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The city of Charleston has an incredible opportunity to create an iconic gathering place at the intersection of Sam Rittenberg Boulevard and Old Towne Road, but it will require leadership and vision to create the catalyst for this area’s long overdue revitalization.

Located at the intersection of two of West Ashley’s main arteries, the site consists of two tracts that together comprise more than 35 acres: the much smaller Sumar Street site owned by the city (3.5 acres of vacant land commonly referred to as the old Piggly Wiggly site) and the much larger privately owned Ashley Landing property (home to the current Publix shopping center). For years, the highly visible Sumar Street site has been an eyesore that has come to symbolize West Ashley’s neglect on behalf of the city.

This week, the city’s long-delayed updated plans for the redevelopment of the Sumar Street tract were presented in executive session of City Council, and the public price tag has exploded to a reported $45 million — a number that is well beyond the realm of reality. This is due to cost overruns, expensive underground parking and interest rates nearly tripling in the six years since the city took ownership.

At the same time, the owners of Ashley Landing have been under fire for proposing the relocation of Publix, in part to accommodate a high-density market-rate apartment complex. This has resulted in a standstill that has neighbors extremely frustrated with no leadership charting a productive course forward.

I believe there is a solution to this compounding problem: The city needs to insist that these two parcels be designed, engineered and redeveloped together. It is the right thing to do in that it would allow the relocation of Publix (replacing a Big Lots and a Dollar Tree) and the building of a residential and retail product that would be more in scale with the neighborhood (think Avondale). My proposed course of action would include 20% affordable units, more public green space and amenities than currently contemplated in the Sumar plan, a more comprehensive stormwater design to mitigate flooding, better access to public transportation and an exciting opportunity for public art to welcome residents and visitors to an integral part of our city that has been neglected for far too long.

To be clear: I have no vested interest in either property, except that I see an opportunity for a win-win. I have met with many of the concerned neighbors, along with the owners of the Ashley Landing property. All are ready and willing to flush out the details that work for all parties and to adhere to the principles and guidelines outlined in the West Ashley Revitalization Plan, which to date has seen little to no activity.

But the city alone holds the cards as to which way this will go: It owns the Sumar Street site and more importantly can dictate, through a development agreement, where future tax-increment financing funds will go. The city’s current plan is, in my mind, a highly irresponsible use of public dollars in that whatever limited TIF funding is produced would all be needed to subsidize an over-market project that doesn’t come close to working financially. It is yet another example of a ham-fisted government solution that is well beyond a day late and well over a dollar short.

By comparison, what I have outlined will provide far more revenue (about $3 million annually) that could be used to ensure a lower height and scale residential-retail product complete with a real component of affordability and more public space and amenities than the city’s Sumar plan. It also could provide street, sidewalk, public transportation and drainage improvements, as well as an awesome opportunity for public art at the “suicide merge” that slows traffic and welcomes people to West Ashley. Thirty-five acres versus 3.5 acres transformed in a fiscally responsible way that adds to and enhances our city’s character is hard to argue with.

The question is: Will city leadership continue to stand back and let the higher-density option with no affordability component move forward, which the owner can do by right, while the city continues to fumble its own redevelopment next door, which it has been planning for more than six years with nothing to show except a blown budget?

Or will the city take off its blinders and recognize the incredible leverage it has to make a more comprehensive and mutually beneficial plan happen?

We need leadership and vision — this is a world I know — and, to me, the answer is crystal clear.

William Cogswell, a developer and former S.C. House member, is a candidate for mayor of Charleston.

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When he first ran for mayor of Charleston, John Tecklenburg stood outside the vacant Piggly Wiggly supermarket between Sumar Street, Sam Rittenberg Boulevard and Old Towne Road and vowed to revitalize West Ashley, the largest part of the city and one that had not received as much attention as the downtown peninsula. Since then, his administration worked on improving this part of the city, with a specific focus on the grocery store site, which the city purchased in 2017 in part to prevent a new gas station from being built at this important gateway.

