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Welcome to Holy City Dance Center! Feel free to email us at info@holycitydance.com

Discover the Joy of Movement at Holy City Dance Center

Large Multi-Room Dance Studio

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Groove to the Music with Dance Classes Near Seabrook Island, SC

Dancing has a wonderful way of taking us to a special place where we can embrace the moment and forget our worries, if only for a few minutes. It's enjoyable, healthy, and a great way to connect with others who share your passions. It can also be magical, like when you hear your favorite song and nail a high-energy dance routine that you've been practicing. But for new and seasoned dancers looking for classes in The Palmetto State, what options are there to consider?

If you're reading this and looking for a dance studio in South Carolina, look no further than Holy City Dance Center. From first-time beginners to experienced dancers with hours of on-stage experience, Holy City Dance has the leadership, facility, and classes to keep you moving to the music all year long.

Service Areas

Dance School Seabrook Island, SC

You'll Be Happy to Call Holy City Dance Center Home

When you choose Holy City Dance, you get much more than a place to practice new dance moves - you get access to an elite dancing experience in a warm, welcoming environment full of feel-good juju purpose-driven instruction. We believe that dance lessons and dancing in general help produce happy people. As such, we do everything in our power to provide a happy, positive studio in which dancers, new and old, can learn and express themselves.

Every member of our leadership team and staff is professional, talented, and, perhaps most importantly, fully committed to safely and lovingly guiding dancers. While we specialize in teaching dance lessons, we also focus on building character and kindness - especially for our younger students. At the end of the day, our goal is to combine the best aspects of hard work and dance to create a fulfilling and fun experience for all.

With a long list of both youth and adult dance lessons near Seabrook Island, SC, Holy City Dance Center offers something for everyone, whether you're looking to join a new performance team or a simple Mommy & Me program. Whether you are two or 102 years old, we want you in class having fun!!

Our class lessons include the following:

  • Ballet
  • Tap
  • Jazz
  • Hip Hop
  • Contemporary
  • Acro-Dance
  • Jumps & Turns
  • Stretch & Strengthen
  • Clogging
  • Musical Theater
  • Adult Dance Classes
  • Award Winning Competition Team
  • Performance Team
  • Recital Performance
  • Much More!

A Glance at Our Facility

Wondering whether or not our dance center is the right fit for you and your family? Located at 1939 Clements Ferry Road in Seabrook Island, SC, we take a lot of pride in our facility and like to think that shows as soon as you walk through our front doors. With 4000 sq. ft. of space, we're able to provide the best everything you or your loved one needs for a high-quality dance education.

Our dance features many amenities that dancers love, including the following:

Dance Room

Three Large Dance Rooms

Each of our dance rooms is fully equipped with unique sub-flooring to help sustain joint health and to ensure our students can train in a safe environment.

Specialty Flooring

Specialty Flooring for Dancers

We incorporate Vinyl Marley flooring in studios one and two to help reduce injury and promote better training. In studio three, we have applied special acoustic flooring made specifically for tap dancers. By providing enhanced flooring for our students, we can better ensure they enjoy a professional, purposeful dancing experience.

Large Lobby

Large Lobby

Need to wait while your little one or spouse finishes dancing classes? Our lobby is spacious and has free high-speed WiFi, so you can surf the web or get work done while you wait.

Student Lounge

Student Lounge

When our students aren't in class, they have their own lounge with lockers where they can change and enjoy each other's company.

Livestreams

Livestreams

Pull up a chair in our lobby and get a peek into our process! Whether you're a student, parent, or spouse, our livestreams are fun and educational to watch.

 Dance Classes Seabrook Island, SC

Holy City Dance Lessons Near Seabrook Island, SC

At Holy City Dance Center, we're proud to offer dancing classes for all ages, from recreational programming for very young students to programs for teens and adults. Thinking we might not have a class for you if you're a beginner? Think again! No matter your experience level, we've got a dance program to help you grow.

A few of our most popular dance programs include the following:

Youth Programs

Our recreational youth programs are a great way for kids to learn about dance while practicing balance, motor skills, discipline, and much more.

