Your wedding day. Without a doubt, it's one of the most significant events you will ever experience - when you and the love of your life officially seal the deal and get married. On this day, your friends and family will gather to celebrate the next step in your life. Photographers will be running around snapping photos, catering plates delicious food for guests to enjoy, and the DJ sets the mood for a night of fun and libation. You've worked extra hard to make everything look perfect and run smoothly. You have examined every moving part down to the tiniest detail. At the center of all your effort is your wedding venue in Union, SC.
Your event space can mean the difference between an unforgettable event and an average occasion. Capturing your uniqueness as a couple is paramount to a memorable wedding. But, without the right venue location and staff, your unforgettable event can turn into a painfully average occasion. Fortunately, at Abney Hall, you won't ever have to worry about dingy reception spaces and crummy chow halls.
Constructed in Union, SC, in 1962, Abney Hall is 15,000 square feet and sits on 500 acres of land, making it a large wedding venue unlike any other. Abney Hall was originally the home of Mrs. Josephine Abney, a Union native who was a lifelong philanthropist. Mrs. Abney devoted much of her time and effort towards supporting charities, educational institutions, hospitals, and other noble efforts. Today, Abney Hall stands tall as a symbol of love, both in our community and for the couples who choose to get married here.
Abney Hall is an exclusive event experience unlike any other, surrounded by verdant forests and sparkling ponds. Our venue is a natural fit for several occasions, including:
The beginning of your life starts at Abney Hall. With our team by your side, we can create the fairy tale wedding you have dreamed about since childhood. Whether you have 100 guests or 1,000, our waterfront ceremony locations and French-inspired courtyard are perfect for your big day. Celebrate in luxurious style surrounded by shady magnolia trees, a private forest, large ponds, and the beauty of Mother Nature. While our venue location and aesthetic have been praised far and wide, so too have the practical aspects of Abney Hall. Looking for a relaxing, comfortable spot for your bridal party to get ready in? We offer an entire floor in the Abney Hall residence to get the bridal party ready. Want to make your groomsman feel extra-special too? We've got a private, plush house just feet from a sparkling pond that is a proper hangout spot for the guys in your group.
To make life easier on you, we also offer Abney Hall as your go-to spot for rehearsal dinners. Why book an expensive restaurant or travel to another location when unmatched beauty and convenience are right at your fingertips? Abney Hall is just the place for that very important dinner the night before your big day. We are also happy to host your bridal shower at Abney Hall. Our venue makes for one of Union's most unique bridal shower settings, where your family and friends can gather to give gifts and be merry before you walk down the aisle.
With such a large, magnificent house and a vast property, Abney Hall also makes for an unforgettable location for your bridal portraits and other wedding-related photography needs. Don't take our word for it - book a tour and see for yourself why so many new brides and grooms choose Abney Hall as their wedding venue in Union.
You've already found the person you want to spend the rest of your life beside. The next step? Finding the perfect wedding venue for your ceremony, reception, and celebration of your lifelong commitment to one another. Remember, the backdrop for photos, dancing, eating, and all other activities will be at your wedding venue. That's why we work so hard to set Abney Hall apart from our competitors - so you and your guests can focus on love and living your new life while we work with your vendors and photographers to make your magic night a reality.
Here are just a few reasons why guests choose Abney Hall as their wedding venue in Union, SC, along with some helpful tips from our experienced wedding venue staff:
Choosing the appropriate-sied venue for your desired guest count is a critical decision. A venue's capacity affects the number of people you need to consider having at your ceremony and reception. As you're first starting out, we recommend having a guest count in mind as you're searching for the right venue. Try to stick with that number. You may fall in love with a particular venue, but if its max capacity can't accommodate your guest count, it may be time to cross them off your list.
Keep in mind that this is your big day. You shouldn't feel obligated to invite the college roommate you shared a dorm with for one semester. At the end of the day, your wedding venue should be one that can accommodate those closest to you. Abney Hall is equipped for both small and large weddings, consisting of 500 acres of forest, ponds, and lush natural beauty. Whether you want an intimate wedding with only your best friends or a grand ceremony with hundreds of people, we have the right amount of room to make you comfortable.
On your big day, you're likely to have friends and family traveling in from other parts of the state or country. These folks will need a place to stay during and even after your wedding. Accessibility and ease are important factors when it comes to choosing your wedding venue for both you and your guests.
Located in Union, SC, Abney Hall is situated in a memorable, natural setting, giving your wedding a private vibe in the midst of Mother Nature. While we pride ourselves on having a secluded wedding event space, our venue is within an easy driving distance of hotels and vacation rentals.
