Let’s Keep it Recognizable

Growing up as a local Charlestonian, the importance of advocating, protecting, and highlighting that which we love so dearly was constantly reinforced. Because of this, I’ve spent much of my life working to strengthen communities, highlight hometown happenings, and shout out local makers and businesses… many of us have. Thank you to all the other folks working so diligently to support the Charleston area! It matters more than you might realize.

What’s heaviest on my heart here recently is the conflict between inevitable growth, how to grow responsibly, and what I believe is now too much density for our beloved town. We all knew growing up that our town would grow and develop, but never did I imagine 50 years’ worth of growth would be condensed into such a short period. I remember driving downtown admiring the horizon and seeing all of the steeples and rooftops that made up the bulk of what we could see. The Ravenel Bridge (I’ll forever refer to it as the Cooper River Bridge) was visible from all parts of town and pretty much at all times. And now, some parts of town can barely see the bridge and are hardly recognizable.

Hot Topic. There are many, but let’s focus on Union Pier. It’s a 70-acre site slated for redevelopment... SEVENTY acres ya’ll in the downtown historic district. S-e-v-e-n-t-y. A chunk of it that’s been previously used as the cruise terminal will continue to be owned by South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA.) However, the remaining space is up for grabs, and designs are currently under review with pushback from some of our strongest conservationists and preservationists in town. Many people are asking for plans to be improved and for more of an emphasis on open space. What you might not know is that all of this started as far back as 1999, and detailed plans rolled out as early as 2010, but the topic is heating up nowadays as real changes are about to take place. Planning meetings are still being held with the public, and you can reach out to any of the following if you want to step up your involvement and/or find out more: Conservation League, Historic Charleston Foundation, Preservation Society, and Charleston Waterkeeper. 

If you want to chat preservation or anything hometown related, count me in. Let’s chat local!