Author: Charleston Daily

Charleston Daily is a concept in community. Its mission is to promote, assist, and celebrate in everything Charleston, South Carolina. By partnering with businesses, community leaders, volunteers and events, we are spreading the love that is Charleston. As this city continues to grow and prosper, we want to help spread the message to all about how wonderful this community is. Charleston is about the people, community, water, land, history, heritage and the true southern warmth it brings with each and every day.

Lowcountry

Inventing the French Quarter in Charleston, South Carolina (1973) – Story and Podcast

March 26, 2024 by 0 Comments
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Join Nic Butler, Ph.D., historian at the Charleston County Public Library as he discusses the the inception of the French Quarter in Charleston’s Historic District. This full synopsis and 28 minute podcasts delves into a transformative time in Charleston’s history.

Click HERE to listen to the podcast

Synopsis

In September 1973, a group of preservation activists coined the term “French Quarter” to describe a single block of urban Charleston that was slated for demolition. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places that same month, and the new name soon became part of the local lexicon. Residents have embraced and expanded the concept of Charleston’s “French Quarter” over the past half-century, but few recall the curious circumstances of its creation. The story behind the neighborhood’s popular name is required reading for true amateurs of local history.

During the early days of 1973, the Atlanta-based Baier Corporation conceived a plan to redevelop a block of approximately 1.5 acres in urban Charleston, bounded by East Bay, Cumberland, and State Streets, including all of the buildings on the north side of Lodge Alley and buildings standing at the southeast end of the alley. The bulk of the structures encompassed with this block were then empty warehouses, constructed in the late nineteenth century as storage for the wholesale trade in vegetables and liquor. Wholesale commerce had dominated this part of East Bay Street during the second half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century, but the industry moved out of the downtown area in the 1950s and 1960s to larger facilities further north up the Cooper River waterfront. On the aforementioned downtown block, the Baier Corporation planned to raze most of the vacant stores and warehouses and erect a mid-rise tower containing sixty to seventy luxury condominiums distributed across seven or eight stories measuring approximately eighty-nine feet tall (roughly the same height as the Mills House Hotel at the southwest corner of Meeting and Queen Streets). The redevelopment plan also included a row of two-story retail storefronts along East Bay and State Streets, and a twelve-foot high brick wall along Cumberland Street and parts of Lodge Alley.

https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1617323298&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=false&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=false

Charleston Time Machine · Episode 266: Inventing the French Quarter in 1973

The $6 million Baier project represented a major boost to the tourism economy of 1973 Charleston. On the last day of February, Alan Leigh Baier, president of the development company, joined Mayor J. Palmer Gaillard and representatives of the local Chamber of Commerce for a press conference at City Hall to announce the plan. The mayor praised Mr. Baier “for his interest in preserving the historic nature of the city” and predicted that his project would become a “tremendous asset” to Charleston’s economy.[1] Two months later, while the Baier Corporation was still negotiating to purchase the property in question, a local attorney representing the developer presented its condo project to the city’s Board of Architectural Review (BAR).[2] Joseph H. McGee informed the board that the developer had modified its plans according to feedback offered by local advocates of historic preservation, and added that the new structures would “conform to the character of other buildings in the neighborhood.” McGee also assured the board that the proposed tower would rise no higher than ninety feet—the height limit imposed by the zoning ordinance in force at the time. The developer sought permission to demolish fourteen of the fifteen structures then covering the block in question, most of which, said McGee, were simply vacant warehouses constructed during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. One residential structure standing at the northeast corner of Lodge Alley and State Street was to be retained and renovated. No one appeared before the BAR to counter the construction plan or the demolition request, though the board acknowledged receipt of three letters of opposition. On the last day of May, the board approved the condo plan and granted the Baier Corporation permission to demolish fourteen buildings.[3]

During the early days of June 1973, a number of downtown residents expressed shock and disappointment at the BAR’s support for the Baier project. They were concerned about the precedent-setting impact of ninety-foot tall tower on East Bay Street, and about the potential loss of fourteen historic buildings of various vintages located within one of Charleston’s most historic neighborhoods. Opponents of the project circulated a petition asking City Council to order a re-hearing of the plans before the BAR. A letter submitted to Council with the petition in July stated that residents proposed “to show evidence that these buildings are indeed over 100 years old, that the property has great aesthetic and historic integrity, and that these buildings can be incorporated into a useful and contributing part of the downtown” area. At the same time, preservation advocates lobbied City Council to revise the zoning ordinance pertaining to this area, reducing the maximum allowable height from ninety to fifty feet.[4]

Mayor Gaillard responded to the petition by noting that City Council exercised no authority over the Board of Architectural Review, and suggested that the opponents pursue their goals through courts of law. Two suits filed against the BAR that summer, one in the local Court of Common Pleas and one in U.S. District Court, sought to reverse the board’s decision or at least delay demolition.[5] In the meantime, architectural journalist Robert P. Stockton, aided by volunteer researchers, quickly assembled a historical profile of the endangered structures. Most were indeed late-nineteenth century wholesale warehouses and storefronts, while the buildings closest to Lodge Alley were likely built during the early 1800s, and the large building at the southwest corner of East Bay and Cumberland Streets was completely rebuilt after suffering a tornado strike in 1938.[6] In mid-August 1973, a group of citizens proposed an “alternative approach to development using the existing complex of warehouse structures” then slated for demolition, which they argued were “more in scale and architectural harmony with neighboring historic structures than the proposed high-rise structure would be.” Similar recent examples of “adaptive use” could be found in other American cities, and the condo opponents hoped Charleston would continue its position of leadership in the field of historic preservation.[7]

Despite the efforts of local preservation advocates, headed by Nancy Stevenson and Nancy Hawk, the city government issued a demolition permit to the Baier Corporation on August 16th. The development firm was eager to commence work on the multi-million-dollar project, but the volume of protest and the pending lawsuits dampened the president’s enthusiasm. On August 28th, Mr. Baier settled a compromise with his foes. In exchange for a $10,000 option, paid by a group of ten citizens, and their collective agreement to drop the lawsuits, Baier offered to sell the aforementioned block of property, plus an additional block at the southeast corner of Market and Church Streets, for $1,260,725. If the ad-hoc group of preservationists could sign a purchase contract by October 15th and complete the transaction by November 15th, Baier agreed to abandon the proposed development. If the opponents were unable to raise the funds within the time specified, they agreed to let the condo tower proceed without further objections.[8]

Immediately after securing an option to purchase the property from Baier, Nancy Stevenson and Nancy Hawk filed papers with South Carolina’s Secretary of State to incorporate a non-profit entity called the Save Charleston Foundation.[9] The co-chairs of the newly-minted organization held a press conference on September 5th to announce a drive to raise $1.26 million to complete the purchase. From their headquarters at 14 Legare Street, Mrs. Hawk said the group “hoped to get one million people from around the country to send in a dollar apiece,” which they hoped would generate a sufficient fund to allow Save Charleston Foundation “to borrow the balance of the money.” During the ensuing weeks, the nascent foundation began a grass-roots nationwide publicity campaign that emphasized the historic qualities of the buildings slated for demolition, “some of which,” they argued, “date from before the Civil War.” The Preservation Society of Charleston and the Historic Charleston Foundation, which had earlier endorsed the Baier project, now voiced their support for the campaign to save the old buildings.[10] Plans were made for television announcements, and a newspaper notice distributed across the country grabbed attention by stating that “America’s Most Historic City has 29 Days to save an Entire Block of Antebellum houses and other buildings.”[11]

