Charleston, South Carolina – A project in the works since the mid-2000s is getting traction.
The Long Savanna Development, which already comprises a West Ashley neighborhood and commercial space, will soon feature a new elementary school.
According to City of Charleston staff, the site will be near the town center, nearly halfway between the Bear Swamp and the West Bridge.
“We’re so excited about what the school district is doing in working to create a school site in the middle of it because that will become one of the most walkable schools in the entire city of Charleston,” City of Charleston Planning Manager Christopher Morgan said.
Morgan said the idea is to enhance foot traffic while decreasing car traffic.
“If people in Long Savanna have to get off at Bees Ferry or Glenn McConnell to transport their kids to school or somewhere else, it will exacerbate our traffic situation. It’s the type of planning that we like to see in neighborhoods, where they consider the other uses that are part of our community,” Morgan added.
School officials intend to borrow $9 million through bond issuance for an 11.5-acre lot. According to Charleston County School District Chief Operating Officer Jeff Borowy, the building will cost approximately $70 million and will accommodate up to 1,200 elementary kids, reducing strain on nearby schools, which are presently at capacity.
“The proposed school will minimize future overcrowding at surrounding schools like as Drayton Hall Elementary and Springfield Elementary, as well as reduce traffic congestion on Bees Ferry Road by allowing pupils to attend school in their own neighborhood. This initiative demonstrates the district’s dedication to proactive planning as West Ashley expands,” Borowy added.
“The site in particular, I think, had some offers on it to be apartments, and so the ability to have a school there instead of apartments, I think, is going to be beneficial to everybody,” said Morgan.
“I’m excited that it will be a school instead of apartments. I believe it promotes community stability. It will increase the quality and worth of properties and education in the surrounding area. Ashley Simpson, a West Ashley resident, said, “I know there are a lot of young families in my neighborhood, so it’s good to know that there will be more educational options.”
Morgan said the school will be just one part of a new integrated network, which might make your everyday journey easier.
“It’s a whole network of extra roads that will allow people in the surrounding communities, such as Village Green, to access to West Ashley Circle without having to take 61 or Bees Ferry Rd. I believe that having a connected system is part of the solution to the traffic concerns over there,” Morgan added.
A City of Charleston newsletter includes a statement from Mayor William Cogswell:
“Long Savanna: Working with CCSD and the developer, we helped acquire a location within the project that had previously been planned for apartments and dedicate it to a future primary school. This will relieve overcrowding in West Ashley schools and reduce future car trips after the suburb is built out.”
