Groove to the Music with Dance Classes Near West Ashley, SC

West Ashley, the area across the Ashley River from peninsular Charleston, offers a change of pace from some of downtown’s more tourist-centric areas of town. Home to more than 40 percent of the city’s population, the area boasts parks, restaurants, breweries and shopping catered to locals.

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Known to some as the “birthplace of South Carolina,” West Ashley is home to the well-preserved colonial village, Charlestowne Landing. The 184-acre state park off of Old Towne Road offers an opportunity to explore both the city and the state’s modern origins. With walking trails, marsh views and a small zoo, the state park is a site visitors and locals alike can visit multiple times for different experiences.

For the active set, West Ashley is home to Shadowmoss Golf & Country Club and bowling alley Ashley Lanes. Get practice on your swing at Charleston Golf, a combined golf simulator and bar.

Get a breath of fresh air on the 7.8 mile West Ashley Greenway which starts at U.S. Highway 17 and Wappoo Road and ends at Higgins Pier where anglers can cast a line. There’s another opportunity to fish off of Sam Rittenberg Boulevard at Northbridge Park.

For a different scenic walk, meander via boardwalk through marshes and coastal forest at the Stono River County Park in outer West Ashley.

Shopping

Unlike other areas of the city, West Ashley is home to some large-scale retail spaces that make it an ideal place for furniture stores and other specialty shops.

One perk of visiting different cities is seeing the different styles of street art. Charleston has its own distinct style, which our readers showcased, and then we went across the globe, seeing the different ways that humans decorate the areas they live.

This week’s winner is Sue Austin with a photo of an Italian street artist at work.

The honorable mentions are Sherrill Biggers, with an image of a realistic horse mural in downtown Charleston, and Lara Wilson, with a photo of a street mural in Portugal.

Next week’s topic is close-up, so show off your most microscopic shots.

The rules: Send your best photo to yourphotos@postandcourier.com by noon Thursday. Include your name, town and where the photo was taken. Add your name and the topic to the file. If you want your photo to be eligible to run in the newspaper, it must be at least 1,500 pixels, not have a commercial watermark and not have been published in another publication.

On Fridays, we first announce the editors’ pick of the week at postandcourier.com/yourphotos and declare a topic for the next week. On Saturdays, we publish an online gallery.

On Sunday, the photo pick of the week will appear in this section, Life.

All photos submitted will be considered for publication in The Post and Courier’s yearly magazine, My Charleston. Some images may be selected for other editorial or noncommercial use.

We reserve the right to not publish any photo for any reason.

Get a weekly list of tips on pop-ups, last minute tickets and little-known experiences hand-selected by our newsroom in your inbox each Thursday.

After some last-minute funding maneuvers, Charleston approved the terms of a construction contract for a long-awaited bike and pedestrian bridge connecting downtown and West Ashley.

It now awaits federal approval before the mayor can sign off on it and work can begin.

As construction firms submitted proposals for the project this summer, local leaders became aware that their most recent cost projections were insufficient.

That’s when the estimate ballooned from $42 million about a year ago to about $74 million today. As a result, city officials had to secure more funding from county, state and federal agencies. In addition to dipping into the city’s hospitality tax funds, the Medical University of South Carolina chipped in too.

In total, the city’s contribution to the project via hospitality tax funds stands at $13 million.

Construction bidders attributed the higher-than-expected cost projections to rising interest rates, as well as increased labor and material costs. The winning bid came in at $73.8 million.

City leaders had considered scaling the project back when the new estimates were calculated but Councilman Mike Seekings said South Carolina Transportation Secretary Christy Hall was determined to find additional help from all levels of government to bring the project across the finish line.

“Secretary Hall put her money where her mouth is,” he said.

With Hall’s help securing an additional $30 million committed from various agencies, the city was able to move forward with a contract with civil contractor, Superior Construction.

Charleston City Council voted 11-1 on Sept. 26 to authorize the mayor to sign off on the contract once it gets approval from the Federal Highway Administration. Councilwoman Caroline Parker voted against the authorization and Councilman William Dudley Gregorie was absent.

If all goes according to plans, the contract will be signed within the next few weeks and design work can begin. Signing the contract locks down a “guaranteed maximum price” from the contractor, which can only fluctuate within a certain percentage of the total project cost. Any additional overrun would need special approval from City Council.

Design is expected to take about one year and construction about three years, said Jason Kronsberg, Charleston parks director and the project manager for the effort.

There should only be minor disruptions to road and boat traffic during construction, he added. It will tie into the existing West Ashley Greenway and cross the Ashley just south of the U.S. Highway 17 vehicular bridges.

Despite the cost estimate struggles, city leaders struck an optimistic tone saying that the project will be transformative for the city.

Editorials

“It’s a game changer,” Kronsberg said. “Its a significant infrastructure project that will be just as successful as the Ravenel Bridge bike and pedestrian lane when it was first implemented ... If you build it, they will come.”

