'Midtown' unveiled; project aims to spur transformation of Upper King St.
$150M private project aims to help spur transformation of Upper King Street, serve as a gateway to downtown
By David Slade , Katy Stech
Detailed plans have been laid out for Midtown, a long-planned hotel, condo and retail project on Upper King and Meeting streets, and the similarities with Charleston Place are hard to ignore.
The opening of Charleston Place in 1986 is widely credited with revitalizing downtown Charleston, and particularly lower King Street. The developers of Midtown are hoping their $150 million project will be a catalyst for the upper end of King Street.
Development has been steadily moving up King Street, but where Midtown is planned, there are still plenty of vacant lots and empty storefronts.
"We really think (this) can build an anchor to King and Meeting that will create an entrance to downtown Charleston," said Reid Freeman, president of Atlanta-based Regent Partners, lead developer on the project.
Like Charleston Place, Midtown will feature a high-end hotel and street-level retail stores. And like Charleston Place, Midtown will occupy a large part of a city block between King and Meeting streets along Spring Street, covering more than 4 acres.
The project would incorporate several existing, historic buildings on King Street, including the former Bank of America branch at Cannon Street.
"The last place with this kind of volume was Charleston Place, and that's exactly what they did; create a sense of place," local developer Robert Clement III said.
Unlike Charleston Place, which was partly financed by federal loans and owes the city about $22 million, Midtown will be built with private money.
Midtown's developers are Regent Partners; Integral Urban Investments, also of Atlanta; Raleigh-based Cherokee Investment Partners; and Clement, president of CC&T Real Estate Services.
Midtown project
The nine-story hotel and condo buildings proposed for Midtown would be the tallest on that stretch of King and Meeting, and just a few feet shorter than a Hilton hotel planned on the edge of Marion Square.
Midtown has been in the works for years, as the developers assembled the properties needed and sought out official and community support.
The city approved a 100-foot height limit for the site in 2004, 20 feet higher than allowed on most properties between upper King and Meeting.
The tallest part of the development will be built almost twice as tall as the nearby Post and Courier building on Columbus Street. The Mendel Rivers Federal Building and Charleston Place Hotel are each about 115 feet tall.
The city agreed to rezone the land in 2006 to allow a mix of commercial and residential uses, with 15 percent of the residential units being required to meet city guidelines for below-market-rate "workforce housing."
Just last month, the Midtown project received permission to tear down two buildings on King Street that are not historic, including a pink cinder-block building at King and Spring streets, and to demolish rear additions on three other buildings while leaving the historic front portions intact.
Now, for the first time, the details of Midtown have been made public as the developers prepare for a crucial meeting before the Charleston Board of Architectural Review on March 3, where the height and scale of the buildings proposed will be considered.
Freeman said the group is still discussing the architecture style, but they are not attempting to create historic-looking buildings.
"When people try to make a new building look like an old building, it is rarely successful," he said.
If all goes in the developers' favor, the project will take about two years to build, and construction could begin late this year.
The Rev. Sidney Davis, chairman of the Greater Charleston Empowerment Corp., a citizens advocacy group with representatives of 19 neighborhoods north of Calhoun Street, said nearby residents have mixed feelings about the project.
If you go
The Midtown project will be presented to the Charleston Board of Architectural Review in a special meeting at 4:30 p.m. March 3 in the fourth-floor meeting room at 75 Calhoun St.
On one hand, they look forward to new jobs, and developers agreed to open their parking garages to those who attend the nearby churches on Sunday.
But Davis said a development like Midtown can have the unintended consequence of decreasing the "minority presence" of the surrounding area.
There's no way to stop investors from driving up the price of the nearby housing, pushing up rents and taxes for longtime residents that might not be able to afford to stay, he said.
"It's just going to have that kind of impact as you move people in," he said.
Freeman said Regent Partners has developed environmentally friendly buildings in Atlanta but is still considering what might be possible with Midtown, as far as "green" building practices.
"We're big fans, but it has to be accretive to earnings," he said.
Clement said the development is already "green" in a way because the site was contaminated with chemicals from a dry cleaning store and industrial activities around the rail line, and the developers have cleaned it up.
An inactive rail line runs through the middle of the properties, and the developers hope Charleston will succeed with plans to acquire the line and turn it into an attractive greenway.
Long-term plans championed by Mayor Joe Riley call for using the line to create a passenger rail service running between the city and Summerville.
