Top 10 Wish List for Charleston 2006

[voyager12]

I don't mean to sound overly negative Charlestonnative. I think some of the national stores downtown have played an integral part in the revitalization of Charleston. Charleston Place and Saks had a great influence in making lower King Street into the shopping mecca it is today. I sound like a broken record but I just wish there could be equal local representation. A couple lof ocally owned boutiques have opened near Bebe and Puma which is positive. I don't have the history and knowledge not being native but I guess I just miss Charleston when a first moved there in the early 90s. The only constant is change. I know! But King St. was filled with quirky shops and had a funky feeling that is gone now and endangered in Savannah and Asheville. The locally owned Woolworths was so awesome! You could buy anything in there and I still can't believe they allowed the lunch counter to be torn out to make way for the Foot Locker that is now Talbots. That killed me. It was classic Americana. Also RIP, Studio. That was another fabulous local design store near King and Wentworth that died several years ago.

[Spartan]

If you walk around Charleston and get off of King St, you do find quite a few locally owned shops and restaurants. They are everywhere. Many are tourist oriented, but hey, that is who spends the most money in that part of town.

Also, as I walked around the penninsula I have begun to realize that the situation is not quite as dire as people make it out to be- and its not just you, voyager. Certainly the Battery area and some of SOB has become converted into second homes, but there are still plenty of people living there and walking around, doing their thing. Other parts of town are the same way, except less of the vacation homes.

So while you do loose some of the local businesses and residents, they are replaced by others, perhaps in places you don't see. But I believe that they are there. Charleston owes a great deal to its fantastic tourism eceonomy, but don't be so quick to discount the local people and their efforts.

[andre14_7]

Here it is:

1) Settle this James Island dispute

2) Build up the MUSC area with more buildings, tall...but not too tall

3) Clean up the crosstown area and the neck of Charleston

4) Complete 526 (connect to James Island Connector)

5) An amusement park

6) A general clean up of the streets

7) And some sort of a mass transit system, street car or something

[digital_sandlapper]

I don't mean to sound overly negative Charlestonnative. I think some of the national stores downtown have played an integral part in the revitalization of Charleston. Charleston Place and Saks had a great influence in making lower King Street into the shopping mecca it is today. I sound like a broken record but I just wish there could be equal local representation. A couple lof ocally owned boutiques have opened near Bebe and Puma which is positive. I don't have the history and knowledge not being native but I guess I just miss Charleston when a first moved there in the early 90s. The only constant is change. I know! But King St. was filled with quirky shops and had a funky feeling that is gone now and endangered in Savannah and Asheville. The locally owned Woolworths was so awesome! You could buy anything in there and I still can't believe they allowed the lunch counter to be torn out to make way for the Foot Locker that is now Talbots. That killed me. It was classic Americana. Also RIP, Studio. That was another fabulous local design store near King and Wentworth that died several years ago.

voyager12, I identify totally with what you are describing. I've always thought that Charleston has cleansed all the interesting stuff off its streets! The underground scene, which I enjoyed living amongst (I was pretty preppy, but enjoyed them nevertheless) there as a college student in the 80s has been almost completely wiped out. You are right, Savannah and Asheville both retain that, and are fabulously funky! I fear that Charleston is becoming too pristine . . too upscale . . . too resort-like (or theme park-like.)

I do somewhat disagree with you about the national chain stores' presence downtown. We tend to forget that the first "glory days" of King Street, like most of our cities, contained numerous chains that flew out to the suburbs in the 50s and 60s. There was Sears (technically on Calhoun St.), Woolworth's, Penney's, McCrory, Kress, Belk, etc., etc. So, now the chains are back, but they're better than ever! We shouldn't bemoan that fact too strongly. We do want a good balance, definitely. Hopefully, upper King can retain its moniker of the "design district", and continue to attract new mom & pop stores and restaurants. Speaking of such, and of fun funkiness, have you tried Juanita Greenberg's? The Best, and on Upper King.

I do miss the Book Bag on King, Chapter Two on E. Bay, etc. Downtown needs more bookstores, or at least newsstands! I've often wished Barnes & Noble would locate there, and I would not cry foul if they did, especially now since they couldn't/wouldn't be blamed for forcing the little guy out.

[digital_sandlapper]

You guys suggested many interesting and good things on your wish lists.

