Commercial real estate brokers in James Island, SC

The first challenges to the S.C. High School League’s reclassification of its member schools began on Tuesday, as 12 schools appealed their placement in the league's realignment for the 2024-26 school years.

Ten more schools will make their appeals on Wednesday.

School officials made their cases to the league’s executive committee, and can take their appeals to the league’s appellate panel later this week. A total of 22 schools statewide are lodging appeals with the executive committee.

Most of the appeals center around the SCHSL's decision to use a multiplier to determine student enrollments for its purposes, with students attending a school from outside of its assigned attendance zone counting three times. The multiplier was installed in an effort to address competitive-balance issues, with private and charter schools dominating state championships in lower classifications in recent years.

Three Charleston-area schools made their appeals on Tuesday.

James Island Charter, moved to Class AAAAA in reclassification, had its request to remain in AAAA denied. Burke, moved up to Class AA, had its appeal to remain in Class A denied.

Charleston Math & Science, moved up to Class AAA from Class A, won its appeal to remain in Class A for the next two years.

Bishop England, bumped up from Class AA to AAAA, will have its appeal to move to Class AAA heard on Wednesday.

Columbia's Gray Collegiate Academy, a sports-oriented charter school and a center of much of the competitive-balance debate, was bumped up two classifications, from AA to AAAA, by the league's multiplier. The school requested to play in Class AAA, but was denied by a vote of 12-3.

James Island officials made their case to remain AAAA by saying the school was willing to remain in Region 7-AAAA, which includes Colleton County and Beaufort-area schools. The school said it was willing to accept a considerable increase in travel expenses over what it would incur in a local AAAAA region.

Members of the committee noted that James Island’s attendance numbers, which total 1,968 including the multiplier, would place the school in Class AAAAA even without the multiplier, but only because the league has increased the number of AAAAA schools to 56.

After discussion, the committee voted 14-1 to deny the request to remain in AAAA.

Charleston Math & Science, which is currently in Class A, was reclassified to AAA by the league. The school, which is not competitive for state titles in most programs, hinted that a move to AAA could result in the school closing all of its athletics programs. School officials said the athletic department operates at a deficit as a Class A school.

According to the multiplier numbers, CMS would be the smallest school in AAA with 672 students, and would have almost 400 actual students fewer than two schools, Dillon and Newberry, just ahead of them in the AAA list.

The committee decided by a vote of 12-3 to allow CMS to remain in Class A for the next two years.

Burke appealed a move from Class A to AA based on a decline in competitiveness, even though its attendance numbers are solidly in Class AA even without the multiplier. Enrollment numbers, however, are in a steady decline; Burke's multiplier attendance number is 469.

The committee voted 14-1 to put Burke in Class AA. Burke could be reassigned to Class A in the next reclassification in 2026.

In other appeals on Tuesday, Abbeville High was denied (by 9-5) an appeal to be assigned to Class A. Abbeville is currently listed as the smallest AA school in the state (379 students with the multiplier), while three schools in Class A have larger attendance numbers. Abbeville will appeal the decision to the appellate panel.

Seneca High’s appeal to remain in Class AAA was denied (14-1), and the school will be assigned to AAAA.

Fox Creek won its appeal (by 11-3) to move to Class AAA. Fox Creek was originally bumped from Class AA to Class AAAA in the realignment.

Southside Christian, a private school in Simponsville, was denied (by 9-5) its appeal to move from Class AAA to AA. Southside Christian was moved from Class A to AAA in the recent reclassification with a multiplier attendance number of 676.

Brashier Middle College, a charter school in the upstate, was assigned to Class AAA, a move up from Class A. The school appealed to be classified to Class AA and the committee granted that request by a vote of 12-4.

High Point Academy, a Class A school in Spartanburg, was moved to Class AAA after use of the multiplier. The school appealed to stay in Class A, but was denied. However, the committee did vote to place the school into Class AA.

Horse Creek Academy of North Augusta, moving into the SCHSL for the first time, was classified to AAA. However, the school offers only 10 varsity sports and one junior varsity program, and does not field a football program. The committee voted to put the school in Class A.

St. Joseph’s Catholic School of Greenville, currently in Class A, was reclassified to Class AAA and requested to be placed in Class AA. The committee denied the request by 12-2.

Updated with visitor information on Friday, Oct. 13

Something green is coming to Charleston, and we’re not talking about St. Patrick’s Day. A new state park is in the works at the tip of James Island. We spoke with SC State Parks Director Paul McCormack for the latest on the project.

The waterfront park will be located on 23 acres at the end of Fort Johnson Road, adjacent to the Fort Johnson historic site. The parcel is managed by the SC Dept. of Parks, Recreation & Tourism.

