Mortgage Broker in Park Circle, SC

A landmark motel on the edge of Charleston is under new ownership.

The 57-room Creekside Lands Inn at 2545 Savannah Highway sold Oct. 14 for just over $5 million, according to Charleston resident Jack Davis of commercial real estate firm Marcus & Millichap.

Davis bought the two-story structure with business partners through Charleston Creekside Inn LLC.

He said the investment group plans to spend about $600,000 upgrading the 30-year-old lodging’s rooms with new beds and furniture, making some cosmetic changes to the exterior and improving the landscaping. A later renovation of the bathrooms is expected to cost about $300,000.

He also plans to add a floating dock on Long Branch Creek, a tributary of the nearby Stono River, and add an area where visiting boaters can park their trailers.

The previous owner was an affiliate of Sunju Patel, founder of the Charleston-based Montford Group, which is building the 131-room Moxy hotel at 547 Meeting St.

Creekside Lands Inn last sold in 2007 for $2.2 million.

The West Ashley inn was recently used as one of the locations for the Netflix adventure series “Outer Banks.” It’s called the Summer Winds Motel on the show and is seen in the first episode after being badly hit by a hurricane.

Davis said he doesn’t plan to change the name of the boutique inn until the first phase of renovations are completed in about a year. He hasn’t decided on the name, but he is leaning toward Charleston Creekside Inn.

Changing hands

A North Charleston multifamily community with a whiff of NBA pedigree near Park Circle is under new ownership.

Atlanta-based ECI Group acquired the 271-unit Factory at Garco Park Apartments at 4993 O’Hear Ave on Oct. 17 for $72.25 million.

The previous owner, an affiliate of real estate investment firm RangeWater, formerly called Pollack Shores, also of Atlanta, bought the complex off East Montague Avenue in 2018 for nearly $52 million with Admiral Capital Group, co-founded by NBA great David Robinson, according to land records.

The purchase, deemed “a very high quality, exceptionally well-located asset in a top expansion market” by ECI chief acquisitions officer Scott Levitt, marks ECI’s first foray into the Charleston market. It has other Palmetto State assets in Greenville.

The company plans to self-manage and oversee additional improvements to the complex, which features studio and one- to three-bedroom units.

Amenities include a saltwater pool, outdoor kitchen and grill area, pavilion, fitness center, clubroom, conference room, dog park and pet spa, car-washing station, boat storage, fire pit and community bikes.

New townhomes

A new townhome development is in the works for the Cainhoy peninsula.

Tamarack Land Development of Minnesota wants to build 52 housing units on Travis Lane off Clements Ferry Road in the Charleston part of Berkeley County.

Clements Ferry Land SC LLC of Raleigh bought the 11.5-acre site adjacent to the 9,000-acre Point Hope mixed-use development in April for $459,000, according to public land records.

The land, on the northern side of Clements Ferry, is about halfway between Jack Primus Road and Point Hope Parkway, where a Publix supermarket is located.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Members of the Park Circle Pacers running club recently found out that the track at Danny Jones Park will be demolished later this year. Now, they’re doing everything in their power to save the park.

“I was shocked when I first heard the news about them tearing down the track,” North Charleston resident Michelle Huntley said.

Many Lowcountry runners are surprised to learn North Charleston has plans to get rid of the track at Danny Jones Park.

“We reached out to the city,” Virginia Clauser, founder of the Park Circle Pacers, said, “the recreation department specifically, to see what we could find out about the plans for the track. We found out that currently, there are no plans for a track at all in the redesign.”

The Park Circle Pacers are fighting to preserve the track because it serves many people across the Tri-County area.

“There are runners from all over the community that come to use this track since it’s the only public track,” Park Circle Pacers vice president Dennis Long said. “There are people from Summerville, Goose Creek, West Ashley, Mount Pleasant.”

Neighbors who live in the area say they’re devastated as well.

“This is where I come to exercise,” Ericka Lowry said. “So, I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

Clauser says the track provides a safe environment for runners.