Councilman Peter Shahid, who is running for mayor, said the project is not only a recreational amenity but also an important piece of the city’s transportation network. It will provide commuters who travel on foot or ride bikes a safe crossing to the city’s employment hub and also could relieve some traffic on the existing vehicular bridges in the same area.

The site of a former grocery store in Charleston soon will house several new tenants.

The former location of Doscher’s IGA, which was demolished earlier this year next to Whole Foods Market in West Ashley Station Shopping Center, is being redeveloped into six new shop spaces for retailers and a restaurant.

Coming to the 16,200 square feet of new construction are Another Broken Egg Cafe with a patio on the south end as well as Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, clothing store House of Sage, hair salon Nikita and beverage shop Sunshine Liquors, according the to commercial real estate firm Carolina Retail Experts.

Pet supply shop Hollywood Feed also will relocate to a larger space in the new multitenant building from an outparcel site beside Chase Bank. Pet care operator GoodVets plans to occupy the current site of Hollywood Feed.

Two new outparcel buildings under construction, each with two merchant spaces, have lined up one tenant each.

In the structure near Savannah Highway, Pacific Dental Services will occupy half of the roughly 5,400-square-foot building. In the 5,000-square-foot structure behind it, workout site MADabolic has leased about 60 percent of the building.

All of the new structures are under construction. Opening dates have not been announced.

Now open

Two new restaurant venues recently opened in southern Moncks Corner.

Dog & Duck is now serving at 2826 U.S. 52 in the Publix-anchored Moncks Corner Marketplace Shopping Center at Cypress Gardens Road.

It’s the fifth Lowcountry location for the pub. Two are in Mount Pleasant in Belle Hall and Park West, another is in Charleston on Clements Ferry Road in the Cainhoy area and one more is on Trolley Road in Summerville.

Also, fast-food restaurant Wendy’s opened nearby in October on U.S. Highway 52 near Foxbank Plantation and Cypress Gardens Road.

What’s cooking?

A new sandwich restaurant soon will open on Johns Island.

Jersey Mike’s Subs is coming to Maybank Commons at 1800 Produce Lane on Johns Island. The 1,361-square-foot eatery is expected to open before year’s end.

The strip retail center also has two nearly 3,000-square-foot spaces and a 1,361-square-foot slot. The new restaurant is eyeing a December opening, according to the contractor.

Gassing up

A Savannah-based convenience store and gas station chain continues to throttle ahead with new locations in the Charleston area.

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Parker’s Kitchen recently secured a ground lease for the property owned by Gregorie Land Co. LLC at 4315 Savannah Highway, where Circle K convenience store and gas station operates at S.C. Highway 162 near Rantowles Creek.

The five-year lease took effect Oct. 19 and can be extended four more times over the next 25 years, according to Charleston County land records.

The convenience store chain also is adding two more stores in the Charleston area.

Parker’s recently applied for a state license to sell beer and wine at 343 College Park Road in Ladson.

When it was first announced in 2020, plans included a truck stop, but nearby residents, environmentalists and county officials opposed the truck addition because they feared the disturbance of wetlands in Ancrum Swamp next to the 17-acre site.

Real Estate

Savannah-based Parker’s paid $950,000 for the property in 2020, according to Berkeley County land records.

Another Parker’s Kitchen is under development in Ingleside Plantation at the juncture of Palmetto Commerce Parkway and Weber Boulevard. The company has several other locations in the Lowcountry.

Parker’s also recently donated $135,000 to Lowcountry Food Bank through a round-up campaign from customers and a 25 percent match by the company.

New leases

A new nail salon and wellness spa are coming to Summerville.

Nail Garden LLC leased 2,800 square feet at 143 Berkeley Circle and Energy Enhancement Centers USA leased 3,080 square feet at the same address.

Real Estate

Brent Case and Hannah Kamba of Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic represented the landlord, Azalea 888 Zhou Tang LLC, in both transactions. Jenna Philipp of Palmetto Commercial Properties represented the spa tenant.

The retail site is near Azalea Square Shopping Center off North Main Street.

Now open

Hurricane Coffee will celebrate its grand opening Nov. 3-4 at 650 College Park Road, Unit H, in the Food Lion-anchored shopping center near Stratford High School on the edge of Goose Creek.

The shop will have offer giveaways, raffles and products from several vendors during its grand opening event 5:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.

A portion of all sales from both days will be donated to Omar Shriners Pirate Unit.

The shop also will offer free coffee, including its special white espresso, to all first responders all the time as well as a 10 percent discount on other items on the menu for all first responders, nurses, teachers and all active and veteran military members. The shop also collects goods for victims of human trafficking and domestic abuse.

The shop previously operated from a food truck in a couple of nearby temporary locations.

