Plan Adds Student Dorms Near USC Campus

Students and families eyeing housing near the University of South Carolina may see new dormitory capacity if the rezoning is approved.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in College Life

Wide view of a cleared red-clay lot beside a low brick wall, with tractor tracks in the soil and a steel construction fence under a pale autumn sky. — The University of South Carolina Development Foundation has asked Columbia to rezone 3.5 acres on South Main Street for student dormitory housing, with a Planning Commission vote set for Nov. 12. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should Columbia approve more student housing downtown near the university?

The University of South Carolina Development Foundation has asked the City of Columbia to rezone 3.5 acres along South Main Street for student housing. The Columbia Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on the request at a Nov. 12 meeting.

Why it matters

The project would add dormitory capacity near campus, which could shape how many students live close to USC and what housing options are available to them. City staff recommended approval, citing the university's growing needs.

The request covers 3.5 acres on an entire city block bordered by Heyward, Main, Sumter and Whaley streets, with agenda documents listing the planned use as "Institutional - Dormitory." The Planning Commission vote is scheduled for Nov. 12, 2026, and no construction start date has been announced.

The players

University of South Carolina Development Foundation

The fundraising and property arm of the University of South Carolina, which is pursuing the student housing project.

Columbia Planning Commission

The city body that will vote on the rezoning request and whose decision determines whether the dormitory use can proceed.

The details

The Development Foundation submitted the rezoning request to the City of Columbia, with Hunter Lambert listed as the applicant. The Foundation acquired the multiple properties on the block throughout 2026, according to county property records, and significant land clearing has already occurred. The block sits across Sumter Street from USC's Eugene E. Stone III soccer stadium and near the Campus Village housing complex. Once the Planning Commission and city approvals are in place, a construction timeline will be established.

Throughout 2026: the Foundation acquired multiple properties on the block.
Late summer 2026: the College Quik Mart closed and was demolished.
Nov. 10, 2026: Lambert issued a statement on the project.
Nov. 12, 2026: the Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on the rezoning.
December 2025: a lawsuit against Campus Village was dropped.

Education Landscape

Universities across the country have been expanding on-campus and near-campus housing as enrollment grows and students seek to live close to classes. USC's enrollment topping 41,000 this Fall places the project within that broader pattern of institutions adding beds to meet demand.

If you are a current or incoming USC student, a larger pool of dormitory beds near campus could change your housing options for future years. Prospective students comparing schools may want to ask the university's housing office how new capacity affects availability and pricing.

The takeaway

Campus housing decisions like this one are made through public zoning votes, so following the Planning Commission's Nov. 12 agenda is a practical way to track how new dorm space takes shape. Students and families weighing housing near USC can ask the university's housing office directly about how upcoming capacity may affect their options.