City officials, consultants and residents have worked with a private developer on coming up with the ideal plan for the 2.5-acre parcel. Their vision, presented to City Council last year, not only would create an attractive entrance to Charleston’s largest suburb but also would establish the city’s first meaningful civic space west of the Ashley River, a city-owned complex capable of handling office workers and council meetings, along with private offices and restaurants and 10,000 square feet of outdoor event space. About three-fourths of the 240 parking spaces would be hidden in a new underground garage.

The city must now decide whether to commit to its projected $45 million share of the cost. It’s certainly an eye-catching number but also a credible one for a project that would create new park spaces, more than 12,000 square feet of city office and meeting space, underground parking and drainage mitigation. The city expects to be able to avoid raising taxes: The project would be paid for through revenues from an existing tax increment financing district and parking garage collections.

What’s unclear is whether City Council will agree go forward. It should.

The city’s commitment is not unlike the one it made to revitalizing King Street four decades ago, specifically by extending a loan of $14.5 million in federal funding to the private developers working to create Charleston Place. Factoring in inflation, that sum is virtually the same commitment as the $45 million price tag for Sumar Street. Both Charleston Place and the Sumar Street redevelopment were envisioned as ambitious steps not only to create something new on their properties but to generate excitement and optimism that would spur further redevelopment nearby.

Of course, the comparison is imperfect. The 1983 deal was a loan on very favorable terms that eventually was paid back, while Sumar Street involves property and city facilities that will remain in the city’s hands.

This project has been vetted publicly on many occasions and promises to give the city its first substantial civic presence west of the Ashley; the new public assembly space as envisioned would cover almost 5,000 square feet, almost three times the size of the existing council chambers and 50% larger than Mount Pleasant’s new council chambers.

The renderings provided by Liollio Architecture, while not necessarily final, show a handsome park area, pond and civic building at the site’s most visible edge — the triangular tip where Old Towne and Sam Rittenberg join up. Further in, the redevelopment plan shows a mixture of indoor and outdoor spaces that work well together, not unlike the popular Pacific Box & Crate mixed-use development on upper King Street. Its efforts to hide the parking as much as possible, incorporate stormwater work and use high-quality materials deserve praise.

A case can be made that the city’s hasn’t moved fast enough. Already, City Councilman and mayoral hopeful Peter Shahid has made such a criticism, even though he was almost as involved as the mayor in this project in his role as chairman of the West Ashley Revitalization Commission. There are complexities involved in soliciting and incorporating public feedback and working out important legal and financial details, but the delay undoubtedly has driven up the cost. Another mayoral candidate, William Cogswell, suggests starting over and also having the city take a much more aggressive role in dictating the redevelopment of the nearby private property at Ashley Landing, but that would compound the delay with an unknown impact on the city’s cost.

Further delay is not what West Ashley needs. Residents deserve to know how their elected representatives stand on this proposal. This is too important and has involved too much effort by too many people to have it die quietly without a public vote by City Council, so we urge Mayor Tecklenburg to seek just that.

Charleston has many residents nearing retirement age who were born at a time when the city limits didn’t even cross the Ashley River. That changed in the 1960s, and West Ashley today represents by far the largest part of municipal Charleston, whether measured by area or by population. The city’s civic presence here has grown much more slowly, partly because downtown had entered a difficult era in the 1970s, while much of the new investment was focused not there but in the suburbs.

Mayor Tecklenburg vowed to change that, and as he nears the end of his second term, the city has arrived at a crucial decision point. It’s time to follow through on its years-in-the-making plan for its Northbridge-Charles Towne gateway site.

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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Big plans are approved for an affordable housing complex in West Ashley. The news sparked excitement among some neighbors, but concerns about traffic and the location as well.

The city’s housing department, council members and neighbors agree, affordable housing is a need in West Ashley. But the development does come with a lot of planning and factors to consider when approving a plan.