The key to the success of the fund-raising campaign was to convince the public that the buildings slated for demolition embodied sufficient historic character to merit preservation. Using the research performed earlier by volunteers, the Save Charleston Foundation crafted statements that emphasized the local and national significance of the property in question. Buildings ignored by previous generations of local preservation advocates were now described as invaluable elements of the city’s architectural fabric. Visiting reporters from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and numerous regional newspapers flocked to Charleston to hear historical anecdotes and see the endangered structures. Mayor Gaillard famously told reporters he stood “squarely behind both sides” of the controversy. Thousands of small donations trickled in from across the United States and were augmented by a number of pledges for zero-interest loans.[12]

While the Save Charleston Foundation publicized its fundraising campaign in September 1973, the group pursued another strategy behind the scenes. Historical information about the property and buildings in question, gathered in Charleston by amateur historians, was forwarded to the state office of historic preservation at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History in Columbia. On September 4th, state preservation staff completed a form nominating the Baier property to the prestigious National Register of Historic Places. The application described the block bounded by Lodge Alley, East Bay, Cumberland, and State Streets as a singular entity with an unprecedented name: “Charleston’s French Quarter District (Lodge Alley).” The official “Statement of Significance” presented several paragraphs of historical facts of dubious veracity that included just one sentence regarding the proposed name of the district: “Located in a section where the French Huguenots once lived and worked, Lodge Alley was a thruway for merchants working at the docks on East Bay Street.” In fact, most of the nomination text and supporting material refers to buildings and historical events located outside the stated physical boundaries, offering no further justification for the proposed name. A brief description of the site’s “Physical Appearance” simply asserts that “Lodge Alley is located in an area of the old walled city of Charleston where the French Huguenots once had warehouses and dwellings.”[13]

The nomination form also explains that Lodge Alley was previously known as Simmons’ Alley, but was renamed for the Freemasons who purchased a lot in the alley in 1773 and built a lodge house. Within that building, says the nomination form and subsequent press statements issued by the Save Charleston Foundation, the Freemasons constructed a rolling stage with effigies of the Pope, the Devil, and British politicians that was paraded through Charleston in November 1774 to protest oppressive British taxation. This event, claimed the advocates, endowed the “French Quarter” with national significance worthy of preservation and commemoration, but two facts undermine the assertion. First, the lodge in question stood on the south side of Lodge Alley, outside the boundaries of the proposed historic district.[14] Second, the 1774 event in question, which I summarized in Episode No. 236, was not a patriotic tax protest, but very clearly an anti-Catholic demonstration against the granting of civil rights to French Catholics in the province of Quebec—a bigoted event unworthy of modern commemoration.

The form nominating the “French Quarter District” to the National Register of Historic Places contains several other anomalies. First, the document was prepared by state officials without input from the property owner, the Baier Corporation, the president of which had repeatedly asserted that the existing buildings were devoid of historical significance. Such disregard for the property owner isn’t technically illegal, but, considering the controversial nature of the project at the time, it demonstrates a potentially unethical degree of favoritism. Second, the nomination form prepared in Columbia on September 4th was received in Washington D.C. on the 14th and approved five days later. The front page of the application—which is now available online—bears the hand-written annotation “Special Handling,” and it was evidently approved without sufficient review of its dubious historical claims. Such administrative shortcuts stand in stark contrast with the current application process, which mandates a far higher threshold to gain the coveted status of inclusion on the National Register.

The invention of “Charleston’s French Quarter District” in September 1973, despite its numerous flaws, provided invaluable credibility to the fundraising campaign of the Save Charleston Foundation. In subsequent weeks and months, the group and its numerous supporters spun larger and larger stories of the historical role played by French immigrants who once resided near, but not necessarily within the rather narrowly-defined boundaries of the “French Quarter.” Preservation advocates and journalists trumpeted the flawed story of the parade float built by the Freemasons in 1774 as a model of American patriotism.[15] After raising $625,000 from citizens and acquiring a loan for the balance from the North Carolina National Bank, the Save Charleston Foundation signed a contract to purchase the Baier property on 15 October 1973 and completed the transaction four weeks later.[16]

The purpose of the preservation campaign of 1973 was to save fourteen buildings from demolition and to prevent the erection of a ninety-foot-tall condo tower overshadowing East Bay Street. Save Charleston Foundation’s alternative plan was to adapt the existing buildings within the newly designated “French Quarter” for mixed commercial use, including retail shops, restaurants, and a “motel.” The new owner outlined its development plan that November, but legal and economic complications delayed the start of the project for several years. Restoration and rehabilitation work finally commenced in earnest in 1980, and the Lodge Alley Inn—complete with its “French Quarter Restaurant”—finally opened in April 1983. The property was sold in the autumn of 1998 to Bluegreen Corporation of Boca Raton, Florida, which gradually transformed the existing hotel into the present enclave of privately-owned timeshare units.[17]

Prior to the autumn of 1973, Charlestonians applied the phrase “French Quarter” either to a neighborhood in New Orleans or to a creek within the Francis Marion National Forest. The name was first applied to a block of urban Charleston that September as part of a preservation campaign, but did not immediately enter the local lexicon. The Preservation Society began offering fall tours of the French Quarter in 1979 and the name gradually gained local recognition, most notably after the opening of the French Quarter Restaurant in 1983. A brief description of the French Quarter, extracted from a 1973 newspaper article, was added to the city’s official training manual for tour guides.[18] A French Quarter Neighborhood Association, encompassing a much larger swath of real estate, coalesced in the 1990s, by which time the historical inaccuracies and misrepresentations enshrined in the 1973 National Register designation had become fixtures in the marketing of urban Charleston.