In 2021, the state purchased the land from the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy for $23 million. The May Forest Convent located on-site is expected to be converted into an event venue that will be the main component of the new park. Funding has not yet been secured for the venue construction project.

Charlestonians can look forward to a day-use recreation and picnicking area with views of the Charleston Harbor, the Ravenel Bridge, and Fort Sumter. There is an existing gazebo and bench swing. Conceptual images are not yet available, but stay tuned.

An event space, lodging, and a dock may be added in the future. A structural assessment of the property is expected to determine park features down the road. What would you like to see this new park offer? Let us know.

In addition, there is a master plan that envisions the entire ~100-acre Fort Johnson area that is separate from the state park project.

The park is expected to open this spring or summer. There is currently no timeline for potential future amenities, but keep an eye on the newsletter for updates. The plans for Fort Johnson, which surrounds the state park area, are long-term.

May Forest launched its soft opening phase. The new state park on the northeast waterfront of James Island offers views of the Charleston Harbor, Ravenel Bridge, and Fort Sumter, plus woodland and fields abutting the shore.

The park is far from finished — but you can stroll for yourself now.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources bought the 23-acre park land from the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy for $23.25 million in 2021.

May Forest State Park and the ~100-acre Fort Johnson area make up a long-term development plan including updated trail access, greenspace, historical interpretation, and research campuses.

The park is located at 424 Fort Johnson Rd. Since it occupies one tip of James Island, navigating is easy: just follow the road to its end and follow the signage for visitor parking.

During the soft opening phase, the park is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekdays, grounds only.

May Forest is currently hiring a park ranger. Once they do, you’ll be able to visit on weekends, too.

Currently, May Forest offers walking trails and four picnic tables to unwind by the water. Pets are welcome in most areas, but you’ll need to keep them leashed.

As the park grows, look forward to an event space at the old May Forest Convent, overnight accommodations, and dining options.

Discount grocer Aldi plans to beef up its presence across the Lowcountry.

The no-frills food chain filed plans with the city of Charleston recently to take over part of the space once occupied by the now-defunct Bi-Lo supermarket on Folly Road on James Island.

Aldi plans to lease 22,000 square feet of the roughly 40,000 square feet of empty space in the former grocery store building, according to Mark Hoffman, director of development for New Jersey-based Garden Communities, which has owned the 4.5-acre retail center since 1994.

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An Aldi representative did not immediately respond for comment on projected time frames for the renovation work and an opening date. Hoffman said he expects work to begin within the next six months with a possible opening by 2025 "if not earlier."

Last year, workout chain Planet Fitness leased and renovated 25,000 square feet on the east side of the former supermarket.

It’s the second new site in the works this year for the German-owned grocery chain in the Charleston area.

In May, the company leased several acres at U.S. Highway 17 and KOA Campground Road for a second Mount Pleasant location. Aldi signed a land lease with property owner Oakland Associates LP for 20 years with the option to renew up to 25 years.

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The penny-pinching Aldi doesn’t provide free shopping bags and requires a refundable quarter deposit for a shopping cart.

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The chain stocks a variety of standard products, mostly under its own label, as well as fresh meats and produce.

The grocer launched its first store in the Charleston region in 2015 off Dorchester Road on the edge of Summerville and North Charleston. The company then followed with a second store on Johnnie Dodds Boulevard in Mount Pleasant in 2017. Both locations were former bowling alley sites.

Aldi opened its third Lowcountry location in 2020 on North Main Street in Summerville, just south of the Earth Fare supermarket. The company added a fourth site later that year in the former Barnes & Noble Booksellers space on Rivers Avenue in North Charleston. A fifth store opened in 2022 on St. James Avenue in Goose Creek.

The low-budget grocer, with its U.S. headquarters in Batavia, Ill., is one of America’s fastest-growing retailers. It will add 120 stores this year. By the end of 2023, it will have 2,400 locations across the nation. It has 48 stores in South Carolina.

Lidl, its competitor that is also based in Germany, opened its first Charleston-area location on St. James Avenue in Goose Creek in 2017. A second location opened in 2022 in Cedar Grove Shopping Center on Dorchester Road in North Charleston, east of the Aldi location.

Lidl signed a lease in 2021 to outfit a former kitchenware shop in Bowman Place Shopping Center on Bowman Road in Mount Pleasant for the region’s third location but later scuttled plans.

In September, specialty grocery chain The Fresh Market took over the lease from Lidl. The Greensboro, N.C.-based supermarket chain has submitted plans to the town, but it has not announced an opening time frame.