 Dance Studio Seabrook Island, SC

Mommy & Me: Ages 2-3

For toddlers who love to dance and move around, we offer a 45-minute Creative Movement class that focuses on basic ballet movements. This class is designed for boys and girls between the ages of 2 and 3 years old and aims to help fine-tune gross motor skills while building a passion for dance at an early age. To ensure that our young dancers stay engaged throughout the year, we integrate music, props, and seasonal themes into our lessons. Moms are welcome to join in on the fun or simply watch their little ones shine.

 Dance Courses Seabrook Island, SC

Pre-K Combo Ages 3-4 (Ballet & Tap and Ballet & Jazz)

If your little one is between the ages of three and four and interested in dance, these hour-long classes are a great way for them to learn about different styles. Props, music, and games are still incorporated, but with added technical elements that will expand their dance knowledge and prepare them for a successful dance career. During each class session, students will focus on both style offerings and should ensure they have the necessary shoes and attire for each.

 Youth Dance School Seabrook Island, SC

Youth Combo 5-7 (Ballet & Tap and Ballet & Jazz)

This package mimics our Pre-K Combo with all of the same features but is tailored to older children between the ages of five and seven.

 Adult Dance School Seabrook Island, SC

Kinderpop Ages 5-7

For children aged five to seven, this 45-minute class offers a fun and lively introduction to hip-hop dance. While training, students will learn the fundamentals and vocabulary of hip-hop in an upbeat environment.

 Child Dance School Seabrook Island, SC

Recreational Programs

These dance classes near Seabrook Island, SC, are best suited for beginner and intermediate students between the ages of eight and eighteen.

 Youth Dance Classes Seabrook Island, SC

For those who wish to delve into the intricacies of tap technique, these classes run for 45 minutes and cover all the fundamental tap moves. As students progress to higher-level classes, they will build on their skills and expand their repertoire. The classes include warm-up exercises, center-floor work, across-the-floor combinations, and complex choreography.

For students dedicated to improving their jazz technique's precision and intensity, these classes are the perfect fit. The classes run for a duration of 45 minutes and cover a range of activities, including a rigorous warm-up with a focus on flexibility training, center-floor work, across-the-floor combinations, and sharp choreography.

Our ballet classes are structured to help students master classical Vaganova techniques through barre exercises, center floor work, across-the-floor combinations, flexibility training, and explanations of ballet terminology. Each class is 1.5 hours long.

These 45-minute classes are designed for students who love to have fun and be the center of attention. They are perfect for lively, cheerful, and enthusiastic learners who want a welcoming and secure environment to express their energy. The classes concentrate on teaching the basics of footwork, body rolls, dynamics, and other essential dance skills.

If you're a student looking to express yourself through contemporary dance, these 45-minute classes are perfect for you. They focus on exploring the connection between emotion and movement, incorporating elements of lyrical dance, floor work, partnering, and improvisation. Through these methods, you'll be able to experience a sense of free movement and develop your own unique contemporary dance style.

These classes focus on building strength and flexibility for dancers while prioritizing injury prevention. Consisting of 45 to 60-minute sessions, taking this class one to two times a week can improve dancers' movement quality, style-specific skills, endurance, and prolong their dance careers.

Other recreational dance programs at Holy City Dance Center include:

  • Musical Theater - Focusing on techniques and dancing styles used in Broadway shows.
  • Dance FUNctions - Learn how to be a well-rounded, successful dancer.
  • Dance Comp & Improv - Learn the foundational skills of dance improv and the building blocks of dance composition.
  • Acro Dance - Learn how to blend the art of acrobatics and floor tumbling with traditional dancing.
  • Inclusive Dance - This class is perfect for dancers who have developmental delays or disabilities.

Adult Programs

If you're looking for a dance studio near Seabrook Island, SC, that offers dance lessons for working adults, look no further than Holy City Dance Center. Our adult dance classes cater to all ages and abilities, from beginners to advanced. We aim to create a free and open environment where adult dancers can express themselves.

It's time to get those jazz hands moving! This 45-minute beginner-intermediate jazz class includes warm-up, strength training, center floor work, across-the-floor combinations, and sharp choreography.

This one-hour ballet class focuses on the power and accuracy of ballet technique. The class includes a well-planned barre warm-up, exercises for stretching and strengthening, center floor work, combinations across the floor, and ballet choreography.

This class is designed for those who are new to line dancing or need to refresh their skills. We will review choreographed steps and dances at a slower pace, covering the basics of line dancing and common dance terms. Each week, we will also learn at least one new dance.