So, how French is Charleston’s so-called French Quarter? The answer depends on how one defines its boundaries. First, let’s focus on the block defined by National Register listing of 1973. The land encompassed by Lodge Alley, East Bay, Cumberland, and State Streets includes parts of four lots defined in the 1672 Grand Model of Charleston: the northernmost parts of Lots No. 32 and No. 68, and the southernmost parts of Lots No. 33 and No. 75. Lodge Alley, formerly known as Simmons’ Alley, was created after 1713, when Francis Holmes purchased from Robert Daniel the northernmost part of Lot No. 32, containing 100 feet of vacant frontage along East Bay Street, and divided the land with his friend, John Simmons.[19] Each man sacrificed five feet of his respective half to create a passageway ten feet wide, but their object was not necessarily to facilitate traffic to and from nearby wharves. In fact, there were no wharves north of Queen Street at that time, and Queen Street, then known as Dock Street, was a watery thoroughfare that interrupted traffic along the Bay Street until the late 1730s. It’s more likely that Simmons’ Alley was created to facilitate passage from the northern end of the Bay Street to the southern part of the town, via a crooked, twenty-foot-wide passage known as Union Street (now State Street). Wragg Alley, created by merchant Joseph Wragg in the early 1700s, served a similar purpose before it was reconfigured in the late 1700s as Amen Street and then supplanted by the eastward extension of Cumberland Street circa 1840.[20] Modern State Street was created circa 1812, after a major fire in the neighborhood in 1810 provided an excuse to widen and straighten the narrow passage previously known as Union Street.[21]

Within three-and-a-half-centuries worth of property records pertaining to the land bounded by Lodge Alley, East Bay, Cumberland, and State Street, defined as the “French Quarter” in 1973, one finds only a handful of French names. Noah Serré, for example, purchased a narrow swath of Grand Model Lot No. 33 in 1743, and his parcel, now No. 191 East Bay Street, later passed through several families of French extraction.[22] A native of the French colony of Saint-Domingue, John Pezant, acquired the northern half of this so-called French Quarter some years before his death in Cuba in 1849. His heirs sold the sparsely-settled property in 1852, after which later owners, primarily German and Jewish merchants, scraped Pezant’s wooden residence and built commercial warehouses.[23] From the perspective of property ownership and architectural contributions, therefore, persons of French extraction played a demonstrably minor role in the history of the block designated the French Quarter in 1973.

In recent decades, especially since the formation of the modern neighborhood association, many Charlestonians have adopted the habit of describing a much broader but amorphously defined French Quarter. Unofficially, the current conception of the quarter spans from Broad Street northward to Market Street, and from Meeting Street eastward to the Cooper River waterfront. This broad landscape includes a core part of the City of Charleston that dates back to the creation of the town in the 1670s, in which a number of French immigrants—both Protestant and Catholic—have settled during the past three and a half centuries. Prior to September 1973, however, no resident, visitor, or historian of Charleston ventured to describe this area as containing a significant concentration of French people, or as an area defined by French architectural or other cultural characteristics. Numerous persons of French extraction certainly settled in the broad neighborhood between Broad and Market Streets in centuries past, and French Protestants have indeed worshiped at a Huguenot Church at the southeast corner of Queen and Church Streets since the 1680s. Nevertheless, the claim that French residents dominated the history of that area is a fanciful assertion that ignores the presence and contributions of numerous other ethnic groups in centuries past. One might as easily argue that the neighborhood should be called the African Quarter, the Yankee Quarter, the Jewish Quarter, the Warehouse Quarter, or any other subjective moniker that suits the purpose at hand.

In short, the name “French Quarter” is an imprecise, arbitrary phrase invented as a marketing slogan to support the partisan purposes of a contentious legal battle in the autumn of 1973. That campaign to save fourteen historic structures was a bona-fide success for the cause of historic preservation, and the buildings rehabilitated in the 1980s and still in use today were certainly worthy of conservation. If the ninety-foot-tall tower of condos proposed by the Baier Corporation in 1973 had been built, that structure would have set a precedent leading to a version of historic Charleston very different from the landscape we see today.

As a life-long student of the history of early Charleston, I wholeheartedly acknowledge that French-speaking people, Protestant and Catholic, White and Black, played important roles in the long history of the broad neighborhood in question. Their collective cultural influence within the greater Charleston area is beyond question. Never did they form a majority of a particular geographic neighborhood, however, like German immigrants did in Charleston’s eighteenth-century “Dutch Town.” As a matter of personal preference, therefore, I avoid using the phrase “French Quarter” in my own speech and writing. In my mind, the 1973 moniker is a modern affectation akin to several other inaccurate place-names coined in the twentieth century, including the “Four Corners of the Law,” “Holy City,” and “Harleston Village.”

Once foreign to Charleston, the phrase “French Quarter” has become naturalized in the Palmetto City over the past half-century and, I suspect, will continue to thrive in the years to come. While the name does not suit my historical palate, I respect my neighbors’ freedom of choice to embrace or reject the name, and I commend those advocates of 1973 who worked to save an important part of the city’s commercial architectural fabric. To my fellow citizens fond of the marketing slogan invented in 1973, I say vive la différence!

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[1] In Charleston News and Courier, 1 March 1973, page 1, “Condominiums Planned For East Bay Area,” Baier stated that the height of the structure was still under discussion. He later described the proposed height as “approximately 89 feet high” in Evening Post, 28 August 1973, page 1-A, “Local Group Gets Option.” The brick wall and retail shops were described in News and Courier, 1 June 1973 (Friday), page 1-B, “Razing Requests Approved For Condominium.”

[2] The Baier Corporation purchased 183-185 East Bay Street on 21 March 1973, and the remaining property on 5 June 1973; see Charleston County Register of Deeds (hereafter CCRD), book A101: 123, and book B102: 211, 222.

[3] Baier requested demolition permits for numbers 183, 185, 187, 189, 191, 195, 197, 199, 201, and 203 East Bay Street, and numbers 46, 48, 50 and 52 State Street; the sole remaining building was 44 State Street; see News and Courier, 29 May 1973 (Tuesday), page 7-A, “Demolition Request Submitted”; News and Courier, 1 June 1973 (Friday), page 1-B, “Razing Requests Approved For Condominium”; News and Courier, 22 November 1973, page 1-B, “Review Board Defended On High-Rise.”

[4] News and Courier, 29 June 1973, page 8-D, “Residents Ask Rehearing On Condominium Project”; City Council proceedings of 17 July 1973, printed in Evening Post, 3 August 1973, page 8-D.

[5] Evening Post, 28 August 1973, page 1-A, “Local Group Gets Option.”

[6] News and Courier, 20 August 1973, page 1-B, “Structures Date Back to 19th Century”; for the building at the corner of East Bay and Cumberland Streets, see News and Courier, 5 October 1938, page 14, “165 Structures Face Demolition”; News and Courier, 26 October 1938, page 10, “Pearlstine Awards Rebuilding Contract.”

[7] News and Courier, 20 August 1973, page 1-B, “Plan Proposed For 14 Warehouses.”

[8] Evening Post, 28 August 1973, page 1-A, “Local Group Gets Option.”

[9] News and Courier, 1 September 1973, page 6-B, “Notice.”

[10] News and Courier, 6 September 1973, page 1-A, “Condominium Opponents Seek Funds”; Evening Post, 15 September 1973, page 1-B, “Architects And Foundations Join High-Rise Opponents.”

[11] News and Courier, 16 September 1973, page 11-C, “Charleston, S.C.”

[12] News and Courier, 15 September 1973, page 6-A, “‘Save Charleston’ Group Still Far Short of Goal”; Evening Post, 18 September 1973, page 2-A, “Condominium Foes Gaining National Note”; Evening Post, 20 September 1973, page 10-A, “Save Charleston (Reprinted from the Washington Post)”; News and Courier, 22 September 1973, page 1-B, “Mail Flooding Foundation”; Evening Post, 24 September 1973, page 1-B, “Keeping Posted,” by Basil Hall; Evening Post, 9 October 1973, page 2-B, “‘I’m Squarely Behind Both Sides,’ Declares the Charleston Mayor,” reprinted from the Wall Street Journal, by Neil Maxwell.

