Cigar Factory mixed-use building launches sales 

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

Magnolia Development to Begin This Fall

The Chamber's Charleston Area Business Council hosted a meeting last week with guest speaker, Josh Martin, AICP, 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

Mixon Avenue Groundbreaking

Please join North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey and the I’On Group as we break ground on Mixson, a brand new neighborhood in the Park Circle area! Be part of this unique neighborhood as the first shovel is put in the ground.

Hamby’s Catering will be providing barbeque and drinks. Come and enjoy the sounds of Blue Plantation! Kids and dogs welcome.

To be sure you receive the latest details, pricing and an invitation to our upcoming sneak preview event, please complete the new contact form available now at mixsonavenue.com.

Tell your friends and neighbors so they may also be “in the loop” about this exciting new development.

St. Johns Yacht Harbor launches sales, plans resturant

Boat slips recently went on sale and a new restaurant has been added to the plans at St. Johns Yacht Harbor, a new marina that will replace the former Buzzard’s Roost and Stono marinas off Maybank Highway on Johns Island.

The Stono River property is being redeveloped by IBG Partners LLC, part of a Washington, D.C., firm that is also developing the 500-acre Rushland Plantation, an upscale residential community off River Road.

St. Johns Yacht Harbor will have about 400 boat slips, a waterfront pool and Jacuzzi, and a snack bar with facilities for cooking fresh caught fish, among other amenities. A Captain’s Retreat will be perched above the marina and fuel dock, where boaters will have Internet access, television, gaming tables and satellite weather and navigational equipment for charting courses.

The community also plans a cluster of townhomes, which will be located on the north end of the property, formerly Buzzard’s Roost. The developers have not yet decided how many townhomes will be built, but sales associate Mandy Coleman said the homes will be “Kiawah-esque” and will blend in with the area.

A restaurant will be built at the south end of the property on the tip of the former Stono Marina. Coleman said the restaurant will be casual enough to accommodate patrons in boating attire and a community dock will be located nearby so the general boating public can patronize the restaurant. A Noisy Oyster restaurant was formerly located on the property adjacent to Buzzard’s Roost Marina. The restaurant closed in the fall when IBG began work on the project.

IBG purchased the two marinas in August for about $22 million. The company intends to comply with the Certified Clean Marina Standard, transforming parking to pervious surfaces, reducing negative impacts of storm water runoff, working with environmental groups and landscape architects to preserve the natural landscape, and following other eco-friendly programs and practices.

Coleman said the 62 dry slips on the north side of the project, adjacent to the wet slips, were sold out in two weeks. Work has not yet started on the south side, where more dry slips may be added along with wet slips. Since May 10, 40 wet slips have been sold, Coleman said, with prices ranging from $3,000 to $4,050 linear per foot.

By Kathleen Dayton, staff writer - Charleston Regional Business Journal

MeadWestvaco proposal would blend development, conservation

MeadWestvaco wants a national park-sized area of forests near Charleston developed into what it calls an environmentally friendly community.

MeadWestvaco executives said they want to provide a model development in the 72,000-acre area, east of the Edisto River, that combats sprawl in the booming Charleston area.

Some of the land would be developed. Other parts — the size now unknown — would be preserved. The idea is to cluster new homes, schools, shops and other amenities together.

The company didn’t say how much of its remaining 320,000 S.C. acres would be sold, developed or preserved. However, it said some of that land would be sold over the coming decades.

What happens to the 72,000-acre tract is important because of its size — three times bigger than Congaree National Park in Lower Richland — and its location near the rapidly growing coast. The area is a buffer between Charleston and the acclaimed ACE Basin nature preserve.

MeadWestvaco previously has sold S.C. timberland for development, moves that were criticized for not involving the public.

“We want to be part of the growth solution,” said MeadWestvaco chief executive John Luke Jr.

The project, to be called East Edisto, would include green space and natural areas. The project’s master plan, to be developed after receiving public input, would guide which areas are developed and which are protected.

The 72,000-acre tract straddles the Charleston-Dorchester county line, west of the Hollywood-Ravenel area.

Conservationists have expressed concern MeadWestvaco could sell off the land for development that would ruin the feel of coastal South Carolina.

The 72,000-acre tract now has historic sites, forests and wetlands. Bald eagles, alligators and ducks have been found in the area, as well as rare wood storks.

S.C. Department of Natural Resources director John Frampton said he would rather the company protect all the land from development. But the company’s willingness to seek public input is encouraging, he said.

That’s different from what some other forest products companies have done. “The other companies have just unloaded their property,” Frampton said. “I’m looking forward to sitting down with MeadWestvaco.”

Bob Scott, president of the S.C. Forestry Association, said timber companies have been selling much of the land they no longer need to investment firms that keep the property in trees.

“It used to be people would buy land and get a return on the investment through timber value,” he said. “Now, the return on investment is based on real estate and recreation value.”

