Pressure Washing in West Ashley, SC

In recent years, most everyone realized that a plan to build about 240 new homes at the headwaters of Church Creek in West Ashley — one of Charleston's most flood-prone areas and one where governments already have bought out existing homes because they flooded too frequently to fix — was an increasingly bad idea. But the developer still had the zoning, which the city had approved just before three consecutive years of flooding dramatically revealed the problem. Inevitably, the city's stricter stormwater policies would clash with the developer's vision for the 160-acre property known as the Harmony tract.

It took five years, but the city finally settled the resulting legal dispute, and it is to be commended for settling it in a way that should not cause further harm to the surrounding homes, churches and businesses and that also should give residents a new passive park.

Before the city experienced a series of serious floods in 2015, 2016 and 2017, it might have made sense to build more homes on the Harmony tract. After all, new houses anywhere help address another major city challenge, the rising price of housing, by increasing supply. And the location near both the Glenn McConnell Parkway and Bees Ferry Road was well within the urban side of the growth boundary that both the city and county had agreed to.

But those floods prompted the city not only to consider several improvements to the Church Creek drainage basin but also to reexamine whether its stormwater regulations for new development were adequate to ensure that any new building helps, not hurts, nearby properties.

That's where the discord really started with the Harmony project; the developers were told in 2019 that their subdivision plan no longer complied with the city's stormwater rules. They responded by suing the city for $8 million, arguing these new rules were arbitrary and capricious. The city in turn said its first objective is protecting neighborhoods and businesses, whether existing now or to be developed in the future, from the many adverse impacts caused by flooding. As part of the settlement, the developers will be able to build an active adult living complex on 42 acres, the highest part of the site.

The recent Harmony tract settlement can be seen as a conservation win, as 115 of the acres in question will be bought by the city for $1.25 million and used as a passive park, one next to the city's existing West Ashley Park. We urge County Council and the S.C. Conservation Bank to provide the $500,000 in grants the city wants to help defray its costs.

The narrow headwaters of Church Creek actually connect the city's Harmony parcel with the West Ashley Park, and the city should try to link the two with a new trail or boardwalk, which would improve the recreational appeal of both.

We also urge the city to continue working on assorted projects that will make the Church Creek basin less likely to flood, including new places to store stormwater, improvements to existing retention ponds and other places that can store floodwater and a new outfall into the Ashley River north of Village Green.

But the most important work to be done involves the city's rewrite of its zoning code, particularly to guide future development toward higher ground. The fact that the city is having to pay anything to stop an ill-considered development only underscores the importance of that work.

City Councilman Stephen Bowden, who represents the Church Creek area, said the Harmony tract is far from the only example of its kind and that the upcoming zoning rewrite could lead to similar friction with other property owners whose current zoning allows more development than would be wise in an era of climate change, rising seas and more frequent floods. "We’ve got to be ready to have the stomach for those fights," he tells us. He's right.

Click here for more opinion content from The Post and Courier.

WEST ASHLEY, S.C. (WCSC) - A new affordable townhome development is coming to the Ardmore-Sherwood Forest neighborhood in West Ashley.

The City of Charleston approved 10 new townhomes on 1555 Juniper St. The lot will include five buildings with two townhomes attached in each for a total of 10 homes. Each townhome will be about 1,100 square feet.

City officials say the estimated sale price for one of the townhomes will be $278,000.

The Director of Housing and Community Development for the City of Charleston Geona Shaw Johnson says this development is a part of their homeownership initiative for first-time home buyers.

Shaw Johnson says these individuals would have to earn what they call 120% of the area median income meaning that a one-person household couldn’t make more than $88,000 a year to qualify.

This program requires an application to be considered, which can be found here.

The development is costing the city $3,385,715 to build.

“The City of Charleston annually sets aside funding for affordable housing. In addition to that the city of Charleston secures what we call fee in lieu funding from private sector developers when they’re building on mixed-use properties,” Shaw Johnson says. “Those dollars literally are dedicated to the acquisition of land and the building of affordable housing.”

The city’s affordable housing goal in its comprehensive plan states that more than 16,000 units are needed in Charleston.

“The city is working every day to increase the number of units that we have available for our community. We will not achieve sixteen thousand, but we’re at approximately a thousand plus units that are coming online in the next two years,” Shaw Johnson says.

Shaw Johnson says construction is expected to begin in about 45 days and will take 12 to 14 months to complete.

However, current residents say they feel mixed emotions about the new townhomes.

Austin Caldwell lives directly across the street from where the development will be built and he says that this is a very active neighborhood and that residents enjoy using that land for activities like playing with their dogs, but he also sees how bringing in more people could benefit local businesses and shops.

“I could see the appeal to bringing in more people, but traffic as we all know in Charleston is really bad so that could congest the neighborhood. It’s just a double-sided coin that has a lot of advantages and disadvantages,” Caldwell says. “I don’t think it’s the best idea to add apartment complexes or townhomes in this specific neighborhood.”

Caldwell also had concerns about congestion and cleanliness in the neighborhood during the time of construction.