Comparing Peninsula developments
Midtown
-- 235 luxury hotel rooms
-- 140 to 205 condos
-- 35,000 square feet of retail space
-- 8,000 square feet of meeting space
-- 4.3 acres
Charleston Place
-- 440 luxury hotel rooms
-- 56,645 square feet of retail space
-- 25,000 square feet of meeting space
-- 4.25 acres (including city-owned parking garage)
Reach David Slade at or dslade@postandcourier.com. Reach Katy Stech at 937-5549 or kstech@postandcourier.com.
E-mail this story
Printer-friendly version
Comments
BeefNBeanBurrito (anonymous) says...
Geechie, if you read the article you'd see the project is supposed to be fully privately funded.
February 19, 2008 at 8:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tbird (anonymous) says...
Build it and they will come?????
February 19, 2008 at 8:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tbird (anonymous) says...
Build it and they will come??????
February 19, 2008 at 8:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
icbmman (anonymous) says...
What a lack of vision and creativity. So Midtown is basically going to be another Chas Place. That area has so much MORE potential, and instead of planning something that defines the skyline in the area and is bold and creative, it'll be the same midrise crap that is built all the time downtown. Very disappointing. It won't even be as big as Chas Place.
I don't understand why they couldn't consider building a large convention center/hotel complex that would be maybe 20-50 feet taller than the Francis Marion. You could set it back from the street of course, but it would be a huge draw for major conventions, infusing upper King Street with the activity Clement hopes to attract. Other major buildings could be built around it, attracting businesses and corporations to locate downtown. If you're going to incorporate condos in the development, have the future residents consider being permanent residents, working next door. Like I said, these plans lack a great vision for the potential of what this project could bring.
February 19, 2008 at 8:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vicupstate (anonymous) says...
icbmman,
It is you with no vision. Columbia has plenty of 'skyscraper's' with corporations in them, yet the Main Street corridor has NO vitality or life. You can roll up the sidewalks after 5:00pm.
High-rises would overwhelm the landscape and be totally out of scale and inappropriate.
If you count the condos, with the hotel rooms, the total exceeds the number of rooms in Charleston Place. There is NOTHING to prevent the condo owners form working nearby. No doubt at least a few will do just that.
Most cities would KILL to have a project of this size and caliber going into the heart of their DT.
February 19, 2008 at 9:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
devster (anonymous) says...
I would like to get in on the below market "workforce housing" deal. Anyone know how to do that? I'll have my $10,000 investment check waiting.
February 19, 2008 at 9:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
icbmman (anonymous) says...
Vic, I'm sorry, for you to defend this just further acknowledges my observations that SC cities love to revel in mediocrity. I know that part of your reasoning for being against highrises in Chas in general are because of your obsession with preservation, but let's not open up that can of worms.
You're right, most cities would love to have something like this going into their DT, but those cities would be severely lacking a development like this anyway. Chas needs something more than just more of what it already has, especially on upper King Street. I have said many times on other forums that this section of King Street would be the ideal spot for high rises, and many people have concurred with that observation. It is a natural area that forms the "spine" of the downtown peninsula. A larger hotel/retail/convention complex would be the centerpiece of a transformation of the "culture of mediocrity" that persists so much there. It would bring tourists, residents, and business people, a combination that is somewhat lacking on lower King Street.
Cola may have quiet streets around its corporations, but that's due to other factors as well: non-tourist destination, physically separated from USC, lack of general "buzz" or excitement. DT Chas lacks any other significant employers besides MUSC. Most of the other jobs that people have downtown do not pay adequately for them to live downtown. So, I hardly think that these condos will allow the restaurant and hotel workers to live there financially. However, if you have several white-collar corporations located in different parts of the area, you'll have a synergy similar to the Gas Light District in San Diego!
February 19, 2008 at 9:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
pompusmaximus (anonymous) says...
icbmman how can you honestly say MUSC is the only significant employer downtown? You might want to take two minutes and look at the labor statistics data located at the dept. of Labor Stattistics website. Anyway, highrise buildings are wonderful and I agree that the Charleston Metro area seriously lacks them, However, to place them in the historic section of downtown Charleston would be a serious error. North Charleston would be great for high rises but the Airport severely limits that by it's flight paths. (Indicated in the N.Chas/BCD COG/Air Force Joint Land Use Study) The only real towers we have are by the medical area and even those are no taller than 12 stories. We need to analyze and determine a place for these office towers so that we can create a central tower area within the tri-county region.
February 19, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BeefNBeanBurrito (anonymous) says...
"But Davis said a development like Midtown can have the unintended consequence of decreasing the "minority presence" of the surrounding area."
