Howard County, Maryland changed forever with the birth of Columbia, and the Columbia Exhibit Center, in many ways, represents that birth.

Built in 1965-1067 and designed by the noted architect, Frank O. Gehry, the "downtown" Exhibit Center was the unofficial gateway to the planned community of Columbia, Maryland. For long-time County residents, this was their glimpse into the future. For many prospective residents, the exhibits in the Center were their first introduction to Howard County's past.

As Columbia nears completion of its planned construction, the importance of original structures such as the Exhibit Center may be overlooked. PHC is concerned about the future of the Center and hopes to ensure its continued existence and visibility as an integral part of Columbia's heritage.

The Center is one of four Columbia structures that Mr. Gehry designed for Mr. Rouse. The other three, also extant, are the Merriwether-Post Pavilion (1966-1967), Rouse Company Headquarters (1969-1974) and the Public Safety Building (1967-1968). It is PHC's view that the Exhibit Center should be preserved and considered for adaptive reuse. Furthermore, should the Center ultimately be razed for new construction, PHC believes that the "spirit" of the structure and its association with one of the most eminent architects of our age not only should, but must, be preserved through appropriate interpretation and modeling.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation noted in the May/June 2002 issue of its Preservation Magazine:

Threatened 1967 Public Safety Building and Exhibit Building, Columbia, MD: designed by an unheralded Frank Gehry long before the Bilboa Guggenheim, considered dispensable for new construction.

Update
In 2001, Columbia witnessed the demolition of its first movie theater to make way for vertical commercial development. The demolition of its first firehouse is scheduled to take place in 2002. Although these two structures had little architectural or historical importance, their loss should serve to raise questions about which sites in the "New Town" are significant enough to save as reminders of Columbia's unique history. PHC continues to believe in the importance of the Exhibit Center. We are concerned about its future and hope to ensure its continued survival and visibility as an integral part of Columbia's heritage.