Downtown Developments (North of Calhoun)

[Charleston native]

^ You have to admit that the numbers for Chas metro are inflated due to the large amount of beachfront properties as well as the large amount of homes in the historic district. Alot of these other cities with lower average home prices don't have those kinds of areas.

[Spartan]

I disagree, CN. The ratio of homes in the historic district and on the beach compared to everywhere else is still pretty low. Housing in Charleston is just expensive. I think about places in Mount Plasant especially that are consistanly high. West Ashely is apparantly getting more expensive... all of the Island towns, etc.

[Charleston native]

But when you're average price of a home on the beach or historic district is $800,000, that is going to inflate the average price across the board. We're not talking about 50 or so properties; this deals with about 1,000 properties DT and on the beaches of Isle of Palms, Sullivan's Island, Folly Beach, and the ultra-priced Kiawah and Seabrook Islands.

I don't disagree with the premise that homes in Mt. P and West Ashley are expensive...that will also drive up the median price for the metro area. But what makes the area unique is that homes in many sections of town including Johns and James Islands have waterfront property. With all the rivers that run through the Chas area, there are countless homes with marsh and waterfront views, which drives up the real estate value of the property. Are these homes overpriced? Probably, but getting waterfront property has always been a hot commodity. Notice that the lower-priced metro regions are all inland.

[MikesLogic]

The Average price of a home on Sullivans Island in '05 was over 1 million. While these areas do distort prices for Charleston, home prices in Summerville and Goose Creek are only around 10,000-30,000 more expensive than comparable ones in Columbia or Greenville. The high value homes make it seem as if they were 60,000 more which isn't the case.

[dkbeam]

Anyone heard any new news on the aloft project going up near the airport.

Any idea who the architect or general contractor is?

[Charleston native]

^ Sorry no one has answered your question here, but I could not tell you about the actual developers. This project was initially mentioned in the Greater Chas Developments thread (click on this link to find it on the 15th page) and nobody posted the news article on it. You might want to go to Starwood's website and see if you can get information from the franchise. I wish I could give you more data!

[Charleston native]

Here is some more news about MUSC's planned bioengineering research center and new drug discovery building. The buildings are currently being planned and a timeline is in place. Folks, this is the major beginning of Chas as a biomedical research mecca, which will change the city's economy very positively.

The plans are for the buildings to be similar in size and linked physically with passageways and a common entryway. The estimated $45 million, 100,000-square-foot research building that will focus on developing new drugs, mostly for cancer, will house several disciplines, including oncologists, pharmacists, chemists and structural biologists. The bioengineering center, planned at 120,000 square feet at an estimated $48 million, will build on the current bioengineering efforts between MUSC life scientists and engineers from Clemson.

The buildings will be located in MUSC's "Lot G" parking lot near the Basic Science Building and the new dental science building, which is currently being constructed.

Incidentally, during my visit to my hometown this weekend, MUSC's Phase I hospital tower is almost completed. I wish I brought my camera; it is one of the most modern, aesthetically pleasing buildings I have ever seen in the Chas skyline!

Plans, timeline in place for bioengineering facility

Edited November 13, 2006 by Charleston native

[krazeeboi]

Great to hear!

[tablrock]

that is good news

[knightrider162]

New Hotel and Spa Possible near Piggly Wiggly

These developments are indeed moving further north... sounds like it will be decent

[vicupstate]

This is pretty significant. Take some pictures of this area now. It will look much, much different in four years.

[Charleston native]

Thanks for posting about the hotel, knight. This project is further indication that the old, crime-ridden sections in some streets are going to either be driven further north or completely out of DT. The plans call for construction of a 180-room hotel fronting Meeting Street between Reid and Wolfe streets. The project calls for a spa, a rooftop pool, a restaurant, a dozen condos and a 187-slot parking garage. The company also wants to build office space and a new store for Burris Liquor nearby.

They're hoping to build a first-class development that will be like Chas Place. This is excellent news, for certain.

[tablrock]

yes this is most excellent news!!

[knightrider162]

Thought this would be interesting.. another sketch for midtown

[tablrock]

Thought this would be interesting.. another sketch for midtown

I LIKEY

[Spartan]

Wow, that look svery nice. Is this just conceptual or is this what they are actually planning to do?

[Charleston native]

I believe it is conceptual. If you go to the website, there's not exactly concrete plans for specific buildings. My hope is that some of the buildings in Midtown will be taller, especially since the development is north of Calhoun and further away from the historic district. I believe the concept and look of these buildings could be kept even if you increased their height.

[Spartan]

I agree. That would help to define a true "midtown" district along Upper King. Plus they are in an ideal place to do more vertical things, being along the highest and most stable ground on the peninsula.

[krazeeboi]

An eight-story, 185-room hotel proposed for the northwestern edge of Marion Square was deemed to not have violated any zoning regulations when it was extended a special exceptionn (presumably at the request of the developers). The Preservation Society of Charleston and the Historic Charleston Foundation have fought the hotel, saying that it would dwarf the Old Citadel building immediately to the east. However, the Committee to Save the City Chairman Jack Simmons recently wrote that the latest hotel design would help restore civility and beauty to that part of the city.

[pompusmaximus]

I am so glad that building is going down. I was gunna probably blow it up myself if the hotel was turned down. We had a long discussion about this in my urban planning class/ City Images class.

[krazeeboi]

The Board of Zoning Appeals has officially approved the height of the hotel (which will be a Hilton).

[digital_sandlapper]

The Board of Zoning Appeals has officially approved the height of the hotel (which will be a Hilton).

Hallelujah--this can finally happen now! I usually don't oppose the HCF or PSC, but they were being ridiculous in their opposition in this case. 105 feet is NOTHING, especially when the neighboring Francis Marion and St. Matthews Church steeple will still tower way over the new hotel. We need MORE 100-foot tall (or more) buildings on Marion Square and elsewhere north of Calhoun, not less.

[Charles Pearson]

105 feet is tall for a building in downtown Charleston, but an attractive height for the future buildings rising at Marion Square. Kudos to Charleston City Council & everyone else who refused to give in to such a ridiculous opposition...

My final address in Charleston in 1982 was near Marion Square at 369 King Street, in an unfinished apartment above my ex-partner's (Carl E.) bookstore that was called Harpogon. Harpogon was cool with new and used books and a resident cat, Mr. T. In the after hours Carl made the best martinis for me and his bookstore staff back. Harpogon is now gone with the wind, as is wonderful Carl who died here in San Francisco in 1986...

[krazeeboi]

The rendering was available in the print edition of the paper, but not the standard online version. However, I was informed by the writer of the article that a paid online subscription would allow me to access the rendering.

[andrewsc]

i am happy to see this project begining to take shape. i am also happy that the city won this one over the preservationist. i am not against preserving the history of charleston, but the preservation groups seem to want to kill every developement proposed. also 105 feet is a lot shorter than the francis marion across the street which i think is 14 stories...so around 150 feet. i would like to see a couple more buildings around that size anchoring the square.