Mortgage Broker in Park Circle, SC

North Charleston is anticipating the opening of an inclusive playground and a completely revamped Park Circle that’s on track to open this fall, according to Ryan Johnson, a representative for the mayor’s office.

Johnson said the playground will likely be finished before the park opens in November, but it will officially open along with the rest of the park. So far, the rest of the park is on track for the fall opening.

The park is part of a $20 million project that will revitalize Park Circle. Planners say the playground will be the largest inclusive playground in the country.

Johnson believes the reimagined Park Circle could mean big things for the city. He said queries are coming in from across the country.

“We are getting the feeling this will be a popular project,” he said. He said the city will hold a large ceremony when the park opens.

“I don’t know of any other projects in the world that are as large as this playground,” said Pat Faust with Landscape Structures, one of the contractors working on the project.

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The goal for the 55,000-square-foot playground, Johnson said, is to have a place where everyone can play. He mentioned the old-style playgrounds that were mostly steel and divided kids between skill levels. Now, the playground will be available to children with disabilities like Down syndrome, autism, mobility difficulties and more. The city will have a therapeutic program manager on staff once the park opens to continue to address the needs of all children.

“There’s intentionality going on,” he said. For instance, he noted the slides will be stainless steel so children with cochlear implants won’t have problems using the slide. There will also be double-wide ramps leading to playground equipment for children to walk with disabled friends.

The old Felix C. Davis Community Center was demolished earlier this year, and a new building with twice the space is under construction. The new community center will be an event space with a theater and meeting rooms.

The theater itself will be in a somewhat black box style, Johnson said, which involves a square room with black walls and a flat floor.

The project was funded through a tax increment financing district, which is funding earmarked for public projects like Park Circle, and will not come out of the general fund. It’s part of a $45 million project for the area.

Mike McMillan is a contributing writer for SC Biz News.

The Sparrow’s time as a mainstay of Park Circle’s nightlife will end after this year.

In January 2024, the North Charleston bar will close its doors at 1078 E. Montague Ave. after almost 12 years because its lease will not be renewed. Aspects of the bar could find a new life next year, however, even as its owner plans to step back.

“After years in a demanding industry, at this time, I want to spend time with my family,” said Cami Kind, owner of The Sparrow.

Kind said the decision came down to business and the legal terms in the leases for The Sparrow and its neighbor Azul Mexicano.

Kind said she had plans to make comedian Josh Bates a partner in the bar and add him to the lease. When she approached her landlord, she said he declined because Azul exercised its first right of refusal, which was included in its lease. Azul shares an address with The Sparrow as an adjoining building space.

Azul did not respond to a request for comment.

“I have no special deal with Azul and have no interest in that company,” wrote the landlord, Rick Hendrix, in an email. “All I’m doing is honoring the lease I have with Azul and the lease I have with (The) Sparrow.”

Kind said she doesn’t take the decision personally.

“Rick and I are friends. He’s a good person and we have always had a good working relationship,” said Kind. “I don’t believe this is personal. Of course it’s upsetting, but business is business, and I have to respect his decision.”

A public announcement had not been made at the time of The Post and Courier’s July 20 profile on The Sparrow’s transition into comedy.

Bates and Kind partnered in late 2019 to recalibrate the bar’s main entertainment source from live music to comedy. Since late 2020, the bar has hosted more than 150 comedy shows, earning a name for itself among touring comics. Rising stars in stand-up comedy have been a recurring sight at the bar.

The Sparrow’s closing next year will not mean an end to Comedy at The Sparrow, the branding Bates created when he took on scheduling and promoting shows at the bar. Bates said he and an undisclosed business partner plan to open a new comedy club and bar somewhere in the Charleston area. He said Kind will stay on as a consultant as they move into running a comedy club and bar. Branding and other pieces from The Sparrow may find new life at the club.

The new club will not be in Park Circle, he said.

Bates said they tried to find a building in Park Circle to keep it close to the community that built them and The Sparrow but found no matches.

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.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – North Charleston’s Park Circle is set to get a new look as part of a $20 million upgrade including the addition of an all-inclusive park. The project is called Park Circle Reimagined and it will bring a full makeover to the park originally designed more than a hundred years ago.

“People can come and gather, get their exercise, walk through the park, and be the beauty of that and watch these kids enjoy each other and enjoy life,” says North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey. “That’s what it’s all about.”

City officials broke ground on the multi-million project Wednesday morning. The reimagined park will feature athletic fields, a playground, space for a farmers market, cultural arts center, and more. The goal for city leaders is to provide a one-of-a-kind option for those visiting the park.

“This is an opportunity to reach out to the next generations coming,” says Mayor Summey.

The vision is to build a new and improved Park Circle from the ground up. Mayor Summey says the improvements are long overdue to the city’s most centrally-located park, used for several events throughout the year.

“We’ve served the generations of the past, now we have to serve the generations of the future,” says Mayor Summey.

The park will feature many new options such as a community building, event space, walking trails, and more. Leaders are adding an all-inclusive playground and ballpark to provide a place where all can visit.

“As well as recreational programming, entertainment with the open areas and it’s also going to have a little outdoor theater as well,” says Mayor Summey. “But the biggest thing we’re doing is this new all-inclusive playground area.”

The project has been under consideration by city leaders for some time, but serious plans began at the beginning of the year. The $20 million project will be funded through a city bond and final designs are expected to be unveiled soon.

Construction is estimated to take roughly 12 to 16 months. Officials are hoping to have the new park opened by the fall of 2023.

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.