Additional adult dance programs offered by Holy City Dance Center include:

Hip-Hop - This fun class features a structured walkthrough of the high-energy dance techniques known in hip-hop dancing.

Contemporary - Learn how to show emotion through dancing while adopting a free sense of stylization and movement.

Tap - If you're a beginner or intermediate dancer craving a journey that explores the precision and complexity of tap dancing, this class is for you.

 Adult Dance Classes Seabrook Island, SC

Top Dancing Tips for Beginners in South Carolina

At Holy City Dance Center, we welcome students of all ages and experience levels. In fact, many of our students come to us with little-to-no dancing experience. We work closely with these students to help develop their dancing fundamentals and gradually incorporate new techniques and styles. If you know that you want to begin dancing but feel like the learning curve is too high, don't worry. We can help build your skill and confidence step-by-step with beginner dance lessons near Seabrook Island, SC.

To help you along the way and expedite the learning process, keep these easy-to-implement tips in mind.

Find Your Inspiration

Find Your Inspiration

Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, the secret to becoming a great dancer is having the desire to excel. Always remember the reasons why you love dancing, as it will motivate you in moments of discouragement or lethargy. Ignite your passion by watching dance performances, chatting with fellow dancers, attending dance events, or simply listening to music that gets you moving.

Always Warm Up

Always Warm Up

Dancing without taking the time to warm up is sort of like baking biscuits without preheating your oven. You might be anxious to jump in and start, but doing so can leave you deflated and unprepared. Dancing with a cold and stiff body can be unpleasant and may lead to muscle injuries. Therefore, it's advisable to warm up and stretch before dancing. Doing so will help you move with greater range and control and also reduce the risk of injuries.

Let Go and Have Fun

Let Go and Have Fun

Always keep in mind that dancing is supposed to be a fun activity, not a burden or a source of anxiety. Dancing should be an outlet for those negative emotions! When you come for lessons at Holy City Dance Center, you can look forward to a fun, inviting atmosphere. No matter how many (or how few) dance moves you know, you can always have a good time learning how to dance with the right instructors and partners. Relax, have fun, and go with the flow. You'll be happy you did.

Get Your Groove On

Get Your Groove On

To improve your dancing skills, it's best to narrow down the specific styles you want to learn and focus on their foundational movements. One thing that all dance styles have in common is the "groove." You may not know it, but you probably groove out naturally to music all the time. Do you bob your head while driving or sway side to side at the club? If so, you've got the groove. Practicing grooves and becoming more comfortable with your body's movements will help you look better while dancing, whether in class, at a performance, or anywhere else.

Mix It Up

Mix It Up

When you first start dancing, it's common to want to dance with the same partner or friend. However, this can become boring over time. To avoid this, try dancing with a variety of people, especially when you're still learning the dance. Each person's interpretation of the music will give you a new perspective on the dance. You may worry about dancing with someone who is more advanced or less skilled than you. However, dancing with different people can help you practice being a good leader or follower. Every dance can be an opportunity to learn and grow. That's why, at Holy City Dance Center, we encourage multiple dance partners in applicable programs.

Learn and Repeat the Basics

Learn and Repeat the Basics

They say that repetition is key when it comes to learning a skill, and that's especially true when dancing. Practicing techniques over and over helps them become ingrained in your muscle memory, allowing you to execute them effortlessly. For instance, Popping exercises can enhance your control and control. House Step routines can improve your footwork and make you more comfortable on the dance floor. Whatever the dance style, start by nailing down and repeating elementary techniques. Before you know it, you'll be executing full routines from muscle memory.

Request Class Information

Dance with Your Heart and Your Feet Will Follow at Holy City Dance Center

 Child Dance Classes Seabrook Island, SC

Whether you're looking for an extracurricular outlet for your child or want to learn how to tap dance in your 40s, our dance studio near Seabrook Island, SC, is the premier choice for quality dance lessons. Our instructors are passionate about bringing your dancing dreams to life and are committed to providing you with an experience like no other. If you're ready to dance with your heart, your feet are sure to follow. All it takes is a little guidance and inspiration. Contact our dance studio today and take the first step toward a true dancing education tomorrow.