“You’d have eighteen wheelers coming and going, off-loading and loading up equipment. You’d have like construction crews. You know, not all of them are clean, people leave trash laying around that’s just what people do, and you know dirty up the neighborhood. People aren’t going to be responsible after themselves and that leaves people like myself and other of my neighbors to clean up behind them when it comes into our yards,” Caldwell says.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

With the Fourth of July holiday this Thursday, we put together a fireworks law guide to help your holiday go out with a bang.

In South Carolina, anyone 16 and older can legally purchase and shoot off fireworks. However, there are rules surrounding the use of fireworks – so we’re breaking down when and where you can use them.

While most types of fireworks are legal, SC does not allow ground salutes or cherry bombs, M-80s, TNT salutes, bulldog salutes, or small bottle rockets less than ½ inch in diameter and 3 inches long.

There are also time restrictions, which depend on the city or town limits you live within.

North Charleston

Fireworks are allowed every day between 9 a.m.-11:30 p.m. On July 4, the time frame is extended through 1 a.m. July 5.

Mount Pleasant

Fireworks are allowed on July 4 from 8 a.m.- 1 a.m. and on the day before and day after from 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

James Island

Fireworks are allowed every day between 9 a.m.-11 p.m.

Summerville

Fireworks are allowed every day between 10 a.m.-10 p.m. On July 4, the time frame is extended through 1 a.m. July 5.

Charleston County ordinances apply to you if you live in Charleston County but don’t live within any city or town limits (including West Ashley + Johns Island). However, there are no set laws prohibiting the use of fireworks. If you are unsure, visit your local government website or speak with your Homeowners Association regarding fireworks rules.

If you are planning on putting on your own firework show this year, here are some firework safety tips from the National Council on Fireworks Safety:

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A ribbon cutting was held to commemorate the official opening of its food forest in West Ashley, which is the first of its kind in the state.

The Charleston Parks Conservancy celebrated the launch of the Food Forest at Mulberry Park on Tuesday in the Ardmore neighborhood. The area was designed to be a sustainable and inclusive food source for the community providing them with fresh fruits, nuts and berries from the newly planted orchard.

The Charleston Parks Conservancy started this project nearly two years ago. In April, the conservancy started planting the crops and herbs in the food forest, and now they are starting to produce vegetables and berries.

Charleston Parks Conservancy Executive Director and CEO Darlene Heater said there is no limit on what a person can take, but that they ask for people to take responsibly and leave some for others.

She said they expect to see 30,000 pounds of produce come out of the food forest each year and that it equates to about $25,000 worth of food.

Heater said organizers were very strategic in choosing the location by looking at areas where people had limited access to nutritious, affordable food.

“This neighborhood is a community that struggles with access to healthy foods that’s affordable to them,” Heater said. “We worked in partnership with the city and the neighborhood and the South Carolina Forestry Commission to bring this to life in this neighborhood that can very much benefit from it.”

The sponsors for this project included Trident United Way, the City of Charleston, Bank of America and the South Carolina Forestry Commission.

Trident United Way Health Program Manager Madison James said in the Tri-County area there are over 100,000 households that experience food insecurity. She said she is happy to be supporting a project that is helping combat this.

“What’s special about this project for me is the fact that it’s going to have a long-term impact. This isn’t just putting a tomato plant in the ground and getting tomatoes for the summer. You’re getting fruits and vegetables from this area for the next ten years to come,” James said.

Since March, the conservancy has installed a rain garden; created a pollinator habitat; installed 96 mushroom logs and planted seasonal and perennial food crops and herbs.

The community will not only have access to free produce, but the conservancy will also offer programs and training on how to prepare the crops, when to harvest them and how to preserve them.

To learn more about those learning opportunities and the food forest, click here.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Closing day for the Dollar Tree in West Ashley is looming closer.

The discount store in the Publix-anchored Ashley Landing Shopping Center is expected to close its doors June 14, according to employees who were not authorized to speak on behalf of the retailer.

They also noted that the store is in talks to reopen in the fall in the former Bed Bath & Beyond in The West Ashley Shoppes at 946 Orleans Road, across from Citadel Mall. Dollar Tree officials did not respond to requests for comment.

The existing Dollar Tree space, along with the since-closed Napa Valley Auto Parts, and part of the space used by Pivotal Fitness will be demolished to make way for a new Publix.

"A portion of building will be demolished, circulation will be improved and the existing Publix will relocate across the parking lot," according to conceptual site plans for the property near Sam Rittenberg Boulevard and Old Towne Road. "The remainder will be new commercial tenant space."

The existing Publix will remain open until the chain completes its new store.

Charlotte-based Faison bought the nearly 30-acre shopping center in 2014 for $19.23 million. The retail center opened in 1972 as Ashley Plaza Mall.

Business

Beauty brand

Tanger is expanding its makeup offerings through a partnership with a global beauty brand.

The owner and operator of outlets and open-air shopping malls will bring a Sephora to the North Charleston property, in addition to locations in New York, Florida, Maryland and Arizona.

The stores will average 5,000 square feet with the expectation to open later this year.

Tanger Outlets in North Charleston is near Interstate 526 and International Boulevard.

