After years of delays, questions, and cautious hope, city leaders and developers are celebrating what they say is the long-awaited transformation of one of Camden’s most visible landmarks: the Clock Tower Building at Broad and Rutledge streets.
At an event highlighting the project’s progress, Camden Mayor Vincent Sheheen and Kershaw Hospitality partner Ben Zeigler shared details of what will become The Haigler Hotel — a boutique, 50-room property with a ground-floor restaurant expected to open in 2026.
“This is really a true example of a public and private partnership,” Sheheen said, noting the city’s role in providing parking, financial support, design input, and permits. “The city actually made a financial contribution … and worked with them in formulating their designs and how they could fit it here. It’s not only a construction project, but also a destruction project — taking down the brick façade from the 1950s and ’60s and turning it into something that has more of a historic nature.”
Growth with Historic Character
For Sheheen, the project is emblematic of Camden’s approach to growth: encouraging development that strengthens the city’s identity rather than diluting it.
“The community wants and city council supports less sprawl, less strip mall type stuff, and more growth in the downtown area where people can walk, enjoy the community, work at their businesses if they can,” he said.
That philosophy, he added, has been reinforced through a seven-month review of zoning ordinances, community charrettes, and planning sessions. The result is a vision of a walkable, livable downtown that blends housing, specialty shops, and public spaces.
“To have a thriving downtown, you have to have people who live and work in the downtown community,” Sheheen said. “Camden’s already amazing, and it’s going to be even better.”
A Heritage-Inspired Design
Zeigler said the Haigler Hotel will reflect Camden’s history and equestrian tradition in both its design and operation.
“The equestrian piece is going to be the guiding aesthetic of both the hotel and the restaurant,” he said. “The décor is going to be very consistent with the sort of aesthetic of Camden in the 20th century — equestrian pursuits, with reflections of the horse community. If you want an example, think of the Polo Grill in New York, with a very traditional, equestrian vibe.”
The hotel’s restaurant will also draw from Camden’s heritage but remain accessible. “It’s very much designed to strike that balance,” Zeigler said. “We want it to be a world-class destination, but also a community meeting place.”
Plans call for the restaurant to seat around 100 people, with additional bar seating, plus space for weddings, meetings, and conferences.
Jobs and Economic Impact
For many, the project’s most immediate impact will be the creation of employment opportunities. Zeigler said the Haigler Hotel is expected to create 75 to 100 jobs, all local.
“All the jobs will be local,” he said, noting that Kershaw Hospitality has a jobs commitment with the county as part of its incentive package. “Seventy-five to a hundred jobs is not unreasonable.”
The Indigo Road Hospitality Group, one of the Southeast’s largest restaurant operators with growing hotel management expertise, will manage both the hotel and restaurant. Zeigler pointed to The George in Georgetown and Hotel Florence as examples of successful projects balancing local character with hospitality quality.
Looking Ahead
For Sheheen, the Haigler project is just one piece of a broader revitalization strategy that includes streetscape improvements, more walkable public spaces, and mixed-use developments that fit Camden’s historic charm.
“We’re working with private developers to do specialty shops, places people can go and spend time,” he said. “You’re going to see really a mix of it all — work, live, and public space that’s enjoyable.”
For Zeigler and his partners, the hotel is both an investment and a commitment. “We are very excited about this development for Kershaw County and the city of Camden,” he said. “This is about honoring Camden’s heritage while creating a place the community can enjoy for generations.”