“There’s no cracks,” she said, “there’s no dogs running off leash, there’s no trees down. It’s well-lit and it’s public. So, it brings an element of safety.”

The running club started a petition that has now received more than 1000 signatures.

“We were told that the plans were not yet final,” Clauser said, “and so that being said, we started to raise awareness hoping that we could bring light to this issue.”

The club will also host a rally at the track next Tuesday.

“We’ve invited pretty much every runner in the community to come out and show support for our cause of saving the track,” Long said.

A link to sign the “Save the Track” petition can be found here.

NORTH CHARLESTON — Construction near Park Circle has begun on a $17 million project to refurbish an old ice distribution building into office and retail use, with three tenants already lined up.

Construction company Samet Corp., real estate business Colliers International and architectural studio The Middleton Group will be moving from their respective Charleston- and North Charleston-based locations to 4287 Spruill Ave. toward the end of the year, said Pat Marr, principal of development with WRS Inc. Real Estate Investments.

“We think the nature of that building gives the project some distinction and interest, as opposed to just putting up some block buildings,” Marr said.

Charleston-based WRS is partnering with the Isle of Palms-based Paragon Commercial Properties in the endeavor.

Developers of the ice house project intend to use the state Abandoned Buildings Revitalization Act to help finance the effort.

North Charleston City Council certified May 27 five buildings on the Spruill Avenue property as abandoned, enabling the mixed-use project to qualify for tax credits.

Developers expect to get tax credits “in the neighborhood of $1.5 to $2 million,” Marr said.

The credits will enable developers to refurbish the old ice building, rather than demolish it, Marr said.

“Where (the tax credits) really help is when you’re trying to change the product use,” Marr said. “This was an industrial site. They made ice and distributed ice. This was also a site we had to clean up. It had some environmental issues.”

The Middleton Group will be moving from its site at King Street Extension in Charleston, and Colliers International will relocate from Calhoun Street.

Samet Corp. is changing its location from Aviation Avenue in North Charleston.

The moves indicate how companies are increasingly viewing the North Area as a desirable place to do business because of its proximity to growing residential communities, Marr said.

“We’re seeing tenants move out of downtown,” he said. “More and more employees are coming from Summerville and Nexton.”

Spruill Avenue has increasingly become a focal point for new development as revitalization efforts on East Montague Avenue, located in Park Circle, have spilled over onto the Spruill corridor.

Holy City Brewery, a craft brewer, and Firefly Distillery, which offers outdoor and indoor event space, have relocated to Spruill Avenue in recent years.

Developers have become more interested in the neighborhood since the state Department of Transportation approved handing over ownership of Spruill Avenue to North Charleston, which will allow the city to add on-street parking.

The city has been working to address the area’s lack of parking. North Charleston has completed one new parking lot and has plans to establish two more lots on Spruill, said Councilman Bob King.

“That whole area is developing pretty good,” King said.

Dallas-based Reddy Ice currently uses a building on the property as a storage freezer before distributing ice to Charleston-area retailers. That use will remain up to two years before that building is redeveloped, Marr said.

Offices for Reddy Ice will be relocated near the freezer building while the storage freezer remains open.

In addition to renovating the now-boarded up ice building, the project involves building a two-story, 12,000-square-foot office space facility and another 10,000-square-foot structure.

Construction work, which began six weeks ago, so far has involved demolishing a few buildings on the site. Crews are preparing to install underground utilities, Marr said.

“The project will deliver in December this year,” Marr said.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Park Circle is officially getting a makeover.

The City of North Charleston is breaking ground Wednesday on a $20 million redevelopment project in the center of the community. The work looks to transform the circle.

Previously, there used to be a community center, a butterfly garden, a green space and baseball field. But the community center was demolished just a few days ago, with the baseball field torn up as well.

City officials say those amenities were outdated and didn’t fit the needs of their citizens today, which leaders hope will change with the completion of this project.