[13] One can access a PDF copy of the 1973 nomination form for “Charleston’s French Quarter (Lodge Alley)” via the website of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History: http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/charleston/S10817710060/index.htm.

[14] Documents concerning the Marine Lodge’s purchase of a lot on the south side of Simmons’ Alley in June 1773 are found in CCRD H4:301–25.

[15] According to News and Courier, 26 September 1973, page 1-B, “Register Lists East Bay Site,” “research on the history of the complex, the basis for the nomination, was conducted by Miss Marguerite Stedman, Mrs. Carroll Ann Smith and Mrs. Jinx Jones, all of Charleston.” Robert Stockton summarized the history of the neighborhood, with some inaccuracies, in News and Courier, 1 October 1973, page 1-B, “Charleston’s French Quarter Dates to Late 1700s.”

[16] Evening Post, 26 September 1973, page 1-B, “East Bay Plans Progress”; News and Courier, 27 September 1973, page 1-B, “Preservation Funds Add Up”; Evening Post, 5 October 1973, page 1-B, “Foundation May Revise Fund Goal”; Evening Post, 13 October 1973, page 1-B, “Volunteers Will March Again For East Bay Site”; Evening Post, 15 October 1973, page 1-A, “Foundation Opts To Buy”; News and Courier, 16 October 1973, page 1-A, “Local Group To Buy Buildings”; News and Courier, 16 November 1973, page 1-B, “Law Suit Clouds Action By Save Charleston Group”; the conveyance from Baier Corporation to Save Charleston Foundation, executed on 16 November 1973, is recorded in CCRD book F103: 347.

[17] News and Courier, 17 November 1973, page 1-B, “Foundation Plans New Development”; Evening Post, 7 December 1973, page 1-A, “Lodge Alley Site Sale Announced”; News and Courier, 17 May 1974, page 1-B, “Save Charleston Group Hopes To Salvage ‘Kitty’”; News and Courier, 7 November 1974, page 1-B, “Proposed Developers Being Sued”; News and Courier, 21 November 1974, page 1-B, “Litigation Stalled by Court Order”; Evening Post, 28 August 1975, page 2-A, “Firm Has New Ideas For Old Warehouses”; Evening Post, 15 April 1983, page 10-A, quarter-page advertisement: “Welcome to Charleston’s Inn of History”; Charleston Post and Courier, 3 Sept 1998, page 7-B, “3rd Hotel Deal Sold Downtown.”

[18] See Historic Charleston Foundation, compiler, The City of Charleston Tour Guide Training Manual (Charleston, S.C.: City of Charleston, Office of Tourism, 2011), 264–65. The text in question is from News and Courier, 1 October 1973, page 1-B, “Charleston’s French Quarter Dates to Late 1700s,” by Robert P. Stockton.

[19] See Robert Daniel to Francis Holmes, conveyance, 4 June 1713, and Francis Holmes to Samuel Eveleigh, power of attorney, 20 June 1713, in South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Records of the Register of the Province, book H: 302–5, 315.

[20] A 1757–58 deed of partition of the estate of Joseph Wragg, which included property on both the north and south sides of Wragg Alley, is recorded in CCRD B3: 233–71. The widening and straightening of Cumberland Street, which involved the absorption of Amen Street, took place 1838–40.

[21] A plat of the revised path of State Street, “surveyed in March 1812” by John Wilson, found in CCRD I8: 443–48, shows that the widening and straightening of the street removed more than thirteen feet from the west end of Lodge Alley. The present structures on the east side of State Street, to the north and south of Lodge Alley, were constructed after 1812.

[22] See Sarah Blakeway, by her attorney, Charles Pinckney, to Noah Serré, lease and release, 27–28 January 1742/3 (16th regnal year of George II) CCRD Z: 10–19. The property later descended to the Dutarque and Gaillard families.

[23] See the two wills of John L’Aimable Pezant in South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Will Book K (1845–1851), pages 301, 395; WPA transcript volume 45: 561–65, 727–30; Charleston Courier, 7 April 1852, page 3, “Valuable Building Lots. Under Decree in Equity. Pezant vs. Cay and others”; Pezant’s property is illustrated by plat made by Charles Parker in 1852, now plat No. 7134 in the Plat Collection of John McCrady, held by the Charleston County Register of Deeds.

Lowcountry

JLL Income Property Trust Closes Senior Secured Real Estate Loan on Charleston, SC Apartment Community

March 26, 2024 by 0 Comments
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Investments in attractive private debt sector now surpass $100 million

CHICAGO, IL /PRNewswire/ — JLL Income Property Trust, an institutionally managed daily NAV REIT (NASDAQ: ZIPTAX; ZIPTMX; ZIPIAX; ZIPIMX) with approximately $7 billion in portfolio equity and debt investments, announced today that it originated a $48 million senior, secured floating rate first mortgage loan on an institutional-quality apartment community in Charleston, South Carolina. The loan has an initial three-year term, earns an interest rate of 3.85% above SOFR – the Secured Overnight Financing Rate – with a SOFR floor of 4%, and is projected to deliver a yield of approximately 8 to 9%.

With this most recent loan, JLL Income Property Trust has now surpassed $100 million in its senior secured floating rate first mortgage portfolio. In a market environment where traditional real estate debt sources are facing balance sheet and legacy portfolio challenges that have resulted in significantly curtailed lending, JLL Income Property Trust has capitalized by originating real estate loans that complement and further diversify its core, multi-sector property portfolio while also potentially enhancing investment performance.

“With continued disruption in the traditional real estate lending markets, we see tremendous opportunities to make accretive loans on attractive properties that add value to our diversified real estate portfolio,” said Allan Swaringen, President, and CEO of JLL Income Property Trust. “This Charleston investment is expected to provide JLL Income Property Trust with durable cash flows, downside protection through a senior position to the equity investment in the property, and added diversification to our portfolio of core equity and debt investments.”

Swaringen continued, “This investment brings our senior secured first mortgage loan portfolio to more than $100 million. Over time we intend to invest a meaningful allocation toward this private debt sector to capitalize on this higher interest rate environment to the benefit of our stockholders.”

The property is a 358-unit apartment community spread across 13 three-story residential buildings. The property is located in North Charleston, two miles from Charleston International Airport and seven miles from United States Joint Airforce Charleston, the largest employer in the region. Ongoing development in the market includes a $1 billion medical campus for Roper St. Francis Healthcare located one mile west of the property that is expected to bring more than 2,000 jobs to the area. Other major employers in the area include Boeing, the Medical University of South Carolina, Trident Health System and the Charleston County School District, among others.

For more information on JLL Income Property Trust, please visit our website at www.jllipt.com.