Latest News in Seabrook Island, SC

Editorial: We dodged a bullet on Seabrook. Make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Everyone who cares about southern Johns Island should be pleased that a controversial annexation was pulled from the Seabrook Island Town Council’s agenda last week in the face of mounting opposition over what the annexation would help create — a new boat dock, private clubhouse, boathouse, pool house and 10 rental cottages — and the likelihood that it would add more traffic and pollution to the rural side of Charleston County’s urban growth boundary.But those same folks, particularly leaders on Kiawah and Seab...

Everyone who cares about southern Johns Island should be pleased that a controversial annexation was pulled from the Seabrook Island Town Council’s agenda last week in the face of mounting opposition over what the annexation would help create — a new boat dock, private clubhouse, boathouse, pool house and 10 rental cottages — and the likelihood that it would add more traffic and pollution to the rural side of Charleston County’s urban growth boundary.

But those same folks, particularly leaders on Kiawah and Seabrook islands and Charleston County Council, should not get complacent. Instead, they need to work together on better planning to guide development in and around where those two sea islands meet up with southern Johns Island.

It’s unclear when, or if, the developer’s annexation request might resurface. Even if it doesn’t, there undoubtedly will be other development plans that will expose the tensions between those living on rural Johns Island and those living beyond the gates at Kiawah and Seabrook. This moment offers an important reset, one that should begin with getting all these local governments to recommit to the vision of an urban growth boundary — a line past which suburban development would not be supported through zoning, infrastructure or other local policies.

Such a recommitment wouldn’t bind future councils any more than their respective comprehensive plans do, but it would send a unified message about their mutual commitment to respect the natural beauty and environmental sensitivity of the area.

It’s clear that development pressures at Kiawah’s and Seabrook’s doorstep are increasing. A fresh series of new developments, including a senior living facility and an emergency medical facility, is cropping up. Elected officials, neighborhood leaders and county planners need to come up with a mutually agreed-upon zoning overlay for the area, one that would guide future development to ensure new uses and the size and scale of new buildings are appropriate. Such an overlay also would prevent developers from trying to play one jurisdiction against another to get the permits they seek, a tactic sometimes used in other parts of the tri-county area.

The mutual interests of everyone became clear during this recent annexation controversy, as the mayor of Kiawah Island took the unusual step of sending a letter to Seabrook’s mayor and council urging them to reject the annexation and respect the urban growth boundary, which Mayor John Labriola noted “serves as a guide to direct appropriate urban and suburban development while preserving and cherishing the rural charm of the Sea Islands that we all hold dear.”

Given what we’ve seen this summer, the existing urban growth boundary line may not continue to be enough on its own, and we believe a joint planning effort could help pin down the following: to what extent commercial development in the greater Freshfields area should be allowed to inch its way north on Betsy Kerrison; whether the towns should annex any more of Johns Island; whether any upzoning in the area might be appropriate; and how new building would affect the net traffic and drainage needs around Kiawah and Seabrook. While residents live only on Kiawah or Seabrook or in the unincorporated area, they have a stake in the answers to all those questions. This area deserves a new zoning overlay and conservation goals that offer a shared vision of how the southern part of Johns Island will — and will not — change.

Regional planning needs to take place on a large scale — such as our greater metro area from Seabrook to Awendaw to Summerville and Moncks Corner — but it’s also necessary on a smaller scale, especially in those places such as southern Johns Island where multiple local governmental jurisdictions meet.

Decades ago, the city of Charleston and Charleston County came up with the urban growth boundary across Johns Island and other areas where the suburbs ended to ensure their zoning and other policies worked together to protect rural areas that residents wanted to remain rural. Kiawah and Seabrook were once seen as too distant to bring into the conversation about that line. That’s not the case any more.

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Plans for yacht club concerns sea island residents

SEABROOK ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - The potential for a new yacht club and several docks on Seabrook Island is concerning Sea Islanders and environmental advocates.Town of Seabrook leaders discussed those plans Wednesday, which would include the annexation of a portion of Charleston County into Seabrook island.The town’s planning commission voted 4-1 to recommend moving forward with the annexation to the town council.The nearly 18-acre site, called the “Andell Tract,” sits between Bohicket Marina and Betsy K...

SEABROOK ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - The potential for a new yacht club and several docks on Seabrook Island is concerning Sea Islanders and environmental advocates.

Town of Seabrook leaders discussed those plans Wednesday, which would include the annexation of a portion of Charleston County into Seabrook island.