Story continues below

Island shopping

Kiawah Island’s open-air shopping center is reeling in the retailers.

A downtown footwear company has added a new location at Freshfields Village, along with a recently opened jewelry shop and fitness center, adding to the mix of more than 30 retailers and 11 dining experiences.

Charleston Shoe Co., which has locations on King Street and Meeting Street, is now open on Kiawah.

Hanebrink Jewelers, a veteran-owned and family-operated store, is expected to open in early summer. It specializes in custom-designed fine jewelry and wedding pieces.

Also, Longevity Pilates plans to welcome members in late summer. The studio is an extension of the boutique fitness-focused Longevity Club on Rutledge Avenue in downtown Charleston.

Retailers Showroom and Aubergine Home Collection both celebrated recent reopenings at Freshfields this past month.

Sweat it out

The Works Renew yoga studio has opened in Mount Pleasant at 1405 Ben Sawyer Blvd.

It's affiliated with The Works Cycle and The Works Sweat Studio, which have three other locations in Mount Pleasant and Charleston.

Members of Works Renew can experience slow-flow vinyasa yoga, meditation, breathwork, prenatal yoga, cardio workouts and more. Classes can be booked online.

Listen to this article

A luxury spa franchise has opened in West Ashley under local ownership.

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa’s newest South Carolina location is at 1133 Savannah Highway, Suite 510. Owned by local entrepreneurs Chad Foster and Mark Reisinger, the West Ashley location marks the brand’s 10th spa in South Carolina, and the business duo’s fifth unit together, according to a news release.

“We look forward to welcoming our new members with this special discount so they can experience some of our most popular services right at the start of joining,” Foster said in the release. “Self-care continues to become more important with the increasing stresses of daily life, and we are excited to provide a sanctuary where the Greater Charleston community can unwind, rejuvenate and prioritize their well-being.”

Foster and Reisinger are multi-unit franchisees with Hand & Stone, having opened their first spa more than 16 years ago in Charlotte, according to the release. Since then, the partners have expanded their reach within the Carolinas to bring the brand’s wellness services to even more communities, including Mount Pleasant and Summerville.

“It’s incredible to grow our portfolio with a brand that shows the same deep care for its owners and operators as it does for its guests,” Reisinger said in the release. “The continued support we receive, coupled with Hand & Stone’s unmatched ability to continue to innovate its offerings and resources, allow us to remain competitive in the market and provide the best massage and facial services in the state.”

The newest Hand & Stone in West Ashley brings high-quality professional massage services, including Swedish, Himalayan salt, sports, deep tissue, oncology and prenatal massages to the Greater Charleston community, the release stated. Guests can also visit the new spa to enjoy Hand & Stone’s signature hot stone massage and facial and hair removal treatments tailored to each individual’s needs or skin concerns, with a wide-range of services available for women, men and teens.

Like all Hand & Stone spas nationwide, the new West Ashley location offers advanced skincare and spa services that incorporate new technologies at the forefront of the wellness market to enhance each guest’s overall experience, the release stated.

There’s no rest for development along Bees Ferry Road in West Ashley.

With the completion of Lennar’s Grand Bees neighborhood off Proximity Drive and plans kicking off for the Long Savanna development, a new wave of retail is ready to burst into the area.

The city will welcome a Chick-fil-A and Kickin’ Chicken, a daycare, two possible schools and plenty of retail on the road extending from Savannah Highway to Highway 61.

“There’s a saying that retail follows rooftops, and West Ashley finally has the rooftops,” Eric Pohlman, West Ashley project coordinator for the city of Charleston.

See what's coming soon below.

1. Long Savanna county park

After 20 years, the Long Savanna development is moving forward. The project will be broken down into three parts with 10 neighborhoods built on 1,500 acres of land. In addition to residences, Long Savanna will have two parks and preserved wetlands. The county park will total 1,628 acres.

2. Long Savanna city park

The city park will be 203 acres, the largest in Charleston to date.

3. Long Savanna homes

While the specific subdivisions are still awaiting approval by the city, to date Mungo Homes and PulteGroup have acquired property and signed on as builders. Of the 10 neighborhoods, one will include a community center with retail, restaurants and medical spaces. Talks are also in the works to develop a YMCA, said Taylor Bush, president of the Long Savannah Co.

The development will be connected to Bees Ferry via Bear Swamp Road, Bridge Road and the future extension of the Glenn McConnell Parkway.

4. Apartments

Aventon Cos., a multifamily developer out of Raleigh, is building 394 apartments on this 30-acre property. Residents can select from one-, two- and three-bedroom units at 1153 Bees Ferry, which has a Johns Island address.

The development is still under construction with pre-leasing expected to open this year.

5. Kickin’ Chicken, restaurants and medical offices

Kickin' Chicken will open its sixth location at 1198 Bees Ferry, near Hunt Club Run. The casual Charleston-based restaurant will be one of several tenants in a new 38,000-square-foot retail center by Charleston-based Adams Property Group.

Others include San Miguel, a Mexican restaurant, Southside Animal Hospital, Pediatric Dentistry, Charleston Oral and Facial Surgery and a nail spa.

