Criminal Defense Lawyer in Summerville, SC

A large Berkeley County tract near the Summerville area’s industrial real estate epicenter recently sold for nearly $17 million.

Rushmark Properties paid $16.8 million in late May for about 300 acres along Interstate 26 southwest of Jedburg Road and north of Dawson Branch Road, according to public land records.

The largest chunk of land in the transaction — about 263 acres — was sold by North Charleston Lands Corp. for about $15.3 million. A group of smaller adjoining parcels made up the remainder of the deal.

The property is just west of a parcel off Woodhill Patch Lane near Jedburg Road that was sold for $5.75 million in October to an affiliate of Camping World.

A representative of Rushmark did not respond to a request for comment about the plans for its newly acquired property.

The Falls Church, Va.-based firm has been active in the local market for years. Among Rushmark’s previous commercial real estate holdings was a part ownership with Charleston developer and investor Frank Haygood in the S.H. Kress & Co. building at 281 King St. on the peninsula. They sold the art deco-style structure for $19.5 million in 2019.

Now open

A new apartment development is now open on the Charleston peninsula.

Quarterra Multifamily, a subsidiary of single-family homebuilding giant Lennar Corp., and Cresset Partners last week announced the completion of the 303-unit Cormac Apartments where Morrison Drive meets Meeting Street Road.

Real Estate

The rental complex has studio to two-bedroom apartments with monthly rates ranging from $1,500 to $4,000. Residents have access to a controlled-access, three-story, above-grade garage as well as on-street parking and 19 electric-vehicle charging stations.

The complex also features an eighth-floor rooftop terrace with a butler kitchen. Three elevated courtyards can be found on the fourth floor, including one with a pool and clubhouse.

Cormac also includes 13,068 square feet of retail space and a pair of public ground-level courtyards. The moniker comes from the birth name of 18th-century pirate Anne Bonny, who may have lived in Charleston as a child.

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New builder

The company behind a Berkeley County tract as big as the Charleston peninsula is adding its own homebuilder to the lineup of companies already doing business at the site.

Brookfield Residential, which acquired Newland, the former developer of the 5,000-acre Nexton project near Summerville in 2021, plans to build a new collection of townhomes in the mixed-use community as its first project in South Carolina.

The builder is an affiliate of Brookfield Properties, which invests in logistics, hospitality and retail assets. Among its holdings is Columbiana Centre in the Midlands.

The Nexton townhomes will be built in the Midtown neighborhood. The 1,600-square-foot, two-story, three-bedroom properties will be priced starting in the mid-$300,000s.

They also can be outfitted with extra driveway space and a one- or two-car garage. Pre-sales will begin mid-summer with a model residence opening later this year.

Builders in Nexton have sold more than 2,600 homes to date. At completion, it’s projected to have more than 7,000 dwellings, or about 17,500 residents, making it as big as the populations of Moncks Corner and Georgetown combined.

Other Nexton builders include Ashton Woods, Centex, David Weekley, Del Webb, Homes by Dickerson, New Leaf, Pulte Homes, Saussy Burbank and True Homes.

Nexton is owned by a subsidiary of North America Sekisui House LLC and is managed by Brookfield.

Rebranding

A national nonprofit with an office in Charleston that provides apartment companies with pre-screened, trained and ready-to-work talent is now operating under a new name.

The former Shelters to Shutters is now Entryway.

The multifamily industry continues to grapple with high turnover rates for entry-level employees. Entryway offers a unique program that focuses on sourcing talent where hiring managers may not be looking: individuals and families at risk of or facing situational homelessness.

The nonprofit offers training, employment and housing to qualified individuals who aren’t living on the street but are close to it.

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Trump is speaking Monday afternoon at Sportsman Boats in his first visit to South Carolina since the Silver Elephant Gala last month.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Former President Donald Trump took the stage at a campaign event in Summerville Monday predicting a record-breaking win in the South Carolina Primary as he campaigned for a second term as commander-in-chief.

Trump is speaking Monday afternoon at Sportsman Boats in his first visit to South Carolina since the Silver Elephant Gala last month.

He told the crowd that his last two years in office were the best two years South Carolina boat builders and South Carolina businesses have ever had, saying that boat builders couldn’t make the boats fast enough.

“When I left the office business was roaring like a 400 horsepower Mercury outboard motor,” Trump said. “But then the economy slammed into a pile of rocks known as crooked Joe Biden.”

He promised to end Biden’s “war on American energy” and reclaim energy independence.

“In other words, we will drill, baby, drill,” he said.

Trump said he won South Carolina twice by record numbers and pledged to do it again.

“We did phenomenally here. We’ve always done well here and we’re going to do it at a level that nobody’s ever seen,” he said. “So we broke the record twice. We’re going to break it a third time. We’re going to break our own record.”

