Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Charleston, SC - Big City amenities with a small City feel. Life is laid back here. We discuss a little bit of everything - here you'll find some of our notes, musings, ideas, and recommendations by my partner Thea Riley and myself (Mike Terry) with particular emphasis on real estate and projects in the Charleston SC Metro Area. COMMENTS ARE WELCOME and ENCOURAGED. Please notice the Post A Comment link at the bottom of each posting.
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Jan. 21, 2008
Riley enters ninth term
In his inaugural speech Monday, Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. stressed the need for a regional development plan, an “impenetrable” urban growth boundary and the speedy development of a light commuter rail connecting Summerville to the peninsula.
“This reduces traffic, congestion and greenhouse gases (and) produces a high quality of life, and this is not something that will continue to be part of a long-range plan,” Riley said of the rail. “We must do it now.”
Riley provided no details about how or when the light rail route would be funded or built.
But Riley said his top priority is the development of children and said he will work with the Charleston County School District to develop more after-school programs. He called on colleges, universities and business and civic organizations to increase their involvement at schools as well.
Riley said he also intends to lobby the state Legislature to fully fund kindergarten for 4-year-olds.
“A wise person said long ago the only thing more expensive than quality education is ignorance,” Riley said. “And we are engaged in global economic competition. If our children are not well educated, our economy will underperform.”
Riley, who’s been the mayor of Charleston since 1975 and who won nearly two-thirds of the vote in November, pledged to increase affordable housing, improve public safety, create a regional land-use plan with the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments, increase the number of county and city parks to use as “an impenetrable urban growth boundary,” create a regional police training facility, continue to aid the development of minority- and women-owned businesses and more.
Riley also said he wants to retrofit existing bridges with bicycle and pedestrian paths.
During his talk, Riley addressed the June 18 Sofa Super Store fire that killed nine Charleston firefighters. Riley wants to purchase the land where they died and allow Charleston citizens to choose a memorial.
Riley also called for continued enhancements to the fire department to make the department a national model. The City Council recently approved a 4.5% property tax increase to help fund $2.4 million in fire department upgrades, including more firefighters and new equipment.
“That is the best way to honor our fallen heroes,” Riley said.
Newly elected council members Tim Mallard, Aubry Alexander and Gary White Jr. along with incumbents Jimmy Gallant III, James Lewis Jr. and Louis Waring also took the oath of office.
Jan. 21, 2008
Cigar Factory mixed-use building launches sales
The former industrial building known as The Cigar Factory at 701 East Bay St. has opened a sales and information center as the building’s new owner moves forward with plans to convert the property into a mix of high-end condominiums, office and retail space.
“As the largest historic building on the Charleston peninsula, Cigar Factory is a major part of the ongoing revitalization of the Charleston East side, said Boyd Simpson, president of The Simpson Organization, an Atlanta-based real estate company.
The Simpson Organization purchased the cigar factory in summer 2007 for $22 million and plans 37,000 square feet of retail space along with 26,000 square feet of condominiums priced from $349,000 to $1.5 million.
Tenants are expected to begin moving in summer 2009.
The Cigar Factory was built as an industrial plant in 1881 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has been used as a cotton mill, a cigar factory and office space, and was formerly the home of Johnson & Wales University.
Condominiums at The Cigar Factory will include the original brick walls and 15-foot ceilings. Owners will have concierge service, covered parking, a swimming pool and fitness center, a pet park, a club with individual wine storage, a private garden and a rooftop deck with views of Charleston harbor.
Retail and office spaces will be designed to accommodate dining, a gourmet-style grocery store, galleries and boutiques. Offices will have parking.
Jan. 11, 2008
Santee Cooper offers zero-interest loans for solar panels
Looking for creative solutions to produce more energy without emitting greenhouse gases, Santee Cooper announced last week that the utility will offer interest-free loans to customers to cover their cost of installing solar panels or other renewable energy-generating equipment.
The maximum loan amount is $40,000. As part of the plan, the public utility will purchase excess energy back from customers and place it on the grid.
“Renewable energy is a key focus for us as we meet our customers’ need for electricity now and into the future,” said Marc Tye, Santee Cooper vice president of conservation and renewable energy. “Helping customers in this way sends them the signal that we are serious about Santee Cooper Green.”
Santee Cooper Green is the term the utility coined for its goal of generating at least 40% of its power by 2020 from sources that don’t emit greenhouse gases such as solar, wind and nuclear. Successful conservation efforts also will count toward the goal.
The state’s only public utility, which provides power to some 2 million electric customers, rolled out the aggressive agenda while fighting a public relations battle over plans to construct a new coal-fired plant in Florence County.
Environmental groups have assailed the utility, arguing that coal is the dirtiest form of producing electricity, but Santee Cooper says it can’t keep up with rising energy demands without it, and that a new plant would implement the latest environmental control technology that would meet or exceed federal environmental standards.
To talk to a Santee Cooper marketing representative about the loans, call 843-347-3399, ext. 3277, in Horry and Georgetown counties and 843-761-8000, ext. 3277, in Berkeley County.