When you contact us for a tour, make sure to speak with our experienced venue manager about nearby hotels and shuttle service options. We understand that your guest's comfort and convenience are important, and we're happy to work with you to figure out the best way to get your guests to Abney Hall.
At Abney Hall, our staff has earned its reputation as one of the industry's most friendly, accessible teams. We will provide you with a purpose-minded point of contact that can help answer questions relating to timelines, preferred vendors, and every aspect of your wedding. When you tour our wedding venue in Union, SC, for the first time, we want you to feel like you have all the information you need to make an informed purchasing decision.
At Abney Hall, our goal is to be your first resource when it comes to setting up and coordinating the details of your wedding day.
When it comes to your wedding's decor, you probably already have a few ideas in mind. We love it when our brides and grooms have a vision in mind because one of our greatest joys is turning that vision into a reality. At Abney Hall, our team is available to help you and your decorator fit, accent, and accommodate your fairy-tale wedding - whatever that may be.
Are you looking to dress up your wedding with decorations galore? Just want to add a few accents that tie into your preferred color palette? Abney Hall is versatile and ready to help however we are able.
If you're thinking about bringing in your own greenery, lighting, floral pieces, and more, we recommend discussing your vision with us on your initial tour of our event space. That way, we can get a head start on making your big day exactly how you envision it.
10 years from now, when you and your spouse are celebrating your anniversary, you will pull out photographs from your wedding and will reminisce about the unforgettable time you spent at Abney Hall. Your wedding photos will be with you forever, and as such, we work closely with you and your photographer to suggest extra-special photo op spots that you can only find on Abney Hall grounds.
From the grand staircase and French-inspired courtyard to our manicured gardens and lovely pond, there is no shortage of photo-op locations for your photographer to choose from. As one of the most popular wedding venues in Union, SC, we have worked with dozens of photographers over the years.
Our experience has allowed us to cultivate a list of preferred photographers - all of whom have the talent to take your pictures to the next level in a setting they're familiar with. We encourage you to check out our gallery to get a sense of the scope of our wedding venue and gain inspiration from other happy couples.
The gallery on our website is extensive but be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages as well. We keep our social pages updated with recent wedding photographs, giving you an incredible resource that you can use for your own photography purposes.
Abney Hall is known across the United States for our stunning weddings, but we also play host to some of the largest corporate events in South Carolina. Why choose a bland, lifeless meeting space when you can enjoy the beauty of Mother Nature coupled with a professional atmosphere? If you have an important team-building event or corporate conference that you have to coordinate, look no further than Abney Hall.
The epitome of class and style, our corporate event space is large, lavish, and chock-full of onsite amenities for you and your co-workers to enjoy. If your team needs a morale boost, don't bring them to the local Olive Garden for a cheap lunch. Treat them to a refreshing experience in our main dining room, where we can work with you to incorporate your catering options with the goals of your event.
When the hard work is done, and your team needs a breather, what better way to relax than with a quick dip in our pool? To burn off a little steam, head over to our brand-new tennis court - the perfect place to get some exercise in an ultra-private setting while you enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Don't forget to bring your fishing poles for a couple of hours of fishing. There's even an opportunity to go hunting if you wish.
If you're ready to learn more about Abney Hall as your wedding venue, don't hesitate to reach out. We would love to hear more about your plans, your vision, and your needs. We know that planning a wedding isn't easy. It takes time, attention to detail, and a whole lot of patience. Our goal is to help provide you with all the info you need to learn more about our venue. Once you decide on a date, we'll work closely with you and your vendors to craft a wedding experience that you will treasure for the rest of your life.
Our available dates for your big day are going quick, especially during peak seasons like spring and fall. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Contact us today for a FREE initial consultationUNION CO, S.C. (WSPA) – Deputies arrested 16 in Union County in one day last week.On Thursday, Feb. 16, the Union County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Department of Natural Resources, and the state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services (PPP) served 24 warrants and arrested 16 people on a variety of charges.“There were some really bad guys, we actually had one fugitive from justice that we picked up that morning. Several other arrests, a couple guys had domestic...
UNION CO, S.C. (WSPA) – Deputies arrested 16 in Union County in one day last week.
On Thursday, Feb. 16, the Union County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Department of Natural Resources, and the state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services (PPP) served 24 warrants and arrested 16 people on a variety of charges.
