Charles Towne Landing, Shining Example!

This place is so cool! Most people have to drive half a day or more to get to a park of this caliber, and even then it is just the animals or just the scenery or just the living history. Charles Towne Landing has it all and right in the middle of everything!

"The Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site has been named the Shining Example Travel Attraction of the Year by the Southeast Tourism Society.

The award was presented to the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism at the tourism society’s fall meeting in Lake Charles, La.
The regional tourism organization honored the park for the successes that have followed an extensive renovation of the historic site where English settlers from Barbados founded the first permanent settlement in the Carolinas Colony in 1670."

For the Charleston Regional Business Journal article: http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/pub/13_19/briefs/10344-1.html

For the Charles Towne Landing website: http://www.charlestowne.org/index.shtml

Drayton Hall Donation

It's great to see this kind of constructive cooperation amongst players with the power to really shape the future of the Lowcountry landscape! I love to think of my grandchildren enjoying the same beauty that my grandparents did!

"The deed to 43.8 acres of marshland along the Ashley River near Drayton Hall will be presented later this month to officials at the historic landmark.

The marshland was acquired from Plum Creek, a timber management company, by the Historic Ricefields Association, an organization dedicated to preservation in the Lowcountry.

The marsh parcels are located on the west bank of the Ashley River and downriver from Drayton Hall. The association paid $21,900 for the property.

HRA Secretary Joe Carter learned about the parcels six years ago through the state Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management and had been working since then to acquire them for a subsequent donation.
Carter said the acquisition fits HRA’s mission to preserve the scenic values in South Carolina.

George McDaniel, executive director of Drayton Hall, lauded the sale of the land from Plum Creek and the subsequent donation to Drayton Hall as an example of stakeholders working together to protect such important environmental resources as the Ashley River before threats arise."

For the full Charleston Regional Business Journal article: http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/pub/13_19/briefs/10323-1.html

For Drayton Hall: http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/pub/13_19/briefs/10323-1.html

For the Plum Creek Timber Company (incidentally the country's largest private landowner): http://www.plumcreek.com/default.php

Getting Back to Normal

The wild-eyed, everybody-gets-financed, buy-buy-buy, the-sky's-the-limit mortgage days have finally passed . . . and for most Americans that's a good thing! Remember reasonable real estate is always a good investment, but when the situation isn't reasonable everybody better look out.

"Mortgage lenders large and small are shutting their doors, home builders are offering incentives to help them move unsold homes, and potential home buyers are no longer being showered with pennies from heaven. Today’s would-be homeowner has to purchase a house the old-fashioned way: with cash and credit.

'I think we have gone back in time to where some people have to put some skin in the game,’ said Andrew Looker, regional builder sales manager in the Carolinas for J.P. Morgan Chase Bank. 'We were giving loans to people who had no business getting into a house and they were being set up for failure. Everybody should have a house and the pride of home ownership, but I think you have to earn that right.'

While the mortgage industry is now struggling with tighter funds, that doesn’t leave potential home buyers without hope, Looker said. Chase is not having problems with mortgage lending, Looker said, and applications in the Carolinas were up about 30% in August.

'The economy is still very strong both in North and South Carolina,' he said. 'If you have the wherewithal to buy a house, if you have the credit, 401(k) savings and things of that nature, you’ll get a loan.'

Consumers can still get mortgages with good interest rates, but [Robert Young, chief financial officer for Summerville Homes,] believes many are not educated enough about the industry to know where they stand.

'A lot of people that come in to see our homes are very able, even through the credit crisis, to afford one of our homes,' Young said. 'They just don’t know that. It’s more a lack of understanding of what they can afford.'"

For the full Charleston Regional Business Journal article: http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/pub/13_19/news/10319-1.html

Clements Ferry Road

Another part of town that's moving on up! This area still has some really great deals to go along with all of it's other good points . . . better and better!

"It’s east of the Cooper but it’s not in Mount Pleasant. It’s in the city of Charleston but it’s not in Charleston County. It is still largely rural, but light industry has moved in and rooftops are going up. Where are you? The answer is Clements Ferry Road, a developing corridor between Interstate 526 and S.C. Highway 41.

Back when the housing market was booming, Clements Ferry Road became a new residential hot spot. National builders scurried in, including D.R. Horton, Portrait Homes, Ryland and Centex.