Jan. 11, 2008
Categorized in: Area - Education
Three SC Universities rank among the best value
Clemson University, the University of South Carolina and College of Charleston all are ranked as among the best deals in public education, according to Kiplinger’s 2008 annual ranking.
Clemson claims the highest spot among the three, ranking No. 33 of 100, but fell from No. 29 last year.
USC, meanwhile, jumped 16 spots to No. 35 after dropping 20 spots in 2006.
College of Charleston also made the list at No. 70, down from 47 last year, as the cost to attend the school increased from an average of $14,762 to $17,272.
To compile the list, Kiplinger analyzed student SAT and ACT scores, university enrollment, student-faculty ratio, graduation rates, total cost and average debt after graduation. The financial magazine will release the ranking in its February issue.
Kiplinger did not mention Clemson or the College of Charleston in the article but singled out USC’s rise on the list for “a more competitive admission rate, plus better test scores.”
“The 2007 freshman class entered the university with the highest average SAT score in our history,” said USC President Andrew Sorensen.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earned top honors for the seventh straight year.
Jan. 11, 2008
Russian firm buys Chevron site for $20 million
Delphin Group USA, the North American division of a Russian petroleum firm, has paid $20 million for a North Charleston industrial site formerly owned by Chevron Corp.
The Virginia Avenue site, which has changed hands numerous times over the past several decades, and which most recently went on the market in September for an asking price of $26 million, is expected to be operational by February, according to published reports.
Delphin Group USA plans to ship various oils to the facility, where they will be mixed, bottled and prepared for sale in both domestic and overseas markets.
At full production, the plant is expected to employ nearly 200 workers and manufacture 10 million gallons of petroleum products annually.
According to promotional materials provided by Colliers Keenan Inc., the Charleston-based industrial brokerage firm that handled the sale, various affiliates of Texaco Inc. owned the site between 1910 and 1998 when it was transferred to a joint venture between Texaco and the Shell Oil Co. know as Equilon Enterprises LLC.
In 2002, as part of the merger between Texaco and Chevron, Texaco sold its interest in the joint venture to Shell. Chevron USA subsequently purchased the property, but decided not to restart petroleum operations at the site, eliminating more than 70 jobs in the process.
Chevron interviewed a number of brokerage firms in June, selecting Colliers Keenan, which had recently sold the nearby Macalloy industrial site. Colliers Keenan’s charge was to sell the property by the end of 2007.
Several elements made the land attractive to Delfin, said Hagood Morrison, who handled the sale with Amanda Kitchen, also of Colliers Keenan.
These included the site’s deep water access on the Port of Charleston’s 45-foot shipping channel, the three rail spurs linking the site to both the Norfolk Southern and CSX rail service, the site’s highway access and the fact that an on-site maintenance crew kept the facility operationally ready even after the plant closed in late 2006.
Kitchen said the brokerage received more than 15 offers for the site resulting in more than 50 visits by prospective buyers.
Morrison said much of the interest came from producers of alternative fuels. At the end of the day, however, “the group which closed was in a similar business as Chevron, lube oil blending and distribution.”
The facility is Delfin Group USA’s first manufacturing plant in North America. Its parent company, Delfin Russia, operates plants in Moscow and Riga, which is adjacent to the Baltic Sea.
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Nov. 27, 2007
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Waste Plan Questioned
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A proposal to ship as much as 20,000 tons of nuclear waste from Italy through the Port of Charleston and Port of New Orleans for eventual disposal in Utah is raising questions among members of the U.S. House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee.
According to a September application filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Salt Lake City-based EnergySolutions wants to transport the hazardous cargo through Charleston and New Orleans, then take it by barge, truck or rail to a processing facility in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
The company also has offices and several facilities in Aiken, Barnwell, Columbia and Greenville, although none of these locations was mentioned as being involved in the effort detailed in the company's application.
Starting next summer, the Barnwell LLRW Disposal facility-one of three in the nation that accepts low-level radioactive waste-will accept material from three states: South Carolina, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Under the plan outlined in EnergySolutions's application, material processed in Tennessee would be sent on to a disposal facility in Clive, Utah. However, material deemed too dangerous to be accepted at the waste facility would be sent back to Italy the same way it came into the country- through Charleston and New Orleans.
EnergySolutions said if its application is approved, it expects the imported waste to begin arriving in spring 2008. Shipments of the material would continue for about five years.
S.C. State Ports Authority spokesman Byron Miller said the authority does not handle radioactive materials at any of its public terminals. That suggests, he said, that if the application were approved, the material would either have to be transported through federal facilities, like the Naval Weapons Station in North Charleston, or through private terminals.
In their letter to the NRC, Texas Rep. Joe Barton, the top Republican on the House energy committee, and Kentucky Rep. Ed Whitfield, the leading Republican on the panel's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, said they found it troubling that EnergySolutions can't determine whether any of the waste material is too dangerous for a low-level waste facility until processing takes place in Tennessee.
They said this could mean that the "radioactive composition of some of the waste arriving" through the ports will exceed the commission's limits for low-waste disposal.
