renovations

Folly Beach Pier to Begin 24-month Renovation

The infamous Folly Beach pier is getting a facelift!

The iconic wooden pier that offers visitors stunning views of the beach, as well as a place to reel in a fresh catch, is being renovated.

Starting on October 19th, the current pier will be closed to visitors as renovations get underway. The pier, which first opened in 1995, has seen over 6 million visitors in 25 years. Understandably, it has undergone a substantial amount of wear and tear over the years prompting this much-needed renovation.

While the new pier will be similar in layout, it will now be composed of concrete piles instead of wood in hopes that it will be more durable. The project is expected to cost around $13.8 million and will be open to the public in the Spring of 2023.

New In Charleston

College of Charleston Hopes To Redesign One of Their Buildings

While the College of Charleston along with many other college campuses are without people, improvements are taking place. The CofC staff and faculty have used this time to continue to maintain the historic buildings. As this year approaches, the College looks to renovate the Simons Center for the Arts as well as a revamping of McAlister Residence Hall.

Vice President of Facilities Management, John Morris, weighs in on the matter. “[TheCofC Staff] is doing all of this and also dealing with the personal anxieties we’re all dealing with. It’s a lot to juggle, and I know it’s not easy for them. I’m proud of their dedication and commitment during these challenging times,” Morris tells The College Today.

As COVID-19 continues to delay the reopening of schools, this opportunity to enhance the architecture and design of the school is being taken advantage of. With so many beautiful projects that have ensued, it’s likely CofC will be in its best shape once they choose to reopen.

Along with the redesigning of the Simons Center and McAlister Dorms, the College is upkeeping all surrounding facilities. These renovations are keeping employees working and getting paid. Safety precautions have been put in place to keep CofC employees that have to be on campus safe.

“Y’all are going to be amazed when you get back at some of the things that we’ve been doing – campus is looking beautiful,” says Milton Summers, Deputy Director of Central Energy at the College.

News

Charleston’s Last Endangered Landmark Could Soon Turn Into Office Space

Featured Image Credit: Bulldog Tours

Jason Ward, president of Landmark Enterprises, said that his company has developed office, industrial and hotel projects across the Charleston area but has never tackled anything quite like this before.

The Old City Jail is quite possibly the creepiest looking building in all of Charleston, but it might just be the neatest. Not only are there ferns and weeds sprouting from the walls, there are chunks of missing stucco and exposed bricks where the masonry eroded away. It’s so eery, it’s awesome.

The three-story building has seen minimal repairs since it was decommissioned as a jail in 1939. Since then, the building has been used for storage, special events, classrooms and you bet, ghost tours. Bulldog Tours currently leads small groups of ghost-hunting thrill-seekers through the building by appointment.

Last year, Ward purchased the building from a corporation that had acquired it four months earlier from The American College of the Building Arts for $2 million. The college recently moved out of the basement of the old building and nestled into their new location on upper Meeting Street.

Image Credit: Marlene Sloss/ Post & Courier Staff

Next week, Ward will go before a city board to seek permission to move forward with his renovations. He plans to turn the building into modern offices, which will bring in a lot of interest considering the history and the story behind the building.

“I’ve never been here without multiple tourists walking though the yard taking pictures of the building,” Ward told the Post and Courier. “That, to me, proved the building was special.”

With an old building, however, comes its slew of problems and structural issues. After an earthquake damaged the building in 1886, the city repaired the floors with a mix of steel and concrete, which has now rusted and expanded.

When The College of the Building Arts moved in, they removed chunks of those floors and built four interior steel towers and anchored walls to them. While helpful, this work was only a temporary solution – a band-aid of sorts.

Ward said he plans to change the building as little as possible. The character of the building would be kept in-tact, as he says he appreciates it just how it is.

Image Credit: Liollio Architecture/BAR

However, it is impossible to make changes to a historic Charleston landmark without getting people talking. Sean Pike, who grew fond of the building ever since he ran around it as a small child, created the Old City Jail Foundation and sent out a recent statement urging its preservation.

On the other hand you have City Planner Jacob Lindsey who said he has had plenty of good informative conversations about the planned work and is hopeful the project will be a positive one for Charleston.

“They’re taking the right steps to preserve the structure and the site,” he said. “They’re a responsible and serious owner that’s seeking to restore the building in keeping with national preservation standards.”

If his plans are approved, then Ward said he hopes construction would begin early next year and finish in 2019. We will just have to wait and see what the board of architectural review decides.