Happy Friday, Charleston! These temps this week! Let’s hope it’s not the “False Fall” we experienced last week.

Kudos to Kathy F. of Goose Creek, who guessed correctly South Of The Border was the location in our “Where Are We” segment. For anyone who’s traveled I-95 anytime in the last half-century, Pedro is seared into our consciousness. 😳

And if you missed the announcement about our amazing new events calendar, you can find it HERE.

In today’s newsletter:

• The future of Charleston real estate development. It’s redevelopment. 🏗️

• Gotta find a different dog park. ‘Cause Alhambra Hall is closed for renovation. 🐶

• ICYMI. C of C gets kudos, and our BBQ is TOPS! 💪🏼

Friday 82° / 70° 🌧️ 💧37%

Saturday 78° / 68° 🌧️ 💧65%

Sunday 77° / 68° 🌧️ 💧38%

Friday, September 6

• First Friday BBQ & Bluegrass with Charlotte Bluegrass Allstars I 6:00 PM I Commonhouse Aleworks, North Charleston I September’s First Friday is bringing a great band from our northern neighbors! Come enjoy some mountain music from the Charlotte Bluegrass Allstars, along with plates of ‘que served right off the Swig Rig from Swig & Swine!

• The After School Special by Sipland I 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM I Charleston Place I Downtown I Join for a special martini bar experience in partnership with Sipland, the ultimate non-alcoholic cocktail brand. The Carriage House transforms into The After School Special, an exclusive espresso martini lounge where you can enjoy a selection of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic martinis.

• The Black Jacket Symphony Pres. Elton John's 'Madman Across the Water' I 8:00 PM I Charleston Music Hall I Downtown I Remember putting on an album and listening from start to finish?  Relive that moment with a live concert experience unlike any other as The Black Jacket Symphony recreates a select classic album live in its entirety—note for note, sound for sound.

Saturday, September 7

• Yoga At Waterfront Park I 9:30 AM I 1 River Landing Drive, Daniel Island I Join Bella for a free, all levels slow flow in Waterfront Park sponsored by The Daniel Island Market and Eatery (The DIME). Following Yoga, head over to The DIME for a local vendors market!

• Taco & Margarita Festival I 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM I Riverfront Park, North Charleston I A day filled with delicious tacos and refreshing margaritas. Get ready to indulge in a variety of mouthwatering tacos from local vendors and sip on flavorful margaritas while enjoying the scenic park views.

• Family Fun Fest I 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM I Central Creek Park, Goose Creek I Community family event includes pickleball tournament, visit from Charleston Animal Society with some furry friends, dance performances, live music and food trucks!

Sunday, September 8

• Toddler Goat Yoga I 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM I Flowertown Charm, Summerville I Welcome to Toddler Goat Yoga at Flowertown Charm in collaboration with Charleston Toddlers and class led by Krista Vera! We were the first to bring GOAT YOGA here to the Lowcountry since 2018, and now we are offering a class to down "goat" with toddlers too! OH MY GOATNESS! It is as fun as it sounds! Our goats roam around, cuddle, and play, all while your toddler is in kid friendly yoga poses.

• Holy City Vintage Market I 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM I The Royal American, Downtown I Affordable vintage clothing, accessories, and decor + handmade goods - all from small, local businesses!!

• Trivia + Food Trucks I 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM I Snafu Brewing Company, North Charleston I Come join Nick with Publik Education Trivia every Sunday afternoon for pub-style trivia! Food trucks will be on site to satisfy your hunger and Charleston’s finest sour beers will be on tap to spoil those tastebuds. Check social media the day of for more information on what food truck is on site each day!

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT

The Future Of Charleston Real Estate Development Is (Re)Development

From Mount Pleasant to West Ashley to North Charleston and all spots in-between, our area is full of underutilized properties. Sites where buildings have come to the end of their run. Sites that are ripe for redevelopment.

That photo above will be recognizable to most Charleston locals, if for no other reason than it’s right next to the very popular Vicious Biscuit. Where one NEVER comes out without feeling “I probably shouldn’t have eaten that entire biscuit but I couldn’t help it”.

