Big Development Hailed as 'Home Run' for Town

It's a common refrain east of the Cooper: Mount Pleasant is the state's fourth-largest municipality, but it grew without a downtown or main street.

But Tuesday, when The Beach Company broke ground on The Boulevard, a multi-story residential and retail development along Coleman Boulevard, town leaders said the move is the first step toward creating a main street.

"The revitalization of Coleman Boulevard really starts today," said Mayor Billy Swails at the Tuesday groundbreaking ceremony. "The Beach Company … we want to thank you for your commitment to this project. This is a home run."

Developers are planning for 325 upscale, urban residential apartments. The project will include street-level retail shops and restaurants.

"This project will help breathe new life into Coleman Boulevard," said Daniel Doyle, The Beach Company vice president of development. "The result will be a new main street where walking, biking and CARTA are the preferred modes of transportation and where automobile traffic will be just a little bit slower."

Built close to the road and taller than many of its neighbors, The Boulevard offers a more downtown feel. It complements other Coleman developments, such as the shops and restaurants surrounding Triangle Char and Bar, which have outdoor dining that faces the street and connects right into the sidewalk.

"Nothing like this exists in Mount Pleasant," said John Darby, CEO of The Beach Company. "It's truly a mixed-use project. It's going to be the first parking deck ever to be built in Mount Pleasant."

Town leaders are encouraging projects to take on a similar look as it plans for a massive overhaul of Coleman Boulevard that will add bike lanes, on-street parking and planted greenery in the thoroughfare's parkway.

The Boulevard project will be complete by spring 2013, developers said. Just 3 miles from Sullivan's Island and 5 miles from downtown Charleston, The Beach Company has held onto the property for more than 50 years as it waited for an ideal time for development.

"We've been waiting for this day for a long time," Darby said. "We've been planning this project for over two and a half years. We feel the location will do well even in a marginal economy."