Yeah God forbid. LOL.
February 19, 2008 at 10:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ticket3477 (anonymous) says...
icbman..there are height limits in the city of Charleston that the BAR has set. Thats why everything must be approved and knowing one of the main leaders in the BAR who was a professor of mine...they will do a good job in regulating how this new building will look.
archdude...did you read the article? They want to turn the railway into a greenway like the one in west ashley, you know...a long path of grass???!!!...they dont want to turn it into a working railroad. jesus.
I for one am happy they are doing this. They need to build up that end of town. Move em up and move em out. Im tired of the crappiness of that end of town, at least this might make it safer so those of us who do go to that end of king street and meeting dont have to worry about getting jumped, robbed and having our cars broken in to.
GOOD JOB!
February 19, 2008 at 10:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
icbmman (anonymous) says...
Pompous, check the data. MUSC employs over 6,000 employees making it the largest employer on the downtown peninsula. Name one entity which is HQ'd downtown that has more or even close to that number. Unfortunately, there are no other entities which are THAT significant.
I disagree that this Midtown development is considered part of the historic area of downtown. If it is, it would be on the outer fringes of it. Basically, the historical tourist area is located south of Calhoun Street, with some of it extending up to John Street in between Meeting and King. As Meeting and King traverse up to I-26/US 17, an urban spine can be developed, especially because this area is not considered the historic section.
I agree with you about placing towers in and around the medical area. The city should consider the area in between Calhoun Street and Lockwood Blvd to be the next place for significant urban development with office and apartment towers, especially if the current Midtown plan will remain.
Ticket, the BAR has been prohibiting viable, modern projects for Chas that also incorporate its historical nature, and as a result, have left citizens with some pretty dull, ugly midrises. The new MUSC tower is the exception, thank goodness. I believe the BAR should be dismantled and reorganized because in its current form, the organization has a reputation of being oppressive and too controlling.
February 19, 2008 at 11:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
exorcist_pencocky (anonymous) says...
icbm wrote -> You forget that because of the port, Chas has attracted new manufacturers like American LaFrance, Vought/Alenia, and DaimlerChrysler. These companies even indicated that one of the primary reasons for locating in Chas was because of the quick access to port facilities. Do you think Chas could even attempt to create industry clusters in aviation or biomed tech without the port?
What you been smoking, icbman??
charleston, sc had nothing to do with these companies coming to the greater Lowcountry Metro area. Vought/Alenia doesn't even use the port.
Building another convention center down there would be extremely wasteful of taxpayers money.
February 19, 2008 at 11:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
icbmman (anonymous) says...
And the troll comes out. Whatever you're smoking exorcist, it sure isn't legal. BTW, read what officials of Vought/Alenia were saying when they first announced their plans to build the plant. Get a clue.
The convention center that I mentioned would be built privately...you know, like the whole Midtown project? Reading comprehension. Such a rare skill.
"Greater Lowcountry Metro area"? Thanks for the laugh. Your anti-Charleston rhetoric was actually humorous today.
February 19, 2008 at 12:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Grashuslawd (anonymous) says...
The developer says, "When people try to make a new building look like an old building, it is rarely successful."
Would not most people agree that the Mills House Hotel is an architectural success? No, Mr. Developer, it can and must be done with this project.
Charleston deserves better than this clone of some Cleveland Howard Johnson's. This is not Atlanta, Charlotte or Raleigh. Give us something with some grace, style and dignity.
And where are the plans for off-street parking? There will be as many as 440 condos and hotel rooms.
Finally, the long time residents of this part of town had better start looking for housing elsewhere. Their property values, rents and taxes will shoot through the roof.
February 19, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
samwithans (anonymous) says...
As a resident of this area, I can say that these plans make me very sad for the future of Elliotborough. To me, this seems like nothing but a cash grab by these developers, and while I can't blame them (they don't know any better), the city should not let this proposal go through. These guys point to Charleston Place as their model for creating a sense of place and reactivating the Market St. area, but in all my years in Charleston, the most useful thing about the Charleston Place to me has been using the mall-area as a cut-through to save me from having to walk an extra quarter-mile to get to Meeting St. between Hassel and Market St. I have never eaten in the restaurants, haven't done any shopping save the occasional magazine from Waldenbooks, and certainly haven't stayed in the hotel. The Charleston Place, like--from what I can tell--the Midtown development, serves people coming from out of town, into the city and it's principal purpose (as a hotel) is of very little use to Charleston residents. Now, this is suitable, if not even practical, along Market St., which is very tourist-oriented, but on Spring St.?? The plans essentially surrender this point, as they don't place any entrances for *people* along the Spring St. side of the building between the areas around the corners at King St. and Meeting St. There is even a great new bus stop on Spring St. that would be across from what looks like the entrance to a couple loading docks and parking garage... that makes sense. Then again, the people who are using CARTA probably aren't going to be frequenting the new Spring St. health club and spa across the street; but who knows, they might use the attractive greenway.
