Greater Charleston Projects & Developments

[Infinite1]

I think that number is somewhat skewed. Several of the developments listed on that map are already complete and so they aren't "planned" anymore. There has been a slight slowdown as lsgchas noted. There is currently a 6 to 8 month inventory of housing for sale, making this a buyers market. But long term, I think these units will be needed. Sadly you are looking at the next 25 years of growth and you can see it is predominantly in berkeley, dorchester and outer areas of charleston county...farther and farther awy from the city center.

[Charleston native]

^ I'm wondering if they didn't include the Noisette and Magnolia developments since they are still general plans and not exactly concrete plans to show committment by the developers. Every plan for these projects is being kept from the public, so the approximately 25,000 units that these projects will provide might not be included. It would be more encouraging for people like us who want more investment and activity in the city center.

Krazee, that quote indeed made me more optimistic for how the leaders are rethinking their cities' growth strategies. Perhaps those statements about the mayor and Chas will end up becoming accurate predictions! Let's continue to hope!

[Spartan]

^ I'm wondering if they didn't include the Noisette and Magnolia developments since they are still general plans and not exactly concrete plans to show committment by the developers. Every plan for these projects is being kept from the public, so the approximately 25,000 units that these projects will provide might not be included. It would be more encouraging for people like us who want more investment and activity in the city center.

Krazee, that quote indeed made me more optimistic for how the leaders are rethinking their cities' growth strategies. Perhaps those statements about the mayor and Chas will end up becoming accurate predictions! Let's continue to hope!

Probably because they are single family homes, which are suburbs, suburbs, suburbs. The Magnolia and Noisette projects are going to be denser homes, and they aren't supposed to be open in the next year are they?

I didn't get to read the article or check out the map before they took it down. Can anyone post the map?

[Charleston native]

I couldn't find a map on the P & C page that knight linked to.

More development is finally being built around the West Ashley Town Center and Costco. H.H. Hunt is planning to build a 212-unit upscale apartment complex called Abberly at West Ashley and is awaiting approval from the city of Chas.

In addition, a huge industrial project in lower Berkeley County (still city of Chas, though) is set to begin its first phase of construction. It is an 814,000-square-foot industrial project which will be built in the Charleston Regional Business Center. The first of the three planned speculative buildings will measure 351,000 square feet, and it is scheduled to be completed around the 3rd quarter of next year. Both stories are in the link below.

Apartment complex planned for W. Ashley / Port call

[knightrider162]

I couldn't find a map on the P & C page that knight linked to.

More development is finally being built around the West Ashley Town Center and Costco. H.H. Hunt is planning to build a 212-unit upscale apartment complex called Abberly at West Ashley and is awaiting approval from the city of Chas.

In addition, a huge industrial project in lower Berkeley County (still city of Chas, though) is set to begin its first phase of construction. It is an 814,000-square-foot industrial project which will be built in the Charleston Regional Business Center. The first of the three planned speculative buildings will measure 351,000 square feet, and it is scheduled to be completed around the 3rd quarter of next year. Both stories are in the link below.

Apartment complex planned for W. Ashley / Port call

Here is the updated map the P&C did... we are about to lose a lot of the buffer past summerville of the MeadWestvaco land...

http://www.charleston.net/Multimedia/10_29_06_MAP.pdf

[Charleston native]

Ahhh...according to the map, Magnolia and Promenade are included in the total, as well as projects from Noisette. From looking at the map, there are plenty of developments within or near the city center. West Ashley looks to explode in the next few years! Granted, there are many more subdivisions being built in the suburbs, but there is only so much land near DT capable of being newly developed. Most land near the city already consists of established neighborhoods.

Leaders may HAVE to consider building highrises in the future if they wish to control suburban development. This trend will only continue if building heights are limited. Even 4-5 story "New Urbanist" projects won't solve the current problem.

Thanks for adding the map link, knightrider!

[knightrider162]

Urban mix in Mt. Pleasant

I hope this is the real deal and not some fluffy sprawl plan....

[voyager12]

I also hope that is the case. I loved living in Mt P, for the reasons most people do, its clean, well landscaped, safe and has an awesome location adjacent to the best beaches and downtown. However, the town of Mount Pleasant does need to get more proactive in encouraging pedestrian friendly infill. The long range plan to revitalize Coleman and encouraging less sprawl along the already disastrous Hwy 17 is a good start.

[toddbarwick]

Columbia has their Colonial Center and now Charleston has their Carolina First Center. This is more great news for certain, but I would have preferred the original project of building a bigger arena off of Meeting Street near the Visitor's Center which was to be built along with a hotel and convention center. Oh well!

Carolina First scores with gift

$2M wins naming-rights to new athletic complex at College of Charleston

BY MATTHEW MOGUL

Of The Post and Courier Staff

The new athletic complex at the College of Charleston will be known as the Carolina First Center, thanks to a $2 million gift to the university from the biggest banking company based in the state.A courtyard ceremony in front of Alumni Hall was held Monday to announce the naming-rights deal, which college president Lee Higdon said gave his school a "critical piece" of funding needed to begin building the $36 million structure.

