Sustainable Communities Archives | Kristin B. Walker

An Insider Look at HARLESTON row | From Vision to Completion

If you have been a subscriber to this blog for more than a year, you may recall in August of 2015, I launched a huge new construction project I had been working on since December of 2013 with the incredible team of JJR Development, Dow Inc, and Architect Julia Martin – HARLESTON row. HARLESTON row is a collection of six new...

Tracking 10 Years of the Real Estate Market in Charleston

Every day I am asked the question – do you think we are in a real estate bubble? How much do you think values will rise over the next few years? Will there be a crash?? I wish I could have a magic looking glass, but I’ve been instructed never to make predictions. However, I can give you some key...

We’ve got Behemoths on the B.A.R. Agenda June 3

Update June 5 – The BAR ruled as follows: Jasper – DENIED. Apartment Building – WITHDRAWN. Hotel – APPROVED. _____________________ Three Behemoths to be precise. Three projects so large, so complex and so controversial, they had to have their own separate meeting happening June 3 at 4:30PM in the Charleston Museum Auditorium (because many many many people will be attending)....

Charleston’s About to Get Taller and Techier

Tuesday night the Charleston City Council unanimously approved the City of Charleston’s request to change the height zoning on a particular area of Morrison Drive from 55 feet to 85 feet. Why does this matter?? 1. Because that rarely happens, and 2. Because it was done so to enable the construction of new 76-foot tall buildings up to 350,000 square...

Charleston Shines in 2012 so What’s on Tap for 2013?

As we enter our first full week of 2013, I thought I’d take a look back at Charleston in 2012. Really, it was quite a banner year for us for a myriad of reasons! Our economy boomed, the real estate market turned around, we received accolades galore and 2013 looks even brighter. So take a look at my lists and...

There’s a Whole Lotta Building Going On in Downtown Charleston

Soaring residential real estate market aside, it is commercial and development activity that can give you true insight into a local economy’s present and near future. And make no mistake – Charleston is on a MAJOR upswing. Always the ones with the inside scoop, the Preservation Society posted a few new photos regarding this matter on their Facebook page today...

The Horizon Project. From Concrete to Community in the City of Charleston.

Take a look at this area and tell me what you see. Vast swaths of concrete and cars, a few buildings, a few ball fields. A pretty nice park. It’s an area that is mostly disconnected from other neighborhoods in Charleston – on the south, north and the east. It’s where we locals go to pay our parking tickets, or...

Master Preservationist Program – Day Twelve. What’s in a Name?

Apparently, everything when it comes to the value of an historic neighborhood. For Day 12 of our Master Preservationist Program, we met at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, located at 28 Race St and a fine example of Byzantine architecture. Race St is on the edge of a neighborhood currently referred to as the Westside. The name...

Master Preservationist Program-Day Ten. Rethinking Sustainability and the Meaning of “Green”

I apologize in advance for the brevity of this post because, well, part of our program on day ten was cut short by the pouring rain (no One Cool Blow and TacoBoy for us!). But I wanted to put some food for thought out there. Could historic preservation actually be the most sustainable and ‘green’ of sustainable and ‘green’ practices?...

Master Preservationist Program-Day Seven. Asphalt & Infill. Just how smart are we?

How many suburban strip malls and parking expanses do you see abandoned and lifeless on a daily basis? Tons. How many ex-urban neighborhoods are now struggling to stay afloat? Many. We are all fatter, we drive more, and we know our neighbors less. Yada yada yada – I know you’ve heard it all. But it’s time to admit that the...

Master Preservationist Program-Day Six. Preservation Law, Upper King St and a Challenge for Local Architects

Little did I know that two of the buildings that were part of my daily life in New York, would have such wide-reaching influence in preservation law in Charleston. I also did not know that Upper King St has many buildings designed by one of Charleston’s most pre-eminent architects. And ANOTHER thing I did not know was that no one has...

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