Charleston, SC Economic Development

Lowcountry builds a future with Legos

Dec. 4, 2007
Charleston Regional Business Journal
By Scott Miller
More than 150 community leaders and business professionals gathered Monday to play with Legos, some standing on top of chairs to ensure they got a turn.

Each wanted a guiding hand in the Lowcountry’s future.

The goal was to use the blocks to plot growth in jobs and housing in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties, tackling issues such as infrastructure strength, commute times, affordable housing and rural preservation.

The players formed groups to gather around 15 tables, each with a large map of the tri-county region. Their assignment was to craft a region with an anticipated 265,000 additional residents, 128,000 new households and 186,000 new jobs that are expected to arrive by 2030.

Organized by the Urban Land Institute, the “Reality Check” game brought together several agendas, with developers, public officials, professional planners, corporate executives, academics and others participating.

“We must think beyond our little neighborhoods and our jobs,” said Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr., one of the participants. “This is a special opportunity in the history of this region.”

At the end, each map looked different, though several common themes emerged that guided each group’s decision making: the desire to maintain green space; the need for sustainable communities where people can work, live and play without long commutes; the demand for a public transportation system like a light rail to connect outlying areas to Charleston; and the high-priority need to redevelop blighted urban areas and establish affordable housing.

The result was a development plan that includes dense, pedestrian- and bike-friendly communities along existing transportation corridors, mostly in Charleston and North Charleston, though most communities had Legos representing growth in jobs and housing.

The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments will use the information to map out a regional vision for future growth. Part of the research will be to identify cost and evaluate any changes needed to land-use regulations or zoning ordinances.

The council will seek public input throughout the 18- to 24-month planning process.

Of the 150 participants, a little more than half came from the business community with the rest split between government and nonprofit and civic organizations, according to a survey at the end of the event. Approximately three-quarters live in Charleston County, though most said work and home life took them outside the county.

“No one lives their life, their day in one town,” Riley said. “We’re all part of the region.” 		related information