Improvements include a new cultural arts and recreation facility twice the size of the previous building, as well as an all-inclusive baseball field, a 55,000-square-foot accessible playground, and repaving of the walking path around the circle. The playground is expected to be one of the largest on the East Coast.

TJ Rostin, the city’s park and recreation manager, says he believes this will be the first facility of its kind in the Lowcountry and that it will help build a path for more like it in the future.

“This facility is going to be magnificent,” Rostin said. “When we open this, it's going to be one of the most state-of-the-art facilities this region in the Lowcountry has seen in quite some time [and will be something] everybody can have fun with. Just like I said, [the space will] really meet the needs of every citizen we have.”

The redevelopment is expected to take anywhere from 12-16 months, and Rostin says he hopes to welcome North Charleston residents to it by fall of 2023.

While this might be the biggest project to date for the city, it is certainly not the first project leaders have put together, as officials say they are making a commitment to bring more inclusive facilities to North Charleston.

The city just unveiled a new all-inclusive park in the Oak Terrace community in April. They also committed $26 million to improvements the Danny Jones Recreational Complex, which is expected to break ground by the end of the summer.

The new playground that will be built in Park Circle will also be a testing site for external research companies to analyze its impact in the community for future projects.

Park Circle is officially getting a makeover. (WCIV)

Rostin says these projects and resources put towards them will help citizens utilize the facilities more, which they hope will lead to more activity in the community.

“We’re starting with the Rec. Department facilities because we know those are the facilities that most people enjoy and use on a daily basis. We're really trying to reach out to every part of our community to make sure what we have and that we're here for them, they can utilize our facilities utilize our programs in any way that they need to,” Rostin added.

North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey said he would have started remodeling the Park Circle area sooner, but the city only received ownership of the land two years ago.

Funds for the project came from taxes and revenue bonds through the tax increment financing district in the city. Funding will also go towards improvements at the Danny Jones Recreational Complex.

The groundbreaking at Park Circle will happen at around 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Embracing its reputation as a trendy new neighborhood, Park Circle has welcomed the arrival of everything from coffee shops and bakeries to breweries and restaurants in the last several years—as well as a flock of new residents. Promising cheaper rent and a budding culinary scene, this up-and-coming North Charleston neighborhood lives up to its reputation. If you’re one of those newbies just settling into the neighborhood (or if you’re friends with one of the newcomers), here’s your handbook on where to eat and what to order.

What began as a food truck dishing out New Orleans-style food has grown into a full-sized restaurant along East Montague in Park Circle. While the dining room has expanded, the kitchen still operates out of the original food truck. Newbies should start with the shrimp risotto cake dipped in a Cajun cream sauce before digging into the seafood gumbo. And pair it all with the funky Firefly cocktail known as Swamp Water, a concoction of Firefly sweet tea vodka, orange, lemon, and lime.

One of Park Circle’s two wine bars, Stems & Skins is the result of a collaboration between former Husk sommelier Matt Tunstall and former Bull Street Gourmet owner Justin Croxall. Touting the slogan “Fresh and Funky Ferments,” they deliver on this promise. When stopping in for a glass here, try one of the bottles of pet-nat, a wine that utilizes an ancient method of natural fermententation for a sparkling treat. To complement the drinks, try the octopus and olive skewers and ricotta honey.

One of the few places in Charleston to get traditional Vietnamese food, Lotus provides an upscale dining experience with a unique menu. Start the meal off with the green curry mussels before ordering one of the large bowls of pho bo, a traditional beef pho with thinly sliced sirloin.

With devoted diners naming this eatery as one of the best pizza places in town, EVO offers a straightforward menu of pizzas, salads, and a handful of classic appetizers like pulled mozzarella and wood-fired olives. On your first visit to this popular neighborhood pizzeria, you need to experience a taste of the Pistachio Pesto pie or Pork Trifecta pizza. Better yet, bring a friend along and split both.