City of Charleston District 2 Councilmember Kevin Shealy says he initially did not support a 2020 zone change of the property from general business to diverse residential.

“At that time and in 2020, there was a there was an office building sitting there and it’s actually a good location for an office building because people may not have to drive downtown to go to work. They can work and live in the same place which fits in with the West Ashley Revitalization,” Shealy says.

In March of 2023, the planning commission approved initial design plans for the complex. Shealy says he is an advocate for affordable housing, but wants to make sure it’s being put in practical places.

Jerry Gray, who has lived in the area for about 15 years, thinks incoming affordable housing is good news.

“Charleston can be the land of opportunity for a lot of people. And it’s also a window of opportunity for people who want to start out. So having some level of affordable housing where people can start out, start building an American Dream is critical for any neighborhood,” Gray says.

While he says he’s excited about the complex and the opportunities it can bring, he admits that traffic does cross his mind when a project like this is approved.

“Highway 61, we want to keep it as a scenic road. So yeah, traffic would be a problem and a consideration but again, there’s work around for that,” Gray says.

Shealy says he also worries about traffic for people who live in his district. He explains that the South Carolina Department of Transportation grades state roads on a scale from A to F.

“Ashley River Road during peak times grade is an E, and it’s very close to an F. And it probably will be one day unless we can do something about those roads. Hopefully we get some help from the state, state or county and maybe they can help with traffic flowing,” Shealy says.

Gray referenced how widening Glenn McConnell Parkway and the development of Bees Ferry Road has created a connector between areas and will solve some of the traffic woes.

“So those things can be overcome with good planning,” Gray believes.

Shealy says he wants to see hard workers in Charleston like firefighters, police officers and teachers live and enjoy the same area where they work.

“We need affordable housing in the right locations. Live work and play. That’s kind of what the West Ashley revitalization idea said. But that’s also a reason for us to make sure we have commercial properties out in West Ashley out in the western part of West Ashley so that everybody’s not driving to downtown, causing these traffic congestions,” Shealy says.

Shealy says while he initially did not approve of the housing complex, now that it’s on its way, he is dedicated to making sure it fits into the neighborhood.

Gray says he is excited to see more people enjoying the area and hopes the city does its due diligence incorporating plans for runoff, traffic and other aspects of development in the plans.

To learn more about the details of the complex, click here.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Days after a large three-story apartment fire in West Ashley left at least 50 residents displaced, the cause of the fire still remains unknown.

The fire at Colonial Grand at Cypress Cove, located near the 3500 block of Mary Ader Avenue, damaged 24 units. It was reported at approximately 3:45 p.m. on Sunday.

The Charleston Fire Department said no one was injured in the fire and were still searching for a few missing cats on Sunday before firefighters with engine 116 located the last cat hiding inside a box spring of a bed in a fire-damaged apartment.

Lynn Walsh, who has lived in the complex since August, first heard about the fire when her Ring doorbell continued to go off with firefighters in front of the video camera.

“I was just kind of along with everyone else in the building. Whether you were home or not, it was kind of a waiting game to see what happened,” Walsh says. “All the first responders and everyone who worked at the apartment complex were super nice, super gracious with their time. They made us feel settled and were a good calming presence to have around.”

Charleston Fire Department Chief Fire Marshal Mike Julazadeh said the crews arrived on the scene six minutes after the fire was called in. He said the fire was very difficult to control after it was extended into the attic.

“There are things that I still have, and there are people whose structure and belongings were burned,” Walsh says. “A lot of my damage is water damage and the roof is gone. All of my things were still there, but are they usable? No.”

A fire happened at the same complex in 2020 leaving 24 units damaged as well, but it is still unknown if the cause of the fire is the same in both cases.

Despite losing her apartment and the majority of her belongings, Walsh continues to look on the bright side.

“The biggest thing that I’ve learned is that people are really good; there’s a lot of good people left in the world, and think other people that lived in the unit are experiencing this as well,” she says. “The love, support and generosity that has been coming my way has been incredible.”

