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South Carolina World Trade Center


Charleston native

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According to the article link below, groundbreaking for the SC World Trade Center is slated to begin this year, probably around the summer and last for 18 months. The 14-floor, 280,000-square-foot building is actually the first phase of what will be a world trade center complex. A second, identical building will be constructed as the first building fills with tenants. The first building will house the offices of the S.C. World Trade Center, a dining club and health spa, a small auditorium, conference rooms, Class

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^ Oh, absolutely. My only concern with densifying development in this region is its potential to affect the Air Force base (and of course, I think its ridiculous for a suburban city to gain such prominence). According to a report that the Air Force conducted, many of the developments already constructed and proposed are in the crash safety zone. With the addition of 2, 14-story buildings, this could make DOD officials start considering a closure of the base.

I'm not saying it will happen, but common sense tells me to be wary of this when base closure committees start meeting again.

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It's good to see this development going forward.

There would definitely be a downside to having the convention center complex on the peninsula--it would require the demolition of historic structures. I know that everything downtown isn't worth saving, but these types of complexes still take up large amounts of land. It would have been nice to see the complex serve as a connector to downtown and the neck area.

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For the Charleston metro this is an insane project! Two 14 story towers with a huge parking garage and a 4 star hotel next door?! Awesome news! :tough: This will help to brighten Charleston's and South Carolina's spot on the map. I can't wait to see those cranes in place! I too however, am a little nervous about the DOD's reaction to this project when the next BRAC meets. The map below is very old but you can see that tall structures are a concern as cranes, smokeststacks and buildings are recorded.

post-12130-1174452099_thumb.jpg

post-12130-1174452099_thumb.jpg

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I think if the DOD can handle the new 50-storey bridge, they can handle a couple of measley 14 storey buildings ;)

It's good to see this development going forward.

There would definitely be a downside to having the convention center complex on the peninsula--it would require the demolition of historic structures. I know that everything downtown isn't worth saving, but these types of complexes still take up large amounts of land. It would have been nice to see the complex serve as a connector to downtown and the neck area.

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The development of Magnolia is being sensitive to the people currently living in the Neck, and other business centers that are being built there are around old industrial areas that don't have neighborhoods in them. Many parts of the Neck are desolate, urban dead spots. I'm sure the WTC could have been built in one of these areas, near the port terminals. What better place to have a WTC?

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I was just wondering the other day when I drove by the coliseum on 526 why they don't have a parking garage instead of that sea of asphalt and here they are planning a huge parking garage right there. Thought that was neat. This development is going to be huge for all of South Carolina as far as international business goes. The facilities are going to be really top notch.

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The development of Magnolia is being sensitive to the people currently living in the Neck, and other business centers that are being built there are around old industrial areas that don't have neighborhoods in them. Many parts of the Neck are desolate, urban dead spots. I'm sure the WTC could have been built in one of these areas, near the port terminals. What better place to have a WTC?
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Very good points, SimCity, but other WTCs didn't necessarily have all of those elements when they were built. NYC's buildings weren't built anywhere near an airport or shopping destination. As a matter of fact the old WTC in NY was a planned complex, much like this one in Chas is supposed to be, where the building itself became the reason for building hotels and other amenities.

My point is that Magnolia could've really been kicked off with the construction of the WTC in the Neck, and it would've created the destination buzz for the newly developing area. Other amenities such as hotels are nearby DT, and others would be built in the project - they're slated to be built there anyway. Plus, the Inter Modal transportation center will have a stop there, and plans are in place for the commuter rail project. Again, many of Chas' leaders seem to be asleep at the wheel with this WTC...it's another missed opportunity, and meanwhile, Mayor Summey just keeps touting how WTC will benefit North Charleston. That's right, he doesn't even acknowledge how the WTC will benefit the Chas metro area, just his city...

It just drives me bananas.

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They had ample opportunity to look at the 'Neck Area". They orignally discussed doing a joint building with the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber decdied to locate in the old Baker Hospital which will become the heart of the Magnolia area, while the WTC opted to locate near the Centre Pointe developements. I'm sure proximity to the Airport and convention center factored into their decision, as did the fact that the Montague Avenue corridor is a fairly hot office market right now. Its actually where my office is located. Not to mention, Magnolia is still a long way out.

On a side note, I hear rumblings that the Chamber is interested in a "building a signature" building on the Noisette property.

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Would you not say that the Cooper River Bridge has always been Charleston's signature "building?"

Whats interesting about that comment, SimCity, is that of the cities that have a signature building, its "signature" is enhanced because it is located in the heart of those respective cities. Generally as a result of that, people identify with those buildings more. I wonder how much Charlestonians will take to a "signature" building in the north area?

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Would you not say that the Cooper River Bridge has always been Charleston's signature "building?"

Whats interesting about that comment, SimCity, is that of the cities that have a signature building, its "signature" is enhanced because it is located in the heart of those respective cities. Generally as a result of that, people identify with those buildings more. I wonder how much Charlestonians will take to a "signature" building in the north area?

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I foresee Mayor Summey proclaiming it as "North Charleston's signature building" rather than a building for the Chas area. In no way would he acknowledge the building's ties to the city of Chas.

True, the Cooper River Bridge is a Chas landmark, no doubt. However, look at San Francisco. The city has the Golden Gate Bridge, yet the city has a signature building, the Transamerica Building in the heart of its downtown. While a building of this size couldn't be placed in the historic district of Chas, a building twice the size of the planned WTC could be built in the medical district or the Neck.

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