Columbia, SC (WLTX)- Columbia City Council leaders are working on redeveloping areas around the city.  

"Our studies have shown that not only can the city support it but the city needs it," said Councilwoman Tamieka Isaac Devine. 

Isaac Devine and other leaders are focusing their attention on the Inovista Redevelopment Plan, a proposal to develop land in the city in order to attract new businesses.  

"Right now we are losing our dollars. When you have people living in a area that does not have a grocery store, drug store or bank to go to, they are leaving their community to go to other communities, spending their dollars in other communities to access those services," said Isaac Devine.  

She says areas like along Farrow Road are on their list to redevelop.

 "People that live in that area, we show that about $7 are going outside and 7/1 is going outside that area right now." 

City Leaders believe this project which spreads across more than 5 areas in the city will create jobs.  

"From construction jobs to long term jobs where we do commercial jobs, there will be retail jobs, restaurants, the options are endless." 

"The Vista was a huge success and I think that we need to learn from that success and not be scared of it but recognize that there are endless opportunities for us if we use that same model in other area." 

And Isaac Devine says this will not affect tax payers.  

"This is the return on your investment to let the city by allowing us to leverage our borrowing capacity to do this infrastructure to increase an opportunity for private investment to be invested in these areas."