About JLL Income Property Trust, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZIPTAX; ZIPTMX; ZIPIAX; ZIPIMX)
JLL Income Property Trust, Inc. is a daily NAV REIT that owns and manages a diversified portfolio of high quality, income-producing residential, industrial, grocery-anchored retail, healthcare and office properties located in the United States. JLL Income Property Trust expects to further diversify its real estate portfolio over time, including on a global basis. For more information, visit www.jllipt.com.

About LaSalle Investment Management
LaSalle Investment Management is one of the world’s leading real estate investment managers. On a global basis, LaSalle manages approximately $89 billion of assets in private and public real estate property and debt investments as of Q4 2023. LaSalle’s diverse client base includes public and private pension funds, insurance companies, governments, corporations, endowments and private individuals from across the globe. LaSalle sponsors a complete range of investment vehicles including separate accounts, open- and closed-end funds, public securities and entity-level investments. For more information, please visit http://www.lasalle.com.

Valuations, Forward Looking Statements and Future Results
This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to JLL Income Property Trust. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not descriptions of historical facts and include statements regarding management’s intentions, beliefs, expectations, research, market analysis, plans or predictions of the future. Because such statements include risks, uncertainties and contingencies, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Past performance is not indicative of future results and there can be no assurance that future dividends will be paid.

Lowcountry

Mount Pleasant Farmers Market returns Tuesday, April 2, 2024 (Every Tuesday through September)

March 26, 2024 by 0 Comments
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2024 Mount Pleasant Farmers Market – 645 Coleman Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC

Market Details

The Mount Pleasant Farmers Market features farm goods, food vendors and live music.

Join us every Tuesday starting, April through September, from 3:30 – 7:00 p.m. to pick up fresh produce and other farm goods, prepared meals, and plenty of other goodies to stock your kitchen.  Free parking.

Do you Facebook? Become a fan of the Farmers Market Facebook community! This is the best place for up-to-date info and any weather-related announcements including early closures or cancelations (this is available even without a Facebook account).

Clemson Extension Master Gardeners

Also available for your assistance are the Clemson Extension Master gardeners, seasoned volunteers who can help solve most pesky gardening problems. Make the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market a weekly affair!

Seasonal Offerings

What’s in season at the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market? This Seasonal Crop Calendar has all the harvest dates for local produce.

Specialty Markets

Holiday Market – Saturday, December 14, 2024. The festival is a combination of locally grown fresh produce, baked goods, homemade preserves, hot food and hand crafted gifts. Details can be found on the Holiday Market web page.  The application for the Holiday Market is available in August.

For more information about the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market, e-mail the Market Manager or call (843) 884-2528.

Application Information

The Mount Pleasant Farmers Market is a traditional market meaning that only farmers and food vendors are allowed to sell.  Vendors interested in applying for the 2024 season, please review all market rules and regulations before  you submit an application.  Food vendors must have a DHEC commercial kitchen were they produce their goods. Please note cottage law vendors are not accepted.  All Farmers must submit a crop list as well as grow over 50% of what they sell.

Vendors wanting to be considered for a space need to complete and submit an application by February 10.  2024

Please email Market Manager at trichter@tompsc.com if you have questions.

Lowcountry

National Geographic Traveler, Andrew Nelson set to release new book, “Here Not There: 100 Unexpected Travel Destinations” featuring the International African American Museum

March 25, 2024 by 0 Comments
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Traveling is meant to be a unique experience full of fun and relaxation, but it can be difficult to navigate some of the most popular travel destinations – which are often pricey and crowded. Many people may not know that there are tons of alternate destinations to visit, that remain “off the beaten path” but are equally exciting as their well-known counterparts.

This April, National Geographic and author Andrew Nelson will release “Here Not There: 100 Unexpected Travel Destinations” (Publication Date: 4/2/24). This travel guide is jam packed with exclusive details and insights on unexpected must-see destinations, and features Charleston’s very own International African American Museum.

The book includes a two-page spread on the museum and encourages travelers to visit – “it is a vital and affirming place for anyone interested in understanding the real history of one of the country’s most popular cities”

About the Author 

An award-winning writer and editor for National Geographic Traveler, Andrew Nelson has roamed all 50 states as well as numerous countries for the magazine and website. He served as director of editorial projects for National Geographic Travel in Washington, D.C., and has taught in institutions such as Loyola University New Orleans and the College of Charleston. He lives in Washington, D.C.

Click HERE to order your copy.

Lowcountry

The Jim Henson Company Partners with The Brad Simon Organization as the Exclusive Booking Agent for the First-Ever Fraggle Rock Live Touring Show

March 25, 2024 by 0 Comments
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Fraggle Rock LIVE will feature beloved
Fraggles, Doozers, and Gorgs in an all-new Fraggle Rock adventure
in development for 2025

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., March 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A new first-ever Fraggle Rock stage show is in development from The Jim Henson Company, with The Brad Simon Organization on board as the exclusive booking agent. Starring the characters of the beloved original Jim Henson series currently seen in the hit Emmy Award-winning Apple TV+ reboot, Fraggle Rock LIVE will feature the iconic Fraggles alongside all the favorite characters from the show, as well as new characters in a brand-new exciting, interactive, live musical adventure perfect for all ages!

When Gobo Fraggle discovers a legend about a long lost Fraggle treasure called the Great Song Stone, his pals Mokey, Boober, Wembley, and Red join him on an adventure to find it, and end up celebrating the greatest treasure of all – something much more special than they could have ever imagined!

Featuring gorgeous new walk-around versions of the Fraggles, puppet-sized and mechanized Doozers, appearances from the giant Gorgs, and exclusive new magical puppet creatures all from the acclaimed Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, this all-new musical stage adventure will welcome audiences into the incredible world of the iconic and beloved Fraggle Rock! Written and directed by John Tartaglia (Avenue Q, Shrek the Musical, Stephen Schwartz’s The Secret Silk), the show will include favorite songs, fantastic in-theater immersive special effects, and exciting physical staging, as well as magical heartwarming moments, hilarious and endearing new characters, and much more to make this unforgettable theater experience perfect for families with young first-time theater goers, and for Fraggle Rock fans who are young at heart.

“There is so much momentum behind creating the first-ever Fraggle Rock live show for families and fans! We are simply blown away by the response we have seen from the many theaters who are excited to welcome the Fraggles to their communities. I can’t wait for fans to get the chance to see the Fraggles come to their hometowns!” said John Tartaglia, Creative Supervisor of Fraggle Rock for The Jim Henson Company.

The Brad Simon Organization is the exclusive booking agency for Fraggle Rock LIVE. Visit www.fragglerocklive.com for additional information. 

About The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 65 years and is recognized as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics, and digital animation. The Company’s most recent credits include the Oscar®-winning Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio for Netflix, the Emmy®-winning Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock for Apple TV+, and the feature film The Portable Door for MGM+. The Company is currently in post-production on a new reimagining of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day starring Eva Longoria and Cheech Marin for Disney+. Other television credits include Slumberkins, Harriet the Spy and Fraggle Rock: Rock On, all for Apple TV+, Word Party for Netflix, Earth to Ned for Disney+, and the Emmy-winning Netflix Original series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Other TV productions include Dinosaur Train (PBS), Splash and Bubbles (PBS), Sid the Science Kid (PBS), and Julie’s Greenroom (Netflix), as well as Fraggle Rock, The Storyteller, and the sci-fi series Farscape. Feature film credits include The Star (Sony Pictures Animation), Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Disney), and the ground-breaking fantasy classics The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth.