Leases for seven other spaces ranging from 1,254 square feet to 2,007 square feet have yet to be finalized. Tenants should be ready to start their buildouts by summer.

Story continues below

6. Carolina Voyager School & Bellerose at Bees Ferry

Two developments are in the works for Bluewater Way and Bees Ferry Road.

The already-established charter school Carolina Voyager will be moving from Wappoo Road to one corner. Its new 52,000-square-foot building is expected to open this summer.

Also, the Bellerose at Bees Ferry apartments are under construction in the new Storia neighborhood. Plans call for 155 three-bedroom townhomes, pool, on-site dog par, open-air pavilion and walking paths.

7. Verdier Pointe

Toll Brothers, a luxury builder, is bringing their skills from Pennsylvania to Charleston with Verdier Pointe. The community of single-family homes offers six two-story home designs off Bees Ferry on Claret Cup Way.

8. Verdier St. development

The city is in the process of purchasing property between Verdier Street and Bees Ferry for 180 units of affordable housing. The 17-acre lot would comprise a mix of housing and commercial with a daycare option and car wash.

9. Undecided retail

A single owner has acquired the three lots and is currently researching what commercial uses would work best, according to Pohlman. One requirement of the redevelopment is adding a connector road off Bees Ferry to meet with Floyd Road.

10. Time to Shine and more retail

A proposal for a car wash passed the preliminary approval at the city of Charleston’s Design Review Board earlier this year. There aren’t many details on further development yet, but Pohlman said considerations right now include a retail aspect.

11. Chick-fil-A

The Atlanta-based fast food restaurant is developing its third West Ashley location at 1000 Floyd Drive.

12. Retail

Originally Publix wanted to develop a grocery store on this parcel of land, but the site is too constrained with wetlands where Church Creek flows out, Pohlman said. Instead, the city is tightening up plans for mixed-use residences and retail that would spread out horizontally.

13. Shadowmoss retail

A strip center is underway at Shadowmoss Parkway and Bees Ferry Boulevard. The Adams Property Group is leading the project, with room for 12 to 15 retail-type businesses expected to come online this summer.

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Pizza is that feel-good companion that goes with any time, place, or occasion. The Lowcountry may be known for Southern favorites like shrimp and grits, but there is certainly no shortage of pizza joints serving up irresistible pies. Charlestonians have the luxury of not having to choose a favorite style, as influences from all over the world make up the eclectic pizza scene. New establishments may be the talk of the town, but these 13 mainstays are where to go for a quality slice that’s guaranteed to hit the spot.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Grab take-out or delivery from this North Charleston establishment. Choose from one of the many creations like the pepperoni and pineapple topped Big Z or the barbecue chicken Bird on the Wire. Any pie can be made into a calzone, and the eatery also offers toasted sandwiches and salads.

Each component of this Park Circle parlor’s Neapolitan-style pies is chosen with care, from the bakery-quality dough to the local cheese. EVO’s ingredients are picked from local farms to form masterful combinations like the pancetta, Brussels sprouts, and pear pie. Meat eaters can’t go wrong with the renowned Pork Trifecta made with handmade sausage, bacon, and pepperoni.

Customers can find creative neo-Neapolitan pies out of Renzo, like the classic margherita or the creative Cheli with feta, lamb sausage, pickled peppers, and honey. There’s also non-pizza options like charred broccolini with XO sauce or a crunchy Caesar salad. The wine list is pretty rad too.

2018 Eater Pizza of the Year award winner Melfi’s offers thin and crispy Roman-style pizzas in an elegant atmosphere with white tablecloths. The Stretch Armstrong, an amped-up margherita pie highlighted by a stretchy homemade stracciatella cheese.

This Mount Pleasant eatery uses imported Italian San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Try the standby thin Neapolitan slices or go for the thick, square Sicilian, both of which are topped with the highest quality ingredients.

Welton’s Fine Foods started popping up around the Lowcountry with its naturally leavened, slightly charred pies in 2019, and now it has a home base for its pizza parties at Welton’s Tiny Bakeshop. Most Sundays, owners Zachary and Hannah Welton announce the pizza lineup for the day on Instagram, which usually includes a hot honey and pepperoni pie or a seasonal selection, like a recent green garlic pie.

Philadelphia natives Nick and Ben D’Allesandro wanted D’als to be a casual shop with cold beer and handmade pizza, which is exactly what it has become for the Cannonborough/Elliotborough neighborhood since opening in 2006. Diners can go for a classic meat lovers or head for one of the more unique — and tasty — options like the Beetnick topped with bacon, goat cheese, and golden beets.

In addition to fresh pastas and seasonal starters, King Street Italian restaurant Indaco offers several wood-fired pizzas. Selections range from the classic margherita to a lamb version with ricotta and olives.

Find New York style slices at Slice Co. in West Ashley. One of the few spots to order by the slice, this spot is great for a taste of pure cheese, sauce, and dough. Chef Todd Lucey perfected his pies in Brooklyn, before moving to the Lowcountry.

