COLUMBIA, S.C. — Plans for a long-awaited luxury apartment complex in a historic district in Columbia could expand to over 300 beds, if approved by the city's planning commission..
The development will be built on the abandoned Jim Moore Cadillac site at 2222 Main Street. It was originally approved for 250 beds back in January, but developer Commonwealth Properties has expanded the plan to 320.
The request for expansion will go before the Columbia Planning Commission Thursday.
"This property has been allowed to be an eyesore in our capital city for far too long," said Denise Wellman, President of the Cottontown Historic Neighborhood Association.
They're in support of the development, which has been in the works since 2021. She said the old Cadillac site on Main Street has been like that for as long as she can remember.
With the new density, she says they hope it will bring business to the area. The complex is set to be four stories tall and will contain "co-working area, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a pet spa and rooftop dog park, a bike storage/repair center, and a rooftop clubroom and game room and two roof top decks," according to a proposal submitted to the Planning Commission.
"This is a grocery store food desert," said Wellman. "We need a grocery store here, and so we need more density in order for us to get a grocery store here. We believe [it] is going to be the anchor to really grow as a gateway to this area of Main Street, and so all of us will benefit."
The development was originally brought before the city in 2021, but was finally approved in January. The project needed to increase the number of beds to make it work, said Columbia Land Development Coordinator Johnathan Chambers.
"From a staff standpoint, we've looked at it in the site plan, for the most part, meets all of the staff comments," said Chambers.
The Commission Thursday meet to go over the new request and discuss the site plan.
"They're going to be looking at the setbacks, how the building sits along the street. They're going to be looking at the parking they're going to be looking at the landscaping."
If the planning commission approves the proposal, it will go before the Design Development Review Commission next week.
The Planning Commission meeting Thursday is at 4:00 pm. There will be public comment.