College of Charleston demolition, construction projects underway

MORNING HEADLINES | The College of Charleston (CofC) is shaping up to look different in a few years — but you might start seeing changes sooner than you think based on ongoing projects near Calhoun Street.

Demolition is underway at the former YWCA headquarters on Coming Street, where local civil rights leaders once gathered. Once the debris has been cleared away, the college is expected to take steps to learn more about the cemetery it sits upon before it can advance controversial plans to build a residence hall on the site.

The 5,000 square-foot, single-story building saw visits from the likes of Christine Jackson and Septima Clark. The YWCA of Greater Charleston moved into the property in 1964, at a time when the organization was still segregated.

A block away, the school is also demolishing the College Lodge, a former residence hall and motel on Calhoun Street that preservationists want to see saved.

Students haven’t lived in “The Lodge” since 2023, and a city board in 2024 narrowly granted permission to raze the 192-bed building that dates back to 1964. Crews started working on the interior in June.

The demolition goes against the wishes of preservation groups that point to The Lodge’s as a “rare surviving example” of an “automobile-oriented” motel a decade before the school purchased the property. Also on the facade is a mural that acclaimed Charleston-born street artist Shepard Fairey painted in 2014 as part of Piccolo Spoleto.

CofC President Andrew T. Hsu described this current chapter of the college as a sort of “renaissance,” as leaders pursue plans for a new business school and a multipurpose hospitality center in addition to the high-profile demolitions.

The projects, both announced over the last year, are still in the early stages of planning. The college has not announced construction timelines for either facility, and the plans still have to go before the necessary city boards.

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In Friday’s issue of the Charleston City Paper

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CP CARTOON: Stegelin: Mostly MAGA caps
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CP FOOD: Odd Duck Market expands across the Lowcountry. Lifelong friends Andrew Hare and Jared Hellman opened the original Odd Duck Market in Park Circle in summer 2023. Located at 1082 East Montague Ave., the market is now a fixture in the community.

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CP MUSIC: Charleston has a new-ish Americana radio station. Charleston’s WRHG, 102.9 FM, which has been up and running for about a year and a half, plays what station owner and programmer Bruce Roberts refers to as “positive” music in the old-school Americana tradition.

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CALENDAR: How to find cool things to do around town

Our online events calendar has scores of events around the Lowcountry every day, making it the most detailed calendar of what’s happening in the area. Just click on “Events” above at right under the black toolbar. You’ll be amazed at what you find.