With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and post-production facilities. The Company is home to Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television, theme park and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry’s top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment. The Company’s Henson Alternative credits include the feature film The Happytime Murders, and the popular live puppet improvisational show Puppet-Up! – Uncensored.

About The Brad Simon Organization
For nearly four decades, the goal of The Brad Simon Organization has been to provide an array of unique and innovative productions and performing artists to presenters and their audiences. Since 1983, they have provided tour booking services for a diverse roster of artists and productions in a wide variety of performance venues, including performing art centers, commercial theaters, amphitheaters, arenas, festivals, fairs and theme parks. Relying on years of expertise, they also assist our producing clients in identifying and acquiring the theatrical touring rights for book and television-based properties.
Their national and international tours have reached millions of audience members at over 1,000 commercial and non-profit venues in all 50 states in the US; 8 provinces in Canada, Sydney, Australia, Singapore and other territories. They have toured 20+ productions based on top-rated television series, over 80 book titles, as well as original theater productions, targeted to multi-generational family audiences.

About John Tartaglia
John Tartaglia is an acclaimed actor, director, writer, and puppeteer, Tony-nominated for originating both Rod and Princeton in Broadway’s debut company of Avenue Q. His theatrical directing credits include Stephen Schwartz’s The Secret Silk and Jim Henson’s Inspired Silliness, both for Princess Cruises, Kinky Boots (3d Theatricals), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Maltz Jupiter Theater), Claudio Quest (Six-time winner at NY Musical Theatre Festival, including Best in Fest and Best Director), Shrek The Halls (DreamWorks Theatricals), Because of Winn Dixie (Arkansas Rep and Goodspeed Opera House development) and Jim Henson’s Musical World (Carnegie Hall). 

Most recently, he finished production on the second season of the EMMY-winning Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, serving as an executive producer, writer, and puppet captain, and performing Gobo Fraggle, Architect Doozer, Gunge, Barry Blueberry, and Sprocket the Dog. 

John has worked many summer seasons at the country’s award-winning, oldest outdoor theater, the St. Louis MUNY, directing such shows as Shrek the Musical, The Wizard of Oz, Tarzan, Annie, Matilda, Mary Poppins, and most recently Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Other credits include the national tours of Jim Henson’s Dinosaur Train Live and Jim Henson’s Sid the Science Kid Live! as well as several shows for Sesame Place, PA. 

John can be heard every Sunday on Sirius XM On Broadway on his show “Sunday Funday with John Tartaglia.”

SOURCE The Jim Henson Company

Lowcountry

VRBO Announces the 2024 US Vacation Rentals of the Year

March 25, 2024 by 0 Comments
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AUSTIN, Texas, March 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today Vrbo® unveiled its 2024 Vacation Rentals of the Year in the U.S., which feature the most remarkable private vacation rentals across the country as well as a bonus property in Mexico, a popular international destination for U.S. travelers.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9179054-vrbo-unveils-2024-us-vacation-rentals-of-the-year/ 

VRBO ANNOUNCES THE 2024 US VACATION RENTALS OF THE YEAR
VRBO ANNOUNCES THE 2024 US VACATION RENTALS OF THE YEAR

This year’s Vacation Rentals of the Year list recognizes some of the most gorgeous waterfront homes, stunning cabin escapes and modern city stays in destinations including Sedona, Arizona; Austin, Texas; Inlet Beach, Florida and Blue Ridge, Georgia. The properties also include trending outdoor amenities that are inspiring travelers’ booking habits in 2024. Across the board, the homes offer:

  • Six heated pools, three of which are infinity pools
  • Eight hot tubs
  • Three outdoor sport courts for basketball, tennis and pickleball
  • Five fire pits
  • Three saunas
  • Six game rooms with ping pong, foosball, billiards, air hockey and shuffleboard
  • Four indoor gyms, including one yoga studio
  • Unique amenities including a wine cave, a vineyard and an in-ground trampoline

“What stands out to me is the variety in this year’s Vacation Rentals of the Year — from cool places with game rooms for kids to wine caves for grown-ups, at nightly rates ranging from $550 to $3,000. This list exemplifies the caliber of private vacation rentals across Vrbo,” said Jon Gieselman, president of Expedia Brands. “What’s new and makes it even better is that when you book any of these properties, you earn OneKeyCash back that you can use on your next vacation. No other major player does that.”

Now in its third year, the Vacation Rentals of the Year highlight the most spectacular, private vacation rentals that represent a variety of popular vacation destinations and price points. The homes are selected from the more than 2 million properties worldwide on the Vrbo platform, based on criteria including having:

  • A 4.9 or higher star rating
  • Positive guest reviews
  • Standout amenities and spaces for spending time together with friends and family
  • Premier Host status

“Vrbo’s Premier Hosts go above and beyond to offer exceptional, reliable and relaxing guest experiences and are key to making a traveler’s vacation seamless,” said Tim Rosolio, VP of Partner Success, Vacation Rentals. “With the recent adjustment of our Premier Host criteria, we are ensuring that only the best partners receive the badging and are eligible for opportunities like Vacation Rentals of the Year. We have incredible partners on our platform, and with the Premier Host badging we’re sending a clear and compelling trust signal to travelers about where to find the best, and consistent experiences on Vrbo.”

Travelers that book on Vrbo can also save with One Key, the first loyalty program from a major online vacation rental platform. Guests can earn 2% in OneKeyCash on every eligible Vrbo booking — including any of the 2024 Vacation Rentals of the Year — that can be used toward future bookings on eligible Vrbo vacation rentals, or on Expedia and Hotels.com. For example, booking a one-week stay at any one of the Vacation Rentals of the Year could earn travelers a few hundred dollars in OneKeyCash, on average.

See the list of the 2024 Vacation Rentals of the Year, as well as images and videos of the properties, along with a video testimonial from one of our Premier Hosts at www.vrbo.com/2024vacationrentals. And for even more trip-planning inspiration, make sure to check out previous years’ Vacation Rentals of the Year lists from 2023 and 2022.