I will just add my 2 cents' worth (I did live there for years until recently):

1) Re-surfaced streets. Charleston has atrocious pavement! They did finally resurface lower Meeting Street--it was a disgrace to let this nationally important street get to that point--shame on you Joe Riley! Please be careful when driving along Ashley, Calhoun, etc., etc. Your car's alignment and suspension will get jolted, not to mention your own rear end!

2) Bicycle lanes where room exists. Charlestonians are notorious for absolute disregard for bicyclists--let's change that. Students, but also the many brave urban professionals that bike to work--and take their lives in their own hands while at it--should be accommodated.

3) Turn the Crosstown into the welcoming boulevard it should be. Add a median of live oaks and grass, a la Abercorn in Savannah. Safe crossings for pedestrians and bicyclists, sidewalks installed, etc. It is currently an embarassment.

4) . . and taking that further: demolish "fast food row" on the west side of the city's gateway (near the old Ashley River bridge), along with the Comfort Inn, HoJo, the former Sheraton, and the ugly MUSC highrise behind it. All hideous! CharlestonNative had this as well . .

5) A big bookstore downtown. How about Barnes & Noble?

6) More rapidly occuring in-fill development. The empty lot on the corner of King and Spring is begging for a continuation of the business district--build to the street a new, yet fitting building. Demolish any clunkers that don't conform to the "up to the street" look, for example the P&C building, the U-Haul place, and those on King and Meeting beyond where the old bridge was.

7) A continuation of Mt. Pleasant's densification of Johnnie Dodds and Coleman Blvds., building very attractive shopping areas and restaurants up to the street, with pedestrian-friendliness, beautiful landscaping, etc.--and then apply this principle thoroughout areas such as Savannah Hwy., Rivers Ave., etc. I like the new requirement (I think it is) that parking lots, if they must be put in front of the building, must have shrubbery or walls mask them. A nice touch for the suburban areas of town!

8) Less development of outlying areas, i.e., SPRAWL. This won't happen . . and it's tragic.

9) Affordable housing on the peninsula for mid-income residents. Also a dream that is hopeless.

10) A new ordinance against allowing forlorn sofas, sucked-out vacuum cleaners, half-used furniture, busted mattresses, junk, broken glass, litter, unwanted recliners, old tires, leftover building materials, scrapped car parts, unsealable tupperware, trash, the kitchen sink, rotting oyster shells, split garden hoses, drawer-less filing cabinets, hand-me-down bureaus, etc, etc, etc., from being put on the curb at the end of the school year or at ANY time! The city should proactively pursue an end to this unbelievably hideous and dangerous annual event. How about educating the kids about DONATING the stuff, and even offering an amnesty day to haul it to wherever it is needed instead of letting it pile up, get soaked in the inevitable rains, embarrass and offend the residents, and just about break the back of the poor sanitation crews? Jeez!!

Dont' get me wrong, I believe Charleston has already checked off what remains on most other cities' wish lists. It's just that you DID ask for more "to do's", right? Indeed, Charleston is a national treasure. Most of it should not change one iota.

[gs3]

I believe Charleston has already checked off what remains on most other cities' wish lists. Indeed, Charleston is a national treasure. Most of it should not change one iota.

Very well said digital sandlapper! Spending time in Charleston has been one of my greatest joys since moving to South Carolina!

[Charleston native]

Dig, you really have outdone yourself. Great list! I especially agree with the Crosstown beautification. It is embarrassing that this boulevard is in the shape its in. They recently changed the traffic light mast arms, and they are more aesthetically pleasing, but there is still a lot of work to do. I was thinking of trees such as maple or oak, but I think palmettos would be excellent to line the median. In addition, make the street brighter at night. Put in steel, painted light posts and have the street brightly lit at night. I sometimes feel uneasy in certain spots driving through there because it does get a little dark.

[digital_sandlapper]

Dig, you really have outdone yourself. Great list! I especially agree with the Crosstown beautification. It is embarrassing that this boulevard is in the shape its in. They recently changed the traffic light mast arms, and they are more aesthetically pleasing, but there is still a lot of work to do. I was thinking of trees such as maple or oak, but I think palmettos would be excellent to line the median. In addition, make the street brighter at night. Put in steel, painted light posts and have the street brightly lit at night. I sometimes feel uneasy in certain spots driving through there because it does get a little dark.