The town’s planning commission voted 4-1 to recommend moving forward with the annexation to the town council.

The nearly 18-acre site, called the “Andell Tract,” sits between Bohicket Marina and Betsy Kerrison Parkway on Johns Island.

the plan includes a private Yacht Club and amenities such as a boat house, pool house and detached hotel containing 10 two-story cottages, according to town documents.

It also has public spaces including a boardwalk, pathways and a community crabbing dock.

Dana Beach, the founder of the Coastal Conservation League, said his two main concerns about the proposal are the environmental impacts on the water, and the crossing of Charleston County’s Urban Growth Boundary.

He said if The Town of Seabrook annexes this portion of Charleston County into their town for development, it could set a precedent for other local municipalities to do the same.

“The town may say ‘this is only a 20-acre parcel that in itself isn’t a big deal,” Beach said. “That’s what Charleston could say if it wanted to coming down from the north, that’s what Kiawah could say as it comes in from the East, even Folly Beach could say that.”

Robby Maynor, the Communities and Transportation Program Director for Coastal Conservation League echoed Beach’s point while addressing the planning commission at Wednesday’s meeting.

“There is an ongoing effort for collaboration between the municipalities on the sea islands to reaffirm that growth boundary to help strike a balance between development and preservation, this annexation would be a step in the wrong direction,” Maynor said.

The majority of the 544 written comments and 10 in person comments were against the development, although some community members spoke in its’ favor.

“I believe a Yacht Club is an amenity that fits perfectly within our diverse group of people,” Seabrook resident, Jackie Helline, said.

Mike Shuler, the Owner and Managing Partner for Bohicket Marina Investors, said he respectfully disagrees with the fear that this annexation may set a precedent for other municipalities to cross Charleston County’s Urban Growth boundary.

“What we are annexing is part of Seabrook’s comprehensive plan. Whether it crosses an Urban Growth Boundary, in my opinion, isn’t relevant here,” Shuler said. “Not to mention, further expansion beyond the property we are contemplating here is not possible because of conservation easements that are in place.”

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Planned yacht club advances after Seabrook Island board OKs annexation, land use change

SEABROOK ISLAND — Three decades after a plan to create a 400-slip marina through a canal and lock project on Johns Island was rejected, a scaled-down proposal calls for a private yacht club on nearly 18 acres in the same general area on Bohicket Creek.Conservationists and several area ...

SEABROOK ISLAND — Three decades after a plan to create a 400-slip marina through a canal and lock project on Johns Island was rejected, a scaled-down proposal calls for a private yacht club on nearly 18 acres in the same general area on Bohicket Creek.

Conservationists and several area residents oppose the development called Andell, but Seabook Island’s Planning Commission voted 4-1 on July 12 to recommend annexing the site and zoning the property for a mixed-used development. Town council will have final say.

Bohicket Creek Investors LLC of Charleston wants to build a boat dock with a private clubhouse, boathouse and poolhouse along with outdoor amenities and 10 rental cottages for members and the public at 4484 Betsy Kerrison Parkway.

“Annexing gives Seabrook future control of the site,” said Mike Shuler, the property owner’s principal and managing partner. “It will substantially limit future development of the site.”

The property, currently zoned for agricultural and residential use in unincorporated Charleston County, would allow “a variety of agricultural and light industrial uses ... which could have significantly greater impact on the existing natural features than the proposed development,” according to the town’s planning staff, which recommended conditional project approval.

Real Estate

Among those opposing the project is the Coastal Conservation League.

Robby Maynor, the Charleston-based environmental group’s communities and transportation program director, said the project is outside the region’s “urban growth boundary” and called the proposed development “a step in the opposite direction” of protecting rural acreage.

He also cited potentially adverse effects from pollution runoff into Bohicket Creek, increased boat traffic and encroachment into critical habitat areas.

A half dozen others cited similar concerns before the Planning Commission’s vote. The board also noted it had received more than 500 comments about the proposal with the vast majority in opposition.

Proponents of the project said that the property’s current zoning allows multiple uses than what’s being proposed, that the town will have more control over the property if it is annexed and that the development will provide recreational opportunities.

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Real Estate

The project’s name is similar to a proposed development from 30 years ago called Andell Harbor that called for a massive earth-moving operation with a man-made channel connecting to a large marina. State environmental regulators eventually nixed the idea in the mid-1990s.