'You have great access to I-526, the proximity to North Charleston, to Interstate 26 and to Daniel Island shopping and schools,' [Philip Ford, vice president of the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association] said. 'You’re close to Daniel Island but you’re not on Daniel Island…and you don’t have to pay Daniel Island prices.'

Retail will follow any residential development, [Charlie Moore of Batten and Moore Development] said.

'Daniel Island-type shops, those will be coming, as well as retail and residential services such as banking and grocery stores,' Moore said. 'Look at Long Point Road and I wouldn’t doubt you’ll see similar development along Clements Ferry Road.'"

For the full Charleston Regional Business Journal article: http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/pub/13_19/news/10314-1.html

For River Reach Pointe, one of the new developments: http://www.summervillehomes.org/community.php?id=18

For Palmetto Place Luxury Condominiums, another new development: http://www.palmettoplacecondo.com/progress.htm

For Beresford Hall, "A Creekside Settlement":

http://www.beresfordhallassembly.com/default.php

SC Place Name Pronunciation Guide

Well, they have reached a final edition on the SC Place Name Pronunciation Guide, so we can now assert with authority that Sumter is rightly pronounced "Sumpter" and St. Stephen locals say the name with a possessive "s" as in "St. Stephen's" though the spelling doesn't include it. It's fun to review the list and feel in the know when referring to tricky places like Clio (pronounced "Cly-oh") and Trio (prounounce "Try-oh")! Who would have guessed?

For the Guide: http://www.sciway.net/ccr/sc-pronunciations.html

Fishing for the Future

One of the many things I love about the Lowcountry is that we are not just a museum or resort community. People live in our historic homes, locals play on our golf courses and fishermen make their living along our gorgeous coast. The SC Department of Natural Resources is looking ahead to make sure commercial fishermen and the fishing communities they support remain viable into the future! I love that we are changing with the times! Imagine someone proposing that we fish octopus 30 years ago . . .

"South Carolina has long been blessed by the bounties of the sea, but how much longer will this last? How will our fishing industry survive in a time of global competition, increasing pollution, and rising fuel prices? Are there new species of sea creatures that could be fished or caught along our coast?

In the search for answers to these questions, the SC Department of Natural Resources has developed a Cooperative Research Program that enlists the help of local fishermen. Their answers might very well be the key to saving a livelihood that so many of us consider a state treasure.

Using small grants, SC fishermen have been involved in a variety of projects – ranging from monitoring blue crab populations in the ACE Basin, to establishing new oyster beds using old crab pots, to testing the viability of fishing octopus along our coast.

If you found yourself reading the last line twice, that was no mistake. While the thought of many-tentacled sea creatures mere miles from our shore may cause panic in the hearts of children and adults alike, fear not, for the octopus may become our state's next commercially fished marine species.

Wondering how one fishes for octopus? Check out a few photos of a DNR experimental octopus fishing trip off Fripp Island in Beaufort County."

For the full SCIway News No. 47: http://www.sciway.net/sn/47.html

The Big Read

Check out the links below to see what is going in your neck of the woods. What a great idea! I love that we're the kind of place that supports Sportsman's Island features one day and cultural literacy programs the next!

"Dozens of programs and events are scheduled in September and October to celebrate The Charleston County Big Read – a first-time, community-wide effort to promote literacy, celebrate diversity and recognize the significance of community connections by bringing people together to read and discuss a single book.

The Big Read, created by the National Endowment for the Arts, is being coordinated locally by Charleston County Public Library and runs September 9th-October 14th. This is one of 117 communities nationwide selected by the NEA to launch Big Read projects this fall.

The Charleston County Big Read is Zora Neale Hurston’s 1937 book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, about a young, vivacious African-American woman struggling to find her voice, her identity and the meaning of true love. This powerful and lyrical book is perfect for the Lowcountry with its rich Gullah heritage coupled with the desire to honor and preserve the Gullah traditions."

Charleston County Library Big Read Calendar: http://www.ccpl.org/content.asp?name=Site&catID=15369&parentID=15368

National Endowment for the Arts' the Big Read site: http://www.ccpl.org/content.asp?name=Site&catID=15369&parentID=15368

Sportsman's Island

Boating, fishing, Patagonia-clad, Croc-shod, outdoorsy types rejoice! The new Sportsman's Island sounds like a cross between Half-Moon Outfitters and Bass Pro Shops with boat servicing and a restaurant to boot! Cool!

