CHARLESTON — Parker’s Kitchen has ditched plans to build a gas station on a four-parcel swath along Savannah Highway, and neighbors in West Ashley are relieved.
The parcel in consideration is a 1.37-acre spot that has long been the home to Charleston Bicycle Co. and the permanently closed Carolina Rod and Gun store at 1319 Savannah Hwy., as well as two brick buildings next door.
Turns out those small brick houses, used commercially by Renasant Mortgage Lending and Charleston Community Acupuncture, would require wading through some red tape in order to tear them down. They were built in the 1950s and now have aged into the wheelhouse of Charleston’s Design Review Board — which is charged with protecting and improving “the visual and aesthetic character and economic value” of development across the city, from new construction to structures built 50 or more years ago.
The building at 1307 Savannah Hwy. has a construction year of 1955, and 545 Parkwood Estates Drive has a construction year of 1952, the city confirmed.
The Savannah-based gas station and convenience store chain, founded by Greg Parker, learned of the designation when it went before the city in mid-September to discuss potential plans for a project dubbed SPW Parkers Kitchen Parkwood Estates, said Deja Knight McMillan, spokesperson for the city of Charleston. Parker’s would have to get city approval to tear down the the two buildings, which McMillan said would be “hard to get.”
“Demolition can be requested and is determined by a hearing before the Design Review Board and requires the applicant to show why the buildings should not be retained and reused as part of a redevelopment plan,” said Robert Summerfield, planning and preservation director for Charleston.
Charles Carmody, senior vice president with the commercial real estate firm CBRE, represented the seller and said “the deal fell apart” from there. The listing then went back on the market Sept. 18 for a “significant price reduction” of $3.49 million.
In 2006, Neil B. Schachte purchased the property for $950,000 before transferring it under a limited liability corporation in 2016.
Carmody said the property on the corner of Canterbury Street next to Krispy Kreme donuts had been on the market for years before he came on as listing agent. He noted the original asking price was upwards of $8 million.
The property went on and off the market over the years, returning with Carmody and his daughter Ryan Carmody, also with CBRE, in February for $4.95 million. It dropped to $4.495 million in April, per the multiple listing service.
As of Sept. 30, neighbors expressed concern for a project of that magnitude in the Parkwood Estates community. Most didn’t know the deal hadn’t fallen through after initially seeing Parker’s staff around, assessing the site.
“I’m totally against anything like that,” said resident Eric Luten. He has lived in the area for 20 years and said building a gas station next to his house, especially a 24-hour business, would completely change the character of the community.
The corner would have also been a redundant choice given it’s catty corner to the already established VGO gas station on Savannah Highway, he noted.
Steve Brown, who owns Charleston Bicycle Shop and also lives in the area, shared that he isn’t looking to close any time soon. If he’s asked to leave when the building sells, he said he will relocate.
He and Luten hope that whoever buys the property will operate on traditional hours to avoid late night traffic, lights and noise disturbing the neighbors. They also hope it can remain a community-based business.
“I go in to the bike shop and hang out all the time,” Luten said. “It’s a neighborhood shop. That’s important. If that was to be gone, it would be awful.”