The Vista BID Improvement Plan

The Vista BID will generate consistent funding to improve the health & safety of The Vista. A professional, visible "Clean and Safe" program would include the hiring of ambassadors to support supplemental services such as cleaning, litter removal, graffiti abatement, and others that help retain existing and attract new users to the district, protect property values, beautify streetscapes, and improve the daily pedestrian experience.

The proposed BID will provide a more vibrant district experience that strengthens The Vista’s identity. With consistent and sustainable year over year funding, the BID will curate activities, including marketing, public art, district promotion, and events, that strengthen the experience of the district. To reinforce the district’s longstanding arts and culture identity, a primary goal of the improvement plan is to continue that legacy and support the artists, creatives, and makers living and working in The Vista who contribute to that history.

Across the country, business improvement districts foster economic growth and enhance property values. BIDs bring a stable financial and governance model that helps to both protect and enhance investments while providing leadership capabilities that influence the implementation of new development.

As Columbia and South Carolina continue to attract new, and many young, residents to the state, the BID will help partners collaborate, lead, and shape the district’s future, ensuring challenges will be addressed. With recent and future investments in the pipeline, including Finlay Park, the Waterfront, student housing, and many adaptive reuse projects, The Vista is at a strategic moment to capitalize on existing energy and attract investment in a coordinated way.

The proposed Vista BID is expected to be managed by a new non-profit, 501(c)(3) established to manage the funding generated by the properties within the district. District work plans and budgets, based upon this ten-year plan, will be refined annually by a board of directors representative of the property owners who are paying the assessment with direct accountability to those who are paying into the district. The BID will operate under private-sector performance standards, ensuring every dollar is tied to measurable results.

The nonprofit will work closely with the Main Street BID creating a shared experience within Columbia’s commercial core from Downtown to the waterfront. By unifying our stakeholders, the BID will serve to champion the interests of Vista property owners and other community members with City, County, and State partners.