“There were some really bad guys, we actually had one fugitive from justice that we picked up that morning. Several other arrests, a couple guys had domestic violence charges, which is very serious,” said Sheriff Jeff Bailey.
This round-up took weeks of planning with the agencies taking an all hands on deck approach.
“When you have all these people, we’ve got to get on the same page,” said Sheriff Bailey. “That’s how we organized that morning and had our meeting and set our goals for what we were going to try to do, what time and how.”
Sheriff Bailey said with all the agencies involved, they had more tools at their disposal.
“So, when they bring that equipment to the table, we try to find our worst and try to pick them up and get them off the streets, as long as we can,” he said.
They also randomly selected 19 registered sex offenders to see if they were complying.
“We had some that had changed their residence and we tried to work that day to track them down and find out where they were, they were arrested,” said the sheriff. “We actually had people who had not reported their address or come in and report for their yearly.”
The sheriff said the people arrested are not first-time offenders.
“That’s what’s frustrating, it’s the same old people that we arrest. We pick up and it’s just, you know, a reoccurring problem,” he said.
He said a lot of them get out of custody on bonds.
“We constantly arrest them and then they make bond, their cases are still pending. So, some of them might be out on three or four bonds,” said Sheriff Bailey.
“So, it’s a problem but you just can’t take people to jail and house them, everyone is entitled to a bond.”
Sheriff Bailey said the men and women behind the badge are working hard.
“We’re doing our best to keep them off the street, because they’re a nuisance to the public, and we don’t want that,” he said.
“We’re trying to do our best. I promise, I promise people we’re doing our best to get these folks.”
Those arrested are:
Sheriff Bailey said they will be going through the rest of the sex offender list in the future.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A 15-year-old student at River Bluff High School says she was physically assaulted by a teacher for refusing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.Now her parents are suing Lexington School District One, Superintendent Gerrita Postlewait, school Principal Jacob Smith, teacher Nicole Livingston and the S.C. Department of Education on her behalf.On Nov. 29, 2022, Marissa Barnwell, a Black honor roll student, was walking in the hallway on her way to class when the Pledge of Allegiance began to play over the int...
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A 15-year-old student at River Bluff High School says she was physically assaulted by a teacher for refusing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Now her parents are suing Lexington School District One, Superintendent Gerrita Postlewait, school Principal Jacob Smith, teacher Nicole Livingston and the S.C. Department of Education on her behalf.
On Nov. 29, 2022, Marissa Barnwell, a Black honor roll student, was walking in the hallway on her way to class when the Pledge of Allegiance began to play over the intercom, according a federal lawsuit filed Feb. 13. Barnwell allegedly refrained, in a “non-disruptive manner,” to acknowledge the pledge as she walked into her classroom.
Livingston began yelling and demanded that Barnwell stop to acknowledge the pledge, then physically assaulted her by pushing her on a wall, according to the lawsuit. Livingston then escorted her to the principal’s office to be punished.
“I was just in disbelief,” Barnwell said. “You can hear me say in the video, ‘Get your hands off of me.’”
When Barnwell told Smith what happened, he told her that he would review the video footage and sent her back to class. She called her mother in tears.
Barnwell was “extremely upset and emotionally disturbed,” according to the lawsuit.
“I was completely and utterly disrespected,” Barnwell said at a news conference Thursday. “No one has apologized, no one has acknowledged my hurt. ... The fact that the school is defending that kind of behavior is unimagineable.”
Barnwell said she was the only African American in the hallway that morning, and she was targeted because of that. No other student was confronted by the teacher. River Bluff is a majority-white school. More than 73% of the student body is white, according U.S. News and World Report.
The lawsuit claims the encounter violated Barnwell’s constitutional rights and violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments. It is well-established that the government cannot compel anyone to acknowledge the Pledge of Allegiance, the lawsuit says.
Under South Carolina law, anyone who does not want to participate is exempt and cannot be penalized. They are allowed to express nonparticipation in any way that does not infringe on the rights of others or disrupt school activities.
“The thing that’s beautiful about America is we have freedoms,” said Tyler Bailey, the family’s lawyer. “Students in our schools should feel safe, they should not be feel threatened for exercising their constitutional rights.”
Following the incident, Barnwell’s parents said they never heard from the district. Now they are trying to seek accountability for Livingston’s actions, according to the lawsuit. But Livingston, Postlewait, Smith, the school district and the Department of Education refused to accept any responsibility.
“Nobody did anything,” Bailey said. “This is why the federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed.”
The River Bluff High School website indicates Livingston, a special education teacher, is still employed by the district.