The legislators also questioned whether the commission has ever allowed the importation of radioactive wastes "without a clear understanding of its exact type and composition" and whether a license has ever been granted for such activity with the understanding that "some of the wastes will be so dangerous they must be exported back to the country of origin."
In a statement, EnergySolutions said many companies import waste through U.S. ports and that it's a world leader in the safe handling and disposal of radioactive materials.
David McIntyre, a spokesman for the nuclear regulatory agency, said the agency had yet to respond to the lawmakers' letter. He also said that the agency will soon begin taking public comments on EnergySolutions' application. The permit process typically takes about six months, he said.
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Tuesday, 27 November 2007
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By Dan McCue
Staff Writer
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Oct. 22, 2007
Jerry Lee Lewis Concert
Jerry Lee Lewis - 8 p.m. - Dec 8. Great Balls of Fire! Lewis and the Killer Band will rock the
Charleston Music Hall.
Tickets are $75-$225. For details, call (843) 853-2252.
Oct. 17, 2007
Local food and wine fest named one of Southeast's top
events
The third annual BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival, scheduled for Feb. 28 through March 2, 2008, has been
recognized by the Southeast Tourism Society as one of the Top 20 events for the month of February 2008.
To be considered for the award, the event had to be in at least its third year and have attendance of at least 1,000. The
society also considered economic impact on the community, community involvement, whether the event was unique and if it
had won other awards.
This year's festival, held in March, was recognized for highlighting Charleston as a culinary destination. More than
14,000 visitors attended the four-day fête, whose total ticket sales exceeded $462,000. Festival organizers donated
$20,000 to charities and local culinary scholarships.
Highlights of the annual festival include a Culinary Village in downtown Charleston's Marion Square, featuring two large
tasting tents, culinary competitions and cooking demonstrations. A few of the many other events include the Celebration of
Charleston Chefs Opening Night Party, the King Street Sip & Stroll and the Lowcountry Gospel Brunch.
Recognition of the festival by the tourism society includes publicity in more than 800 newspapers and magazines, including
the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Publicity on radio and TV stations will
include the New Orleans-based radio show "Travel Talk Radio."
The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, held in Charleston each February, also made the tourism society's Top 20 list for
the month.
as provided by Charleston Regional Business Journal
Oct. 17, 2007
Green concept home planned for Poplar Grove
Poplar Grove, the low-density residential development near Hollywood that will preserve more than 3,000 acres under a
conservation easement, has been chosen as the second location for a Concept Home, a project of the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development's Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing.
The first PATH Concept Home was recently completed in Omaha, Neb.
The project team was looking for a Southern location for their next Concept Home, said Dana Bres, director of office
policy and research for PATH.
The Concept Home at Poplar Grove will serve as a model of sustainability, disaster resistance, flexibility and cost
effectiveness. The Concept Home's design and technical specifications will meet the nation's most rigorous green building
certification standards, including Leadership and Energy and Environmental Design for Homes; Energy Star; EarthCraft House
and the National Green Building Standard.
"We're kind of the Southeast guinea pig for the PATH house, which is great," said Vic Mills, principal and chief executive
of Augusta, Ga.-based Blanchard & Calhoun Commercial, which is developing Poplar Grove.
The PATH home is a good fit for the development, Mills said.
"The entire lifestyle at Poplar Grove centers around conservation and the outdoors, so the PATH house is really in keeping
with Poplar Grove as a community," he said.
Mills' company has partnered with Bennett Hofford Construction to build the PATH home. A design charrette, or workshop, is
planned for Oct. 24 at the site. Final plans will be presented in February 2008 and construction will begin in the spring.
as provided by Charleston Regional Business Journal
Oct. 17, 2007
Magnolia Development to Begin This Fall
The Chamber's Charleston Area Business Council hosted a meeting last week with guest speaker, Josh Martin, AICP, .jpg) CNU, director
of planning, preservation and economic innovation for the City of Charleston to discuss the Magnolia Development project.
In 2003, the City worked with residents and other stakeholders on a plan for the Charleston Neck Area. Using this plan as
a guide, the developers of Magnolia created a conceptual development plan. In June, Charleston's Planning Commission
approved the concept plan for Magnolia, a 216-acre development with up to 4,400 homes.
Led by Robert Clement and Terry Shook, the Magnolia Development Group aims to transform the peninsula's Neck into a
vibrant, environmentally safe area of businesses, parks and residential neighborhoods. Magnolia would be what's known as
an urban infill project, a plan to redevelop within a city rather than replacing green spaces with new suburban
development. Plans are to begin this fall. Magnolia will also include 24 acres of public park, walking paths and public
water access.
source: Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
Oct. 16, 2007
Charleston-area tourism: What's next?
The future of hospitality and tourism in the Lowcountry is the focus of a presentation by the Coastal Young Leaders Group
on Wednesday evening at the Best Western Hotel in downtown Charleston.
Stephen Litvin, chair of the College of Charleston's hospitality and tourism management department, will talk about what's
on the horizon for hospitality in the Charleston region, how growth in the region is being regulated and directed, the
upside of regulation for industry and lessons learned.
The event is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the hotel at 250 Spring St. Both members and nonmembers may attend; for
information, call 800-321-5011 or 843- 513-9331. Registration is accepted at the door.