Julazadeh said Red Cross responded to the scene to help residents.

The fire department said the investigation is ongoing and has asked for the public’s help. Anyone who took photos or videos of the fire that may help as fire investigators reconstruct the timeline of the fire is asked to email them to [email protected].

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

A recent letter to the editor argued against building the planned apartments at Ashley Landing Shopping Center as proposed by real estate developer Faison, which owns the shopping center.

I think, however, there are good reasons to support the project.

The writer states that the location is a centerpiece for the community.

The developer seems to agree, as the company has made meaningful improvements to Ashley Landing and is planning a full-scale makeover to fit the city’s vision for a central community space.

Faison, the city and the community all agree on this goal.

Traffic flow there needs an overhaul. I am likely not the only resident who takes a longer route home in order to avoid the “suicide merge” at Old Towne Roade and Sam Rittenberg Boulevard.

This should not be a reason to oppose new development. Traffic concerns are not stopping plans for the Sumar Street redevelopment, and they shouldn’t hold us back from building a lively community center.

In many ways, this location would be a great place for people to live. Residents could live a short walk from accessing their basic needs and have easy access to CARTA’s bus route 32.

Many driving trips could be replaced with short walks and bus rides, which would actually reduce traffic.

These benefits simply wouldn’t exist if these apartments were built somewhere else, such as on the urban periphery where many new developments are built.

Like other nearby residents, I plan to monitor the project through the Design Review Board process, but I also hope that others watching the project recognize its potential benefits.

GRAHAM GLAAB

Charleston

Post and Courier sports columnist Gene Sapakoff’s recent column, “Charleston needs a new sports arena,” was written by someone who has a seat up front on press row for sporting events and probably has never attended a concert in a generic modern mega-stadium like those in Atlanta and Charlotte.

My kids still joke about how I once took them to “see” Michael Jordan play for the Washington Wizards.

Even binoculars didn’t help the view from our seats in the far reaches of the Wizards’ arena in D.C.

The same is true when attending a concert or other event in those arenas.

Part of the charm of Charleston is that one can attend a show at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center or Coliseum or Charleston Music Hall and get closer to top performers than is possible at venues in other cities.

A large arena or stadium would likely lead to more traffic and tourists.

This may please those who are building all of the new hotels in town, but is it really what everyone else wants?

ROBERT ZISK

Mount Pleasant

Capping short-term rentals at Folly Beach keeps it as one of the few remaining and recognized rustic “funky” beach towns left in the United States.

Short-term rental advocates worry about optimizing their monetary investments by using arguments such as zoning and property rights.

Many of these advocates do not even live on Folly Beach. They may not understand that all land around Charleston is zoned in some manner, partly to prevent situations such as a strip club from opening next to a school or a residential district.

Supporters of short-term rentals have every property right to not purchase on Folly Beach or to sell their existing property.

Hardship cases could seek exceptions before Folly Beach City Council.

There are excellent places to operate short-term rentals such as Myrtle Beach, but not so much on Folly Beach.

VIC PROCKOW

Folly Beach

Last weekend, I took part in the “Chucktown Showdown,” a U.S. Pickleball Association sanctioned event at the Bees Landing Recreation Center in West Ashley.

I want to thank Katie Mell, a local resident who served as the organizer and director of the event, and Des Brown, who provided much-needed help and support. I also thank the many volunteers who helped to transform six tennis courts into multiple pickleball courts, the vendors and the more than 300 players who came from as far away as Seattle to make this such a great event.

I hope that in the future the city of Charleston will do more to recognize and support this sport that has become so popular with players of all ages in Charleston.

NORM HARRISON

Charleston

To submit a letter to the editor, send an email to [email protected] or fill out the form on our online portal.

Letters can be a maximum of 250 words and are subject to editing for clarity, tone and libel. They must carry the writer’s name and address for publication and a daytime telephone number for verification.

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