The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of actual, incidental, consequential and punitive damages.
Libby Roof, the chief communications officer for Lexington School District One, said the district’s attorney is working on a response to the lawsuit, which will be filed in the coming weeks.
A Midlands student says she was assaulted for not saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Her parents are suing
A Lexington county student says she was assaulted by a teacher for not saying the pledge of allegiance. Her parents are suing the district.
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Charleston, South Carolina-based restaurant operator 5th Street Group is opening its first Denver location later this year.After five years in the works, the restaurant Church and Union will open in a 7,500-square-foot space at 1433 17th St., right next to the pizza joint Slice Works, in late 2023.Jamie Lynch, a "Top Chef" alumnus from seasons 14 and 17, and Adam Hodgson, vice president ...
Charleston, South Carolina-based restaurant operator 5th Street Group is opening its first Denver location later this year.
After five years in the works, the restaurant Church and Union will open in a 7,500-square-foot space at 1433 17th St., right next to the pizza joint Slice Works, in late 2023.
Jamie Lynch, a "Top Chef" alumnus from seasons 14 and 17, and Adam Hodgson, vice president of culinary operations for 5th Street Group, are partnering to open the location. After identifying Denver as a new market, the team started making trips out to Denver in search of the right location, but the endeavor stalled during the pandemic.
Lynch said the restaurant group wanted to expand to a city that was similar to its other locations in Charleston, South Carolina, Nashville, Tennessee, and Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as move out West. Plus, Lynch having family in Denver was an extra bonus.
“The way it's nestled at the base of the mountains there gives it a really cool geographical location for different products that grow there and things like that, which is really interesting to me from the chef's side of things,” Lynch said.
Church and Union’s building was previously the St. Elmo Hotel, built in the late 1800s. The 5th Street Group likes to open restaurants in historic buildings because of their character and atmosphere, according to Lynch.
“It has made the space a challenge to put one of our concepts into because you're dealing with a historic building like that, but we're totally up to the challenge and it's definitely going to add a little piece of history to our ambiance,” Lynch said.
Southern Concepts Restaurant Group Inc. Southern Hospitality — with ties to singer Justin Timberlake and One Republic’s Ryan Tedder — previously occupied the space at 1423 17th St., but closed in 2017. The restaurant Rose & Thorn then took over but has since also closed.
Denver’s Church and Union will fit 150 people indoors, as well as 30 people on its outdoor patio. In addition to cooking game, steak and beef, one of the items on the New American-style menu that Lynch is excited about is the French Onion Soup Agnolotti — or a ravioli stuffed with flavors and components of French onion soup.
“It was not easy to figure out how to do it. I could tell you that much because soup doesn't belong inside of a ravioli. But we figured it out and it's pretty amazing,” Lynch said.
After Church and Union opens, Lynch said his group will be looking at other spots to open in Denver.
“We will definitely be doing another concept in Denver. No question,” Lynch said.
Church and Union will initially open for dinner, with plans to serve lunch and brunch after opening. The group has also hired Will Farquharson to select the beverage menu of craft cocktails, beer and wine.
For more than 20 years, Charleston has envisioned what Union Pier could look like — a beautiful space for Charlestonians that opens up more of the waterfront to the public.Union Pier has a long history as a working waterfront. Over the decades, S.C. Ports has handled vehicles, breakbulk cargo and cruise operations at the terminal.The site, which sits between Concord and Laurens streets, is surrounded by chain-link fences, making it inaccessible to the public. Today, it serves mostly as a parking lot for cruise operations....
For more than 20 years, Charleston has envisioned what Union Pier could look like — a beautiful space for Charlestonians that opens up more of the waterfront to the public.
Union Pier has a long history as a working waterfront. Over the decades, S.C. Ports has handled vehicles, breakbulk cargo and cruise operations at the terminal.
The site, which sits between Concord and Laurens streets, is surrounded by chain-link fences, making it inaccessible to the public. Today, it serves mostly as a parking lot for cruise operations.
We announced last year that we plan to stop homeport cruises at the end of 2024 and transition to port-of-call cruises only. This frees up much of the property for redevelopment.
The time has come for Union Pier to become something that truly benefits the people who live here. We should not let this opportunity pass us by.
As we considered a new vision for Union Pier, we wanted to bring the community and city into the process to help guide future development rather than sell off individual parcels to developers.
Over the past year, we held many meetings with residents and stakeholders to discuss what Union Pier should be. Residents shared their ideas, and a team of experts incorporated much of that feedback into the plan — like the desire to preserve iconic assets and the need for more public parks for residents to enjoy.
