical systems.

The first floor includes a 1,700 sf auditorium for public meetings with an attached catering kitchen and office space for Columbia Economic Team (CET), Columbia County’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and the nonprofit Columbia-Pacific Economic Development District, also known as Col-Pac. Additionally, the first floor provides 1,400 sf space for the relocated Columbia County museum, which offers more space, accessibility, and environmental control protections for their collections. Finally, the basement and second floor provides office space for various departments for Columbia County, including human resources, board of county commissioners, county counsel, and the juvenile department.

The first school building on the site was built in 1884, named St. Helens High School, before it tragically burned down in 1916. The replacement building, now bearing John Gumm’s name, was completed in 1919 and served as a school until closed in 1999. Due to the high cost of a seismic rehabilitation, it remained vacant for years until Columbia County acquired the building with plans for a modernization to address the County’s growing needs.