Hip hotel restaurant Frannie and the Fox offers woof-fired creations in a buzzy atmosphere. The standout pizza is the classic margherita with its perfect portions of flavors, but if a meatier option is required, take a look at the fennel sausage pie with red onion.

The name says it all, as the wood-fired oven is the star forming charred crust and sizzling cheese. The kitchen tops pizzas with locally-sourced ingredients meant for high-heat cooking. Squash and onions caramelize before being finished with truffle oil on one called the Butternut, while five meats roast to perfection to make up the Crustavore.

This lively beach-side getaway is a place for oysters, handmade pastas, and most importantly, pizzas. Most consider the Old Danger a must-get when dining at The Obstinate Daughter — it comes with dots of pancetta and a runny farm egg in the middle that melts throughout the white sauce pizza.

There are multiple Famulari’s Pizzeria locations in the Charleston area, but the James Island one doubles as a brewery offering house brewed beers like the Cup of Clouds New England style IPA. For pizza, find a seemingly endless variety of topping options, from pineapple to pesto to cheese steak.

Mobile kitchen Dough Boyz Pizza has amassed an army of fanatic followers around the Lowcounty. The charred crust and just-thin-enough dough makes for repeat customers. The truck can be found at the Sea Island Farmers Market, various breweries, and sometimes Graft wine shop. The pepperoni and banana pepper pie brings the right amount of spice and tang to satisfy, while the prosciutto pie is an indulgent blanket of ham-y goodness.

Grab take-out or delivery from this North Charleston establishment. Choose from one of the many creations like the pepperoni and pineapple topped Big Z or the barbecue chicken Bird on the Wire. Any pie can be made into a calzone, and the eatery also offers toasted sandwiches and salads.

Each component of this Park Circle parlor’s Neapolitan-style pies is chosen with care, from the bakery-quality dough to the local cheese. EVO’s ingredients are picked from local farms to form masterful combinations like the pancetta, Brussels sprouts, and pear pie. Meat eaters can’t go wrong with the renowned Pork Trifecta made with handmade sausage, bacon, and pepperoni.

Customers can find creative neo-Neapolitan pies out of Renzo, like the classic margherita or the creative Cheli with feta, lamb sausage, pickled peppers, and honey. There’s also non-pizza options like charred broccolini with XO sauce or a crunchy Caesar salad. The wine list is pretty rad too.

2018 Eater Pizza of the Year award winner Melfi’s offers thin and crispy Roman-style pizzas in an elegant atmosphere with white tablecloths. The Stretch Armstrong, an amped-up margherita pie highlighted by a stretchy homemade stracciatella cheese.

This Mount Pleasant eatery uses imported Italian San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Try the standby thin Neapolitan slices or go for the thick, square Sicilian, both of which are topped with the highest quality ingredients.

Welton’s Fine Foods started popping up around the Lowcountry with its naturally leavened, slightly charred pies in 2019, and now it has a home base for its pizza parties at Welton’s Tiny Bakeshop. Most Sundays, owners Zachary and Hannah Welton announce the pizza lineup for the day on Instagram, which usually includes a hot honey and pepperoni pie or a seasonal selection, like a recent green garlic pie.

Philadelphia natives Nick and Ben D’Allesandro wanted D’als to be a casual shop with cold beer and handmade pizza, which is exactly what it has become for the Cannonborough/Elliotborough neighborhood since opening in 2006. Diners can go for a classic meat lovers or head for one of the more unique — and tasty — options like the Beetnick topped with bacon, goat cheese, and golden beets.

In addition to fresh pastas and seasonal starters, King Street Italian restaurant Indaco offers several wood-fired pizzas. Selections range from the classic margherita to a lamb version with ricotta and olives.

Find New York style slices at Slice Co. in West Ashley. One of the few spots to order by the slice, this spot is great for a taste of pure cheese, sauce, and dough. Chef Todd Lucey perfected his pies in Brooklyn, before moving to the Lowcountry.

Hip hotel restaurant Frannie and the Fox offers woof-fired creations in a buzzy atmosphere. The standout pizza is the classic margherita with its perfect portions of flavors, but if a meatier option is required, take a look at the fennel sausage pie with red onion.

The name says it all, as the wood-fired oven is the star forming charred crust and sizzling cheese. The kitchen tops pizzas with locally-sourced ingredients meant for high-heat cooking. Squash and onions caramelize before being finished with truffle oil on one called the Butternut, while five meats roast to perfection to make up the Crustavore.

This lively beach-side getaway is a place for oysters, handmade pastas, and most importantly, pizzas. Most consider the Old Danger a must-get when dining at The Obstinate Daughter — it comes with dots of pancetta and a runny farm egg in the middle that melts throughout the white sauce pizza.

There are multiple Famulari’s Pizzeria locations in the Charleston area, but the James Island one doubles as a brewery offering house brewed beers like the Cup of Clouds New England style IPA. For pizza, find a seemingly endless variety of topping options, from pineapple to pesto to cheese steak.