He said he intends to “take back our country and we’re going to make America great again.”

Before Trump’s speech, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster told the crowd he went into the State House about a month after Trump went into the White House.

“And South Carolina has been booming ever since,” he said. “But then in January 2021, everything changed.”

McMaster said his administration has had to fight the Biden Administration “every day.” He cited the Biden Administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates for military personnel, and accused it of destroying the nation’s borders and the nation’s energy independence.

“From 2016 until now, [the Biden Administration] has been doing anything and everything they could, legal, illegal, ethical, unethical, unheard of, unprecedented, to do one thing: That includes two bogus impeachments and full-of-baloney indictments to do what? To stop one man, to stop our man from being president of the United States,” McMaster said.

Gov. Henry McMaster praised former President Donald Trump Monday at a campaign event held in Summerville.

Dorchester County deputies said earlier on Monday that Trump’s visit to Summerville would cause delays on Highway 78 from Summerville east of Berlin G. Myers Parkway to Jedburg Road at Mallard Road. Drivers in the area are asked to search for alternate routes if they don’t live or work along Highway 78 and are encouraged to use other entrances to neighborhoods in the area.

Traffic delays are expected to last through about 5 p.m. Monday but the delays could be extended.

Dorchester County deputies are warning of traffic delays ahead of former President Donald Trump’s visit to the Lowcountry.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Construction has begun on Marlowe Summerville, a 278-unit rental complex on a 27.9-acre site in Summerville.

It is the first foray into South Carolina for The Resmark Companies, a Los Angeles-based real estate investment management company, which is partnering with Greystar Real Estate Partners, a Charleston-headquartered investment and development company with offices across the country and on four continents.

Marlowe is a Greystar brand marketed as “​​​​​​suburban luxury living.” The Summerville project on N. Main Street and College Park Road is the first Marlowe brand in the state, according to a news release.

“We are excited to make our first investment in the Charleston MSA with Greystar, a long-term and trusted partner,” Ziv Cohen, chief investment officer of Resmark, said in the news release. “Having worked together for a decade, we recognize that Greystar brings rigorous attention to design, quality and detail that results in great consumer response and community acceptance.”

Pre-leasing at Marlowe Summerville is expected to begin next fall, according to Stephen O’Neil, senior vice president for investments at Resmark. The community will offer amenities including a clubhouse equipped with a fitness center and co-working spaces, resort-style pool, grilling stations, pickleball courts, dog park and outdoor dog wash, as well as a grand central amenity lawn with shuffleboard, cornhole and a community garden.

O’Neil said in the release that Resmark was drawn to the site because of “Summerville’s location as a top-tier suburban market near Charleston, its attractive demographics, access to commuting routes and rapidly expanding employer base are all factors that underscore a strong outlook for multifamily development.”

The company also pointed to the site’s proximity to Camp Hall 10 miles away, a 7,000-acre commerce park that has attracted nearly $5 billion in investment and projected to create as many as 1,500 jobs for workers who will need a place to live, the release said.

Related article: Work begins on newest Camp Hall industrial building in Ridgeville

“Summerville is a highly desirable submarket twenty miles northwest of downtown Charleston that is attracting young professionals and families drawn to its quality of life and historic charm,” Ben Liebetrau, managing director of development for Greystar Development and Construction Services. “As we are headquartered in Charleston, we are extremely pleased to bring Greystar’s Marlowe brand to our backyard.”

Of the 278 rental homes, 263 will be constructed in 10 separate three-story walk-up garden-style buildings. Fifteen two-story townhomes, each with a fenced yard and attached garage, will be located in two separate buildings. Ranging in size from 560 square feet to 2,114 square feet, the project unit mix will include 16 studios, 127 one-bedrooms, 118 two-bedrooms and 17 three-bedrooms, the release stated. Each unit will offer features such as granite countertops, wood-like luxury vinyl flooring and stainless-steel appliances.

Resmark is a real estate investment manager that provides capital to homebuilders, land developers and multifamily developers across the country.

Reach Ross Norton at rnorton@scbiznews.com or 864-642-5229.

About 300 members across 33 South Carolina chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated are expected to attend their statewide conference in Summerville

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Thursday morning, about 300 members across 33 South Carolina chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated are expected to attend their statewide conference in Summerville.

But the gathering also has a strong focus on promoting higher education and career readiness. As part of the conference, hundreds of students from across the state will come to the town to take advantage of free academic resources.

The fraternity’s HBCU IMPACT College Fair kicks off Thursday morning at 9 a.m. K. Allen Campbell, the director of conferences for the South Carolina District of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, expects close to 600 students statewide will be bussed in to participate.

“We’re just trying to take it to another level,” he said.

