By Doug Holmes, contributing editor | As the market conditions change, so do the types of competitors for traditional sellers.
With the real estate market in Charleston and Charleston itself doing so well right now, new construction is on the rise. During the downturn of 2008 to 2012, new construction hit a low point.
Not much to do with all of the rain soaking the Carolinas? You can win a can of beef stew — yes, a can of beef stew — if you send us the winning snapshot in Charleston Currents’ brand new, take-advantage-of-the-storm RAIN PHOTO CONTEST.
All you have to do is snap a photo of something that you believe best illustrates the continuing rain soaking the Carolinas. Qualifying photos will be those taken between Friday, Oct. 2, and 6 p.m., Oct. 4, 2015. The best photos will be published in the Oct. 5 issue of Charleston Currents, your source for good news about the Lowcountry.
By Toby Smith, candidate for Charleston mayor | I’m 315 pages into Isabel Wilkerson’s masterpiece, The Warmth of Other Suns. This saga of the Great Migration should be required reading across the board. I see my great grandparents, grandparents and parents, and better understand the economic challenges that continue to be vexing, why the pursuit of education is so very critical for minority populations, and the suffocating impact of bias, discrimination and racism. Frankly, I see myself, my life and the challenges I’ve overcome.
Contributing photographer Michael Kaynard jokes that the frills at the top of this Charleston building look like rabbits or snails. Seriously, where was this picture taken? (And for extra points, what are the frills?) Send your answer to editor@charlestoncurrents.com. Make sure to include your name and contact information, including hometown.
MYSTERY: The dappled light dances along this green tunnel of foliage over a sandy path. It’s in Charleston County, but where? Send your guesses to editor@charlestoncurrents.com to win baseball tickets — and make sure to include your contact information and hometown.
CHARLESTON, S.C., June 18, 2015 — As I headed to bed Wednesday night, a white gunman shot and killed nine people in an historic black church in the center of town just four blocks from where I used to live. Unaware of the evil, sleep came quickly.
But in the wee hours, the ping of a text from an Australian colleague woke me. I didn’t want to read it and tried to go back to sleep. But after tossing and turning, I read the text, only to learn the heart-wrenching news about what was going on a few miles away. I was dazed. Several instant reactions percolated and struggled to the surface:
By Kyra Morris, contributing editor | The nature of Charleston’s hidden jewel qualities is like a cell tower sending out signals to the world – “Come visit. Come visit. I have preserved history, world-class restaurants, renowned golf courses, beaches, shopping, burgeoning theater and a thriving arts community.” The world is receiving the signals and responding. The tourists are here.
This is not a new phenomenon for Charleston. The first “Tourism Impact and Management Study” I found was done in 1977. It noted:
“The dramatic increase in tourist-related activity in Charleston over the past few years has provoked expressions of alarm by residents concerned with maintaining the amenities and quality for which the City is known. Moreover, there is general recognition that the City is not equipped adequately to serve and manage growing numbers of visitors.”
This might be a pretty tough mystery photo. It shows an iconic figure that has a special meaning in Charleston. But where can you see it and what does it mean?
We Can Do Better, South Carolina! (2019) by editor and publisher Andy Brack offers incisive commentaries on the American South, politics, the common good and interesting South Carolina leaders. Available exclusively for Kindle for $7.99. A paperback version will be ready soon. Learn more.
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