The yacht club site is beside Bohicket Marina, which also is owned by Shuler’s group, and the two would be connected by a boardwalk and road. The planned entrance to the new development is across from Kiawah Island Town Hall.

Cottages would flank both sides of the drive leading to the yacht club.

Plans show the development on about 4 acres of the site near the creek. The rest of the property would be set aside as open space, including a 75-foot wooded buffer next to the parkway and a 20-foot vegetated area next to the northwest parcel in the county.

The site also would include a public boardwalk, pathways and a community crabbing dock.

Bohicket Creek Investors bought the tract in 2021 for $5.6 million, according to Charleston County land records. Nearby properties include Freshfields Village Shopping Center.

Charleston is better-positioned in the commercial real estate sector than much larger U.S. markets to stave off economic distress that could result from higher borrowing costs and the unsettled office sector after the pandemic.

That’s the assessment of industry experts who specialize in office, industrial and retail properties.

“There are more tailwinds than headwinds (for Charleston),” said Manus Clancy, senior managing director at Trepp, a New York City-based financial information service for the commercial real estate industry.

Charleston is strong across all property types,” he said. “You are punching above your weight when it comes to the metrics.”

Clancy noted “a dramatic difference in geography” across the nation for areas affected by the fallout of the shift toward the hybrid model of in-person and remote office work policies.

Large cities, such as San Francisco, Baltimore and Seattle, where the quality-of-life quotient is offset by long commutes, are not faring well after the global health crisis.

“This puts cities like Charleston, Greenville, Austin and Salt Lake City in the driver’s seat to attract more industries,” Clancy said.

He pointed out housing costs are higher in Charleston than most of the rest of South Carolina, but compared to many large metro areas it’s more affordable and the quality of life is attractive in the Lowcountry.

He also noted the area’s labor force is strong and increasingly better educated.

“People want to flock to places where their students can be educated,” Clancy said. “In Charleston, you have the ability to make that case.”

Clancy added the financial industry has not fully recovered from the spring scare instigated by several high-profile bank failures, and credit, especially for the office sector, is going to be harder to come by.

Still, he noted borrowing continues in the commercial real estate market, but at roughly half the pace as last year.

Cubicle command

The office market is showing the most stress, with delinquencies of commercial mortgage-backed securities more than doubling from less than 2 percent in December to about 5.5 percent nine months later.

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In the Charleston area, vacancy rates for office space average just under 12 percent, based on composite local market reports for the July-September period from the commercial real estate firms of Avison Young, Colliers and Lee & Associates.

The latter firm said it sees an uptick in office occupancy in 2024 as more employers require staffers to show up in person more often. Avison Young echoed the move next year to the hybrid arrangement.

Colliers cited the updated working environments and ease of access as the drivers of the office market, and the firm projected a flattening of vacancies by the first quarter of next year.

Lee Allen, executive managing director for commercial real estate firm JLL in Charleston, said the local office sector never got overbuilt and the risk is lower for newer, more creative offerings.

“What we have seen in the market is a flight to quality,” Allen said.

Business and other employers that are set on bringing workers back to the office two to three days a week want to elevate their experience with a top-notch working environment to keep top talent from jumping ship.

Hicks: No smooth sailing in the forecast for Seabrook annexation plan

For its first annexation in more than 30 years, Seabrook Island’s Town Council picked a real doozy.Next week, council will likely vote to annex nearly 18 acres on Bohicket Creek — just across from neighboring Kiawah Island’s Town Hall — for a mixed-use development designed around a marina and private yacht club.The details are a tad fuzzy (well, as much as they can be with a 200-page proposal), but public sentiment is not.Nearly 600 residents have expressed concerns about the project’s poten...

For its first annexation in more than 30 years, Seabrook Island’s Town Council picked a real doozy.

Next week, council will likely vote to annex nearly 18 acres on Bohicket Creek — just across from neighboring Kiawah Island’s Town Hall — for a mixed-use development designed around a marina and private yacht club.

The details are a tad fuzzy (well, as much as they can be with a 200-page proposal), but public sentiment is not.

Nearly 600 residents have expressed concerns about the project’s potential environmental, traffic and flooding impact. That’s more than a quarter of the island’s full-time residents.

They’ve made it clear they don’t want this, but feel like no one’s listening.