A tour of the hotel will be offered after the presentation.
as provided by Charleston Regional Business Journal
Oct. 10, 2007
Twin Rivers purchases 42 acres in Berkeley
County
Twin Rivers Capital LLC has purchased 42 acres in Berkeley County where it plans to develop a commercial center with
retail shops and other tenants.
The Charleston-based real estate investment and development company bought the parcel at the intersection of S.C. Highway
52 and Cypress Gardens Road on Sept. 19 for an undisclosed price.
The company is developing Foxbank Towne Center, with more than 500,000
square feet of retail and office space, to service Foxbank Plantation, an 800-acre, master-planned community with more
than 2,400 single- and multi-family homes.
The initial phase of the commercial center will include a grocery store and various retail and office uses to follow. Twin
Rivers plans to break ground in January 2008. The entire Foxbank Towne Center is scheduled for completion by 2011.
Twin Rivers was founded in 2002 and operates mainly in the Southeast. Its properties range from freestanding single-tenant
buildings to multi-use strip malls.
as provided by Charleston Regional Business Journal
Oct. 10, 2007
Charleston jumps to 12th place on national economic
index
The Charleston-North Charleston metropolitan area jumped up 10 positions in the recently released Best-Performing Cities
Index compiled by The Milken Institute, which ranked the area 12th in terms of economic performance among the nation's 200
largest cities.
"I think it speaks to the vitality that the Charleston area has benefited from for many years," said David Desplaces,
international business director and assistant professor of entrepreneurship for the School of Business and Economics at
the College of Charleston.
In the 2005 report, the Charleston-North Charleston area was ranked 22nd. The index is used to measure metropolitan areas'
success in job creation and retention, looking specifically at where jobs are being created and maintained, corresponding
salary levels and where economies and businesses are growing and thriving, according to the institute's Web site. The
Milken Institute, a nonprofit independent economic think tank, has been compiling these indexes for more than a
decade.
The study says the region moved up 10 places after "having posted solid employment and high-tech (gross domestic product)
growth in the past year." The index also cited the area's low cost of living compared to other coastal regions, which
remains an important draw for retirees, but said the diverse industry base also attracts skilled workers.
Since the last report, the study states, the metro area's employment base outpaced the national average by 7.1% during the
past five years.
"Driven by data processing and telecom services, Charleston created jobs at a rapid pace, having grown its employment base
by 3.6% in the past 12 months. Key recent developments include the opening of a new DaimlerChrysler van plant and an
American LaFrance assembly plant," the study says.
Though not specifically cited in the study, high-tech companies such as Vought Aircraft Industries and Benefitfocus are
probably also playing a role in the improved score, Desplaces said, as well as Google's plans to build a data center in
Mt. Holly. The region is measuring significant growth in the innovation-based industry, Desplaces said, proving that the
area's economics is tied to more than real estate and tourism.
Ranking 11th in the study was the nearby region of Myrtle-Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach.
"Obviously, South Carolina has an overall positive climate for location, relocation and for businesses," Desplaces said.
"The question is how we handle the allocation of resources and the coordinating effort as it pertains to growth."
As a whole, Southeast states fared particularly well in the study. Receiving the top ranking in the index was the town of
Ocala, Fla; Wilmington, N.C., ranked second.
To view the index in full, click here
as provided by Charleston Regional Business Journal - By Molly Parker , Staff Writer
Sep. 28, 2007
Categorized in: Travel & Tourism
BudgetTravel.com
25 Reasons We Love Charleston
Gracious! America's most genteel city is behaving like a frisky debutante.
Geraldine Campbell
October 2007 issue
Tuesday, September 18, 2007;
1. Modell city
The first Charles Towne was established in 1670 across the river from the city's current location, which was designed
according to an elaborate, somewhat utopian plan referred to as the Grand Modell. It called for 70-foot-wide main streets
and a town center at the intersection of Meeting and Broad. The Original Charleston Walks leads daily
tours through the historic area. 45 Broad St., 800/729-3420, charlestonwalks.com, from $18.50.
2. Greenery worth envying
Grassy public spaces abound in Charleston: White Point Garden overlooks the harbor and the city's Battery
Park homes (2 Murray Blvd.); Marion Square hosts Thursday night movies in the spring (Calhoun St. and
King St.); Waterfront Park has views of the Cooper River and a pier (1 Vendue Range). Ted's
Butcherblock sells everything you need for a picnic: potato salads, paninis, and macaroni and cheese with gouda
(334 E. Bay St., 843/577-0094, tedsbutcherblock.com).
3. Not your grandma's fried chicken
In a tiny yellow 18th-century house on Pinckney Street, the two-room Cru Café is the
perfect retreat from the bustle of downtown. Diners can sit at small banquettes or at a bar-cum-chef's table facing the
open kitchen where chef John Zucker cooks his upscale comfort food. The poblano-and-mozzarella fried chicken with a
honey-chipotle salsa is a definite must. 18 Pinckney St., 843/534-2434, crucafe.com, entrées from $14.