This burger joint tempts patrons with more than 40 topping options to be piled on the choice of chicken breast or beef, turkey, black bean, or elk patties. Meat eaters will definitely want to bite into the the lean, flavorful elk burger. Customize condiments to your heart’s content or opt for one of the signature burgers, like the fiery Diablo with sweet chili glazed, tequila pickled pineapple, hot sauce, and ghost pepper jack cheese.

The neighborhood’s only real breakfast joint, The Junction is an unassuming building on Spruill Ave. that usually garners a crowd of people waiting outside on the weekends. With reasonably priced mimosa carafes, sake bloody marys, and plenty of veggie options, this local watering hole never disappoints. The standout menu item? The daily hash bowl or the Mexican hash topped with cactus braised pork. And, make sure you add a maple-glazed doughnut as a side.

While the brewery offers a rotating menu of seasonal beers, the Hop Art has been a mainstay since Coast’s opening in 2007. For a taste of Park Circle, order a draft of this local IPA known for its heavy 7.7% alcohol content.

Patrons at the Codfather don’t have to do much thinking when it comes to ordering. This classic fish and chips shop opened by British-born Adam Randall offers just fried fish, as a fillet or butty — a British sandwich with chips, mushy peas, and chips. Go classic with the order and dig into the “World Famous Fish and Chips” with a side of curry sauce or gravy.

What began as a food truck dishing out New Orleans-style food has grown into a full-sized restaurant along East Montague in Park Circle. While the dining room has expanded, the kitchen still operates out of the original food truck. Newbies should start with the shrimp risotto cake dipped in a Cajun cream sauce before digging into the seafood gumbo. And pair it all with the funky Firefly cocktail known as Swamp Water, a concoction of Firefly sweet tea vodka, orange, lemon, and lime.

One of Park Circle’s two wine bars, Stems & Skins is the result of a collaboration between former Husk sommelier Matt Tunstall and former Bull Street Gourmet owner Justin Croxall. Touting the slogan “Fresh and Funky Ferments,” they deliver on this promise. When stopping in for a glass here, try one of the bottles of pet-nat, a wine that utilizes an ancient method of natural fermententation for a sparkling treat. To complement the drinks, try the octopus and olive skewers and ricotta honey.

One of the few places in Charleston to get traditional Vietnamese food, Lotus provides an upscale dining experience with a unique menu. Start the meal off with the green curry mussels before ordering one of the large bowls of pho bo, a traditional beef pho with thinly sliced sirloin.

With devoted diners naming this eatery as one of the best pizza places in town, EVO offers a straightforward menu of pizzas, salads, and a handful of classic appetizers like pulled mozzarella and wood-fired olives. On your first visit to this popular neighborhood pizzeria, you need to experience a taste of the Pistachio Pesto pie or Pork Trifecta pizza. Better yet, bring a friend along and split both.

This burger joint tempts patrons with more than 40 topping options to be piled on the choice of chicken breast or beef, turkey, black bean, or elk patties. Meat eaters will definitely want to bite into the the lean, flavorful elk burger. Customize condiments to your heart’s content or opt for one of the signature burgers, like the fiery Diablo with sweet chili glazed, tequila pickled pineapple, hot sauce, and ghost pepper jack cheese.

The neighborhood’s only real breakfast joint, The Junction is an unassuming building on Spruill Ave. that usually garners a crowd of people waiting outside on the weekends. With reasonably priced mimosa carafes, sake bloody marys, and plenty of veggie options, this local watering hole never disappoints. The standout menu item? The daily hash bowl or the Mexican hash topped with cactus braised pork. And, make sure you add a maple-glazed doughnut as a side.

While the brewery offers a rotating menu of seasonal beers, the Hop Art has been a mainstay since Coast’s opening in 2007. For a taste of Park Circle, order a draft of this local IPA known for its heavy 7.7% alcohol content.

Patrons at the Codfather don’t have to do much thinking when it comes to ordering. This classic fish and chips shop opened by British-born Adam Randall offers just fried fish, as a fillet or butty — a British sandwich with chips, mushy peas, and chips. Go classic with the order and dig into the “World Famous Fish and Chips” with a side of curry sauce or gravy.