City of Columbia Plans Public Information Session on Congaree Riverfront District Draft Master Plan

The City of Columbia invites residents, business leaders, and community stakeholders to attend a public information session on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, to get a first look at the proposed elements and amenities included in the Congaree Riverfront District Draft Master Plan.

It will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at Senate’s End (The Hall), 316 Senate St., Columbia.

The Partnership Group and Master Planning Team have been working to incorporate public and stakeholder feedback to develop a draft master plan for Congaree Riverfront District. Prior to approval by City Council, the team will share how the project’s ambitions are now taking shape and to seek residents' feedback. This will be an opportunity for all to see what the district will look like and all that it will offer once it is fully built out. The team will walk attendees through an illustrative master plan and a series of preliminary conceptual images of key moments in the Congaree Riverfront District.

Since the first public engagement session in April, residents and stakeholders have helped guide the vision for the district. Through public meetings, neighborhood conversations, stakeholder discussions, community pop-up events, and online surveys, the design team has gathered feedback on how people envision using and experiencing the riverfront for generations to come.

The future Congaree Riverfront District will create new opportunities for outdoor recreation, gathering spaces, walking and biking connections, and year-round experiences along the Congaree River. The district will also serve as an important gateway to the region’s larger vision of 27 miles of connected greenway along Columbia’s three rivers, strengthening connections between surrounding neighborhoods, downtown, and the riverfront.

The city has engaged Field Operations, an internationally recognized landscape architecture and urban design firm, to lead the planning and design process alongside project partners. The effort represents a collaborative approach to creating an inviting riverfront destination that balances recreation, hospitality, environmental stewardship, housing, accessibility, tourism and long-term community investment.

Residents are encouraged, but not required, to RSVP for the event.

For more information about the Congaree Riverfront District Project and to RSVP for the upcoming Congaree Riverfront District Public Information Session, visit https://growth.columbiasc.gov/congaree-riverfront-district/.