4. Southern hospitality
Charleston has plenty of grand hotels, but the rooms at the Market Pavilion Hotel come with a gentler
price tag; some even have views of the Old City Market, where women have been weaving sweetgrass baskets since 1841 (225
E. Bay St., 877/440-2250, marketpavilion.com, from $229). The
vistas from the Roof Top Bar & Restaurant at the Vendue Inn are also spectacular--and the beers are
$3. The interior queen rooms, a mix of French provincial and American colonial decor, are a good deal at $139 per night
(19 Vendue Range, 843/577-7970, vendueinn.com).
5. A spot of tea
Bigelow Tea got its start in 1945 because Ruth Bigelow was looking for a little more zest in her morning cup. At the
company's Charleston Tea Plantation, the only commercial tea farm in the continental U.S., visitors can
follow the production process from raw leaf to finished tea bag. 6617 Maybank Hwy., 843/559-0383, charlestonteaplantation.com, free.
6. Where there's Smoak...
Stephen Smoak, known as Smoak to regulars, is one of the city's best bartenders. At Red Drum Gastropub,
he mixes special-recipe ginger mojitos and espresso martinis that make for a nice pairing with chef Ben Berryhill's
Southwest-influenced cuisine: crab tostaditas with red voodoo sauce, tuna tacos served with cowboy beans, and clams in a
chili broth. 803 Coleman Blvd., 843/849-0313, reddrumpub.com, entrées from $12.
7. Top hats
When it comes to feathered fedoras and cloches, Leigh Magar is your milliner (as well as Michael Stipe's and Christina
Aguilera's). "I'm currently obsessed with incorporating Greek gilded-wreath designs into my hats," says the South Carolina
native, who gets her inspiration from travel. Her shop, Magar Hatworks, is inside a former beauty parlor.
557½ King St., 843/577-7740, magarhatworks.com.
8. Long live the King
This spring, one of America's oldest cities refurbished one of its oldest districts, Upper King, adding bluestone walkways
and a string of new boutiques. A local favorite is B'zar, a shop owned by Brooklyn transplants Gustavo
and Andrea Serrano that stocks affordable clothing and accessories, including totes named after the couple's dog, Roxy.
541 King St., 843/579-2889, shopbzar.com.
9. Hominy sweet Hominy
The place for sophisticated-but-homey Southern fare, such as okra-and-shrimp beignets with salsa and cilantro-lime sour
cream, is Hominy Grill. Chef Robert Stehling uses only regional ingredients, right down to the grits,
which come from a mill near his North Carolina hometown. 207 Rutledge Ave., 843/937-0930, hominygrill.com, entrées from $10.
10. Preserving the past
The Old Slave Mart Museum has the last intact slave-auction gallery in South Carolina. The museum has
been closed to the public for the last 20 years, but it has plans to reopen this fall. It will acknowledge the city's
disturbing history: Roughly 40 percent of all slaves who were shipped to this country between 1700 and 1775 disembarked in
Charleston Harbor. 6 Chalmers St., 843/958-6467, oldslavemart.com, $7.
11. South beach
Folly Beach, just 12 miles south of downtown, has a laid-back vibe, authentic crab shacks, trinket shops,
and a surfer-friendly stretch known as the Washout. follybeach.com.
12. And the food is good
Mustard- and olive-colored walls, rustic hutches, and dreamy landscapes by local photographer John Duckworth set the stage
for the elegant fare served at FIG, short for Food Is Good. Popular dishes include a garlicky frisée
salad garnished with lardons, and South Carolina lamb with a goat cheese and potato puree. 232 Meeting St.,
843/805-5900, eatatfig.com,
entrées from $20.
13. Bridging the gap
In 2005, the 2.5-mile, eight-lane Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge was completed, connecting downtown Charleston to the suburb of
Mount Pleasant. (It's named after a former state senator whom many South Carolinians affectionately know as Cousin
Arthur.) Bike the Bridge Rentals offers three-hour, self-guided tours. 360 Concord St.,
843/853-2453, bikethebridgerentals.com, $15.
14. Better homes and gardens
Each fall, the heavy wooden doors and garden gates of the city's private historic houses swing open to the public.
Throughout late September and October, around 180 residences participate in the Preservation Society of Charleston's
Fall Tours of Homes & Gardens, some of which are evening walks (147 King St., 843/722-4630,
preservationsociety.org, $45). Certain homes, such as
the Edmondston-Alston House--where Robert E. Lee took refuge during the Civil War--offer tours all year long (21 E.
Battery St., 843/722-7171, middletonplace.org, $10).
15. The telltale tavern
Sullivan's Island is a sleepy town (population 1,873) with wide, sandy beaches. It's also the site of Fort
Moultrie, a significant battleground during the American Revolution and the Civil War (1214 Middle St.,
nps.gov/fosu, $3). Edgar Allan Poe was stationed as a soldier on the
island from 1827 to 1828, and Poe's Tavern pays the author tribute--of a sort--with such dishes as
Edgar's Drunken Chili and a Pit & Pendulum burger made with applewood-smoked bacon and sharp cheddar (2210 Middle St.,
843/883-0083, poestavern.com, sandwiches from $8).