We have now submitted the planned unit development to the city. We are at the beginning of a rigorous, months-long vetting process with the city. There will continue to be many more opportunities for public input.
And as we move forward, the many benefits of a renewed Union Pier should move to the forefront of the conversation.
We have the opportunity to transform this 70-acre site into a mixed-use space with public places for children to play, dogs to run and people to gather.
A beautiful park will be built over the piers. The Passenger Terminal will be renovated into an event space with harbor views.
Charleston’s waterfront access will be extended, with a new path connecting Waterfront Park to the International African American Museum. This plan brings us one step closer to a peninsula that is ringed by waterfront access and views.
New streets and paths will create a more walkable, connected downtown. More parking options will exist for residents, workers and visitors. The site will add homes, offices, stores, hotels and restaurants, and the designs will blend with the city’s texture.
Future buildings will come under public and city review. The Board of Architectural Review will retain its full power under this proposal, ensuring that citizens have a hand in shaping the architecture and feel of the space.
We have been intentional in providing opportunities to both rent and own affordable housing. The proposal includes a combination of building onsite workforce housing units, dedicating funds to near-site housing options and creating a revolving fund that will serve as a sustainable revenue source for more affordable housing in the city.
The Rice Mill façade, which has stood alone for more than half a century and serves as a poignant reminder of our past, will be stabilized and thoughtfully incorporated into a future public park. The Mosquito Fleet, generations of fishermen who helped feed the city, will be honored with new opportunities to fish on the harbor.
This redevelopment importantly gives us a chance to provide world-class infrastructure for more flood protection, which is so desperately needed in our city. New infrastructure will help keep out storm surges, drain stormwater and address sunny day flooding.
Infrastructure is expensive, and this plan provides a plan to pay for it. We envision a new tax increment financing district and municipal improvement district to enable private development to pay for public infrastructure like roads and flood protections, providing the city with funds to maintain these public amenities for decades to come.
Charleston deserves the best. This master plan was designed with residents in mind. Without it, Union Pier could be sold without a guiding plan, which would not be in the best interest of the city.
We invite you to review the plan and share your thoughts at unionpiersc.com.
The public can and should weigh in. The plan will be better for it. We ask that you provide thoughtful input and enter the conversation with a sense of partnership. We are listening.
This has been a longtime vision for our city, and the time has come to make this a reality.
Help us bring this space to life and create something we can all enjoy.
Barbara Melvin is president and CEO of S.C. Ports.
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GREENVILLE, S.C. — Coach Dawn Staley nodded her head as reserve Laeticia Amihere talked about No. 1 South Carolina’s versatility.The undefeated Gamecocks are certainly talented with two-time SEC player of the year Aliyah Boston and leading scorer Zia Cooke. They’re also deep with players like Victaria Saxton and Amihere filling major roles, helping South Carolina reach the conference tournament final for the eighth time in nine seasons.“I think our bench is a great asset to our team,” said A...
GREENVILLE, S.C. —
Coach Dawn Staley nodded her head as reserve Laeticia Amihere talked about No. 1 South Carolina’s versatility.
The undefeated Gamecocks are certainly talented with two-time SEC player of the year Aliyah Boston and leading scorer Zia Cooke. They’re also deep with players like Victaria Saxton and Amihere filling major roles, helping South Carolina reach the conference tournament final for the eighth time in nine seasons.
“I think our bench is a great asset to our team,” said Amihere, who scored a game-high 17 points in an 80-51 win over Mississippi in the SEC semifinals on Saturday.
Boston posted her 80th career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Cooke had 14 points and Brea Beal, another starter, 13 for Gamecocks (31-0) who won their 37th straight game.
They will take on Tennessee for the conference championship on Sunday.
South Carolina needed a great escape at Mississippi two weeks ago, trailing late before forcing overtime and keeping its perfect season intact with a 64-57 victory.
The Gamecocks took the drama out of this one early with Cooke and Boston getting four points apiece and Beal adding a three-point play for a 13-4 lead less than seven minutes in. They stretched the lead to 15 points by halftime and were ahead by at least 20 points much of the final two quarters.
“When they’re playing like that, trust me, they’re hard to beat,” Mississippi coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said.
It was the second straight year Mississippi’s tournament was ended in the semifinals by the Gamecocks.
Boston, who surpassed Sheila Foster’s school career double-double mark earlier this season, broke Foster’s career rebounding record of 1,427 that stood for more than four decades. Boston now has 1,432 in her four seasons.
