King Street Charleston, SC
Considering the rise in business concentration and popularity of the area with shoppers, it’s not surprising that other businesses and investors want to bring their own additions to Upper King Street. Exciting things are in store for this retail and commercial corridor on the Charleston peninsula, as local officials and planners create a multi-use area for shoppers, diners, business people and visitors.
In early 2012, longtime Charleston major Joe Riley announced a massive future project for the continued revitalization of Upper King Street. This new vision for the area will include a 200-unit apartment complex, a hotel and commercial buildings, as well as additional retail stores and restaurants. Also on the table are plans for another parking garage and a possible switch in the traffic patterns to allow for more ease of movement on and around King Street. The main aim of these projects: to attract the foot traffic that Lower King and East Bay see on a daily basis.
An important addition to the new face of Upper King is the computer software company, “People Matter,” whose national headquarters relocation to 466 King Street will bring in over 250 jobs. Locals hope that the 18 million dollar project will encourage other technological-based companies to come to the area, and PeopleMatter CEO Nate DaPore has even spoken out in the belief that Charleston could become “Silicon Harbor” with the addition of other major tech companies. Another major anchor in the Upper King revitalization will be a 238-room hotel and 20,000 square foot retail and commercial area being developed by CC&T Real Estate Services. This complex will allow for new restaurants and retail shops, as well as office space above the ground floor stores. This massive project will run from Cannon Street to Spring Street along Upper King, and hopes to be to the area what the Charleston Place (formerly the Charleston Omni Hotel) was to Lower King.
The construction phases of the aforementioned projects should occur through 2013 with most ending by early 2014, which means that the place to watch in Charleston right now is Upper King Street.
Sources:
Bainum, Stephanie. “Upper King to Get Makeover.” ABC News4 Charleston website. http://www.abcnews4.com/story/16602460/upper-king-street-to-get-makeover. 25 Jan 2012.
Bowers, Paul. “Software Company People Matter Moving to Upper King.” Charleston City Paper.