The high schoolers, mostly juniors and seniors, will have access to representatives of 12 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Additionally, they’ll get information about the college process and scholarships. Campbell explains not every student has the ability to travel to explore different colleges. So the goal is to bring the students to the colleges all in one location. Beyond the college fair, there will also be a financial literacy course to teach students basic money skills.

“We used to say balancing a checkbook, but people don’t write checks anymore too much,” Campbell laughed. “But if they have that part-time job, how to budget, how important that is to fuse that with your financial goals for college, how much college costs. Just those important things that we tend not to discuss with them until it’s too late.”

While the fraternity is preparing the students academically for college and beyond, members are also showing the importance of dressing the part.

As part of the conference, they’re also hosting their “Let’s Tie Things Up” initiative. It’s an interactive workshop covering how to tie a tie, the importance of dressing for success, verbal communication strategies and career exploration.

“It’s more about a modeling behavior,” George Johnson, the director of communication for the South Carolina District of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, said. “And so the young men they see images of who they can become and just seeing the men there dressed and so that inspires them.”

Organizers prefer that students pre-register through their schools in order to participate. But students won’t be turned away regardless.

Below are the additional community events as part of the conference:

HBCU IMPACT College Fair

Thursday, October 5, 2023, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Lowcountry Conference Center (Magnolia Ballroom)

406 Sigma Drive, Summerville, SC 29486

Financial Literacy

Thursday, October 5, 2023, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Lowcountry Conference Center (Dogwood A)

406 Sigma Drive, Summerville, SC 29486

“Let’s Tie Things Up”

Thursday, October 5, 2023, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Lowcountry Conference Center (Dogwood B)

406 Sigma Drive, Summerville, SC 29486

Graduate School and Career Fair

Saturday, October 7, 2023, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Lowcountry Conference Center (Magnolia Ballroom)

406 Sigma Drive, Summerville, SC 29486

Blood Drive Event with the Red Cross

Saturday, October 7, 2023, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Lowcountry Conference Center (Cypress Multipurpose Room)

406 Sigma Drive, Summerville, SC 29486

Miss Old Gold and Black Scholarship Competition

Saturday, October 7, 2023, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Lowcountry Conference Center (Azalea Ballroom)

406 Sigma Drive, Summerville, SC 29486

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Some businesses say prioritizing a sense of place in the town of Summerville is most important and sometimes that means new development, despite what some people might think.

Dorchester County has a proposed plan to turn 500 N. Main St., also known as their main county building, into a hotel, retail spaces, a parking garage and more.

Some businesses located in the heart of Summerville, like Eva’s Restaurant, think change is about time.

“If we don’t have growth, we don’t have a future,” general manager Tina Howard said.

Eva’s Restaurant has been serving the town since 1944. With the proposed development, Howard says she’s not worried about competition.

“I think it would benefit us as a small business with, you know, bringing in tourists,” Howard said. “...I don’t feel it would hurt us personally because we have such a strong, established business.”

Diane Frankenberger, the owner of People, Places & Quilts, says she’s watched Summerville grow for over 30 years. She says with the old post office as the new public works art center, the old Coca-Cola company as the new YMCA and an old hardware store as her own business, she believes both the county and town councils prioritize preservation.

“You have to go forward with the future,” Frankenberger said. “We still can’t have the same houses around here and the old town hall and no computers and blah blah blah. And so, it’s keeping a sense of place, but moving forward with an eye towards the future.”

The county has already approved plans to preserve part of the county building, which once was the old hospital, and improve the current Veteran’s monument.

“I think when people are calling names or say, ‘Don’t do something,’ let’s wait and see and work together and make the best use of what we’ve got there,” Frankenberger said.

Howard says she wants her 6-year-old grandson to be able to experience a flourishing Summerville, just like she has all her life.

“A lot of people complain about the growth and ‘People will stop coming here, we’re full, don’t come here,’” Howard said. “Without growth, we don’t have a future. The future is growth.”

Frankenberger says she’s ready to move forward.

“No more gas on the fire,” Frankenberger said. “Let’s put water on the fire.”

Dorchester County provided the following statement about the proposed plan:

Dorchester County is looking forward to having greater capacity and flexibility to complete the following projects from fee revenues of the redevelopment:

Funding to preserve the façade of the old hospital building.

A new civic park and improvements to the Veterans Memorial.

An additional $8 Million in funding to DD2 schools to supplement $2 Million from the TIF.

Provide $20 Million in funding for a Community Recreation Facility in the Summerville area.

Provide $2 Million in additional funding for streetscaping and improvements to Main Street and Cedar Street.

Provide credits for workforce housing for teachers, firefighters, law enforcement, and first responders within the multi-family development for at least 15 years.

A modern County office building and additional Class A Office Space in the downtown area.

A new downtown hotel and restaurant to provide much-needed retail and hospitality amenities in the downtown area.

Create additional parking by providing for the construction of a parking garage in the downtown area.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.