“The vast majority of people have been opposed to this,” says island resident Paul McLaughlin. “They don’t have to listen to us, but don’t go and ask for our opinion if you don’t listen to the answers. It offers no benefit to us; it’s a private club.”

His frustration is understandable, because a lot of people have valid concerns.

The state already considers that stretch of Bohicket too contaminated for oyster harvesting; the feds say it’s not safe to eat fish caught there. The state turned down similar plans 30 years ago … which is about the last time Seabrook gave any thought to expanding its borders.

McLaughlin notes the developer’s plan may address flooding on the property, but what does it do to the rest of the island?

Residents can’t leverage their usual influence over local officials, several of whom publicly support the plan, because most of them aren’t running for reelection.

It’s sort of a perfect storm — and, on Seabrook, it’s definitely storm season.

Local government is usually the most responsive to local citizens. A couple dozen bicyclists can — and did — derail Charleston’s carefully negotiated plans to redesign downtown’s King Street. But hundreds of well-heeled retirees can’t move the needle?

The island’s planning commission recommended the annexation on a 4-1 vote in July over vocal opposition. Residents get one more chance next week at a public hearing prior to an initial annexation vote, but aren’t optimistic.

They’ll get 30 minutes — three minutes per speaker — to relay their concerns in a room that holds an audience of about 60. That’s pretty standard operating procedure for local governments, but Seabrook residents are livid. The town, they say, has ignored repeated calls for a larger venue and more time.

Seabrook Mayor John Gregg says the developer has held informational meetings with residents for the past year, and when the island got the proposal in June, the town posted all documents online.

He says the alternative meeting venues suggested are all behind Seabrook’s private gate — and council meetings must be accessible to the public. Besides, he says, Town Hall is fitted with equipment to broadcast the meeting to the entire island.

If more people want to speak than time allows, the mayor says, speakers will be chosen by a random number algorithm generator.

That probably won’t make residents, or others, happy. Because this isn’t just some not-in-my-backyard grousing. The Coastal Conservation League, the nonprofit Kiawah Conservancy and various Johns Island advocates have also objected. Even Kiawah has taken an unprecedented stand.

Earlier this month, Kiawah Mayor John D. Labriola and Town Council members sent a letter to Seabrook, publicly opposing the annexation.

“We strongly believe that maintaining the current [urban growth boundary] is critically important to protect the unique Sea Islands ecosystem and the rural character of the land outside the boundary for future generations,” Labriola wrote.

That’s called foreshadowing.

Seabrook Councilwoman Jeri Finke wrote in the most recent issue of The Seabrooker that annexing the land gives the town control over it, which is better than allowing Charleston County or Kiawah to make the decisions. Her argument hasn’t moved many.

That’s because Kiawah Mayor Labriola hit on a salient point. Since the land falls outside the urban growth boundary, its potential development would be fairly limited … if Seabrook just stayed out of this.

See, right now that land falls under county jurisdiction, and County Council would never ignore such a large and influential group of citizens.

But Seabrook’s annexation blocks county intervention because the town isn’t party to the urban growth boundary agreement. That allows a few outgoing public officials to open the door to new development.

The Andell tract, as this land is called, sits at the end of Betsy Kerrison Parkway — an area just outside two wealthy communities under tremendous development pressure. Already, more businesses, a retirement community and an entire medical district are in the works.

But that land was never meant to be developed, at least not to this extent. That’s what the urban growth boundary dictates. The overdevelopment of Maybank Highway was meant as a trade-off to leave the rest of Johns Island largely rural.

Such plans often shrivel when there’s money to be made — this is proof of that. But the marina development could also bring renewed scrutiny to the urban growth boundary and spark radical change ... because people are sick of overdevelopment.

But that’s a story for another day.

At the hyper-local level, Seabrook officials should know their audience ... er, constituents. These are people who know how to get things done. They know how to file lawsuits. And they don’t give up.

So don’t expect next week’s vote to be the last word.

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Larger supermarket proposed to replace Harris Teeter between Kiawah and Seabrook islands

A longtime supermarket that serves shoppers of Kiawah, Seabrook and Johns islands could be relocated and enlarged under proposed plans.The existing 38,000-square-foot Harris Teeter Village Market grocery store could expand to nearly 54,000 square feet in a newly built store as part of a proposed retail development on a nearly 22-acre parcel behind the existing Freshfields Village Shopping Center.Property owner Riverstone Properties LLC of Richmond, Va., wants to rezone the undeveloped site on Kiawah Island Parkway from low-dens...

