Charleston Center [now known as Charleston Place]

Invitation to Groundbreaking Ceremony (1985): Origsize: 6.25x4.5; Origformat: Document/Photocopy; Resolution: 150 dpi
Invitation to Groundbreaking Ceremony (1985)

Origsize: 6.25x4.5; Origformat: Document/Photocopy; Resolution: 150 dpi

Name/Title

Charleston Center [now known as Charleston Place]

Entry/Object ID

HCF.005.7

Scope and Content

The proposal to build a hotel and convention center in the heart of the city -- covering an entire block bounded by Meeting, Market, King, and Hasell Streets -- ignited a fierce debate in Charleston in the late 1970s and early 1980s that divided public opinion locally and attracted considerable attention nationally. While it expressed neither support nor opposition for the development of the block, Historic Charleston Foundation played a significant role in advocating for appropriate height, scale, and mass and in voicing concern for the anticipated dramatic increase in tourists. (Historic Preservation for a Living City, Robert Weyeneth.) Files contain documentation of the project, HCF's position and advocacy role, and other organization's involvement. Includes correspondence, meeting minutes, legal documents, news articles, photographs, legal memoranda, etc. See Container List.

Collection

Historic Charleston Foundation Archives

Acquisition

Accession

HCF.

Source or Donor

HCF Institutional Records

Acquisition Method

Collected by Staff

Lexicon

Search Terms

Charleston Place / Charleston Center, Charleston Place (S.C.), City planning--South Carolina--Charleston, Historic buildings--Conservation and restoration--South Carolina--Charleston, Architecture--Conservation and restoration--South Carolina--Charleston, Historic preservation--South Carolina--Charleston

Legacy Lexicon

Object Name

Collection

Archive Details

Archive Size/Extent

Two 5" document boxes

Archive Notes

Date(s) Assembled: 1976-1985 Associated Material: Charleston Place Project Records and Nancy Hawk Papers (South Carolina Historical Society) Level of Description: Collection

Archive Items Details

Title

Map

Description

City of Charleston Tax Map #457-8-1 showing the properties in the affected area bounded by Market Street, Meeting Street, Hasell Street, and King Street. (Evidence of water damage--stains and bleeding.)

Creator

City of Charleston

Date(s) of Creation

1969

Container

01

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 1

Title

Background/Early Planning

Description

Documentation of the early planning for the development of the hotel complex and revitalization of the area. Includes"Work Memorandum" by Barton-Aschman Associates; BAR meeting notice; correspondence from architects and contractors; "Market Study and Financial Projections: Proposed Market Street Development Including a 432-Room Hotel"; "Retail market Potential; Downtown Charleston"; Application for Federal Assistance by the City of Charleston; "Background Data Report for Charleston City Council: Proposed Hotel, Convention, Retailing Center"; Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments meeting minutes; Downtown Residents for Charleston Center memorandum of support, press release, and project publication; etc.

Date(s) of Creation

1976 - 1977

Container

02

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 1

Title

HCF Position/Activities

Description

Documentation of Historic Charleston Foundation's advocacy role during the planning of Charleston Center. Includes meeting minutes; documentation of HCF's position and advocacy role including meeting minutes, correspondence, comments, statements, etc.

Date(s) of Creation

1977 - 1984

Container

03

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 1

Title

Miscellaneous Correspondence

Description

Correspondence to HCF from a variety of individuals and correspondence from HCF to a variety of individuals

Date(s) of Creation

1977 - 1979

Container

05

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 1

Title

HCF's Statement: Proposed Market Street Development

Description

Historic Charleston Foundation's Statement regarding the proposed Market Street Development. File also contains a draft of "Response to the Report to Historic Charleston Foundation on Charleston Center" submitted by the Charleston Center consultants, architect, and executive director of Downtown Revitalization.

Date(s) of Creation

1979

Container

07

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 1

Title

W.P. Dinsmore White, Consultant

Description

Notes, testimony outlines, and statements by Dinsmore White, the consultant HCF retained to study the Environmental Impact Study and prepare an analysis of any inconsistencies in the statement, and recommendations for a rebuttal.

Date(s) of Creation

1978

Container

06

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 1

Title

Photos and Associated Map

Description

Photocopy of the photographs taken by HCF of the area that would be affected by the construction of the hotel and convention center complex. Includes corresponding annotated map showing the location of each photo. (See HCF.005.7.1a-w.)

Date(s) of Creation

circa 1977

Container

04

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 1

Title

HCF's Architectural Consultants

Description

Documentation of the work done by Hugh Newell Jacobsen, Jean Paul Carlhian, and Malcolm Holzman, who were hired by HCF. Includes "Report to Historic Charleston Foundation on Charleston Center" prepared following a site visit, review of preliminary designs, and meeting with project's architects; correspondence; draft Memorandum of Agreement (City of Charleston), meeting notices, notes, etc.

Date(s) of Creation

1979 - 1983

Container

08

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 1

Title

Other Opposition

Description

Documentation of the opposition to the Charleston Center by other entities including the Charlestowne Neighborhood Association, "Save Historic Charleston," Harleston Village Association, and the Preservation Society

Date(s) of Creation

1977 - 1978

Container

09

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 1

Title

Meeting Minutes - Various Organizations

Description

Preservation Society, Central Business District Revitalization Commission, Board of Architectural Review/Planning and Zoning Commission.

Date(s) of Creation

1977

Container

10

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 1

Title

Memorandum of Agreement

Description

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation "Memorandum of Agreement." (Two copies in folder. PDF on Media tab.)