Mobile kitchen Dough Boyz Pizza has amassed an army of fanatic followers around the Lowcounty. The charred crust and just-thin-enough dough makes for repeat customers. The truck can be found at the Sea Island Farmers Market, various breweries, and sometimes Graft wine shop. The pepperoni and banana pepper pie brings the right amount of spice and tang to satisfy, while the prosciutto pie is an indulgent blanket of ham-y goodness.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Residents who live near one West Ashley development learned more about the future of their community during a meeting hosted by developers.

Cameron Property Company, the company overseeing the development of 26 acres near the Essex Farms community, invited residents to share their concerns and provide input at a meeting Thursday night.

The 26-acre lot runs from Essex Farms Drive, down Skye Drive and extends to Dorothy Drive.

Developers were accompanied by Charleston city officials representing the council, planning department, and traffic department to discuss what potential businesses residents could expect to see.

During the meeting, community members said they were relieved to learn that the developer withdrew its request to change the zoning language to include drive-thru windows at restaurants.

The developer is in talks with a grocery store and gas station, but plans have not been finalized.

Some residents said they are less than pleased about the big changes coming to the Essex Farms community.

Residents also expressed concerns about traffic congestion and the potential for a gas station to be built on the property.

“Tonight’s the first time we’ve heard gas station. That was a shock for all of us. When we purchased our properties, we were told specifically that a gas station wasn’t allowed to be there,” resident Kellie Kinard said.

Development Manager Collins Moe said he wants community input but that the company has the right to build to the zoning order, which does allow a grocery store and gas station.

“We’re going through the appropriate city of Charleston permit steps which require traffic studies. Things that outline what we’re proposing to make sure they meet all the standards with the county, the state, and the city, more importantly, based on where this property lies. At the end of the day, we’re still very far out,” Moe said.

Kinard said she is disappointed and was left with even more concerns and questions.

“I think my husband and I are going to have a serious conversation about whether or not we’re going to list our home. Which is really unfortunate because we love our neighborhood. We have great neighbors, but we do not want this type of development that they’re talking about potentially literally within several feet of our driveway,” Kinard said.

City officials stated that this development was approved many years ago and the zoning goes back to 1997.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - From West Ashley to Sullivan’s Island, businesses spent the day recuperating after heavy rains and strong winds caused them to temporarily lock their doors.

Many of the exterior windows at Hay Tire Pros, off Savannah Highway, shattered, and a large part of their ceiling collapsed on the inside.

Vice President Bill Sekula said that they have always expected severe storms to come through with being in Charleston, but that they have never had this much damage before.

“I guess it was like a microburst or something to that effect, but apparently it was raining harder than usual and then the windows started to buckle and snapped over. These windows on the side just kind of came apart and came out of the building,” Sekula said.

Sekula said glass from the windows was even in the back part of their building which is almost 30 yards away. They had to close the business for the day and return all of their customers’ vehicles. He said the incident happened during hours of operation as employees notified him at around 8 a.m.

The next-door business, Etto Leisure Cars, a golf cart dealer, also saw significant damage. Will Harton, chief executive officer, said that part of their awning was ripped off and hit their power box causing them to lose power.

“I said ‘Oh my goodness.’ You know, you live in Charleston long enough, you know a storm is going to happen. Usually, it’s a hurricane. It’s not a microburst like this, but we will be fine and we will move on from here,” Harton said.

He added that he’s glad that all of his employees are safe and that the building and golf carts can be fixed.

First Alert Chief Meteorologist Bill Walsh said the damage could have been from a potential microburst or straight-line wind, but the National Weather Service has not yet confirmed that.

The Co-Op Frosé and Eatery on Sullivan’s Island had around two feet of water inside their restaurant. Their staff members spent the day using buckets to help get rid of the water. They said they have had flooding in the past, but never anything over a foot, so this is the worst they’ve seen.

“This morning, we lifted everything off the floor because we were expecting rain and heavy floods, but we didn’t know it was going to get this bad. So, as we were lifting things off the floor, it started coming in through the back door. Next thing you know there is water all over the place and we started getting buckets and mops and throwing water out. We’ve been throwing water out for the past three and a half hours,” employee Havannah Malan said.

She said that they have had to get their floors redone three times, and she expects the business will have to get them redone a fourth time after Saturday’s flood.

The businesses said they hope to repair the damages quickly, so they can return to normal operation as soon as possible.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Charlestown Estates neighbors are seeing and smelling the unpleasant impacts of Tropical Storm Debby up to their doorsteps.

Several homeowners on Donahue Drive off Old Towne Road are dealing with the overflow of sewage into their neighborhood streets, yards and driveways.

A hazard sign and cones with sandbags warn neighbors to stray from the contaminated water now surrounding many of their homes.

The three manholes being flooded are the result of a system slowly cracking at its capacity.

“We do our best to put signs out, we try to knock on doors and let them know what’s happening. The signs really tell the story,” Charleston Water Systems representative Mike Saia says.

In 2022, the same neighborhood dealt with a similar issue where 40,000 gallons of wastewater seeped into the streets after heavy rainfall within a month.

Neighbors say they have been told a number of different answers but no solid solution, creating quite a tiresome timeline.

“Having one overflow in your neighborhood is unfortunate. Having repeated overflows in front of your front door to your home time and time again has to be an absolute nightmare,” Saia says. “We are throwing every bit of engineering and money we possibly can into remediating this.”