16. Have a Pleasant day
Little has changed in Mount Pleasant's old town over the last 70 years: Thick malted-milk shakes and
mortar-and-pestle-ground prescriptions (called compounds) are still sold at Pitt Street Pharmacy (111
Pitt St., 843/884-4051, pittstreetpharmacy.com), and the
Old Village Post House remains the best inn in town. The B&B's six rooms have original hardwood
floors, 10-foot ceilings, and soothing whirlpool tubs (101 Pitt St., 800/549-7678, oldvillageposthouse.com, from $145).
17. Here's the beef
Charleston's revered downtown burger shack, Your Place, recently relocated to Mount Pleasant. Die-hards
may bemoan the new nautical-themed decor--life preservers and photos of lighthouses cover the walls--but the monstrous
cheeseburgers topped with bacon and jalapeños are still drawing them across the bridge. 217 Lucas St., 843/388-8002,
burger $6.50.
18. This little piggy went to market...
The stalls at the Charleston Farmers Market, held Saturdays from 8 A.M. to 2 P.M., aren't limited to
fresh produce. Vendors sell everything from pulled pork sandwiches at the Omelette Station to sweetgrass scrubs at The
Charleston Soap Chef. Marion Square, 843/724-7309, closed late December to early April.
19. On the sauce
Barbecue in Charleston is all about the right base, but Ciarán Duffy, the chef at Tristan, has added an
unexpected ingredient to the mix: cocoa. His sauce comes in three flavors--chocolate, chocolate chili, and chocolate
pomegranate. 55 S. Market St., 843/534-2155, tristandining.com, entrées from $17.
20. Just call them Social drinkers
There are more than 50 wines sold by the glass at Social Restaurant & Wine Bar, a new spot in East
Bay with industrial track-lighting and bartenders who wear WINE STUD T-shirts. The Kiona, an inky cabernet with hints of
chocolate, is excellent. 188 E. Bay St., 843/577-5665, socialwinebar.com, from $3.
21. Sugar and spice and everything nice
Ex-Manhattanite Kristin Kuhlke has made a name for herself on King Street with Cupcake, a bakery that
sells over 30 varieties of cupcakes, including red velvet (433 King St., 843/853-8181, freshcupcakes.com). Before opening the bakery, Kuhlke worked for a cell phone company, fielding complaints.
"When I moved back to Charleston, I just wanted to make people happy," she says. "And who doesn't love cupcakes?" Another
good spot for a sugar fix is Three Smart Cookies, where iced cookies come in dozens of shapes, from polar
bears to pink polka dot bikinis (334 E. Bay St., 843/937-9229, 3smartcookies.net).
22. Water, water everywhere
The best way to explore the city's network of salt marshes is via kayak. Mount Pleasant's Coastal
Expeditions leads half-day tours through estuaries inhabited by manatees and ospreys. 514-B Mill St.,
843/884-7684, coastalexpeditions.com,
$58.
23. Thursday night fever
The Hot Wheels Skating Center on James Island, a 10-minute drive from downtown Charleston, has a Rolling
Back in Time night every Thursday. It's a bargain at $3, including skate rental. 1523 Folly Rd., 843/795-7982,
hotwheelsskating.net.
24. From rice to riches
The plantations that made Charleston into a wealthy city were built along the banks of the Ashley River. The most iconic
is Drayton Hall, the oldest preserved plantation house in the South. 3380 Ashley River Rd.,
843/769-2600, draytonhall.org, $14.
25. Going to the chapel
The oldest church in town, St. Michael's Episcopal Church, has a 186-foot tiered steeple (71 Broad St.,
843/723-0603). St. Philip's Episcopal Church, meanwhile, is known for its graveyard, the resting place of
Edward Rutledge, a signer of the Declaration of Independence (142 Church St., 843/722-7734). Sunday mornings, look for the
procession of boys in seersucker and girls in Mary Janes.
Sep. 26, 2007
Categorized in: Homeowner Info
$4M authorized for downtown flooding
The city of Charleston is expected to get $4 million from the federal government to alleviate constant flooding in the
area known as the Fishburne/Spring drainage basin. Flooding in this area occurs during heavy rains and is made worse
during high tides, at which times much of the area between Spring and Fishburne Streets, including the stretch of U.S.
Highway 17, can be impassable.
Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. credited state lawmakers in Columbia for securing the government funds for Charleston. Congress
has also authorized stormwater improvement funds for other areas around the state under the Water Resources Development
Act of 2007.
Riley said once the $4 million is appropriated, more could follow. Drainage problems in the Fishburne-Spring Street area
are expected to be the most costly to fix among flood-prone areas addressed by the city's 1984 master plan for drainage
projects.
By Daily Journal Staff
Sep. 17, 2007
IMAX theater passes into history
The Charleston IMAX Theatre closed its doors for good today,
a victim of declining revenues despite the popularity of such recent features as "Harry Potter and the Order of the
Phoenix."
Charleston-based Rivers Enterprises, the owner of the theater, said in a written statement that the decision to close came
after much "thoughtful consideration."
The statement, which was released through the city of Charleston, said the company concluded that the "most prudent
business decision was to close the theater."