Container

11

Notes

Date: 1979? Container: Charleston Center - Box 1

Title

Architectural Drawings (Grigg, Wood & Browne)

Description

Landscaping (2 pages), elevations (4 pages), and typical details (1 page). (Note: May not be the final version. See large-format drawings.)

Date(s) of Creation

1978

Container

12

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 1

Title

Invitation to Groundbreaking

Description

Invitation tothe groundbreaking ceremony on February 8, 1985, captioned "We're Rebuilding History," from the City of Charleston, Taubman Company, Cordish-Embry Associates, and Omni International Hotels.

Date(s) of Creation

1985

Container

13

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 1

Title

News Articles - 1977: July-December

Description

News articles from mostly The News & Courier and The Evening Post.. May also contain some articles from out-of town publications. (See also HCF newsclippings scrapbooks.)

Date(s) of Creation

1977

Container

01

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 2

Title

News Articles - 1978: January-May

Description

News articles from mostly The News & Courier and The Evening Post.. May also contain some articles from out-of town publications. (See also HCF newsclippings scrapbooks.)

Date(s) of Creation

1978

Container

02

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 2

Title

News Articles - 1978: June-September

Description

News articles from mostly The News & Courier and The Evening Post.. May also contain some articles from out-of town publications. (See also HCF newsclippings scrapbooks.)

Date(s) of Creation

1978

Container

03

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 2

Title

News Articles - 1978: October-December

Description

News articles from mostly The News & Courier and The Evening Post.. May also contain some articles from out-of town publications. (See also HCF newsclippings scrapbooks.)

Date(s) of Creation

1978

Container

04

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 2

Title

News Articles - 1979: January-February

Description

News articles from mostly The News & Courier and The Evening Post.. May also contain some articles from out-of town publications. (See also HCF newsclippings scrapbooks.)

Date(s) of Creation

1979

Container

05

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 2

Title

News Articles - 1979: March-July

Description

News articles from mostly The News & Courier and The Evening Post.. May also contain some articles from out-of town publications. (See also HCF newsclippings scrapbooks.)

Date(s) of Creation

1979

Container

06

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 2

Title

News Articles - 1982-1983

Description

News articles from mostly The News & Courier and The Evening Post.. May also contain some articles from out-of town publications. (See also HCF newsclippings scrapbooks.)

Date(s) of Creation

1982 - 1983

Container

07

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 2

Title

News Articles - 1984-1987

Description

News articles from mostly The News & Courier and The Evening Post.. May also contain some articles from out-of town publications. (See also HCF newsclippings scrapbooks.)

Date(s) of Creation

1984 - 1987

Container

08

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 2

Title

Charleston Place: The Archaeology of Urban Life

Description

Report on the archaeological excavations done at Charleston Place.

Creator

Martha Zierden and Nicholas Honerkamp

Date(s) of Creation

1989

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 3 (Reports)

Title

Charleston Place: Archaeological Investigations of the Commercial Landscape

Description

Report on the archaeological excavations done at Charleston Place. Details monitoring and salvage efforts conducted by The Charleston Museum at the Charleston Place site from 1981-1985.

Creator

Martha Zierden and Debi Hacker

Date(s) of Creation

1989

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 3 (Reports)

Title

Final Environmental Impact Statement: Charleston Center, Charleston, South Carolina

Description

Addendum.

Date(s) of Creation

1979

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 3 (Reports)

Title

Final Environmental Impact Statement: Charleston Center, Charleston, South Carolina

Description

Supplement

Date(s) of Creation

1979

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 3 (Reports)

Title

Final Environmental Impact Statement: Charleston Center, Charleston, South Carolina

Description

Second supplement

Date(s) of Creation

1983

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 3 (Reports)

Title

Archaeological Assessment of the Charleston Center Project Area

Creator

Cosans and Henry

Date(s) of Creation

1978

Notes

Container: Charleston Center - Box 4 (Reports)

Title

An Archaeological Assessment of the Charleston Convention Center Site

Creator

Nicholas Honerkamp, R. Bruce Council, M. Elizabeth Will

Notes

Date: 19981 Container: Charleston Center - Box 4 (Reports)

Location

Location

Shelf

Archives D-4

Room

Margaretta P. Childs Archives

Building

Missroon House

Category

Permanent

Date

February 7, 2023

Location

Shelf

Archives D-9, Archives D-9

Room

Margaretta P. Childs Archives

Building

Missroon House

Category

Permanent

Relationships

Related Entries

Notes

2006.002.0137, 2009.002.088, HCF.005.7.1a-w, HCF.005.7.2a-e, HCF.005.7.3, MEETING.205-229.01, MEETING.205-229.02, MEETING.205-229.03, MEETING.205-229.04, MEETING.205-229.05, MEETING.205-229.06, MEETING.205-229.07, MEETING.205-229.08, MEETING.205-229.09, MEETING.205-229.10, MEETING.205-229.11, MEETING.205-229.12, MEETING.205-229.13 Related Units of Description: 1) Property files and photographs of buildings impacted by the development of Charleston Place. 2) File "Charleston Center, 1982", Frances Edmunds Papers (HCF.FRE.3, box 37)

Related Publications

Notes

"The 'Battle of Charleston': The Controversy Over Charleston Place" (Chapter 6, Historic Preservation for a Living City by Robert Weyeneth)

Created By

admin@catalogit.app

Create Date

March 4, 2014

Updated By

admin@catalogit.app

Update Date

February 17, 2023