COLUMBIA — The Office of Cultural Affairs has received all sorts of donations, but none prepared the office for the magnitude of the gift it recently received.

At the last Columbia City Council meeting, council members voted 4-3 to accept the donation of a DH Baldwin Baby grand piano after months of proposals.

The piano will be moved to a semi-permanent location inside City Hall.

Cultural Affairs Manager Sarah Dresser said she already has plans to incorporate the donation into some of the city’s upcoming events.

“I can imagine it being used for various city events, like our Citizens Summit or when we do Music Day,” Dresser said at the Aug. 19 meeting. “We’re open to seeing how a program could grow by having an instrument in that space.”

The piano’s owner, Susan Clark, has higher hopes for her donation.

“I wanted (the piano) to have a place where it would be loved, appreciated and used,” Clark said.

Clark hopes the piano will find new life inside the McKinney building.

The building previously served as a community center for Columbia’s African-American population. It housed a candy store, rental properties and a jazz venue.

The place was sold in the 1940s when the owner, Fred McKinney, died.

In the 1960s, the city’s urban renewal program removed several black-owned businesses that occupied the space, which was later purchased to become Ancel Richards in the 1970s.

The city purchased the building for $1.7 million in August 2023 with hopes of revitalizing the space. The city’s task force has held several public information meetings to gather public input on its future.

Clark felt his piano would be a perfect fit for the revitalized space.

“It would be nice to go back to the original story,” Clark said, “and have an active place that the community can use and enjoy.”

Clark grew up taking piano lessons in her hometown of King City for seven years. She played the piano over the years, even owning two at the same time. After developing arthritis in her hands, playing became uncomfortable for her.

Although she was able to sell her first piano, the one she donated to the city was difficult to sell due to technological advances.

“It’s something I really enjoyed. It’s a beautiful piano, it has a wonderful sound,” Clark said. “I hope they use it and like it.”

The donation will go through another round of proposals and approvals before being transferred from City Hall.

The city expects to spend about $3,000 on moving costs, minor restorations and additional items, such as a padlock for the keypad.