When Art Loses to Development in Charleston

By Mark A. Leon

For those of you that have spent time or live in the James Island area, you are all too familiar with the strip mall that housed the old Cha Cha’s Mexican Restaurant and Bar and Rogue Motion, now in the hear of West Ashley.  That was a place that still holds special memories for me.  A place where I established new friendships that remain today.  That piece of real estate between Gold’s Gym and the Brick House Kitchen is nothing more than piles of rubble now, making way for a new look and feel of James Island and Charleston.

Yet, behind the rubble, lies a reminder of some of the creative street art that has given Charleston is creative flavor and unique voice.  These remains, are another reminder of a different time, a different place, where the dollar wasn’t the dominate force that drove the decisions in this community.

This was a time and place where community, affordability, art and music, family and tradition were our foundation.

Today, we walked the grounds one last time to say goodbye to another piece of our history as we await the likes of a Target Store to reinforce the new landscape of Charleston.

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