The city and Rivers Enterprises are now working together to find a new occupant for the location, the statement said.
The closure of the Charleston IMAX came so abruptly that its Web site on Monday was still advertising upcoming features.
The Web site is trumpeting the showing of "Transformers," which opens on Sept. 21 and was to be shown "only for a limited
time."
Attempts to reach personnel at the theater for comment were greeted by a somber message announcing the closure.
Rivers Enterprises' decision to close is the local manifestation of a nationwide trend that has engulfed IMAX, a
technology company specializing in larger-than-life films based on its 70mm film format. IMAX Corp. recently reported
second-quarter results that showed a 28% revenue decline nationwide, a precipitous drop that added up to a $4.57 million
loss for the quarter.
Second-quarter profits from continuing operations replaced a $0.04 per share profit a year earlier with a deficit of $0.11
per share.
Despite the IMAX closure, the city of Charleston continued Monday to tout the Aquarium Wharf area for which the theater
served as an anchor as "a vibrant and exciting part of downtown Charleston."
Other active enterprises on the wharf include the South Carolina Aquarium, Fort Sumter Tours, Charleston Water Taxi,
Sandlapper Water Tours, Spiritline Cruises and Charleston Harbour Tours.
By Dan McCue , Staff Writer
Sep. 12, 2007
Snee Farm subdivision OK despite
lawsuit
The Mount Pleasant Town Council granted final approval of a rezoning request Tuesday that will allow the I'On group to
build 57 homes on seven acres owned by Snee Farm Country Club, even as some residents begged council to await the outcome
of a lawsuit challenging whether the developers have the right to build there.
The meeting room was unusually packed by the dozens of residents from Snee Farm, Mount Pleasant's oldest golf course
community, who came out to speak on both sides of the emotionally charged issue. As residents went to the podium one after
another, their neighbors sat in the audience either applauding or shaking their heads indignantly.
Town council voted 6-3 on the second and final reading after little discussion; the land was rezoned from
conservation/recreation/open space to planned developed/mixed use.
Mark Lipsmeyer, I'On Group's chief operating officer, said he would like to see development begin within a year. The
company is purchasing the seven acres from the Snee Farm Country Club, which has said it will use the money to pay for
replacement of the aging clubhouse and pool.
The proposal has divided residents of Snee Farm. Some believe it will improve the value of the neighborhood, while
opponents worry it will increase traffic, create storm water drainage problems and establish a precedent for building on
what they claim was legally set aside as recreational land. The golf course was not rezoned, though some fret that a
developer will one day attempt to take that land too as the town continues to grow.
"I would say their main concern is they bought their houses and paid a premium for them based on that recreational area,
that it would always be there", said Thomas Goldstein, who is representing a group of residents in their lawsuit against
the country club owners, JKM Holdings LLC, who bought it four years ago from Club Corp. of America for $2.4 million.
"It's a slippery slope. If you can cut off (these) acres today, how many acres will they want to cut off five years from
now, where does it stop?"
The lawsuit is based on a deed restriction dated Nov. 19, 1975, that states the land in question will remain as a
recreational complex only. The developers argue they are not impeding the clubhouse, nor do they have plans to touch the
golf course, though critics say they will be taking aesthetically pleasing open space.
Goldstein told council members they should wait to act until the lawsuit is settled, though attorney Larry Richter, who is
representing JKM Holdings LLC, told council the outcome of private litigation is "none of your business"."Why act?" he
asked rhetorically just before the council vote. "Because the lawsuit is as bogus as the accusations you've heard here
tonight.
"If there were a delicate way of saying you could judge the credibility of those who came here tonight (opposing the
project), I would say it."
Lipsmeyer called his project "smart growth". Infill development, he said, is the best way to add new homes to the
increasingly popular town while attempting to mitigate the impact on existing infrastructure. The controversy, Lipsmeyer
said, reflects the growing rub between the developers looking to serve the needs of the massive numbers of newcomers
heading to the coast and the residents who have lived in the greater Charleston region for decades.
"It's a constant battle," he said. "People continue to move to this area of the country and this city, and that's the way
it's going to be. The city and infrastructure needs to accommodate the growth in some fashion."
By Molly Parker , Staff Writer
Sep. 11, 2007
Categorized in: Buyers Info
Tri-county median home price dips in August
The median price of a Lowcountry home in August decreased by half a percent from the same time last year, the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors reported Monday.
While the median home price in Charleston County dropped, median home prices in Berkeley County and Dorchester County
increased.
For the 531 homes sold in Charleston County in August, the median sales price was $245,000. In August 2006, the median
price for a home sold in Charleston County was $269,700.
In Dorchester County, 236 homes were sold in August at a median price of $195,500, compared with a median price of
$193,900 for homes sold in Dorchester County in August 2006.
In Berkeley County, 263 homes were sold last month with a median sales price of $188,200, compared to a median price of
$163,932 for homes sold in Berkeley County during August 2006.
The average days on the market for a home in Charleston County in August was 105. In Dorchester County, the average number
of days on the market for a home last month was 81 and in Berkeley County the average number of days on the market for a
home was 86 days.