For the bank, the money buys it broader brand exposure and cachet in the community, though Jim Terry, Carolina First president, said the deal means a lot more than marketing for his bank.

"The real value is not so much in the name on the building but what the building stands for, like the events, the academics and what it does for the community," said Terry.

Besides athletic facilities, the Carolina First Center will offer classroom and meeting space for events. Construction at the intersection of Meeting and George streets is set to start by the fall. The project is expected to be complete in about 18 months...

...The bank is no stranger to the name game. In December, Carolina First announced it would be relocating its regional headquarters in Charleston a few blocks from its current location on East Bay Street to a soon-to-be-expanded Charleston Gateway Center. Its payoff for moving: The new building also will bear its name...

[url="http://www.charleston.net/stories/Default.aspx?newsID=16541

[Charleston native]

^ You'd think the P & C would run a correction blurb or something. Thanks for the correction, todd!

[krazeeboi]

Ground was broken today on the facility. Here's a rendering from the P&C as provided by Betsch Associates:

I like.

[MikesLogic]

Some exciting news in the P&C about a tech company possibly locating to a business park in Goose Creek. I'll post a bit on it later when the article is on their website if no one else has.

---

Googling the Lowcountry

Google said Wednesday it is considering an expansion into Berkeley County.

The Mountain View, Calif.-based Internet company would not elaborate on its plans, but spokesman Barry Schnitt confirmed Google is looking at the Goose Creek area.

Last week, a newly formed entity named Maguro Enterprises paid nearly $17 million for about 520 acres in Mount Holly Commerce Park...

the deal could lead to a $1 billion investment in Mount Holly Commerce Park and could create up to 800 jobs earning an average of $90,000 a year.

'The rumor mill says it's Google,' Harmon said Wednesday.

Very intriguing I hope everything works out and they do set up shop there.

[krazeeboi]

That's pretty cool.

Anyone know anything about this James Island development?

[randy1]

MERRY CHRISTMAS CHARLESTON NATIVE

This is the article in today's Post and Courier about city council's decision to allow tall buildings in the neck area. Charleston will have an additional skyline in the Magnolia Development. Read for yourself.

Charleston Could Soon Reach New Heights

[krazeeboi]

I already posted about that in the Magnolia thread.

[pompusmaximus]

So I am also a charleston native, growing up in the suburban wasteland known as West Ashley, a.k.a West Trashley, a.k.a. Whack Ashley. There seems to be no effort to put any kind of mixed use development/pedestrian friendly/infill type projects in gear for that area. While building more and more roads to ease traffic congestion seems great in the short run..all it does is encourage more sprawl further down the way. (I-526, Glen McConnell) Its like being fat and instead of working out and losing weight, you just buy bigger pants and a longer belt. Minimum lots sizes designed to quell growth are a joke!!! I mean I can't believe the charleston planning department doesn't see this as throwing fuel on the fire. I am starting an internship at N.Chas city hall this month and I can't wait to see what truly goes on in these places and what these careless, good ole boy, idiots do to get their way. God it makes me sick. I mean if we just accept it as a fact of life like the other charleston native said, then our way of life will continue to get worse and worse. We can't solely build our cities around the automobile, but must refocus back to people. McHousing subdivisions and strip malls not only dissolve the sense of community, destroy the landscape, create long commute times and stress utilities but their future solely depends on gas prices and the state of the automobile. I am done venting for the day, now off to get my degree in planning at CofC! Go cougars/gamecoks/panthers!

P.S. I would like to see some taller buildings on the neck. I mean why the hell don't we allow mid-rise office buildings NW of the MUSC/Roper complex..I mean there are already a bunch of tall hospitals and it would really add MUCH NEEDED diversity to the skyline that even towns half our size have!

[knightrider162]

So I am also a charleston native, growing up in the suburban wasteland known as West Ashley, a.k.a West Trashley, a.k.a. Whack Ashley. There seems to be no effort to put any kind of mixed use development/pedestrian friendly/infill type projects in gear for that area. While building more and more roads to ease traffic congestion seems great in the short run..all it does is encourage more sprawl further down the way. (I-526, Glen McConnell) Its like being fat and instead of working out and losing weight, you just buy bigger pants and a longer belt. Minimum lots sizes designed to quell growth are a joke!!! I mean I can't believe the charleston planning department doesn't see this as throwing fuel on the fire. I am starting an internship at N.Chas city hall this month and I can't wait to see what truly goes on in these places and what these careless, good ole boy, idiots do to get their way. God it makes me sick. I mean if we just accept it as a fact of life like the other charleston native said, then our way of life will continue to get worse and worse. We can't solely build our cities around the automobile, but must refocus back to people. McHousing subdivisions and strip malls not only dissolve the sense of community, destroy the landscape, create long commute times and stress utilities but their future solely depends on gas prices and the state of the automobile. I am done venting for the day, now off to get my degree in planning at CofC! Go cougars/gamecoks/panthers!

