Columbia planners to consider Five Points overlay change at 705 Saluda
Columbia SC — On June 11, planners will review a request to remove the Five Points overlay from 705 Saluda Avenue, a key step in the hotel plan.
Columbia’s Planning Commission will meet June 11, 2026, and one agenda item asks city planners to remove the Five Points Design Overlay from 705 Saluda Avenue, the former Wells Fargo site.
That is not final approval. The request would rezone the property from Community Activity Center/Corridor District in the Five Points Design Overlay District to Community Activity Center/Corridor District without the overlay.
Why the overlay matters
City planning materials say the Five Points design guidelines are principle-based rules meant to support the Future Five Master Plan. The city says the goal is to preserve Five Points’ village atmosphere while leaving room for creative architecture, signage and other design choices.
The site has been part of a long-running redevelopment discussion for years. A 2021 City Council resolution supported We Love Five Points LLC’s concept for the former Wells Fargo property and said the project could include a hotel, office and co-working space, retail and a structured parking deck.
The State reported on Jan. 29, 2026, that developers were still pursuing an 8-story hotel and parking garage at 705 Saluda Ave. and expected the project to stand 105 feet tall. The height request is separate from the overlay question, but both issues shape what can be built on the site.
For neighbors and business owners, the practical stakes are straightforward: how much design control Columbia keeps in Five Points, and what the project could mean for parking, traffic and the district’s look and feel.