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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Big plans are approved for an affordable housing complex in West Ashley. The news sparked excitement among some neighbors, but concerns about traffic and the location as well.

The city’s housing department, council members and neighbors agree, affordable housing is a need in West Ashley. But the development does come with a lot of planning and factors to consider when approving a plan.

City of Charleston District 2 Councilmember Kevin Shealy says he initially did not support a 2020 zone change of the property from general business to diverse residential.

“At that time and in 2020, there was a there was an office building sitting there and it’s actually a good location for an office building because people may not have to drive downtown to go to work. They can work and live in the same place which fits in with the West Ashley Revitalization,” Shealy says.

In March of 2023, the planning commission approved initial design plans for the complex. Shealy says he is an advocate for affordable housing, but wants to make sure it’s being put in practical places.

Jerry Gray, who has lived in the area for about 15 years, thinks incoming affordable housing is good news.

“Charleston can be the land of opportunity for a lot of people. And it’s also a window of opportunity for people who want to start out. So having some level of affordable housing where people can start out, start building an American Dream is critical for any neighborhood,” Gray says.

While he says he’s excited about the complex and the opportunities it can bring, he admits that traffic does cross his mind when a project like this is approved.

“Highway 61, we want to keep it as a scenic road. So yeah, traffic would be a problem and a consideration but again, there’s work around for that,” Gray says.

Shealy says he also worries about traffic for people who live in his district. He explains that the South Carolina Department of Transportation grades state roads on a scale from A to F.

“Ashley River Road during peak times grade is an E, and it’s very close to an F. And it probably will be one day unless we can do something about those roads. Hopefully we get some help from the state, state or county and maybe they can help with traffic flowing,” Shealy says.

Gray referenced how widening Glenn McConnell Parkway and the development of Bees Ferry Road has created a connector between areas and will solve some of the traffic woes.

“So those things can be overcome with good planning,” Gray believes.

Shealy says he wants to see hard workers in Charleston like firefighters, police officers and teachers live and enjoy the same area where they work.

“We need affordable housing in the right locations. Live work and play. That’s kind of what the West Ashley revitalization idea said. But that’s also a reason for us to make sure we have commercial properties out in West Ashley out in the western part of West Ashley so that everybody’s not driving to downtown, causing these traffic congestions,” Shealy says.

Shealy says while he initially did not approve of the housing complex, now that it’s on its way, he is dedicated to making sure it fits into the neighborhood.

Gray says he is excited to see more people enjoying the area and hopes the city does its due diligence incorporating plans for runoff, traffic and other aspects of development in the plans.

To learn more about the details of the complex, click here.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

A woman and her son say more should have been done after she was without a landline for over one month.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A woman and her son say more should have been done after she was without a landline for over one month.

Queen Little has lived in the North Forest Acres neighborhood in West Ashley for over 40 years.

Her phone line has been out since June 5. Queen suspects it was cut during construction work on Playground Road.

For the last six weeks, Queen’s son, Darrin Little, has been persistently calling their phone carrier, AT&T.

“They gave me a date for when it would be on, that day came and went and it wasn’t on,” Darrin said. “Called again, called again, called again, kept getting dates and dates and dates.”

Queen has underlying health issues, and Darrin said not having a working landline in her house is dangerous.

“She needs a means of communicating with me, with my brothers, in an emergency she needs that phone,” Darrin said.

Queen said she keeps minutes on her cell phone but rarely uses it. She said she feels more comfortable with a permanent, dependable option, like her landline.

“I’m a senior citizen, I’m 78 next month. I need things like that,” Queen said. “And especially having COPD, I could have a flare-up any time.”

One day after Live 5 News reached out to AT&T, phone access was restored to Queen’s household.

The phone rang for the first time in Queen’s household in over a month during a Live 5 News interview with Darrin and Queen. It was AT&T calling to let them know phone access was restored.

“We’ve been calling for weeks, and nothing has happened until Live 5 reached out to them, and now ironically, the phone’s on,” Darrin said. “Our conversation didn’t matter, but when you guys reached out to them, it mattered.”

Queen said she has had a lonely month without a phone, describing her home as a “ghost house.”

“They fixed it today because y’all came here and I appreciate y’all doing it, but it should never have been that way because I’m a paying customer,” Queen said.

It wasn’t only Queen that went without a landline.

Betty Poaches lives a couple of streets over from Queen, and also went without landline access for six weeks.

Poaches has lived in the North Forest Acres neighborhood since 1959. She is not able to use a cell phone because of her hearing aids.

Her daughter said over the last six weeks she’s worried about her mother’s safety.

“Without her having a phone I came here every day, because she had no protection,” her daughter, Regina Gamble, said.

A spokesperson from AT&T provided the following statement:

We’ve restored home phone service to this customer following repairs to a section of our cable that experienced water damage during recent heavy rains. We apologize for the delay.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.