P.S. I would like to see some taller buildings on the neck. I mean why the hell don't we allow mid-rise office buildings NW of the MUSC/Roper complex..I mean there are already a bunch of tall hospitals and it would really add MUCH NEEDED diversity to the skyline that even towns half our size have!

This article will put you at ease..

[lsgchas]

So I am also a charleston native, growing up in the suburban wasteland known as West Ashley, a.k.a West Trashley, a.k.a. Whack Ashley. There seems to be no effort to put any kind of mixed use development/pedestrian friendly/infill type projects in gear for that area. While building more and more roads to ease traffic congestion seems great in the short run..all it does is encourage more sprawl further down the way. (I-526, Glen McConnell) Its like being fat and instead of working out and losing weight, you just buy bigger pants and a longer belt. Minimum lots sizes designed to quell growth are a joke!!! I mean I can't believe the charleston planning department doesn't see this as throwing fuel on the fire. I am starting an internship at N.Chas city hall this month and I can't wait to see what truly goes on in these places and what these careless, good ole boy, idiots do to get their way. God it makes me sick. I mean if we just accept it as a fact of life like the other charleston native said, then our way of life will continue to get worse and worse. We can't solely build our cities around the automobile, but must refocus back to people. McHousing subdivisions and strip malls not only dissolve the sense of community, destroy the landscape, create long commute times and stress utilities but their future solely depends on gas prices and the state of the automobile. I am done venting for the day, now off to get my degree in planning at CofC! Go cougars/gamecoks/panthers!

P.S. I would like to see some taller buildings on the neck. I mean why the hell don't we allow mid-rise office buildings NW of the MUSC/Roper complex..I mean there are already a bunch of tall hospitals and it would really add MUCH NEEDED diversity to the skyline that even towns half our size have!

Nice to have you here PompusMaximus. Go get that degree. I'm hoping that people of our generation, once we get in power, will be able to change the way cities are built. When I talk to older people, a lot of them just don't get the idea that suburbia is not the ideal place. They're still invested in the old 1950's concept that suburbs = progress. And of course most developers have no incentive to question that formula either. Hopefully the planners of the future will have your attitude and regular homebuyers such as myself will ask for and expect something better than a typical West Ashley subdivision.

[pompusmaximus]

Yeah I mean thats good that he is trying to make the zoning laws simple, but I wasn't so sure what to think as far as how this will make the city look, I mean afterall they said that small subdivisons still have to meet minimum lot size. i really wish I could get a hold of this guy and get his stance on planning...and not the typical PC answer that pleases everybody.

[krazeeboi]

Welcome to the forum pompusmaximus! We hope your zeal will encourage others to see things from a more logical point of view and encourage them to post here at UP as well.

[wellen]

There is a new retail development on Clements Ferry Rd about 2 miles off I526. Norm's Subs has moved out there and is called What's Cookin'. I also stopped at the new Subway next door and they have all touch screen ordering. It was very cool, IMO. The rest of the building looks to be empty right now, but I think it should fill up pretty quickly with as much traffic as there is on that road.

[SimCity]

There is a new retail development on Clements Ferry Rd about 2 miles off I526. Norm's Subs has moved out there and is called What's Cookin'. I also stopped at the new Subway next door and they have all touch screen ordering. It was very cool, IMO. The rest of the building looks to be empty right now, but I think it should fill up pretty quickly with as much traffic as there is on that road.

The growth of Clements Ferry Road has been absolutely phenomenal. I remember driving out there in 1995 and there was virtually nothing there besides the homes of longtime residents. Now it seems that everytime I go that way something new is going up. With Mikasa, Nucor Steel and the industrial parks out that way and the up and coming housing developments, I believe we can expect continued growth all the way to Hwy. 41 and beyond. The only barrier to continued growth to the north and west is the Francis Marion National Forest. The city of Charleston has wisely annexed land all the way into the forest itself. I feel it's amazing to stop and realize that the city of Charleston stretches from Hollywood to Cainhoy in Berkeley county. At 147 square miles this is not bad for a city working under with South Carolina's antiquated annexation laws.

[tablrock]

according to today's p&c crabtree and evelyn at chas place is closing and gucci will expand it's shop into that space.

[SimCity]

according to today's p&c crabtree and evelyn at chas place is closing and gucci will expand it's shop into that space.

Good news for Gucci lovers I guess and another sign of how much money is floating around Charleston. I think this is the only true, full service Gucci store in the state.

[MikesLogic]

Good news for Gucci lovers I guess and another sign of how much money is floating around Charleston. I think this is the only true, full service Gucci store in the state.

Actually it's the only one in either of the Carolinas. Interesting note on the money thing, I read a market research article that stated on average tourists to Charleston spend about 3 times as long and 5 to 7 times as much money as visitors stopping by our neighbor Savannah.