Charleston Waterkeeper is among neighbors who are frustrated about what feels like a lack of progress.

“It’s incredibly dirty water. It’s got bacteria and pathogens in it that can get you sick,” Andrew Wunderley says. “We shouldn’t have to risk public environmental health because the rain falls.”

Saia in response says there is a plan that would take three years minimum, and a $150 million price tag, to make a long-term difference.

“It starts with a new tunnel under the West Ashley Greenway to create more capacity and larger sewer mains and enlarged pump station between here and there,” Saia says.

Workers are also trying to line sewer mains and build up the creation of a new sewer tunnel space. A portion of the solution is located behind a green fence on Old Towne Road at Station 39.

Saia explains there are many surrounding communities dealing with a similar issue because they are connected to the same system, formerly owned by St. Andrews. Saia says the system was in rough shape when it switched to Charleston Water System’s ownership.

“Frankly we have a lot of overflows here and the folks here have unfortunately gotten used to it. We took over the St. Andrews sewer systems a number of years ago, and we’re working to integrate it with our sewer system,” Saia says.

Until then, neighbors could expect to see the issue sprout back up in the event of three-to-four-inch rainfall.

“The problem is known, it’s an inflow and infiltration issue. We need to do everything we can to accelerate solutions to that problem,” Wunderley says. “It shouldn’t take five, three years.”

Many neighborhoods across the Lowcountry are crowding official systems with similar reports. Inflow and infiltration, according to Wunderley, is when inclement weather creates rain and floodwater that infiltrates the sewer system. Weak points, many times in neighborhood streets, then become the victims of overflows.

The City of Charleston and Charleston Water System are gauging a community meeting at the Frothy Beard to inform Charlestown Estates neighbors. A date and time have not been decided.

If you need to report damages or submit a claim to Charleston Water System for sickness, injury to property, or other matters, click here.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

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Danielle and Brent Sweatman understand the complicated relationship between sobriety and the food and beverage space. The couple, who have worked in the industry for years, are two years sober.

“We knew how it feels to be uncomfortable with limited options and wanted to change that,” said Danielle, who with her husband Brent, opened Sweatman’s Garden — a sodary and fondue Lounge at 90 Folly Road Boulevard in the South Windermere Shopping Center.

Brent said they chose the location for a few reasons.

“We live in West Ashley and have been living in Byrnes Down for about five years. Because we love our community, we wanted to provide a cool hangout spot close to home for both drinkers and non-drinkers.”

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According to Brent, he and his wife were happy to fill a much-needed niche in the community.

“There are so many young people in the area that are becoming part of the sober curious movement and it was important to us to provide an inclusive space for the people that would want to take advantage of it,” he said.

And with the rise of mocktail culture, their timing couldn’t be better. According to research conducted by NielsenIQ, the non-alcoholic beverage sector is expanding rapidly as alcohol consumption declines, with popularity soaring over the past five years — a trend driven by Gen Z and millennials.

An Instagram-worthy experience

When the couple moved into what was Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen, they were presented with a tabula rasa, enabling Danielle, as she says, “to go wild.”

She transformed plain, white walls into ones with a dark green hue and festooned them with dozens of thriving plants. Quirky and colorful seating areas are Instagram-worthy, like the attractive curved yellow couch which faces tufted lilac chairs and is separated by a ‘70s-era coffee table.

“We set them up to appear like little living rooms,” said Danielle, adding that she loves maximalism and color. “I was inspired by an art-deco, 70s funky vibe,” she said.

The offerings

Brent is no stranger to libation creation, having helped open the King Street Diner known as the Rarebit featuring homemade ginger beer, tonic, sodas and bitters.

“We’re doing 12 different taps, featuring our tonic and ginger beer and additional playful, fun stuff when it comes to our sodas, like plum rose citrus and a delicious habanero fresca sweetened with monk fruit, which is currently getting a lot of love, along with our root beer,” said Danielle.

For an additional $5, customers can add their choice of alcohol, or a cannabis-based infusion to their sodas. Sometimes customers opt for both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages in the same evening.

“I’ve seen some of them take a non-alcohol root beer break from drinking,” said Danielle

The couple also decided to offer a limited menu featuring fondue.

“We’re serving savory fondue, like Mediterranean and beer cheese and also offering sweet options like white chocolate and milk chocolate,” said Danielle, explaining that she loves cheese and chocolate, but that they also wanted to make the menu a fun, interactive experience that doesn’t take staff too much time to create. For now, the business employs a total of seven staff members.

As for the future, Danielle said they are working on finding their bearings at the moment. “We were intentionally a little mysterious about being open to see what worked and what didn’t, but we may consider live entertainment in the future, if all goes well,” she said.

Stefanie Kalina-Metzger is a contributing writer for SC Biz News.

Looking for Charleston’s best Chinese food? Sure, there’s plenty of Chinese-American spots to choose from, but where can you get something worth your money? From a restaurant with dishes from all over Asia to spots dedicated to Sichuan, there’s a small range of establishments offering Chinese cuisine, but they pack in a lot of flavors in the Lowcountry.

