Your Chance to Experience Union Pier
Advocacy Alerts
02/26/2024
On March 5, for the first time in a generation, the S.C. Ports Authority will open Union Pier to the public to facilitate informed public comment on planning for […]
Union Pier
The roughly 74-acre Union Pier site extending from Laurens Street to Waterfront Park lies at a critical juncture between the Cooper River and downtown. As one of the most significant redevelopment opportunities in Charleston’s history, this project, if approached with vision and care, can bring enormous value to our historic city. As one of the most highly anticipated land use plans of our generation, it is critical to get right.
The Union Pier redevelopment is a virtual blank slate for the City to partner with the State Ports Authority on innovative methods that not only minimize flood risk but dramatically improve overall resilience of the peninsula. Over the course of 2022 and 2023, the State Ports Authority has engaged California-based hotel developer Lowe to manage the rezoning and entitlement of the property for redevelopment. A successful project will utilize techniques like water storage, wetlands restoration, state-of-the-art stormwater management techniques, and use natural components and permeable surfaces to create a functional, sustainable development. The end goal should be for Charleston to set a new international standard for climate resilience and urban waterfront design.
Resources
Optimistic for a new partnership at Union Pier
Advocacy Alerts
10/13/2023
On Wednesday, the Stakeholder Advisory Committee serving to guide the new redevelopment effort, recommended a collaborative team of urban designers to take the project into its most important phase yet. […]
June 7: Planning Commission Meeting on Union Pier
Advocacy Alerts
05/30/2023
Planning Commission meets June 7 to hold a public hearing on the Union Pier redevelopment. Credit: Mike Habat On Wednesday, June 7, Charleston’s Planning Commission will hold an official public […]
Charleston’s Historic Neighborhoods added to America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list
Advocacy Alerts
05/09/2023
A new GIS rendering developed by the PSC shows the stark contrast in massing and height between the proposed Union Pier development and the historic Ansonborough neighborhood. Today, the National […]
Your Ideas For a Better Way For Union Pier
Advocacy Alerts
05/05/2023
Detail of an 1872 aerial map of Charleston showing the historic Union Pier site. Source: Library of Congress On Thursday, May 11, you’re invited to a community gathering to learn […]
Union Pier’s first major public meeting on March 23
Advocacy Alerts
03/23/2023
The proposed redevelopment of Union Pier will get its first major public meeting on Thursday, when the Planning Commission convenes a special informational session at the Main Library downtown. The […]