Raines, the hospitality management, development and investment organization, has broken ground on The Shepherd Hotel Columbia Vista in Columbia, S.C. Developed and managed by Raines, this will be the second Shepherd Hotel in South Carolina.
Built by Mashburn Construction, the hotel’s design and architecture is led by Garvin Design Group. Construction is expected to be completed in fall 2025.
The former historic Columbia Central Fire Station will be transformed to open as a 59-room boutique hotel. The property is located in The Vista, a historic development project close to the University of South Carolina, the South Carolina Statehouse, Colonial Life Arena, and the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. The adaptive reuse project will honor the history of the Columbia Central Fire Station, one of the city’s oldest fire stations, while adding modern amenities like an onsite restaurant, a fitness center, board room, lounge and valet parking.
“We’re proud to be a part of this project, which blends our passion for historic preservation and our commitment to delivering exceptional hospitality spaces,” said Lee Mashburn, president, Mashburn Construction. “Working with the Raines team is an exciting opportunity. We are honored to contribute to the revitalization of this iconic building. We are also thrilled to be constructing the second Shepherd Hotel in South Carolina, just blocks from Mashburn’s corporate headquarters.”
Shepherd Hotel opened its inaugural hotel in downtown Clemson, S.C. in September 2022. The brand was co-founded by hotelier Rick Hayduk, third-generation real estate developer Rich Davies and Clemson University’s Head Football Coach Dabo Swinney. Inspired by his two children with Down Syndrome, Hayduk was keen on opening a hotel that employed individuals with disabilities.
The Shepherd Hotel Downtown Clemson opened in collaboration with ClemsonLIFE, a Clemson University program that empowers students with intellectual disabilities to follow their career goals and experience life on a college campus. The Shepherd Hotel Columbia Vista will partner with the University of South Carolina’s CarolinaLIFE program to offer similar opportunities through the University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism.
“The Shepherd Hotel Columbia Vista celebrates our passion for the hospitality industry and our commitment to our communities,” said David Tart, managing partner, Raines. “We are excited to provide valuable skills and career opportunities for students and young adults with intellectual disabilities, particularly in college towns.”
This year has been a landmark one for Raines. The Florence, S.C.-based company added more than 20 hotels to its management portfolio since January, including 16 properties in a landmark deal with Atlantic Hotels Group. Dedicated to holistic, sustainable growth, especially in the lifestyle sector; Raines has been expanding is lifestyle vertical, Woven by Raines. In 2023, Raines celebrated its 35th year in the hospitality industry and acquired third-party management company HP Hotels.
“The Shepherd Hotel Columbia Vista is not only another significant addition to the Raines portfolio, it will also introduce a new caliber of hotel to the Columbia market,” said H.S. Russell, a long-time investor in the hospitality space and executive board member at Raines.
At present, Raines’ portfolio comprises 57 hotels and 6,177 keys in the Southeast.