South Carolina will look for its seventh tournament crown since 2015, along with a bit of payback since its last loss came in the final of this event a year ago to Kentucky.
South Carolina’s defense, third in Division I in holding opponents to 50.9 points a game, was on full display. The Rebels made just two of their first 13 shots and had eight of their attempts blocked the first 20 minutes.
Mississippi could not find an answer and matched its fewest points in a game this season.
Leading scorer Angel Baker, averaging 15.3 points coming in, was held to nine on 4-of-15 shooting. Madison Scott led the Rebels with 15 points,
Kamilla Cardoso also had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Cooke finished with 14 points and Beal 13 for the Gamecocks.
Staley has had zero issues from her group about playing time, all focusing on the ultimate goal of winning. “I don’t think any decision to play them or not to play them, hurts their confidence,” she said. “That’s because we communicate extremely well.”
BIG PICTURE
Mississippi: The Rebels will make their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance after reaching the event for the first time in 15 years in 2022. Mississippi, a seventh seed, was upset in first round by South Dakota.
South Carolina: The Gamecocks certainly aren’t one of those teams that half-steps it in the conference tournament with an eye on the NCAAs. They’ve shown a versatility on offense — Saxton had 19 points to lead South Carolina on Friday and Amihere’s game-high performance here — and a lock-down mentality on defense.
FLETCHER INJURY
South Carolina starting point guard Kierra Fletcher went to the locker room in the first quarter after falling and holding her leg. Soon enough, though, Fletcher sprinted back to the bench and briefly played before Staley decided to take her out as a precaution. Fletcher, a grad transfer from Georgia Tech, has started 28 games this season.
UP NEXT
Mississippi will await its NCAA Tournament destination.
South Carolina will take on Tennessee for the SEC Tournament title Sunday. The Lady Vols beat No. 4 LSU 69-67 in the semifinals. On Feb. 23, the Gamecocks topped Tennessee 73-60.
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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
The S.C. Ports Authority has unveiled its long-awaited draft plan for the redevelopment of Union Pier, and my unvarnished, first-blush reaction — which I’ve shared with port officials — is that it’s too tall and too dense, with too many hotel rooms, too much block-sized development and too little affordable housing.Which doesn’t mean the plan is without merit. In fact, it has several positive elements, including state-of-the-art flood protection, new parks and greenspace, increased public access to the wa...
The S.C. Ports Authority has unveiled its long-awaited draft plan for the redevelopment of Union Pier, and my unvarnished, first-blush reaction — which I’ve shared with port officials — is that it’s too tall and too dense, with too many hotel rooms, too much block-sized development and too little affordable housing.
Which doesn’t mean the plan is without merit. In fact, it has several positive elements, including state-of-the-art flood protection, new parks and greenspace, increased public access to the waterfront and potential transportation improvements. It just needs to get a haircut and go on a diet.
Fortunately, here in Charleston, we have a strong public review process that allows for productive, good-faith negotiations with property owners on precisely such matters — negotiations that almost always lead to dramatically improved projects when our residents are engaged from the start. And the key to that kind of citizen engagement is transparency: When our citizens are armed with the information they need — when they fully understand the opportunities, limitations, tradeoffs and potential sticking points in a negotiation — their voices are heard, and our city’s decisions are better.
So with that in mind, here’s how I see the key facts and circumstances surrounding Union Pier’s redevelopment, a project that, if done right, could well be the most important and beneficial in modern Charleston history.
First a little background: The State Ports Authority acquired Union Pier in 1947, including about 65 acres between Laurens Street and Waterfront Park. In keeping with its longstanding use as a port, the property is currently zoned light industrial, which allows warehouses, manufacturing facilities and similar structures, along with some residential housing.
When the Hugh Leatherman Terminal opened in 2021, the SPA began planning to sell Union Pier and immediately faced a critical choice: Would port leaders sell the property quickly, with its light industrial zoning? Or would they seek a simple rezoning to allow for business and mixed uses, which would make the land more valuable due to increased density? Or would they create what’s called a planned unit development, which would give them all the benefits of new zoning but also require City Council approval of a highly specific site plan?
To its credit, ports officials chose the third, and most responsible, path: the creation of a PUD. As a result, we have now received their detailed draft plan for the site, designed in conjunction with their development consultant, Lowe, and the public review is just beginning.
