what are the causes of charleston's new growth?

[mags]

As an african american I can agree that the development downtown isnt a good thing for the black presence and if they are gonna relocate people they should atleast relocate people to an area with a decent environment with a decent school district because i think more important than having a "presence" in charleston is having a productive community. What bothers me is the fact that the majority of african americans i graduated with have left charleston for cities that better facilitated them like atlanta. I dont fear for the black presence in charleston though. Its apart of the city and wont ever be completely lost, but with growth comes money and development and you cant have it both ways. You can't have a growing city that remains the same, you either gotta fight the growth or adjust.

Aren't the supposed to be building an international african american museum downtown?

[L-Beware]

Yep. And the funding has stalled out at something pathetic like 60,000 dollars or something like that. Meanwhile the funding for the Hunley I think it is is in the millions. This is a perfect example of what Im talking about.

And a museum is all well and dandy, but why should we pour all our energy time money and resources into a museum when the culture actually LIVES and breathes right now as we speak. Museums are for things dead and gone. Gullah is alive right now. Its dying fast, but its not dead. We need to put devote our time into preserving what we have instead of a museum.

[knightrider162]

Yep. And the funding has stalled out at something pathetic like 60,000 dollars or something like that. Meanwhile the funding for the Hunley I think it is is in the millions. This is a perfect example of what Im talking about.

And a museum is all well and dandy, but why should we pour all our energy time money and resources into a museum when the culture actually LIVES and breathes right now as we speak. Museums are for things dead and gone. Gullah is alive right now. Its dying fast, but its not dead. We need to put devote our time into preserving what we have instead of a museum.

The museum is for the history that has brought us thus far, I don't see money as a way to keep the gullah culture around, its the decision of the people to keep it around. A good portion of my family do and everything going on suits them fine. A defined location also cant be the focal for a culture for it to survive, it must adapt to whatever happens which I am sad to our gullah culture isnt doing very well...

As an african american I can agree that the development downtown isnt a good thing for the black presence and if they are gonna relocate people they should atleast relocate people to an area with a decent environment with a decent school district because i think more important than having a &quot;presence&quot; in charleston is having a productive community. What bothers me is the fact that the majority of african americans i graduated with have left charleston for cities that better facilitated them like atlanta. I dont fear for the black presence in charleston though. Its apart of the city and wont ever be completely lost, but with growth comes money and development and you cant have it both ways. You can't have a growing city that remains the same, you either gotta fight the growth or adjust.<br /><br />Aren't the supposed to be building an international african american museum downtown?

This is one topic that bothers me... what kind of communities do you refer to when you mean "black presense"??

[mags]

This is one topic that bothers me... what kind of communities do you refer to when you mean "black presense"??

The black community. is that not the community he's talking about perserving?

[knightrider162]

The black community. is that not the community he's talking about perserving?

Well im wondering if he is talking about the "black community" as I define it as social type bond or whether he is refering to certain places where alot of black people live.. I don't like to go with the latter because I see it as racism approved by my own people which is something I dont like to see... Thats why I see no sense in saying "preserve the black community" when it is community linked by the minds and souls of its people rather than any physical location.. I also regret when some people refer to the black community they refer to a poorer community that is ridden with crime which I get tired of hearing... maybe thats just me though??

[mags]

Well im wondering if he is talking about the "black community" as I define it as social type bond or whether he is refering to certain places where alot of black people live.. I don't like to go with the latter because I see it as racism approved by my own people which is something I dont like to see... Thats why I see no sense in saying "preserve the black community" when it is community linked by the minds and souls of its people rather than any physical location.. I also regret when some people refer to the black community they refer to a poorer community that is ridden with crime which I get tired of hearing... maybe thats just me though??