Look here for our top picks.

Read More

Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

North Charleston restaurant Jackrabbit Filly is like if someone said, “Make Chinese-American comfort food, but make it chef-y.” Owners Shuai and Corrie Wang opened the restaurant after years of running acclaimed food truck Short Grain. The menu has touches of Chinese and Japanese. There’s Sichuan dry pot, Mama Wang’s fried rice with lap cheong, and a highly-sought-after chirashi bowl. The restaurant recently added a dim sum brunch.

Looking for a dim sum dinner or lunch in the Lowcountry? Hit up Dragon Palace on Daniel Island for pork buns, shu mai, dumplings, and sesame balls. The interiors are retro fancy with ornate wood carvings and plenty of red. Dragon Palace also offers classics like chow mein, cashew chicken, and egg drop soup.

King BBQ offers Chinese barbecue with a Carolinas influence. The menu centers on smoked meats — five-spice duck, char siu ribs, ginger scallion kielbasa, and rotisserie chicken — and all the ways to serve those proteins — on a sandwich, rice, or noodles. Don’t miss the crispy shrimp toast sliders.

Downtown restaurant Beautiful South serves American-style takeout Chinese classics like General Tso’s chicken and Mongolian beef, but there’s also Cantonese roasted meats and Hainanese chicken. Try one of the inventive cocktails, such as the Love Your Enemies, which is a tequila and mezcal milk punch with a hint of oolong tea.

Downtown restaurant Xiao Bao Biscuit (XBB) has been around since 2012. The kitchen draws from different regions across Asia and delivers on some solid Chinese choices. The mapo tofu is some of the best in town, and the dumplings always satisfy. XBB is usually packed with lively customers looking for Asian comfort foods. Starting during the pandemic, the restaurant began offering takeout.

If you haven’t heard of Old Li’s Restaurant on Savannah Highway in West Ashley, it might be because fans of the Chinese establishment would rather keep it a well-guarded secret. The can’t -miss menu item is the crispy Peking duck, but the oyster pancakes, dumplings, and squirrel fish are worth ordering as well. Old Li’s is BYOB, so plan accordingly.

James Island Sichuan restaurant Kwei Fei has enough peppercorns and punk-rock sensibility to keep any dinner interesting. Owners David Schuttenberg and Tina Heath-Schuttenberg moved from New York to Charleston for another restaurant project, but when that didn’t pan out, the culinary community lucked out when they decided to bring Sichuan flavors to town.

The restaurant usually full of locals enjoying lamb dumplings, spicy noodles, and tingly beef to the soundtrack of loud rock and funk music.

North Charleston restaurant Jackrabbit Filly is like if someone said, “Make Chinese-American comfort food, but make it chef-y.” Owners Shuai and Corrie Wang opened the restaurant after years of running acclaimed food truck Short Grain. The menu has touches of Chinese and Japanese. There’s Sichuan dry pot, Mama Wang’s fried rice with lap cheong, and a highly-sought-after chirashi bowl. The restaurant recently added a dim sum brunch.

Looking for a dim sum dinner or lunch in the Lowcountry? Hit up Dragon Palace on Daniel Island for pork buns, shu mai, dumplings, and sesame balls. The interiors are retro fancy with ornate wood carvings and plenty of red. Dragon Palace also offers classics like chow mein, cashew chicken, and egg drop soup.

King BBQ offers Chinese barbecue with a Carolinas influence. The menu centers on smoked meats — five-spice duck, char siu ribs, ginger scallion kielbasa, and rotisserie chicken — and all the ways to serve those proteins — on a sandwich, rice, or noodles. Don’t miss the crispy shrimp toast sliders.

Downtown restaurant Beautiful South serves American-style takeout Chinese classics like General Tso’s chicken and Mongolian beef, but there’s also Cantonese roasted meats and Hainanese chicken. Try one of the inventive cocktails, such as the Love Your Enemies, which is a tequila and mezcal milk punch with a hint of oolong tea.

Downtown restaurant Xiao Bao Biscuit (XBB) has been around since 2012. The kitchen draws from different regions across Asia and delivers on some solid Chinese choices. The mapo tofu is some of the best in town, and the dumplings always satisfy. XBB is usually packed with lively customers looking for Asian comfort foods. Starting during the pandemic, the restaurant began offering takeout.

If you haven’t heard of Old Li’s Restaurant on Savannah Highway in West Ashley, it might be because fans of the Chinese establishment would rather keep it a well-guarded secret. The can’t -miss menu item is the crispy Peking duck, but the oyster pancakes, dumplings, and squirrel fish are worth ordering as well. Old Li’s is BYOB, so plan accordingly.

James Island Sichuan restaurant Kwei Fei has enough peppercorns and punk-rock sensibility to keep any dinner interesting. Owners David Schuttenberg and Tina Heath-Schuttenberg moved from New York to Charleston for another restaurant project, but when that didn’t pan out, the culinary community lucked out when they decided to bring Sichuan flavors to town.

The restaurant usually full of locals enjoying lamb dumplings, spicy noodles, and tingly beef to the soundtrack of loud rock and funk music.