Sumar Street Site Redevelopment

In the year 2000 the Old Charles Towne District Taskforce and the City of Charleston held a charrette to create a master plan for the area around the Sumar Street Site.  At the time Piggly Wiggly was a functioning grocery store and implementation focused on the Ashley Landing Plaza site.

Elements that remained consistent from 2000 Charrette to the 2018 Sumar Street Charrette 

• Desire for more neighborhood oriented businesses

• Landscape medians on Sam Rittenburg

• A landscaped traffic circle at Sam Rittenburg Boulevard and Old Towne Road

• Create an “urban boulevard” along Sam Rittenburg from Orange Grove Road to Dickens Street

• Make area (Ashley Landing) a biking destination and provide for safe pedestrian crossings

• Focus on creating a main street aesthetic in the Old Charles Towne District

_{(left to right) Donna Jacobs, County Council Member Moody, Mayor Tecklenberg, City Council Member Marvin Wager, Teresa Tidestrom.}

Mayor Tecklenberg speaking at the demolition of the former Piggly Wiggly parcel prior to demolition of the structure.   Link to Post & Courier Article about the demolition

_{Audience observing a presentation about the Sumar Street Site at the July 2019 WARC meeting.}

The Commission (WARC) has been involved in the process of community redevelopment for the site for several years. During the Plan West Ashley planning stages WARC members gave input on a Dover Kohl idea for the site, which continued past the approval of Plan West Ashley. City staff has also provided updates on both program and conceptual designs to WARC at various points in the last year.

_{Public attended a meeting regarding the Request for Qualifications sponsored by the OCTNT.} 

The OCTNT held a public information meeting in October 2019 to provide greater transparency to the process of the Public Private Partnership the City is hoping to create to redevelop the Sumar Street Site. 

Charleston County looks to improve mobility within the “gateway” to West Ashley. The goals of the Old Towne District Transportation Improvements project include:

• Improving the level of service and safety for the travelling public,
• Supporting the use of mass transit,
• Supplying access to existing and future businesses, and
• Creating walkable, bike-able and connected communities.

The Old Towne District includes residential neighborhoods, retail shops, restaurants, and grocery stores. Despite being in close proximity to each other, it is currently difficult to walk or bike between the neighborhoods and these businesses. This transportation improvement project will include the installation of sidewalks, multi-use paths, and signalized crosswalks throughout the area to provide safe and convenient travel for pedestrians and cyclists.

The project also looks to improve mobility for vehicles traveling within this district. Improvements to the following intersections will aid in the flow and safety of traffic:

• Orange Grove Road at Sam Rittenberg Boulevard
• Old Towne Road at Charlestowne Drive/Donahue Drive
• Sam Rittenberg Boulevard at Amberly Road

More information can be found: https://roads.charlestoncounty.org/projects/old-towne-district/