"Two family-owned businesses have teamed up to produce a $7 million marine and sporting goods mini-mall on Daniel Island with all the flair of a one-stop shopping experience at a national retailer. Summerville-based Scout Boats Inc. and Charleston-based Hanckel Marine Sales & Services teamed up on Sportsman’s Island, a multi-store center on Clements Ferry Road, said Steve Potts, president of Scout Boats.

On eight acres, visible from Interstate 526, an 800-foot privately built road and a 150-foot privately built bridge provide access to a site with a roughly 40,000-square-foot retail center. In the future, the site also will include a boat service center and a restaurant, Potts said.

The landscaping and façade are the focal point at the center, which include a lamp-lined bridge, a half-acre pond with fountains and palm trees, and the Lowcountry look of the building.

The center’s interior is being designed by Dennis Setterfield, who has designed projects for Walt Disney World and Polo and recently completed the look of R.B.’s Restaurant in Mount Pleasant. Interior features include a showroom for Hanckel Marine and two 1,000-gallon fish tanks.

Potts has enlisted the help of the South Carolina Aquarium in creating the fish tanks.

The ceiling at the entrance of the mall is outfitted with heavy timber trusses, designed as an architectural feature from which design details can be hung, like large wooden fish.

At the pond and inside the center, Sportsman’s Island will host demonstrations and seminars for sporting enthusiasts.

'This is designed to be a gathering place,' Potts said."

For the full Charleston Regional Business Journal article: http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/pub/13_18/news/10223-1.html

SC World Trade Center Update

Wow! There has never been a better time to be a Charlestonian! I love it!

"Mark Condon, former director of the S.C. World Trade Center, promised the local importing and exporting community that it wouldn’t be losing him when he accepted a new position with a development firm last year. Now it turns out that the firm, Trade Center Development Corp., is joining Condon here. It announced Aug. 24 that it is moving its headquarters from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. to North Charleston.

In a related development, the company also announced the completion of its board membership selection, with the addition of Charlestonian James Gianoukos, president and chairman of ATS Logistics Inc., and Summer Xia, a Chinese-born U.S. citizen who is the founder and chairman of The Segue Group Inc., a California corporation that specializes in business management and international investment.

'Fred Frankel, the chairman and president of our company, decided that the Charleston area, with the incredible growth potential of both the port and the state’s manufacturing base, was a better place to launch our concepts,' said Condon, the corporation’s vice president.

The TCDC, a real estate investment trust, was formed in October 2005 to fund and own selected World Trade Center buildings and affiliated facilities around the world. The company is the developer of the S.C. World Trade Center building currently being planned for land adjacent to the Charleston Area Performing Arts Center.

Through related companies, the TCDC will provide trade-related services to clients including offices, showcases, exhibit programs, import and export marketing and sales and distribution facilities.

Frankel said the South Carolina project will serve as a prototype for the kind of facilities the
company hopes to do elsewhere."

For the full Charleston Regional Business Journal article: http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/pub/13_18/news/10225-1.html

For the Trade Center Development Corporation website (which does not appear to have been very recently updated, but still contains a fair amount of interesting information): http://www.tcdconline.com/

Green Building In I'On

The I'On Group's focus on innovation has certainly made Charleston development more interesting, and their latest project – pioneering aerated autoclaved concrete blocks in the Lowcountry – is no exception. I love being part of the Charleston real estate scene in the midst of so much progress! Better and better!

"Energy efficiency plays an important part in today’s construction industry, influencing decisions on everything from choice of building materials and appliances to neighborhood design and location. I’On Build, a new construction division of I’On Group, is building new homes using an uncommon building material that offers both energy-efficient and weather-resistant properties.

Aerated autoclaved concrete blocks are an alternative to concrete masonry units. AAC blocks are energy efficient, have the highest fire-resistance rating in the industry and are rot- and mold-resistant.

Made from sand, lime, cement, water and a rising agent, the blocks do not generate pollutants or hazardous wastes when they are created, making them a green, sustainable material.

The AAC blocks originated in Europe in the 1940s and have been used in European countries regularly since then.