2024 U.S. Vacation Rentals of the Year Property Details:

  1. Sedona, Arizona – “Palatial Paradise Estate” is a stunning estate featuring breathtaking views of the iconic red rocks. This idyllic home invites the outside in with unique features including telescoping doors that connect the living room to the resort-style patio, an infinity pool, waterfall feature and outdoor fireplace. With easy access to all the best attractions in Sedona and nearby Coconino National Forest trails, this escape is the ideal vacation rental for a family or group vacation.
  2. Big Sky, Montana – A one-of-a-kind cabin retreat, the “Fire Lookout Towers” is an awe-inspiring home situated on 60 acres and perched atop a ridge overlooking the majestic Beehive Basin. The cabin is only 10 minutes from Big Sky Resort and offers the most relaxing, comfortable space to savor a homemade meal with loved ones in the gourmet kitchen and dining room or relax by the floor-to-ceiling fireplace after a long day of skiing and exploring the surrounding wilderness.
  3. Inlet Beach, Florida – “Paradise Found” is a vacation rental that really lives up to its name. The beachside oasis nestled along 30A is a resort-like space thoughtfully designed to accommodate groups of all kinds and guests of all ages. The home has three distinct living areas for spending time together, a gourmet chef’s kitchen, and an open concept living room that merges the indoors and outdoors. Outside, enjoy a masterfully designed infinity pool with a large hot tub, a covered cabana, and premier entertaining spaces.
  4. Austin, Texas – Located just minutes from bustling downtown Austin, discover “Toro Canyon,” a tranquil getaway that seamlessly blends modern luxury and comfortable elegance. The home is perfect for a relaxing retreat with friends, boasting beautifully landscaped grounds and outdoor amenities including a pool and hot tub, outdoor kitchen and dining space, fire pit, and even a sports court — all nestled within a canopy of trees with a natural creek running nearby.
  5. Glen Ellen, California – “Villa Montebella” is an Italian-inspired villa located in the heart of Sonoma Valley. The home offers acres of privacy with spectacular views, including ones of the San Francisco Bay less than an hour away; sips of world-class Cabernet Sauvignon from the onsite vineyard, or produce for meals from the farm. The villa boasts large gathering spaces including a library, theater room and oversized kitchen for group meals, a spa facility with steam and dry sauna rooms, and the standout amenity, which is the wine cave filled with art, a dining area and even a game room.
  6. Sand Lake, Michigan – Situated on Baptist Lake, “Sandy Lakehouse” is a stunning lakeside home beyond compare. The property is decked out with every amenity imaginable, including a professional-grade gym, custom sports court for basketball and pickleball games, and a fully equipped game room. This is a perfect spot to host family and friends for a summer vacation or for a quick weekend escape, located only half an hour from Grand Rapids.
  7. Epworth, Georgia – “Miracle Creek Retreat” is an expansive cabin nestled on a hillside in the Blue Ridge area, overlooking Fightingtown Creek below. The home combines modern design and comfort with stone and wood elements and includes spa-like bathrooms, a generously stocked gourmet kitchen with river views, and a game room with a wet bar. An outdoor living area also provides serene views of the forest and a cozy space for evenings spent under the stars.
  8. Winchendon, Massachusetts – “Copley’s Lakefront Cottage” is a uniquely designed, Belgian-style farmhouse located on Lake Monomonac that straddles both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The modern home is wonderful for any season with its own private beach and dock for boating and swimming in the summer, and ice skating and fishing during the winter. Inside, the home is impeccably furnished with features including floor-to-ceiling views of the lake in the living areas, and a large sauna for a pampered spa day.
  9. St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands – The oceanfront “Villa Cin Cin” is an exquisite luxury home right outside of Cruz Bay that offers unparalleled views of the nearby Virgin Islands National Park from an expansive veranda by the infinity pool and a rooftop deck. The estate was also custom-built to have identical primary en suite bedrooms so everyone in the group gets the best room, and comes with thoughtfully designed spaces for movie and game nights after a day in the sun.
  10. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico – “Casa Acantilado” is an extraordinary cliffside villa in the heart of downtown Cabo San Lucas. This striking home offers an uninterrupted blend of indoor and outdoor living spaces, including bedrooms with oceanside patio access, and comes with gorgeous views of the water from the pool, sauna and hot tub, which are great ways to start and end the day on a relaxing note.

About Vrbo

In 1995, Vrbo introduced a new way for people to travel together, pairing homeowners with families and friends looking for places to stay. We were grounded in one purpose: To give people the space they need to drop the distractions of everyday life and simply be together.

Since then, we’ve grown into a global community of homeowners and travelers, with unique properties around the world. Vrbo makes it easy and fun to book cabins, condos, beach houses and every kind of space in between.

Vrbo is part of Expedia Group and offers homeowners and property managers exposure to over 750 million visits to Expedia Group sites each month. To learn more, visit www.vrbo.com.

© 2024 Vrbo, an Expedia Group company. All rights reserved. Vrbo, HomeAway, the Vrbo logo, and the HomeAway logo are trademarks of HomeAway.

Villa Cin Cin

Copley’s Lakefront Cottage

Miracle Creek Retreat
Lowcountry

Riverwatch Brewery, Augusta, GA’s first brewery since the prohibition era is closing its doors

March 25, 2024 by 0 Comments
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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Augusta’s first brewery to open since the Prohibition era has announced it is closing its doors for good.

Riverwatch Brewery has been around for nine years, and it is time to say goodbye.

“We have really enjoyed being here. We have enjoyed serving our beer to folks from Augusta and around the world who come during the Masters,” said Brey Sloan, Owner of Riverwatch Brewery. “And that’s what I think I’m going to miss more than anything else: the people. Sitting, we have regulars who come all the time, but just getting to meet new people and talk to folks and find out about them.”

When she first opened the brewery, many told her Augusta would not let her, but she was told yes when she asked.

“The time was right. That public safety commission was just like, yup, this is okay with us. So, when we were actually able to open, it was very exciting. Augusta had not had one in 95 years,” said Sloan.

Even during COVID-19, although it was not the best time for business, they still brought customers joy by packaging special brews.

“We then made a wild fermentation IPA, which we called Joe Exotic. Then we made a white IPA, which we named White Tiger, and sold them as a three-pack. I mean, it was a lot of fun. We just had a good time with it, just because people were looking for something to do,” said Sloan.

Although people have fond memories of the brewery, It is time for it to close.

“It’s not getting the foot traffic we would like to see. We tried to move downtown. Because of Georgia Law, I have to make the beer in the same place that I serve it. So, I would need a big enough space to make the beer and have customers sitting,” said Sloan.

With things getting in the way, although she is sad to see the brewery go, Sloan says she knows it is time.

“After I retired from the army, I took a grand total of one month off, and then I went off the beer school. And then I came back and started this whole thing. So I’ve never really had a large break of retired time, so that might be the thing to focus on,” said Sloan.

Don’t worry — you still have time to visit. The official last day will be April 19th, their eighth anniversary.

Source link: WJBF

Lowcountry

Charleston Stage Announces 2024-2025 Season at the Dock Street Theatre

March 24, 2024 by 0 Comments
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South Carolina’s largest professional theatre company, Charleston Stage, is thrilled to lift the curtain on their 2024-2025 lineup of eight shows, including three Tony Award-winning productions, presented at the historic Dock Street Theatre. With a variety of offerings from timeless classics to contemporary plays to family-friendly musicals, Charleston Stage looks forward to sharing the excitement of live theatre with locals and visitors alike.

Season tickets go on sale April 12 and offer over 52 percent savings compared to purchasing individual show tickets. Other package options include a 5 Play MainStage package, a Build Your Own 3 Play package, a Family Series package and a four or six-voucher FlexTicket package. Please see HERE for more information on packages.