I should probably speak for myself. But I digress.

Over the past few years, the site has served as a storage lot for various items. Now it's gearing up for a “placeholder”—a use that’s intended to be “short-term” until a new development happens.

Redevelopment Is Hard

Our area is home to 2 of the most exciting redevelopments on the East Coast: the 65-acre Union Pier project and Navy Yard Charleston. These are led by big-money partners—Charleston’s own Ben Navarro and Beemok Capital at Union Pier, and Jamestown LP, a German investment fund, directing Navy Yard Charleston.

They’re projects on a massive scale. They’ll require tens of millions of dollars over a number of years.

Given the previous uses on those sites, it makes for a very complex process. Environmental remediation—read “getting rid of chemicals that may have leached into the soil” OR removal of asbestos—restoration of historic buildings, infrastructure improvements (roads, utilities, stormwater)…

These are just a few of the challenges. And this is after getting all governmental approvals. Which is a very public process, and will require consensus on a Herculean scale.

What about smaller projects?

Smaller projects might require much less investment, but they’re pretty challenging in their own right. Take the Vicious Biscuit-adjacent property, for example.

The owner of that prime 2-acre site—which also includes the aging Peach Orchard Plaza—pursued plans to redevelop it into a retail and self-storage building. They made their Final DRB Submittal—the last step in design approvals before starting full construction drawings—on…

April 15, 2020. 😩

Now, they face higher interest rates, and much higher construction costs.

This property will get redeveloped. And the many others around Charleston will, too. We’ll just see boats being sold a while longer.

WHERE ARE WE?

Each week, watch this space for a random snap from somewhere in Charleston. Where are we? Only true locals will know. DM your guess on Instagram, or email me here. The first person to guess correctly will get a shout-out at the top of our issue next week!

How about it, Charleston? 👇🏼

SPONSORED BY JAMES ISLAND CONNECTOR RUN

Sign up before September 11 price increase!

Charleston Running Club is the O.G. of Chucktown running clubs. In the 70s, the club helped start two of our largest races, the Cooper River Bridge Run and the Kiawah Marathon.

And for the 26th straight year, the James Island Connector Run gets going at 7:00 AM on Saturday, October 26. But don’t be fooled by the name! 😁

Yes, there are 8K and 5K runs, but for walkers, there’s a 5K option for you, too!

Registration includes a chip-timed 8K run or 5K run/walk, finisher’s medals for ALL runners and walkers, a long-sleeved lightweight hoodie, running socks, and refreshments.

And while you’re enjoying this beautiful run, you’ll have the satisfaction of supporting Southern Tails for Precious Paws, a fantastic local nonprofit that rescues dogs from rural shelters and streets in the surrounding areas of Charleston!

Sign up now before the price increase on September 11!

COMMUNITY

Alhambra Hall Is Closed To Dogs! Oh, And Weddings

Brides and canines are just gonna have to find another place to play.

The place where numerous wedding receptions have been held—and where @finnthelab2021 first learned what pluff mud is—is now closed until Fall of next year.

The existing structure will stay intact, but the exterior will be completely renovated. Extensive landscaping improvements are planned, too.

In the surrounding “Great Lawn,” plans call for a patio area and a plaza on the marsh side of the hall for community recreation. The playground across Middle Street also will be upfitted with new equipment — with inclusivity in mind — sidewalks and pathways throughout, and a dedicated dog park is being built in the expanded area of the Memorial Waterfront Park.

ICYMI

 🍔 Five Guys on King Street is no more. But the space won’t remain vacant for long.

🎓 Princeton Review lavishes praise on College of Charleston. For the 21st straight year.

🍖 Texas knows brisket. And this Charleston-area joint was named the top spot in the country by Texas Monthly.

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FEEDBACK

Got 15 seconds? Let us know what you thought about today’s newsletter by replying to this email or voting in the poll below (you’ll be done MUCH faster than commercial real estate gets developed in Charleston). 👇