The Historic Charleston Foundation opened a big can of worms with recent news that it plans to sell the Nathaniel Russell House, which it purchased in 1955 to keep it from being subdivided.
The reason? Times have changed, and the foundation accomplished its mission in preserving the house. And now, because times have changed, it wants to focus resources on doing even more to advocate for additional preservation as Charleston grapples with everything from the increasing pressure of development, gentrification, the need for more affordable housing, threats from climate change and the stresses of more people visiting the Holy City.
The foundation, which says the sale isn’t related to financial difficulties, outlined how with more money from a sale — and not having to pay fixed and variable costs associated with running a house museum — it will be able to do its overall preservation job even better.
So rather than people castigating the Historic Charleston Foundation (HCF) for a difficult, strategic decision that will allow it to do more for the area, we should be thanking the foundation for its thoughtful coming transition of the Nathaniel Russell House. If you want to see what the organization can do to benefit the community in a larger way, just consider its leadership role this year in slowing down and turning around the trajectory on a harmful plan to develop Union Pier. Talk about the greater good.
In the grand scheme of things, the foundation seems to have taken a responsible approach to dealing with the future of the house. It says there is no current buyer or price. “HCF intends to engage in a thoughtful, deliberate process in determining the next steps for the house. Of utmost importance is ensuring that any potential future owner ensures the highest level of preservation for the house. Every protection available, in the form of protective easements, will be placed on the house to ensure it remains preserved and an integral part of Charleston’s architectural legacy.”
So for anyone squawking who probably hasn’t visited the house in a generation, what’s wrong with that? The foundation, which saved and protected the house for 70 years, will use covenants, restrictions and easements to make sure it remains in good hands and, it hopes, keep it publicly accessible as a historic site. That’s what it’s supposed to do.
Sure, it would be best if the buyer is another foundation, trust, research university or nonprofit organization. Sure, it would be better if the house doesn’t just become another trophy home for a rich family that doesn’t live here. But transitioning the house to a responsible owner who will continue to preserve it and then using those resources to keep historic Charleston strong are enviable strategic priorities for our community.
So thank you, Historic Charleston Foundation, for your past stewardship of the Nathaniel Russell House and for your thoughtful future planning for its continued preservation. Critics will continue to criticize, but you should forge ahead.
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