I get what your saying and it only farther serves the point that development doesn't mean the end of black culture in charleston.. but honestly i may be wrong but i thought it was obvious that the development he was concerned with was the development happening on the upper eastside. Personally i do feel sorry when people who have been in a spot for so long are being removed and that area does have some historical relevance but wont be the first time in history this has happened not just to black people but poor people in general, we can only hope that they end up in a better situation then what they had. but as you say that area doesn't comprise the african american community in charleston.

[L-Beware]

Im talking about Downtown as a whole, not just Eastside, and other parts of Charleston as a whole. Im from the Westside, the B.I. to be exact which is the Cannonborough/Elliotborough neighborhood and my community was the first to experience the development/gentrification. Crime is worse than it has ever been.

And anybody that knows Gullah knows that the islands, and land near the water are primarily important to the culture. Its way more than just people have been there for a long time. The land is the basis of the survival.

Downtown is sort of a different story. But the development thats going on is pushing anybody of moderate to low income out of the peninsula. There will be no place for these people in the next 10-15 years. I see it firsthand with my own eyes so this is not some hearsay.

If you look at the history of all our so-called "mixed income" projects. They all were presented that way to get the community to agree, and as soon as we do they wanna renig on the ideal of mixed income. People have to fight tooth and nail just to get them to fulfill their end of the deal.

Look at Mary Ellen Drive. At first the city was supposed to buy that property, knowing how scarce low-income housing is getting on the peninsula. Next thing you know that deal goes out the window, and they almost completely finished building on the site, with no sight of any "mixed income" development. We finally got them to leave the last little bit of space to fulfill their promise of having a real mixed income community.

Nobodies asking for any handouts. These are the people that work on a daily basis, working sometimes 2 and 3 jobs, right there in Downtown. Its extremely important that we maintain a real community of working class people on the peninsula.

And unless somebody knows something that I dont know, I dont see that happening at all.

[Charles Pearson]

Well my friend, you have just met the qualification of all of the Yankees and other people who buy these expensive homes. Its becoming more and more common for people to do just that... buy a house and only live there during Spoleto.

Charleston IS a major seaport. Its the 4th largest port on the east cost by volume I think. And there are plans for additional capacity.

...my heart may be in the City of San Francisco, but my soul belongs and has always belonged to city of CHARLESTON; the grandest of towns since 1679...well at least south of NYC, the biggest Apple...

Port of Charleston is having a record year, posting record container volume, breakbulk tonnage, revenues and earning...but (I believe) it has dropped to 7th in North America by container volume; yet remains #1 in the Southeast. Still, Port numbers go up and down...And Port of Charleston (or SC Port Authority) is a Major player...The Port of Charleston really needs to grow the old Naval Base port in North Charleston sooner than later...to stay ahead of surging Savannah (15%+ record growth!) and Hampton Roads, VA...

[Charleston native]

^ Great point, Zahc. I was going to mention that as a correction to what Spartan mentioned: Chas is the #2 busiest port on the East Coast but is finding fierce competition with Savannah. The planned port terminal needs to be built quickly, because if the port's ability to take in more cargo is hampered, companies will go to other ports like Savannah, Jax, and Hampton Roads.

[Charles Pearson]

...very good news for PORT OF CHARLESTON...Maersk Line is restructuring its liner service to Brazil, resulting in weekly vessel calls for Charleston and the dropping of calls in Savannah!

[krazeeboi]

Sounds great to me!

[Charleston native]

...very good news for PORT OF CHARLESTON...Maersk Line is restructuring its liner service to Brazil, resulting in weekly vessel calls for Charleston and the dropping of calls in Savannah!

This is excellent news for the port. One of the main ways to keep driving the Chas port economy is to keep the port in Savannah at bay, as well as being aware of growth in terminals in Norfolk and Jax.

[MikesLogic]

It's definitely a desire to live near the coast and near historic Charleston that is driving a lot of the growth.

According to the business journal, Charleston is increasingly becoming a distribution hub due in part to the efficiencies of the port. And it's port was rated as number 1 in client satisfaction in North America according to World Trade magazine recently.