Media Release: Sergeant Jasper Agreement Reached – Details

Media Release:  City of Charleston, South Carolina

50 BROAD STREET

CHARLESTON, S.C. 29401 • TELEPHONE (843) 724 – 3746• FAX (843) 724 – 3734

JOHN J. TECKLENBURG

MAYOR

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

For Release:

SERGEANT JASPER AGREEMENT

DETAILS

Charleston, S.C.

Tonight, Charleston City Council voted to support an agreement to settle the long running Sgt. Jasper dispute. The outline of the agreement is as follows:

1. THE AGREEMENT

A THREE PART WIN FOR CHARLESTON

• The judge’s ruling is set aside, meaning that the Board of Architectural Review is protected from further court challenge and can get back to doing its work protecting our city and neighborhoods from unattractive and inappropriate development.
• Citizens can expect the old Sgt. Jasper unattractive and unloved for more than half a century to come down and be replaced by a dramatically more attractive building a building that the judge in this case has already given the developer approval to build
• The developer will set aside ¾ of an acre on nearby St. Mary’s Field for the construction of a new, publicly accessible waterfront park at no cost to the taxpayer

2. THE PUBLIC PROCESS IS PROTECTED NOW AND IN THE FUTURE

• In addition to protecting the BAR from further court challenge this settlement requires the Beach Company to bring its Plans back to the BAR for two more rounds of approvals provisional and final before the building can be built

3. CONSIDER THE ALTERNATIVE

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITHOUT AN AGREEMENT?

• The BAR would remain at risk, as an expensive and time consuming legal appeal worked its way through the courts over the next two or more years
• Due to a quirk in our city’s zoning laws, the Beach Company would almost certainly be forced to reopen the existing Sgt. Jasper building, and then proceed to build additional, primarily commercial structures around it structures that would join the existing Sgt. Jasper on the site for decades to come, and that could be significantly taller than the current building itself.
• No waterfront park.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jack O’Toole

Director of Communications

Media Relations/Public Information

(843) 518 – 3228

otoolej@charlestonsc.gov

Charleston Government Website Release Details