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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - One concerned resident living on James Island says there is a lack of communication on a traffic project that was designed to improve the safety and flow of traffic.

The Central Park Road and Riverland Drive Intersection Improvements Project was made to improve the safety and traffic flow of Riverland Drive and Central Park Road for all modes of transportation while minimizing impacts on adjacent property and grand trees. The project officially began in 2018 and is still in the works.

More than 11,000 vehicles a day commute on Riverland Drive, according to the Charleston County Transportation Department, and the lack of turn lanes and significant delays have prompted a plan to relieve traffic congestion at the intersection of Riverland Drive and Central Park Road.

The need for more crosswalks, signs and designated areas, frequent accidents, narrow lanes and delays for school traffic are just a few reasons officials say the project is needed. The funding for the project comes from the second half-cent sales tax.

Eric Lundcrum lives on Terrabrook Lane on James Island and says the road hasn’t been upgraded and the growth continues to climb in the area.

Charleston County spokesperson Kelsey Barlow says the county intends to install crosswalks and a flashing light at the Central Park and Riverland intersection. The project will also add a right-turn lane with refuge on Central Park and a sidewalk along Riverland Drive that will extend to the future Woodland Shores sidewalk to the Riverland Drive multi-use path.

“We should have some consideration on completing some of these projects that are way overdue,” Lundcrum says. “The Charleston County Council is always 20 years behind upgrading infrastructure to satisfy the growth. The other solution was just to put a traffic light there, but they didn’t even do that. Year after year of more growth and year after year no solution to the very busy intersection.”

We reached out to officials from Charleston County who told us the South Carolina Department of Transportation has approved the right-of-way plans, and they are currently in the right-of-way acquisition process. They are scheduled to advertise construction in the third quarter of this year. Currently, officials say the project team has made contact with impacted property owners and working with them for the right-of-way acquisition process.

If you know a road that’s driving you crazy, you can submit your concern here.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — For over a decade, Mayor Bill Woolsey has served over James Island. But on Nov. 7, a new leader will take over.

There are three candidates hoping to take his place.

Candidate Josh Stokes is not new to the political arena after serving on town council for five years. Stokes said he deserves to be the next mayor due to the experience and public service he can bring to the town.

"My experience overall, that’s my experience in my daily life as an attorney," Stokes said. "And I work on very complex issues for people when I’m addressing it for them and finding the right solution and not the easy solution is something I do on a daily basis."

Stokes said if elected, he will focus on development, infrastructure, and flooding.

"Development is one of those, infrastructure related to not just access on the road but pedestrians sidewalk access," Stokes said about the issues he will push for if elected. "Drainage and flooding related to storm water flooding. Those are major issues which we can make a big impact on but if we gotta do that, we need to address them on a daily basis, it cant be reactive in trying to do things, we have to be proactive."

Candidate Brook Lyon has never run for a political office before, but she hopes her love and passion for the Town of James Island will win voters over on Nov. 7. Lyon said she is not new to working hard for the community.

"I’m a hard worker, I’m retired, I have time and the energy and the love for the people and the love for the island," Lyon said. "I’m not a politician, what is a politician? Not me. I’ve never run for public office before and I don’t plan to run for another one. I just want to serve the people, I’m a business woman and a community leader and a community advocate and I’m for the people."

Lyon said if elected, she will bring her work ethic and business skills to the office. Lyon will focus on preserving the beauty of the island.

"We definitely need to prioritize our environment and preserve our natural resources," Lyon said as she reflected on her major issues she will focus on if elected. "We also need to improve drainage and flooding. We need to enforce our current rules and regulations and tweak some to make things better. I do believe government is for the people, we need to be more responsive and more transparent."

Candidate Gresham Meggett III believes he should be the next Mayor of James Island because he knows the town inside and out due his family having roots in the town.

"I’m a eighth generation Charlestonian here and I grew up on James Island and my whole family grew up on James Island for generations and basically James Islanders just want to be heard," said Gresham Meggett III who is running to be the Mayor of James Island. "We need to focus on the people that already live here and quick worrying about this development, we don’t need any more development on James Island until the people who live here are taken care of."

Meggett said if elected, he will focus on the older residents of James Island and make sure their voices are being heard.

"Our ditches are not being dug out and so our neighborhoods are flooded, especially with all this new building going on," said Meggett as he thought about the policies he would focus on if elected. "I think we need to address the ditches and I’m a big proponent of individual property rights so zoning is a big thing for me, I don’t think some of the zoning is appropriate for James Island."

Early voting ends Friday, Nov. 3 at 5 p.m. Polls open on Election Day, Nov. 7, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. More info on your polling location can be found on the SC Votes website.