“A Year with Frog and Toad” – July 20, 21, 27 and 28, 2024 (Children’s Series)

Based on Arnold Lobel’s beloved children’s book, this musical chronicles the adventures of two best friends throughout the changing seasons, celebrating friendship, nature and the simple joys of life.

“Fiddler on the Roof” – Aug. 28-Sept. 22, 2024

This nine-time Tony Award-winning musical follows a poor milkman, Tevye, as he navigates the complexities of sustaining his Jewish traditions amid drastic cultural and political changes in his vibrant community, exploring themes of love, faith and the endurance of cultural roots.

“Purlie Victorious” – Oct. 9-27, 2024

Described as “marvelously exhilarating” by The New York Times, this comedy centers aroundn Preacher Purlie as he returns to his Georgia hometown with a clever scheme to reclaim his inheritance from a tyrannical plantation owner in the Jim Crow South. 

“A Christmas Carol” – Nov. 30-Dec. 22, 2024

In this original adaptation of Charles Dickens’s timeless classic (and Charleston Stage’s most popular production), miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, taking him on a journey to discover the true spirit of Christmas.

“The 39 Steps” – Jan. 22-Feb. 9, 2025

Calling all Hitchcock fans! This thrilling Tony and Olivier Award-winning comedy follows Richard Hannay as he escapes from his mundane life and becomes entangled in a murder where he must race against time to solve the mystery and vindicate himself.

“Last Stop on Market Street” – Feb 1 and 8, 2025 (Children’s Series)

This musical adaptation of Matt de La Peña’s acclaimed children’s book follows the curious CJ and his grandmother on their weekly bus ride through the city, where they encounter a kaleidoscope of characters and colors, opening CJ’s eyes to the beauty of the world around him.

“The Glass Menagerie” – Feb. 26-March 16, 2025

This timeless American classic and Tony Award-winning drama brings audiences into the fragile world of the Wingfield family, exploring complexities of the human experience like gender roles, escapism, familial responsibility and unfulfilled desire. 

“Legally Blonde” – April 9-May 4, 2025

An adaptation of the hit film starring Reese Witherspoon, this three-time Olivier Award-winning musical is the story of Elle Woods, a seemingly superficial sorority girl who defies expectations and becomes a successful Harvard Law School student while discovering her strengths and intelligence.

Lowcountry

RR Donnelly closing Conover, North Carolina plant by early June, cuts 82 jobs

March 24, 2024 by 0 Comments
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RR Donnelley is eliminating 82 job positions as part of closing its Conover, NC facility by early June, according to a company filing Wednesday to the N.C. Commerce Department.

RR Donnelley & Sons Co. is a global provider of marketing, packaging, print and supply chain solutions.

The Conover facility is at 725 Reece Drive, SW. The company said the closing is “due to changing market conditions.”

The job cuts “involve most or all of RR Donnelley’s operations at the location” and will occur over a 14-day period beginning May 19.

“Various factors may still affect the timing of any employment terminations,” according to the notice.

After the closing, the company will have six North Carolina facilities, including a packaging plant at 415 Westcliff Road in Greensboro.

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Stanley Black & Decker closing U.S. plants in Fort Mill, South Carolina and Mission Texas

March 24, 2024 by 0 Comments
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Stanley Black & Decker, the world’s largest toolmaker, is closing up shop at two of its U.S. plants in a move expected to leave hundreds of employees without jobs as it transforms its manufacturing and distribution network.

The closings of its facility in Fort Mill, South Carolina, and manufacturing plant in Mission, Texas, is the latest move by the New Britain, Connecticut-based company in its ongoing global cost reduction program expected to save it billions of dollars by the end of 2025. Stanley Black & Decker already has saved $1 billion since it began streamlining its business and reshaping its operations more than a year ago, Chief Financial Officer Patrick Hallinan told investors during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call last month.

“We are on track to deliver our $2 billion pre-tax run-rate cost savings target by the end of 2025,” Hallinan said. “We achieved [about] $160 million pre-tax run-rate cost savings in the fourth quarter, bringing our aggregate savings to over $1 billion since program inception. This performance is slightly ahead of plan as our teams accelerated savings efforts to offset macroeconomic volume headwinds that were greater than expected throughout the year, including during the fourth quarter.”

Like other consumer- and professional-facing companies, Stanley Black & Decker’s bottom line has been hit by inflation, excess inventory built up during the pandemic and rising interest rates. The outdoor power equipment industry also continues to show signs of customers reducing their inventory, executives told investors, with no expectations that this segment will pivot to growth this year.

Stanley Black & Decker launched its global cost reduction program in mid-2022 that included plans to transform its manufacturing and distribution network from a “decentralized and inefficient system of sites built through years” to a strategically focused supply chain, according to the company’s annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in February. The plan includes site closures, transforming some existing sites into manufacturing centers of excellence and reworking its distribution network.

Stanley Black & Decker recorded net restructuring charges of $39 million in 2023, primarily related to severance and facility closures associated with the supply chain transformation. The company expects to achieve annual net cost savings of $45 million by the end of this year related to the restructuring costs incurred during 2023, according to the report.

Changing Footprint

When it comes to Stanley Black & Decker’s footprint transformation, they start with “an overarching strategy of finding ways to get closer to our customer,” President and CEO Don Allan said on the call. The company plans to keep developing “centers of excellence” for manufacturing tools throughout the world, Allan said.

The company had 50,500 employees in 59 countries at the end of 2023, with 36% of those workers in the United States, according to the annual report.

Stanley Black & Decker sent a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification letter to the Texas Workforce Commission last week that said it decided to transfer two “value streams” to other locations within the company after an enterprisewide assessment of its manufacturing and logistics network.

As a result, the company plans to permanently lay off about 127 workers at a roughly 270,000-square-foot industrial facility at 802 Trinity St. in Mission, Texas, near McAllen and the U.S.-Mexico border. About 96 employees are expected to be laid off between May 10 and May 27, with another 31 employees laid off by Aug. 2, according to the letter.

Last week, Stanley Black & Decker filed a similar letter with the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce notifying the state it planned to permanently lay off 192 workers and close its Fort Mill manufacturing plant before the end of the year. The South Carolina layoffs are also expected to begin May 10.

Stanley Black & Decker did not immediately respond to an interview request from CoStar News seeking additional information about its U.S. plant closures.

Previous Closings

Stanley Black & Decker closed other factories in Texas and South Carolina last year, resulting in a loss of around 360 jobs. Those plants were in Cheraw, South Carolina, and Fort Worth, Texas.

The toolmaker’s most recent planned closures in Texas and South Carolina come seven years after each facility was unveiled to the public. Stanley Black & Decker announced plans in 2017 to invest $31 million into a 345,000-square-foot manufacturing plant that would make and assemble DeWalt cordless power tools in Fort Mill and employ 500 workers.

That same year, the company announced it would open a nearly 300,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in South Texas that was expected to employ about 450 workers and make DeWalt power tool products.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the DeWalt brand, executives told investors on the earnings call, a milestone year and a reminder that “we have been revolutionizing job sites for a century.”

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