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 Mayor Tem Miles, with the City of West Columbia.
Last week, West Columbia officials voted to approve the Capitol Square redevelopment.
The project will transform the vacant Capitol Shopping Center on Sunset Boulevard, it's located just across the street from the "House of Raeford" chicken plant.
The plans are to turn the space into a four story, 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 it will eventually include a grocery store and retail outparcels.
The developers showed a plan for pedestrians and vehicular pathways. Plans are still in the work to provide more landscape areas.
City officials mention that much of the retail space will be leased to small local businesses 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 told us when the redevelopment happens, the city will make sure there's still enough public parking for the area.
Although, the development has been approved by the city, there is no official start or completion date at this time.