The benefits of using AAC blocks outweigh the downsides, said Mark Lipsmeyer, chief operating officer for I’On Group. While use of AAC may increase material costs by abut 10%, installing the blocks is less labor-intensive than installing concrete masonry blocks, meaning labor costs will be lower in a home built with AAC blocks. Also, because of the material’s energy-efficient properties, heating and air costs will be lower than in homes built without AAC.

'AAC block is ideal for the Charleston area because of the strength and energy-efficient qualities,' Lipsmeyer said. 'Because of this, the block is slowly gaining in popularity and I’On group is excited to be leading the charge in the use of this amazing material in a production environment.'

So far, I’On Group has built four homes in the I’On community of Mount Pleasant using AAC blocks. They’ll be used in the construction of homes within the new I’On Group development, Mixson, located in the Park Circle area of North Charleston.

Use of AAC blocks is expected to factor into the possibility of I’On Group’s receiving a Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design certification for the Mixson neighborhood.
Currently, Mixson is part of a group of fewer than 250 developments nationwide that are attempting to become the first LEED-certified neighborhood development."

For the full Charleston Regional Business Journal article: http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/pub/13_18/news/10221-1.html

For the Aercon Aerated Autoclaved Concrete company website: http://www.aerconaac.com/index.html

For general news about the I'On Group and their projects: http://iongroup.com/blog/

To test your eye for spotting the use of this material, check out the I'On Homes for Sale page and try to find the four AAC houses: http://www.ionrealty.com/find_home/?todo=search&type=home&price=&bedrooms=&address=Address&lot_number=Lot+Number

Streets North of Calhoun Getting Better & Better

Better and better . . . That really sums it up well. Charleston and the Lowcountry have always been great, and for the past couple of decades and into the next couple of decades we're just going to get better and better! I find this phrase creeping in as one of the lines I use often because they succinctly communicate an important principle. In fact it would pair nicely with one of my favorites: "Our markets are getting better and better, which is why reasonable real estate is always a good investment!"

"The city of Charleston continues to bloom north of Calhoun Street, at one time the boundary beyond which few locals and fewer tourists used to venture.

Now, a new streetscape has sidewalks lined with shops and restaurants in a neighborhood that has become known as the city’s design district. It isn’t surprising that developers have figured out visitors might also want to stay overnight in this area, too.

At least three hotels are planned for the upper King Street/upper Meeting Street area and city officials expect the area may attract more accommodations in the future."

For the full Charleston Regional Business Journal article: http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/pub/13_18/news/10218-1.html

If you are looking to be a part of the rising trend in the area, take a look at my listing at 17 Cannon zoned General Business: http://www.ctarmls.com/CharlestonReports/listings.asp?ID=1022353592

Lowcountry Graduate Center

File this under Ways Charleston Keeps Improving On Success! I love this place, and I love living here at such an exciting time, when smart growth is the order of the day! It's great that young professionals can begin building their lives here from the start, to settle in, buy a house and stay, instead of having to keep things on hold, renting or staying in their "starter" home for the years while they finish their education out of state.

I hate seeing locals go off to graduate school intending to come back, but never quite making it. Let's keep our best and the brightest right here!

"Along with expanding the facility’s offices by 6,000 square feet, center officials added three new programs for this fall: a doctoral degree in educational administration and a master’s of social work, both from the University of South Carolina, plus master’s-level courses in urban and regional planning from the College of Charleston.

The three additional advanced educational offerings bring to 12 the list of programs offered in full or part at the North Charleston Lowcountry Graduate Center, a collaboration between the University of South Carolina, Clemson University, The Citadel and the College of Charleston to bring targeted graduate programs to the area.

Programs at the Lowcountry Graduate Center are aimed at working professionals wanting to advance their careers, or at businesses that have moved or are considering a move to the area and want to ensure their employees have access to advanced educational programs.

Offering additional advanced educational programs was one of the suggestions in the 2005 Forward Charleston report by Austin, Texas-based AngelouEconomics as a way to attract and retain talent and support and grow the state’s biosciences, automotive, aeronautic, advanced securities and creative industries."

For the full Charleston Regional Business Journal article: http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/current/13_18/news/10205-1.html

For the Lowcountry Graduate Center website: http://www.lowcountrygradcenter.org/