MeadWestvaco’s master plan will be devised after it holds public meetings and seeks other comments. That’s important given the different constituents in the rapidly changing area on U.S. 17, south of Charleston. The area has a mixture of longtime landowners, as well as new property owners lured by its peaceful nature and scenic wetlands.

MeadWestvaco said it has hired a San Francisco land planning firm to help with the process.

What comes out of the process at East Edisto likely will be upscale developments enhanced by natural areas, Charleston real estate agent John Templeton said.

Mark Robertson, director of the S.C. Nature Conservancy, said the master plan for the 72,000 acres will guide development for the next three decades.

“It brings a certainty to the future,” he said. “I’m confident they’ll come up with a better plan than piecemealing” development.

However, Robertson said the future of the company’s other 320,000 acres in South Carolina should be looked at closely, too. There are numerous tracts within that property worth protecting from development, he said. “We hope that the conservation community will have the opportunity to protect other lands.”

For now, MeadWestvaco said only that it will keep the remaining 320,000 acres in South Carolina as forestland, while planning some “strategic sales over time.”

The company already has said this year it is selling 300,000 acres in Alabama, Georgia and West Virginia. It will hold on to an additional 800,000 acres in the Southeast; how long is unknown.

Speaking with securities analysts Wednesday, MeadWestvaco CEO Luke hinted his company plans to use its land as a source of cash during lean financial years over the next two decades.

Instead of selling off its land all at once, as other wood products companies have done recently, Luke said he plans to, “execute sales over time to maximize cash flow and value for investors.”

During the next three years, Luke said, the company expects income of $400 million from land sales. The idea is MeadWestvaco possibly could double the sales prices it gets by selling smaller parcels, including land sold to developers and timber investors.

MeadWestvaco’s total land holdings could fetch nearly $1.9 billion over time under current market conditions, according to the calculations Luke gave analysts Wednesday. Those calculations value the company’s S.C. land outside the East Edisto area at about $750 million.

MeadWestvaco’s plan for East Edisto makes a lot of sense, said Mark Vitner, senior economist with Wachovia. “I would guess they’re gearing up for the next housing cycle.”

The Carolinas housing market has slowed, Vitner said. He estimates demand for new houses will rebound in 2009, at the earliest, and gain speed by 2011.

Vitner also said the East Edisto area probably is getting special attention from MeadWestvaco because it is in a sparsely developed area near Charleston.

He expects MeadWestvaco’s development will be popular with people looking for second homes or to retire — similar to Sun City, near Hilton Head Island.

“It’s a beautiful area, and I’m certain it will be full of retirees and sold out,” Vitner said.

Reach Fretwell at (803) 771-8537. Reach Werner at (803) 771-8509. Staff writer Joey Holleman contributed to this story.

ABOUT MEADWESTVACO’S PLANS

Forest products company MeadWestvaco formally announced plans Wednesday to develop some of a 72,000-acre tract that it owns near Charleston.

Q. How do other S.C. preserves compare with the 72,000 acres MeadWestvaco plans to use for development and conservation?

A. The tract is about twice the size of the Jocassee Gorges mountain preserve in the Upstate and about three times as large as Congaree National Park near Columbia.

Q. How much of the 72,000 acres will be developed versus conserved?

A. That’s not known. The company says it won’t know until after hearing from the public and devising a master plan for the property. The general idea is to protect some open space and develop some of the property.

Q. Development will mean people, children and cars. Who will pay for the new roads, schools and water lines they will need?

A. The costs likely will be shared by Westvaco and the public, the company said. No cost estimate was available.

Q. What’s on the 72,000 acres now?

A. Pine forests, the Caw Caw Swamp, historic sites and old rice fields. The land is home to rare wood storks, as well as bald eagles, alligators and numerous species of ducks.

Q. What will happen to the other 320,000 acres Westvaco owns in South Carolina?

A. Westvaco says it will keep much of that property as forestland but will sell some over the next 20 years. The company did not specifically say how much of the S.C. land it will sell.

By SAMMY FRETWELL and BEN WERNER - sfretwell@thestate.comand bwerner@thestate.com

Beazer Homes - Now taking Pre-Sale Reservations for "Station West"

If your in the market to purchase (to live in or invest in) a Loft, Studio, Flat, or Condo in the Charleston, SC market - Look no further than Beazer Homes "Station West".

Welcome to Supurbia.
Live, shop, dine, and relax!  Beazer's unique InTown project brings you the ultimate daily living environment seconds from downtown Charleston, Avondale, South Windermere, and minutes to Charleston's beautiful beaches. Welcome to Station West.

Station West is offering 181 distinguished Loft, Studio, Flat, and Condo units.
Located in the heart of the exclusive Ashley River Bridge District on the corner of Albemarle and Folly Road.
Pre-sale pricing starts from the upper $300's.