Chas Native, thanks--and are you so right about the "shadyness" of the Crosstown at night. Palmettos are an excellent idea, although if room permits, live oaks would be nice.

Actually, I can't believe that I totally forgot my main wish for Charleston, which I often voiced while living there: a comprehensive city plan to plant more street trees. Savannah has been very proactive on this. They have a City Tree/Landscaping Dept., and the Savannah Tree Foundation as well. In addition, the Mills B. Lane Foundation, set up by a late great local philanthropist, has even put little drop-boxes in convenience stores and such for anyone to give to their tree-planting cause.

Granted, Charleston doesn't have as much room to plant large shade trees as our sister city to the south. However, a city tree/landscape department and similar grass-roots efforts should exist in the Holy City to foster the planting of this crucial but dwindling resource. I was shocked, frankly, that no one seems to be too concerned with this cause, especially after we lost so many after Hugo. It is quite perplexing . .

Many of Charleston's major streets are begging for canopy trees--Rutledge, Calhoun, the new and improved upper reaches of Meeting Street and King Street, Morrison Drive/East Bay, etc. These should get a mix of shade trees like the ones you suggested, just so the planners are careful to vary the species. That would help give each street its own identity, and would avoid monotony. Palmettos have been claimed by several streets already--especially tight ones like King where nothing else will fit--so let's put other, more shade-producing ones on streets with the room. These could still be interspersed, of course, with our beloved state tree. (And the Crosstown may be too tight for anything else but palmettos--which would still be vastly superior than what's there now: a concrete median.)

One thing that Savannah has learned is that their current street trees are going to be succumbing to old age soon, and there are no "middle-aged" trees to replace these ancient ones. So, they have started planting them like crazy to provide "replacements" when the grand old ones go. Better late than never! Come on, Charleston, start planting!!

Whew! Sorry . . . I wanted to run for Charleston Tree Guru, but no such position exists!

[Spartan]

Which of your wished came true this year?

Here's mine:

For Charleston in 2006 I'd like to see:

1. some progress made towards the creation of a fixed mass transit system, be it monobeam or LRT

2. the Town of James Island annexation issue resolved

3. the Watson Hill annexaiton issue resolved

4. the start of rehabilitation of housing north of Calhoun, specifically around King and Meeting streets

5. A wider variety of affordable housing for middle class folks on the peninsula

6. major progress on the Magnolia Project

7. some signs of density outside of downtown.

8. the start of construction on the final leg of 526.

9. the completion of Mount Pleasant's plan for densification along Jonnie Dodds Blvd

10. this spot will be left open for anything that I forgot

[MikesLogic]

1. More housing downtown to increase the population on the peninsula

2. Some sort of mass transit connecting all of the metro area, monobeam or lrt

3. Charleston/North Charleston consolidation

4. Urban growth boundries for all of the metro area, thats a good one

5. Smart affordable housing(on all levels, average income won't even get you a house on the peninsula much less below average) mixed in all throughout the metro not concentrated in one area

6. Amusement or Theme Park located close to or in the metro area

7. Tall building announcements, they don't have to be insanely tall. Anything in the 200-500ft range would be nice, though 500ft+ skyscrapers would be alright by me

8. Street beautification throughout the whole peninsula

9. More water access for the public(docks, landings etc)

10. Major expansion of information services and research based jobs.

[Charleston native]

1. Skyscraper construction in the medical district area/demolishing of the old HoJo and Chas Riverview hotels in the process

2. Skyscraper and density construction in the Magnolia project and density construction in Noisette

3. Merger/consolidation of Charleston, N. Charleston, St. Andrews PSD, and James Island PSD into one city of Charleston

4. Elimination of the pseudo-town of James Island and its attempts to incorporate

5. Street beautification on the peninsula and on major thoroughfares of West Ashley, James Island, and "Northtowne" , including burying all utility lines, improving street lighting, and placement of mast arm traffic lights

6. Highway lighting for I-26 starting from Summerville all the way to DT

7. Additional company HQ locations to the aviation, research, and technology industries

8. Beginning of monobeam construction at the Visitor's Center leading to the airport

9. Major amusement/theme park location in outer areas of West Ashley

10. Completion of the Mark Clark Expressway (I-526)