Columbia, South Carolina – Columbia has made a big move early on to change one of its most famous downtown buildings. This shows that there is support for a proposed cooperation that might bring a new level of luxury hospitality to the capital city.
Earlier this month, City Council recently approved the first reading of a contract to sell the Washington Square Office Building, the Washington Plaza parking garage, and the retail spaces. This officially started the process of redeveloping the area.
The vote is the city’s first official step toward working with The Kessler Collection, a well-known hotel corporation with the Grand Bohemian Hotel name. If finished, the proposal would turn the Washington Square property at the corner of Main and Washington streets into a four-star hotel. This would be Columbia’s first luxury hotel of this class.
The city’s leaders see the renovation as a smart way to invest in the long-term health of downtown. For decades, the Washington Square buildings have been important parts of the city’s core.
They are known for their striking brutalist architecture. Officials think the site has a lot of potential for adaptive reuse, combining its architectural style with new cultural, gastronomic, and hospitality features.
Plans call for a phased renovation approach and an estimated $70 million in private funding. The proposal would have high-end guest rooms, fancy restaurants, a full-service spa, gallery space for fine art and jewelry, a ballroom, and meeting rooms that would be great for business and cultural events. Retail spaces are also scheduled to be updated to help both hotel operations and activity on the street along Washington Street.
Parking remains a key component of the plan. The current garage would be updated to accommodate about 450 cars, which would be used by hotel guests, businesses nearby, and people who come to the city for business. The city has agreed to pay $2.9 million for the sites. If the transaction gets final approval, work on the design and planning is expected to begin.
City authorities say that the proposed hotel will help the economy by bringing in more visitors, creating jobs, and increasing local tax revenues. It will also encourage more private investment in the area. Grand Bohemian hotels like this one in the Southeast have helped improve downtown areas by combining hospitality with art, culture, and public events.
Local politicians pointed out that the Washington Square project is part of a larger plan for the city’s growth, not just a single initiative. Columbia continues to search for specific collaborations in many areas and corridors, with an emphasis on long-term value, fair growth, and better quality of life.
The contract of sale will be read again on January 6, 2025. If approved, the project will continue on to thorough design and planning. More updates will come as the redevelopment moves through its multi-phase timeframe.
For more information on this property redevelopment, please visit https://growth.columbiasc.gov/portfolio/washington-square/.
