In early 2013, the 1837 Niedermeyer Apartment building at 920 Cherry St. appeared to be in danger of demolition but now seems to be saved from that fate. A Columbia man, Nakhle Asmar, has reached an agreement with Collegiate Housing Partners to buy and renovate the 30-apartment, 1837 building.

See media coverage of the building here.

Here’s an undated blog post on the Niedermeyer with lots of photos. This blog put together by the Columbia Historic Preservation Commission, Planning Department and City of Columbia.

Until the fall of 2012, the sprawling building slumbered in obscurity in downtown Columbia for the most part until a firm announced it planned to buy the building, demolish and build a high-rise student apartment building. Petitions grew, the media reported on the various pros and cons, and finally, Asmar, a University of Missouri math professor, proposed buying.

See these links to media coverage of the danger to and the saving of the building:

• Nov. 27, 2017 — The Neidermeyer Experiment, Columbia Daily Tribune, Coming Up section. This free and open to the public event will feature 10 UMC artists in a pop-up show of their work. The event will be held 5-8 p. on Friday, Dec. 1, 2017 in the historic Niedermeyer Apartments at 920 Cherry St.
• June 13, 2013 — In Student Housing, Luxuries Overshadow Studying, NYTimes. Summary: An article looking at the downtown student housing boom, with a comment expressing concern about the area being overbuilt, another statement about too many luxuries at the new housing, and one comment calling the new apartments “soulless” compared to the Niedermeyer Apartments.
• March 13, 2013 – Buyer plans to start with basic fixes – Nakhle Asmar, who recently purchased the 1837 Niedermeyer, outlines his plans to update and repair the Niedermeyer. Columbia Daily Tribune.
• Feb. 10, 2013 — If walls could talk — The history of the Niedermeyer Apartment building. Columbia Daily Tribune.
• Feb. 5, 2013 — Columbia’s 2013 Most Notable Properties — Properties named to Columbia Most Notable Properties list, including the Niedermeyer Apartments at 920 Cherry St. Columbia Missourian.