Grocery store, more apartments could sprout on former SCANA bus lot in the Vista

A supermarket and apartments could fill a gap along a major corridor into downtown Columbia, potentially complementing plans already moving forward for the $100 million development of the former Kline Iron & Steel Co. site in the Vista.

What once was a bus storage location for SCANA at the corner of Huger and Hampton streets could become home to a 30,000-square foot supermarket topped with 177 apartments, according to plans submitted to the city’s Design/Development Review Commission.

A smaller, free-standing building could house more retail next to it. The development also would include both surface and garage parking.

The developer, Mark Senn of the Augusta-based Southeastern development company, will present the concept to the city’s design panel as information and to receive feedback on Thursday. There will not be a vote on accepting, rejecting or revising the plans.

Huger Street already is poised to add more than 600 apartment units between the Kline development and the expansion of the CanalSide apartment complex nearby. The old SCANA site sits between the two.

The expected $100 million development of the Kline property at the corner of Huger and Gervais streets, near the S.C. State Museum, is to include more than 300 apartments along with a hotel, two parking garages and restaurants, retail and office space in a cluster of four buildings. The project received the go-ahead of the city’s design panel early this year.

The CanalSide complex plans to add nearly 340 apartments in a $58 million expansion.

The Design/Development Review Commission meets at 4 p.m. Thursday in the third-floor council chambers at 1737 Main St.

This story was originally published November 9, 2016 at 1:35 PM with the headline "Grocery store, more apartments could sprout on former SCANA bus lot in the Vista."