And who in the world thought it that what the people who live and work in the Spring/King area is a new Charleston Place? What will this do for the people who live in the area? Oh thats right, they won't be there much longer... Both developers and the city should not look to Charleston's cookie-cutter tourist traps as a model for what everyone in this city needs. How about real mixed-use residential (NOT condos) that at least looks like the rest of King St. does from the street. No high-rises either, see MUSC.
I'll be the first to say that this area of town needs to be revitalized by *something,* but please god don't make it a Charleston Place. I live three-blocks away, I don't need a nine-story hotel.
**Either way, get your butts to the BAR meeting on the 3rd.**
February 19, 2008 at 12:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yeayea (anonymous) says...
a lot more homeless people roaming around charleston if this goes down.
February 19, 2008 at 12:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
captivated (anonymous) says...
15 years ago, I rented a two bedroom apartment on Nassau st. across from the Pig for 250 a month. That same apartment today rents for 1250 a month. If they build these dogs, you will see economically forced gentrification on steroids in a very short time. I really think the gymnasium was a better idea. Well, at least the new Pig will get some action.
February 19, 2008 at 1:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
pompusmaximus (anonymous) says...
icbman, you are distorting what I said. You said, and I quote, that "MUSC is the only significant employer DT". That is flat out wrong. MUSC is just the largest which doesn't automatically make it the only significant employer..geez. Lets see we got, the State Port Authority, College of Charleston, Roper St. Francis, The bazillion law firms, restaurants and hotels, etc. Now all of these places may not pay exceptionaly well but they do produce plenty of jobs. Next time, define the term significant in this particular context and I will back off. Besides, what would YOU put in Mid towns place that offers close to 6000 jobs? Hell even half that number would be unobtainable. Look at the site plan and tell me. Oh and commuter rail is a good idea considering that gas prices will continue to rise and other forms of transport will need to be transitioned to. Read a book.
February 19, 2008 at 1:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
samwithans (anonymous) says...
Grashuslawd- the plans call for two large parking garages--one off Spring St. for the condos and one off King St for the hotel.
February 19, 2008 at 1:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
icbmman (anonymous) says...
Sorry about that, pompous, I guess I should've been clearer. You're right, MUSC is not the ONLY significant employer, but it is kind of difficult to find another employer downtown with similar numbers, you know? The law firms, SPA, C of C, and Roper are indeed significant employers, but where are the private industries such as insurance, banking, or IT? Those sectors are what downtown should target in locating HQs because many of these entities pay high-dollar, white-collar jobs...it would be ideal to have those employees living in the same vicinity as their work. Unfortunately, the majority of hotel and restaurant employees do not bring in enough income to have the ability to buy or rent the majority of condos and apartments downtown.
Locating a national or international business' HQ would bring comparable numbers to current employers on the peninsula. It would be difficult to bring in the same numbers as MUSC, but imagine if the numbers were 1,500-3,000. Those numbers would indeed make a difference.
February 19, 2008 at 2:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
icbmman (anonymous) says...
Oh, and I do not have a problem with creating a corridor for commuter rail, but I don't think it would be feasible if they make the old rail greenspace. I'd personally prefer a monobeam system. Either way, instead of doing things like creating green spaces, they need to start creating the infrastructure for getting commuter rail started.
February 19, 2008 at 2:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
samwithans (anonymous) says...
Considering the cost that would be associated with rehab-ing the existing rail right of way anyway, I think keeping it undeveloped is fine until plans are in place at which time that pesky green space can make way for the yet-to-be-seen trains.
February 19, 2008 at 2:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wegwam (anonymous) says...
highrises on the pennisula or anywhere near our coast are not good ideas given charlestons soil, geological history. its not like we have bedrock here.
February 19, 2008 at 3:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
icbmman (anonymous) says...
Wegwam, then I guess we need to start tearing down the highrises in New York City, Miami, and Myrtle Beach, huh? Construction engineering has provided some very impressive structures for Japanese and Californian cities that also have weather and earthquake problems, so I'm sure something could be adequately built in Chas. Incidentally, the Midtown area is considered the highest elevated section of the peninsula with the best soil stability.
