Subtext $97 million mixed-use development approved

A new $97 million mixed-use development is coming to Columbia, S.C. Richland County Council and the City of Columbia have approved incentives for Subtext to redevelop 931 Senate Street in the Vista. Subtext will build and manage LOCAL Columbia, a new young-professional housing complex with commercial space and recreational amenities. The St. Louis-based company is currently constructing the VERVE Columbia housing project at the corner of Huger and Blossom streets, scheduled to open in 2026.

“We appreciate the instrumental role CADP has played in moving this development forward, and the approval of City and County officials to move LOCAL one step closer to reality,” said Mitchell Korte, Executive Vice President of Development with Subtext. “We are eager to expand our presence in the Columbia market with this mixed-use community that will bring new residents and activity into this district.”

With this approval, preconstruction planning for the Senate Street project ramps up to meet the goal of starting construction next summer. The new development designed by ESG Architecture and Design includes plans for a seven-story building with 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments and lifestyle amenities targeting young professionals, while offering 2,500 square feet of retail/commercial space on the ground level. It will also include a two-story parking structure with 185 spaces for residents, employees and business customers, and new sidewalk, landscape and lighting improvements around the building.

“As we work together to broaden Columbia’s housing stock, investments like Subtext’s ensure that more people — including young professionals — can plant roots in our vibrant downtown,” said City of Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann. “This project brings new amenities, greater walkability, and added activity that enhance quality of life for residents of all ages, while also introducing new retail space to our growing city center.”

“The Subtext project helps address the need for more attainable housing in the city’s core,” said Richland County Council Chair and Columbia Area Development Partnership Co-Chair Jesica Mackey. “The new development and its infrastructure improvements will enhance the walkability in the area and add to the experience of those who live or visit there.”

The project is expected to create hundreds of construction jobs, as well as six full-time and six part-time jobs. Completion is anticipated in the summer of 2028.