Berkeley County had the greatest increase in the median home price last month, with a 14.8% rise in August 2007 over
August 2006.
The median home price in the tri-county region in August was $215,000, with 1,065 units sold. Homes spent an average of 92
days on the market last month. The median home price for the tri-county area in August 2006 was $216,000, with 1,256 units
sold. Homes spent an average of 69 days on the market in August 2006.
Year-to-date, the median home price in the Lowcountry has risen by 1.7%, from $207,474 to $211,000. Year-to-date sales are
down 19.1% from the same period in 2006.
as provided by Charleston Regional Business Journal
Sep. 4, 2007
Categorized in: Homeowner Info
S.C. homeowners to get big tax cut
Residents soon won't pay for school operations because of sales tax boost
WHAT THE TAX SWAP MEANS TO YOU
A recent study by the Strom Thurmond Institute at Clemson University analyzed how the tax swap a 1-cent-a-dollar increase
in the state's sales tax to pay for property tax relief on owner-occupied homes would affect homeowners and renters.
Here's what the study concluded:
Most homeowners will pay less in taxes. The increase in the amount of sales tax for most homeowners will
be less than the property tax relief they'll get.
All renters will pay more in taxes. Rental housing does not qualify for property tax relief under the
bill. But everyone, renters included, will pay more in sales taxes.
Homeowners in school districts with higher property tax rates will receive more tax relief than those
with lower tax rates.
Homeowners with modest incomes and modest homes will benefit less than homeowners with higher incomes and
more expensive homes.
S.C. residents likely will get a larger-than-expected cut to their home's tax bills "possibly totaling $88 million"
according to state economists.
Beginning this fall, homeowners will no longer pay for school operating taxes for the home in which they live, typically
50 percent to 60 percent of their property tax bill. Statewide, school operating taxes total $500 million.
The additional windfall, the result of a 20 percent increase to the state sales tax this year, means homeowners will not
pay about a fifth of their county and city property taxes as well.
However, those savings won't appear until next year, when tax bills are sent out in fall 2008.
The Board of Economic Advisors said two weeks ago that a recession could loom in South Carolina's near future. But Bill
Gillespie, the state's top economist, said sales tax revenues should continue to grow despite that possibility.
Historically, Gillespie said, the sales tax has grown about 5.5 percent a year. Slower growth could cut into the amount of
sales tax money available to pay property taxes, he said, but the sales tax surplus still would be at least $70 million,
based on current data.
According to state projections, residents will pay a total of $372.9 million in city and county property taxes in 2007.
After paying homeowners school taxes, any sales tax revenues left over from the additional penny sales tax would help pay
city and county bills.
The windfall also likely means the state will collect enough money from the increased sales tax to pay in full the growing
cost of homeowners school operating taxes for the next few years.
The money raised by the penny-a-dollar increase in the state's sales tax is placed in a separate account. It can only be
used to pay homeowners property tax bills.
"That is great news,"� said state Sen. Larry Martin, R-Pickens, a skeptical supporter of the property tax relief plan.
"(But) we're not out of the woods if the economy were to peak out on us."
Martin said the sales tax surplus gives lawmakers a chance to see how well the new property tax relief plan is working and
make adjustments. Historically, Martin said, school taxes have increased faster than state tax revenues have grown.
School districts and local government also are worried the growing cost of education and services might lead to future
budget cuts, because their ability to approve tax increases is capped by the new law. However, Martin said a surplus would
give lawmakers a chance to address those concerns, if needed.
Emerson Read, whose NoHomeTax.org group helped lead the charge for tax relief last year, said the surplus is good news.
But Read still wants all home taxes eliminated.
In addition, Read said, the property tax relief law did nothing to address years of overtaxing or taxes on other
properties, including rental property, second homes or businesses.
Read said his group likely will propose eliminating taxes on the homes of senior citizens and the disabled next year.
"I feel very sorry for (them)"� Read said. "The taxes are still too high in many cases."� Reach O'Connor at (803)
771-8358.
By JOHN O'CONNOR - joconnor@thestate.com
Aug. 30, 2007
Categorized in: Travel & Tourism
In
Charleston, SC, manners matter
The city of Charleston has won a Lifetime Achievement Award for
Most Mannerly City in America from the successor to the late
national etiquette maven Marjabelle Young Stewart.
Since 1994, Charleston had topped an annual list Stewart began
issuing in 1977 of the most mannerly cities in the United States.
After Stewart died earlier this year, her husband, William Stewart
of Illinois, agreed to pass the reins for the annual Most Mannerly
Cities list to Cindy Grosso, owner of the Charleston School of
Protocol.
Grosso presented the city and Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. with the
lifetime award during a recent city council meeting. Stewart, a
former longtime Washington, D.C., society matron who authored 20
etiquette books, which later became the basis for etiquette classes
for children nationwide, had based her rankings on letters and
faxes she received each year, often numbering more than 10,000.
During the council meeting, Grosso also said she will donate her
time to teach etiquette techniques to local hospitality staff in a
series titled “Your Manners Matter.�
as provided by Charleston Regional Business
Journal
Apr. 5, 2007
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