A longtime supermarket that serves shoppers of Kiawah, Seabrook and Johns islands could be relocated and enlarged under proposed plans.

The existing 38,000-square-foot Harris Teeter Village Market grocery store could expand to nearly 54,000 square feet in a newly built store as part of a proposed retail development on a nearly 22-acre parcel behind the existing Freshfields Village Shopping Center.

Property owner Riverstone Properties LLC of Richmond, Va., wants to rezone the undeveloped site on Kiawah Island Parkway from low-density residential use to a commercial planned development. The Charleston County Planning Commission recently deadlocked 4-4 on changing the land use and the effort failed.

County spokeswoman Kelsey Barlow said the commission only makes recommendations. The proposed change will now be considered by County Council’s Planning and Public Works Committee on March 16.

Real Estate

Representatives of Riverstone Properties, which is affiliated with the owner of Kiawah Island Golf Resort, and Harris Teeter did not respond to requests for comment on the plans.

Planning commission member Logan Davis said developers indicated at an earlier meeting one reason the supermarket chain wants to relocate to a larger store is so the grocer will have better entry and exit space for deliveries.

Some planning board members wanted a new traffic study while others were concerned about a lack of clarity for the proposed connection to Freshfields Village. The shopping center is owned by Columbia-based Edens, which paid nearly $125 million for the property in June.

One board member expressed concerns that the connection to Freshfields appeared to be near the entrance to a convenience store off Hedgerow Lane and he was worried about the connection across a planted median on Freshfields Drive. He preferred a different connection point.

The development would allow drive-thrus for a pharmacy but not fast food under the current proposal.

Charleston is better-positioned in the commercial real estate sector than much larger U.S. markets to stave off economic distress that could result from higher borrowing costs and the unsettled office sector after the pandemic.

That’s the assessment of industry experts who specialize in office, industrial and retail properties.

“There are more tailwinds than headwinds (for Charleston),” said Manus Clancy, senior managing director at Trepp, a New York City-based financial information service for the commercial real estate industry.

Charleston is strong across all property types,” he said. “You are punching above your weight when it comes to the metrics.”

Clancy noted “a dramatic difference in geography” across the nation for areas affected by the fallout of the shift toward the hybrid model of in-person and remote office work policies.

Large cities, such as San Francisco, Baltimore and Seattle, where the quality-of-life quotient is offset by long commutes, are not faring well after the global health crisis.

“This puts cities like Charleston, Greenville, Austin and Salt Lake City in the driver’s seat to attract more industries,” Clancy said.

He pointed out housing costs are higher in Charleston than most of the rest of South Carolina, but compared to many large metro areas it’s more affordable and the quality of life is attractive in the Lowcountry.

He also noted the area’s labor force is strong and increasingly better educated.

“People want to flock to places where their students can be educated,” Clancy said. “In Charleston, you have the ability to make that case.”

Clancy added the financial industry has not fully recovered from the spring scare instigated by several high-profile bank failures, and credit, especially for the office sector, is going to be harder to come by.

Still, he noted borrowing continues in the commercial real estate market, but at roughly half the pace as last year.

Cubicle command

The office market is showing the most stress, with delinquencies of commercial mortgage-backed securities more than doubling from less than 2 percent in December to about 5.5 percent nine months later.

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In the Charleston area, vacancy rates for office space average just under 12 percent, based on composite local market reports for the July-September period from the commercial real estate firms of Avison Young, Colliers and Lee & Associates.

The latter firm said it sees an uptick in office occupancy in 2024 as more employers require staffers to show up in person more often. Avison Young echoed the move next year to the hybrid arrangement.

Colliers cited the updated working environments and ease of access as the drivers of the office market, and the firm projected a flattening of vacancies by the first quarter of next year.

Lee Allen, executive managing director for commercial real estate firm JLL in Charleston, said the local office sector never got overbuilt and the risk is lower for newer, more creative offerings.

“What we have seen in the market is a flight to quality,” Allen said.

Business and other employers that are set on bringing workers back to the office two to three days a week want to elevate their experience with a top-notch working environment to keep top talent from jumping ship.

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