I encourage everyone to read the full draft PUD. Those who do will see Concord Street presented as the center of a new neighborhood of shops, hotels, office buildings and homes on the site’s 40 developable upland acres. Buildings as tall as seven stories would be massed in the middle, primarily in block-sized proportions, with heights stepping down to six, five and four stories moving west toward Ansonborough and east toward the water. Affordable housing goals would be addressed by 50 onsite units, $17 million in contributions to Housing Authority and city-sponsored initiatives, and a 1% transfer fee on future property sales.
The total proposed density is 40 units per acre, equivalent to what exists along mid-King Street. Significant new infrastructure would have to be built from scratch, including flood-protection, streets, sidewalks, parks, playgrounds and underground utilities.
That’s too intense in my view, and changes will have to be made as the plan moves through the process. But if we want our upcoming negotiations with the port to produce the best possible project, it’s important to understand why some of those elements are being proposed in the first place. For instance, much of the block-sized residential architecture is driven by city parking requirements, which will be difficult to meet without wrapping large structures around center-block garages. Perhaps we should consider tweaking some of those requirements.
As for the overall density, the Ports Authority’s wish to maximize proceeds is not the only issue. There’s also the enormous cost of new public infrastructure, which I believe should be paid for by setting aside all tax revenues generated by the redevelopment for the next 25-30 years. A big part of our job over the next several months will be to determine what level of density is actually required to produce those revenues — and to ensure the final plan jibes with that calculation.
We’re still early in this process, and the road ahead will be bumpy at times. That’s as it should be. Charleston is one of the great wonders of the world, and it’s our responsibility to protect and enhance it.
In this case, that means carefully balancing the needs of the city, the Ports Authority and, most of all, our citizens, always preserving our high standards while never allowing the perfect to become the enemy of the good.
Does that sound like a tall order? Yes. But I know that here, in this special place, we have the capacity to do big, difficult, worthwhile things for the good of our city. And that shouldn’t surprise anyone. After all, we’re Charlestonians.
John Tecklenburg is the mayor of Charleston.
UC San Diego evolutionary biologist Joel Wertheim discusses likely path of the coronavirus in the coming yearAt the three-year mark, coronavirus continues to evolve even as it produces significantly less severe illness.Moderna and Pfizer are currently running trials for a fresh crop of booster vaccines, but it is unclear at the moment whether the nation will fall into an annual inoculation pattern similar to the one used with the flu or some other less-regular schedule.Of course, the behavior of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in...
At the three-year mark, coronavirus continues to evolve even as it produces significantly less severe illness.
Moderna and Pfizer are currently running trials for a fresh crop of booster vaccines, but it is unclear at the moment whether the nation will fall into an annual inoculation pattern similar to the one used with the flu or some other less-regular schedule.
Of course, the behavior of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the real world will play a large role in dictating the response going forward as what was once a pandemic settles into an endemic state, always infecting enough people across the globe at any given moment to never truly disappear.
The true question is how this virus might or might not evolve to bring about a fresh surge of cases.
UC San Diego evolutionary biologist Joel Wertheim, whose work helped to trace the early emergence of the virus in China, discussed its likely path in the coming year and what would have to happen for it to go back to causing severe spikes in cases.
What follows is a lightly edited transcript of his answers:
Q: This winter has been very different from last in terms of coronavirus activity. Whether you look at wastewater or testing or total hospital patients, we have seen lower peaks and less strain on health care capacity despite new XBB Omicron subvariants circulating. What’s your read on why this has been the case?
A:Yes, it has been fortunately mild, and I think a lot of that can be attributed to the previous barrages we have experienced. You know, the viruses that are circulating now sure did a number in China, where they didn’t have as strong a vaccination coverage or previous infection.
Q: You’re referencing China’s “zero COVID” policy, which gave the population less natural immunity?
A: Yes. They didn’t vaccinate as many of the elderly as they had hoped, and their vaccine probably wasn’t as good as the ones we have been using.
Q: So, what you’re saying is that the reason we have had smaller spikes on the epidemic curve this winter, compared to the last two winters, has a lot to do with the level of immunity already in the community?
A: Yes, from vaccine-induced immunity to maybe one or more previous infections, it means that when the new subvariants arrive here, they’re facing a much different picture than when they arrived in, say, China.
Q: For more than one year now, it has been Omicron subvariants that have continued to dominate. Why have we sort of settled into this sort of Omicron plateau and not seen another major extremely virulent and transmissible branch in the phylogenetic tree as we did with Delta and others?
