Veteran- and family-owned since 1975, John Harris Body Shop has been serving the Midlands’ auto body repair needs for over 40 years. As of 2015, the auto care company served South Carolina and Georgia customers in seven locations, but insurance carriers continuously requested that owner John Harris open an additional facility in the Irmo, S.C., area. At the insistence of these providers, Harris chose to undertake the project and also designate the location as the company’s new corporate headquarters in order to centralize operations for all locations.

During the project inception phase, the Columbia-based unit of Bobbitt Design Build was selected as the general contractor to work alongside the architect, LTC Associates. With a mandate to adhere to a strict budget, several design scenarios were completed before a facade was designed that met the owner’s requirements.

Bobbitt built the 15,000-square-foot corporate headquarters for John Harris Body Shop, which sits on a 2.3 acre lot off Interstate 26 at Lake Murray Boulevard in Irmo. The two-story structure features approximately 2,000 square feet of office space on each floor. Several different wall systems, panel profiles, overhangs, canopies and storefronts were incorporated into the project to enhance curb appeal.