February 19, 2008 at 3:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
icbmman (anonymous) says...
TP, I don't want to stop the project, I want to make it better. I currently live in Cola, anyway, but maybe some locals from my hometown can take my ideas and use them as input for the BAR meeting.
February 19, 2008 at 3:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
msplacedinsc (anonymous) says...
This is a great project for the pennisula.
One: it cleans up a blighted area, Two: it can help the area people get a job, Three: the tax roll for the city increases. The only bad thing about the project is not incorporating the historic architecture of the area with the buildings. Mr. Freeman was wrong that you CAN'T blend an historic look to a new building. It can be done and has been done by excellent designers around the country.
February 19, 2008 at 4:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
samwithans (anonymous) says...
icbmman- not every coastal area is the same. As with many areas in the Northeast, NYC sits on pretty substantial bedrock, as do the other locales you mentioned (to varying degrees). To build anything substantial on the peninsula, even a few stories, you must drive hundreds of 80-120 ft piles into the ground until you hit bedrock (seen now in the new CofC construction at Coming and Calhoun). This area of town could handle more than further down the peninsula, but I still stand by my point against high-rises.
Good use of sarcasm though.
February 19, 2008 at 7:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
icbmman (anonymous) says...
Sam, I'll give you that NYC does have areas of bedrock, but Manhattan is anything but that. As a matter of fact, the island had similar geography to the Chas peninsula. What further downplays your argument is the fact the entire World Trade Center Complex was built on water, a completely artificial extension of the island. With the depth of NYC's harbor and with the enormous size of the buildings, engineers had to drive thousands of those piles you mentioned to build such massive buildings.
If you look at some Chas city archives, you'll see that the early city's high point was in the same vicinity as the Midtown development, so that's why I think it could gain taller buildings. Granted, engineers would still have to drive pilings, but with today's technology, I'm sure that high rises could be sustained.
February 19, 2008 at 7:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
moonpie (anonymous) says...
Build it. There is so much more that could be done in these other areas too where buildings are falling down! I agree with most here high rise buildings are not the answer for Charleston.
Should have built this on the East Side!
February 19, 2008 at 8:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KidYendor (anonymous) says...
We need some taller buildings there. Taller than 100 feet. I would say let them build to two hundred feet high at least. Lets bring Charleston to modernity.
February 19, 2008 at 10:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
EBatos (anonymous) says...
I feel so sorry for some of y'all. You're so angry and nasty to each other. Maybe if you met face to face, you would actually be able to communicate, and not just come back with one caustic retort after the other. Maybe you could have coffee at Kennedy's before the March 3rd meeting.
Please don't make assumptions or be unnecessarily cruel about the developers. This project has been in the works for a long time and good people are involved. Mr. Clement has taken a chance to clean up this site and put something better there. Better than run down, vacant buildings.
Instead of spending so much time on your sarcastic remarks, put your energy to some other, productive use. Try to buy the UHaul property across the street and see where you can go from there. Try first to buy it, then to build a new building that fits in with the 1880's architecture (The Mills House is based on a previously constructed building) that's green (check out Regent Partner's new high rise, The Brookwood, that's LEEDs certified) and keeps rent low enough that local businesses can afford to rent. I'm not being sarcastic, I'd be interested in investing in it, really.
February 21, 2008 at 3:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cofc2009 (anonymous) says...
When is all of this set to be up?
February 26, 2008 at 4:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Postandcourier.com is pleased to offer readers the enhanced ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Postandcourier.com does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not postandcourier.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Read our full Terms and Conditions.
Users can now build user-to-user connections, follow friends' recent posts, add an avatar that fits their personality, and more. If you have posted here before you'll need to sign up again, or if you've never posted before, start now by signing up!
Thank you for your interest in this story. The comment thread for this article has been closed.
- Most Commented
- Most Emailed
- Shared
- Upper King on rise: Hotels, apartments, restaurants changing face of downtown area
- Missing woman case gets murkier
- UPDATE: Missing woman's fiance seen leaving scene of burned SUV, carrying a shovel
- Magnolia Gardens offering free dream wedding to contest winner
- Body of missing woman's fiance was found near handgun
- DAVID SLADE: S.C. offers hybrid car tax credit
- Pinterest: Pinning hopes and dreams
- Black women today: Strong. Resilient. Ambitious.
- MCDERMOTT COLUMN: Golf business has risks, rewards
- Ex-Boeing worker claims racism, retaliation in firing
