280 Meeting St SAVED From Demolition

Location: 280 Meeting Street, located in the Old and Historic District (listed as "not rated").

Request: Full demolition of the site, including a two-story principal structure (dating from 1918), a one-story addition, and a rear accessory structure.

Context: The property was originally built in 1918 as a utilitarian warehouse. It underwent significant alterations ("wholesale modernization") in the early 1950s for an auto dealership, changing the front façade.

Volume of Comments: The BAR received a massive number of public responses: 447 comments submitted for this item across two meetings (October 8th and September 10th) by 402 individuals.

Opposition: Written comments overwhelmingly opposed the demolition, with 401 comments opposed and only one in favor.

Key Public Concern: Many speakers stressed the building's "living nature" and cultural significance, having housed Theater 99 for over 20 years. This use has made it a cultural hub for thousands of people annually.

Architectural Significance: Few, if any, historic 1918 features remain due to significant alterations (e.g., removal of original windows, facade changes in the 1950s).

Viability: The owner stated the building is in "poor shape," "not structurally sound," and is "not economically viable" for retail due to immense maintenance costs and location challenges.

Historic Ordinance: The structure does not meet the criteria for retention based on architecture or contribution to the city's character.

Historic Integrity: Opponents argued that the structure's 1918 origins and subsequent mid-century alterations (1951 brick storefront) still fall within the National Register period of significance (1700–1941) and represent the city’s evolving architectural history.

Adaptive Reuse: Many commenters asserted the building is in "good shape" and is highly suitable for adaptive reuse, emphasizing that the use (as a cultural space) contributes significantly to the urban fabric.

Historic Charleston Foundation (HCF): HCF staff stated they would not oppose the demolition, citing the building’s significant alteration and lack of architectural features that merit preservation.

Preservation Society of Charleston (PSC): PSC urged the board to deny demolition, highlighting the building’s connection to Charleston’s vibrant commercial and cultural life.

City Staff Recommendation: Staff acknowledged the strong cultural importance shown by public comments. Staff recommended supporting the restoration and/or continued adaptive reuse of the main structure, but had no objection to the demolition of the rear accessory structure.

Board Concerns: Members expressed disappointment over the lack of a thorough item-by-item structural report detailing what fabric remained from the 1910s versus the 1950s. They noted that the owner’s claims of structural unsoundness were not formally before the board under the demolition ordinance.

The Motion: A motion was put forward to:

The Vote: The motion to deny demolition of the main structure failed on a vote of 3 (Nay) to 2 (Yay).