COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - A long-vacant firehouse in Columbia’s Vista district is getting a new lease on life. The former Columbia Fire Department headquarters, built in 1951 and closed in 1994, is being transformed into a boutique hotel called “The Lantern”.

The building, located at the corner of Park and Senate streets, is undergoing renovations that preserve its historic character while adapting it for modern hospitality. Developers plan to open the hotel within the next few months.

“This is definitely rare and special just because this was the fire department here in Columbia,” said Abby Anderson, executive director of The Congaree Vista Guild.

Andrew Rogerson, an architect with Garvin Design Group, said the project involves repurposing the original fire station along with adjacent str

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