Winslow's Word: December 2024

As we’ve previously reported, 2025 will be a very busy year for preservation and urban planning advocacy at Historic Charleston Foundation. Union Pier planning and community engagement will be rolling out in the first quarter along with the reboot of the Peninsula Plan effort. Also, with the recent rejection of the new Half-Cent Sales Tax by voters and the state’s retraction of its financial support for the extension of 526, we should heed the recent urging of Mayor Cogswell to approach our infrastructure and open space needs in the most data-driven and strategic manner. I would argue that this same approach should be adopted for the Union Pier master plan and the upcoming Peninsula Plan. These two major initiatives will have massive repercussions on how our downtown grows over the next 25 years, and we should be extremely intentional and smart about how we map this out through holistic civic vision and a focus on human-centered design. Let’s get specific: how much of the regional growth of Charleston should be allocated to the peninsula, and where should it go? That growth is barreling towards us whether we like it or not, so let’s guide the outcome to the extent we can! We look forward to working on these and many other issues next year.

Participating in a workshop recently, I was asked to describe my favorite part about Charleston. My answer came quickly: it is the unique intersection of vibrant culture and wonderfully preserved neighborhoods with the natural landscape that surrounds us. This combination is about more than just beauty; these landscapes reflect the values of this community. In Charleston, we are fully committed to historic preservation and conservation (at least many of us!), but we’re also ready and willing to embrace new ideas and people, as long as they align with our core values. These values are embedded in our society from many years of hard work by community leaders, elected officials, and engaged non-profit organizations. This incredible nexus of architecture and nature did not happen by accident, and I am proud of the work that HCF does every day to advance these foundational values.

At the end of the year, as we think back on the projects and partnerships that we’ve launched this year, we are grateful for all our friends, supporters, and colleagues for having a successful 2024.

Please consider supporting Historic Charleston this December so that we can start off the new year with a bang! We’ve got a lot of work to do, and there is so much we can achieve with your help! Thank you, and Happy Holidays!