COLUMBIA, S.C. — A major new development is coming to West Columbia.
“Baker and Baker from Columbia, they purchased it over a decade ago, and they've held it waiting for an opportunity to do a redevelopment. It looks like that time's getting near. They came to the city, and they requested approval for a project-specific approval,” said West Columbia Mayor Tem Miles.
Last week, West Columbia officials voted to approve the Capitol Square redevelopment.
The project will transform the vacant Capitol Shopping Center on Sunset Boulevard across the street from the House of Raeford chicken plant.
The plans are to turn the space into a four-story building with 224 multi-family units and 18,000 square feet of retail or office space.
“We're currently in the process of doing a rework of our entire Meeting Street, which is the road that runs behind this area, and this will be a perfect development between 378 and Meeting Street, to tie all of those things together and to really help to accelerate some of the redevelopment and momentum that we have going on,” Mayor Miles said.
The project also plans to have public parking and eventually include a grocery store and retail space.
The developers showed a plan for pedestrian and vehicle pathways. Plans to provide more landscape areas are still in the works.
City officials mention that much of the retail space will be leased to small local business owners and nationally known retail brands.
“Folks in West Columbia have been very, very interested in eager to receive additional grocery stores and retail and this is delivering upon a request that the public has made, and that's additional retail opportunities," Mayor Miles said.
The mayor said that when the redevelopment happens, the city will ensure that there is still enough public parking for the area.
Although the city has approved the development, there is no official start or completion date at this time.