2026 Preservation Awards | Central Fire Station
Thursday, May 14th 2026
WINNER | Preservation, Rehabilitation, or Restoration (commercial, institutional, rental, or municipal)
Central Fire Station | 1001 Senate Street
Raines Company — Property Owner
Garvin Design Group — Architect
Mashburn Construction — Contractor
Rogers Lewis Group – Preservation Consultant
Constructed between 1949 and 1951, the Columbia Central Fire Station served as the headquarters for the city’s fire department until 1995. A distinctive example of mid-century International Style civic architecture, the complex includes a two-story headquarters building, a one-and-a-half-story garage building, and a six-story concrete drill tower. Following the station’s decommissioning, the property sat largely vacant for many years. In 2025, the site was comprehensively rehabilitated into The Lantern, a boutique hotel developed by the Raines Company. The Rogers Lewis Group ensured the plan, conceived of by Garvin Design Group and implemented by Mashburn Construction, followed the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation to qualify for historic and abandoned building tax credits.
Preservation efforts resulted in the retention of many of the complex’s character-defining elements while adapting the buildings for a new purpose. The original concrete hardscape where fire engines once staged was retained and complemented with new brick pavers. Inside the headquarters building, the open bays that long housed fire trucks now form the hotel’s lobby and lounge spaces. Historic references guided details such as tile wainscoting, recalling finishes visible in archival photographs.
Adapting the complex into a hotel required creative design solutions. The garage building’s mezzanine level was expanded to create additional guest rooms, while a connector building was designed to provide circulation between the historic structures and access to the drill tower suites.
Thanks to its successful blending of original and contemporary elements, The Lantern Hotel demonstrates how thoughtful adaptive use has preserved an important piece of Columbia’s mid-century civic history while bringing new energy to the Congaree Vista district.
Images courtesy of Garvin Design Group & Rogers Lewis Group.
Before & After | Exterior
Before & After | Facade
Before & After | First Floor
Before & After | First Floor
Check out some of the other 2026 Preservation Award recipients:
2026 Preservation Awards | Horry-Guignard House
Erected around 1813, the Horry-Guignard House was rehabilitated in a phased effort that preserved its early historic fabric while adapting it for modern use. Restored exterior materials and sensitive interior upgrades allow it to continue serving as a functional space while retaining its historic character.
2026 Preservation Awards | Olympia Armory
Constructed in 1937, the Olympia Armory was carefully rehabilitated to preserve its New Deal–era character while supporting continued military and community use. Restored masonry, windows, and interior spaces ensure the building’s historic presence remains intact and functional.
2026 Preservation Awards | 2200 Sumter Street
Rehabilitation of 2200 Sumter Street brought a mid-century commercial building back to life after decades of neglect. Restored transparency, repaired historic features, and sensitive interior reuse reconnected the structure to its surrounding corridor.
2026 Preservation Awards | Advent Christian Church
At 1419 Anthony Avenue, a former 1940s church was carefully adapted into a private residence while retaining its historic identity. Restored materials and preserved interior features allow the building’s layered history to remain visible in its new life.