Aerial view of 295 Calhoun site
In fall 2021, a Georgia-based owner appealed the Board of Architectural Review’s denial of a design for an 8-story, mixed-use, residential building at 295 Calhoun Street. The applicant’s request for conceptual approval was twice denied based on inappropriate height, scale, mass, and architectural direction. Having strongly supported the BAR’s denial, the Preservation Society was unsettled by the applicant’s effort to subvert the public review process by seeking a closed-door settlement.
Conceptual design for 295 Calhoun Street, denied by the BAR-L in August 2021
While the PSC may not always agree with BAR decisions, its authority is fundamental to why Charleston continues to be one of the best-preserved and unique historic cities in the country. As Charleston becomes an increasingly desirable place to live and invest in, the BAR has come under tremendous pressure as development explodes across the peninsula. The PSC stands firmly behind the authority of the BAR and will be pressing the City to defend the Board’s ability to turn down inappropriate proposals, especially as the 295 Calhoun case progresses.
Resources
Image Source: November 9, 2022 BAR-L Image Overview The Board of Architectural Review- Large denied the 295 Calhoun project for the third time last night. The decision is a critically […]
Image Source: November 9, 2022 BAR-L Image Overview This week’s Board of Architectural Review – Large (BAR-L) meeting could be the most important in years. After an unprecedented deadlock among […]
After the top two buildings were denied in 2021, the team is back to present the bottom two designs to BAR this week The developers of 295 Calhoun Street will […]
Rendering of 295 Calhoun Street, denied by the BAR August 25, 2021 On November 5, Circuit Court Judge Roger M. Young, Sr. heard the Preservation Society’s request to intervene in […]
Charleston County Courthouse, courtesy Warren LeMay, Wikimedia Commons The PSC has submitted a Petition to Intervene in a lawsuit filed by the developers of 295 Calhoun that challenges the authority […]
Map of the original boundaries of the Old and Historic District, established 1931. Since then, the district and purview of the BAR has expanded to cover the majority of historic […]