[Tex/LaTex] Vertically centering for multi-row table

Question

I have a table that has multiple-row columns, and I could use booktabs and multirow package for it.

\documentclass[12pt, twocolumn]{article}

\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage{multirow}

\newcommand{\blah}{blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah}
\newcommand{\blahx}{blah blah blah blah blah blah blah}

\begin{document}

\begin{table}[ht]
\caption{Stories}\label{tab:scenarios}
\centering
\def\arraystretch{1.2}%  1 is the default, change whatever you need
\begin{tabular}{c|p{4.4cm}|p{2.2cm}}\toprule
{\bf Story} & {\bf Description} & {\bf Properties} \\
\midrule\hline

% item 1/2 
\multirow{2}{*}{s1} & \blah
    & \multirow{4}{2.4cm}{\blahx}\\
\cline{1-2}
\multirow{2}{*}{s2} & \blah
 & \\

\hline

% item 3/4 
\multirow{2}{*}{s3} & \blah
  & \multirow{4}{2.4cm}{\blahx} \\
\cline{1-2}
\multirow{2}{*}{s4} & \blah
 & \\

\hline

% item 5/6 
\multirow{2}{*}{s5} & \blah
 & \multirow{4}{2.4cm}{\blahx}\\
\cline{1-2}
\multirow{2}{*}{s6} & \blah
 & \\

% Closing table
\hline\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

\end{document}

The table looks OK when the table contents strings are small.
However, the first column (probably the second column), and final column that use the multi-row is not vertically centered. How to make it vertically centered?

Answer 1

Replace the p column qualifier with m. The first column doesn't require any multirow. Finally I suggest removing all vertical rules, and much less horizontal rules, replaced with \addlinespaces:

\documentclass[12pt, twocolumn]{article}

\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage{array, multirow, caption}

\begin{document}

\begin{table}[ht]
  \caption{Stories}\label{tab:scenarios}
  \centering
  \def\arraystretch{1.2}% 1 is the default, change whatever you need
  \begin{tabular}{@{}cm{4.4cm}m{2.2cm}@{}}
    \toprule
    {\bfseries Story} & {\bfseries Description} & {\bfseries Properties} \\
    \midrule\midrule
    % item 1/2
    {s1} & PAID Sample project assignment (err on the side of paying fairly for estimated completion time
    & \multirow{4}{2.4cm}{Sample project assignment (err on the side of paying fairly}\\
    \addlinespace
    s2 & PAID Sample project assignment (err on the side of paying fairly for estimated completion time
    & \\
    \midrule
    % item 3/4
    s3 & PAID Sample project assignment (err on the side of paying fairly for estimated completion time
    & \multirow{4}{2.4cm}{Sample project assignment (err on the side of paying fairly} \\
    \addlinespace
    s4 & PAID Sample project assignment (err on the side of paying fairly for estimated completion time
    & \\
    \midrule
    % item 5/6
    s5 & PAID Sample project assignment (err on the side of paying fairly for estimated completion time
    & \multirow{4}{2.4cm}{Sample project assignment (err on the side of paying fairly}\\
    %\cmidrule{1-2}
    \addlinespace
    s6 & PAID Sample project assignment (err on the side of paying fairly for estimated completion time
    & \\
    % Closing table
    \midrule\bottomrule
  \end{tabular}
\end{table}

\end{document}