COLUMBIA, S.C. — The main downtown post office on Assembly Street in Columbia will soon return to federal ownership after city leaders approved its sale back to the United States Postal Service.
The Columbia City Council voted to move forward with the deal, effectively ending earlier plans to transform the site into a mixed-use development near Finlay Park.
The city originally purchased the property in 2019 with redevelopment in mind, envisioning a project that could include residential and commercial space in a prime downtown location. However, the initial agreement allowed the Postal Service to lease the building while retaining the option to buy it back at any time, a condition that ultimately complicated those plans…