The City Center Design Guidelines were prepared as part of a larger strategic assessment effort that the City of Columbia initiated in early 1997. A strategic assessment of the area bordered by the Congaree River on the west, Elmwood Avenue to the north, Pickens Street to east, and Blossom Street on the south found that the economic vitality of the area was inextricably tied to the quality of the built environment. A critical part of the public planning process was the development and subsequent adoption of design guidelines for the study area, and these guidelines have helped to catalyze the downtown into a desirable and thriving landscape in the years since. For development applications to be submitted after January 5, 2026, please refer to the Downtown Columbia Design Overlay District.

• City Center Master Plan
• City Center Design/Development Guidelines (as amended December 15, 2020)