COLUMBIA, South Carolina — A long-vacant landmark in Columbia, South Carolina’s historic Vista district will soon become a new boutique hotel,The Lantern. The former Columbia Fire Department headquarters, which was built in 1951 and closed in 1994, is being renovated, and developers hope to open the new hotel to guests in the next few months. The Lantern website says it will begin accepting reservations February 1, 2026.
The Lantern will feature 59 rooms, a boardroom, lounge space, and Ladder 13 restaurant, helmed by James Beard-nominated chef Kevin Johnson. The hotel’s design highlights the firehouse’s original architecture and 40-year history and includes a wide-open lobby where the firetrucks used to pull in.
The project will repurpose the fire station as well as adjacent structures, including a training tower and service garage, along with adding some new construction. Located at the corner of Park and Senate streets, the hotel is a short walk to the South Carolina State House and the University of South Carolina campus.
The property will also partner with CarolinaLIFE, a USC program that works to employ students who have intellectual and developmental disabilities to provide them with hands-on experience in the hospitality industry.
The boutique hotel offers walkable access to USC, the State Capitol, and the best of Columbia’s dining, arts, and entertainment in the surrounding Vista District.
For more information, visit lanterncolumbia.com.
