Columbia Chamber moving headquarters to Main Street

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The Columbia Chamber of Commerce hopes to take advantage of the growth and development of Columbia’s central business district by moving its headquarters closer to Main Street. The move is expected to occur early next year.

The new location is at 1225 Lady St., at the corner of Sumter Street, two blocks from Main Street and one block from the original 1902 chamber office.

For more than 30 years, the chamber’s headquarters have been at 930 Richland St. in Arsenal Hill, in a building that originally served as headquarters for the New South Life Insurance Company.

The relocation to the Main Street district “better positions the chamber to fulfill its mission of creating and promoting an environment where businesses can flourish,” according to a news release announcing the move.

The Boudreaux Group designed the new office location, which is expected to be completed in February.

“The chamber is at a pivotal moment now and needs to look like the chamber of tomorrow,” Kim Wilkerson, chamber board of directors chair, said in the release.

Matt Kennell, president and CEO of City Center Partnership, said the move will make the chamber more accessible to its members.

“The new location will put the increasingly vibrant Chamber in the heart of the increasing vibrant center of the city, making it more accessible to its members, not only by car, but by walking, biking or public transit,” Kennell said.

Columbia Major Steve Benjamin called the move to Columbia’s “lively and dynamic historic commercial corridor” an “exciting development.”