A: That’s one of the big unanswered questions of SARS-CoV-2, where do new variants come from? With these subvariants that we have seen, first for Delta and now for Omicron, you see this incremental stepwise evolution of the virus as it is transmitted from person to person. But new variants such as the original Delta and Omicron, they have sort of appeared very different and fully formed and, because they’re very different, they’re able to sweep around the world very quickly. One of the leading theories on that phenomenon is that it comes from people who are persistently infected where the virus spends a lot of time adapting to an individual.
Q: Is this often in people with compromised or weak immune systems who just can’t fully clear the virus after becoming infected?
A: That might be a piece of it, but I’m not convinced that it has to be in someone who’s immunocompromised. I think that healthy people may be able to just be persistently infected and what happens is you have this sort of blast from the past, you know, from deep within the viral phylogenetic tree just appearing after all of this adaptation, and all of these mutations, and then it’s just suddenly back on the scene, more efficient at infecting people and getting around pre-existing immunity. There are some theories that maybe we could be seeing a sort of reverse zoonosis with the virus moving back into animals, continuing to evolve, and then jumping back into humans. I favor the theory that new major variants come from persistently infected people but, again, this is really an unknown in terms of COVID science.
Q: Do you see signs that we’re in for another nasty main coronavirus variant emerging in the next year or two?
A: I would never underestimate a circulating virus.
Q: At the end of the day, this is just natural selection on a massive scale, right?
A: Exactly. The more people that get infected, the more opportunities we have for something new to appear. It could take months, and it could take years, but I imagine we will see another large wave at some point in the future. We’re certainly in a very different place at three years than we were at the beginning. Not every year is going to be a bad year, but some certainly will be as SARS-CoV-2 is endemic in humans now and it’s not going anywhere.
Q: Would you say we’re in sort of a flu pattern to some degree where we can expect there to be some background level of infection that spikes in some years and is flat in others?
A: Well, we don’t have nearly as much experience with this virus as we do with the flu. So we don’t know what the cycles are going to be yet. But, yes, it’s similar in that some flu years are really mild and some are much, much worse. As this virus continues to adapt to us, some years it will be better at causing illness and infecting people, and other years, less so.
South Carolina stands alone with the second-longest streak atop The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll as the Gamecocks remained No. 1 for a 37th consecutive week.The Gamecocks (32-0) won the Southeastern Conference Tournament over the weekend to remain undefeated heading into the NCAA tourney. South Carolina, w...
South Carolina stands alone with the second-longest streak atop The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll as the Gamecocks remained No. 1 for a 37th consecutive week.
The Gamecocks (32-0) won the Southeastern Conference Tournament over the weekend to remain undefeated heading into the NCAA tourney. South Carolina, which received all 28 first-place votes from a national media panel Monday, broke a tie with Louisiana Tech for most consecutive weeks at No. 1. The defending national champions now trail only UConn’s run of 51 straight weeks atop the Top 25.
With the final poll of the season set to come out next week, the Gamecocks are poised to go wire-to-wire at No. 1 this year ahead of the NCAA Tournament.
Iowa moved up five spots to No. 2 after running through the Big Ten Tournament. The Hawkeyes routed Ohio State by 33 points in the title game Sunday behind another strong effort from Caitlin Clark, who had the third triple-double in conference tournament history.
It is the Hawkeyes’ best ranking since they had an eight-week run at No. 2 in 1994.
Indiana dropped one place to third with Virginia Tech moving up four places to No. 4. The Hokies, who won the ACC Tournament for the first time, have their highest ranking ever.
Stanford and Maryland were the next two. UConn moved up to seventh with Utah and LSU next. The Utes and Tigers each dropped five spots after losing in their conference tournaments.
Villanova finished out the top 10. It’s the Wildcats best ranking ever and it came as they faced UConn for the Big East title late Monday.
Tennessee jumped back into the poll at No. 24 after making a run to the SEC Tournament final. South Florida and Iowa State dropped out of the Top 25. The Cyclones had been ranked for 36 consecutive weeks before falling out.
MAKING HISTORY
Washington State made history becoming the first seven-seed to win the Pac-12 Tournament after the Cougars beat California, Utah, Colorado and UCLA. The 20th-ranked Cougars entered the Top 25 for only the second time in school history after a one-week stint at No. 25 in 2021.
CONFERENCE BRAGGING RIGHTS
The Pac-12 has six teams in the Top 25 with Washington State jumping in this week. The Big Ten is next with five teams and the ACC has four. The SEC has three with the Big East and Big 12 each having two. Gonzaga, Middle Tennessee and UNLV represent three mid-major conferences.
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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25