Call Mike Terry to schedule your reservation appointment for Station West:
(843) 452-6038 or Mike@RealEstateCharlestonArea.com

Lowndes Grove Plantation sale could be highest price ever recorded on the Peninsula, not expected to affect bookings

Wedding receptions and other events scheduled at Lowndes Grove Plantation are not expected to be affected by the possible sale of the property, which went on the market last week.

The house, which dates from 1787 and currently operates as a bed and breakfast, is listed for $7.2 million with William Means Real Estate, an affiliate of Christie’s Great Estates.

If Lowndes Grove Plantation sells at its current list price, it will be the highest ever recorded sale price of a home on the Charleston peninsula.

The property is booked for special events through next May, said Caroline Lubin, an intern working with Lowndes Grove’s event coordinator, Megan Morgan.

“All our contracts will be honored if someone’s having an event here. We’ve had numerous calls from concerned brides,” Lubin said. “Also, a property of this nature takes a very long time to sell, so we’re telling people not to worry.”

The current owners of Lowndes Grove, Alexander Opoulos III and his wife, Tina, are out of the country for the next week, Lubin said.

The couple bought the main house from Charles and Martha Craven in 2000 for $1.9 million and later bought the adjacent carriage house. The property encompasses 15 acres overlooking the Ashley River near Hampton Park and is the only remaining plantation on the Charleston peninsula.

Elle Haynes, the broker handling the sale, said the property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and most of it is protected by a conservation easement. Haynes said the Lowndes Grove listing has been getting a lot of activity from potential buyers.

“It’s mostly people who want to use it as a private residence,” she said. “The owners would prefer to sell it as one property and preserve the historic value of the property.”

Haynes said the owners had also been approached by a potential buyer who was interested in subdividing some of the acreage for residential development.

Eddie Bello, director of the city’s Board of Architectural Review, said Lowndes Grove Plantation lies in a landmark overlay district and any proposed changes to the house or construction on its grounds would have to be approved by the BAR and reviewed publicly.

as provided by Charleston Regional Business Journal

Tips For Staging your Home for Sale

Most Popular Home - Staging Suggestions -

In a slow market, it's particularly important to get a house ready to sell quickly. How do you help a client get their home in prime shape for showings?

Beverly Tracy of Beverly Tracy Home Design in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., walks through a client’s home and sticks Post-It notes on things she believes they need to do to get their home looking its best. Here are some of her most frequently made suggestions:

• Fix any visible problems that might be a red flag for potential buyers, including repainting stained walls.
• Cover damaged kitchen or bathroom floors with inexpensive peel-and-stick vinyl floor tiles if a more expensive change seems out of the question.
• Repaint public rooms that will garner a lot of a buyer's attention, including the kitchen, dining room, and living room.
• Clean up the exterior of the house, added potted plants, repair damaged walkways, and put a fresh coat of paint on the front door.
• Rent a storage unit and get rid of about half the furniture and most of the personal items.
• When showing the property, turn on every light in the house and tune radios on each floor to the same classical music station.
• Suggest that the owners refrain from doing much cooking (baking sweets is a good idea, however) and put good-smelling soaps in all the bathrooms

Daily Real Estate News  |  April 5, 2007

Sanford offers coastal insurance-relief plan

COLUMBIA--Gov. Mark Sanford wants to blunt the impact of the coastal property-insurance crisis by offering a slew of tax credits and tax exemptions for homeowners willing to spend money to protect and self-insure their homes.

Read more at The (Hilton Head) Island Packet...

as provided by South Carolina's Media Engine for Economic Growth

South Carolina - Coastal Insurance

The property insurance crisis many homeowners along the coast are experiencing received a great deal of attention from the General Assembly this week. The House Labor, Commerce and Industry Subcommittee on Insurance met on Wednesday to consider two bills calling for expansion of the wind pool – one by Representative Vida Miller to expand the wind pool to all coastal counties and the other by Representative Alan Clemmons asking for expansion to all of Horry County. While the subcommittee took no action, they received testimony from SC Department of Insurance Director Eleanor Kitzman, insurance companies, homeowners, and SCAR. The Subcommittee will take up their work on this important issue again on Tuesday.

In the Senate on Thursday, Senator Cleary introduced three bills aimed at addressing the insurance crisis, which resulted in about an hour’s worth of discussion on the Senate floor led by Senators Cleary, Elliott, Rankin, Malloy, Hawkins, Bryant and McConnell. Senator Cleary’s bills would expand the wind pool, provide free home inspections to show homeowners how to make their properties safer, and offer tax-free reserve funds to encourage insurers to build reserves. Additionally, Senator McConnell and Senator Elliott are working on separate legislation to address this issue and expect to wrap their work up as early as next week. SCAR remains at the forefront of these discussions and will ensure that legislators exercise caution as they deal with this vitally important issue for our state.

Senator Cleary's Bills: S. 345 S. 346 S. 347