An “out of place” development sparks anger among West Ashley residents

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA (WCIV) — People living in West Ashley are concerned about the demolitions of historic homes.

They say they are not only upset by the houses that have disappeared, but also by the new ones that seem not to belong there.

“This is going to have to start with the city. Right now. We have nothing in place to stop this from happening,” said Teresa Tidestrom, co-founder of West Ashley Connects.

They are committed to protecting the character of their neighborhoods.

READ MORE | “Charleston unveils $300 million redevelopment plan for Sumar Street site in West Ashley.”

“We have already lost two beautiful historic homes through Mr. Weatherford’s efforts in the last month alone,” said West Ashley Neighborhood Advocate Charlie Smith.

According to Smith and Tidestrom, Brian Weatherford buys properties, divides them into multiple lots and replaces historic homes with new ones that don’t fit in with the neighborhood.

Smith says they don’t want an Architectural Review Board in West Ashley, but would like a public hearing to voice their concerns.

“I think developers think we’re angry because they’re adding housing. That’s great. The problem is they’re tearing down our historic structures,” Smith said.

READ MORE | “Charleston’s Sumar Street to be transformed by new development plan.”

They say it’s a cycle.

“He could have picked it up and moved it to the field to restore it. I asked him to do that and he said no. A week later, it was gone,” Smith said.

The West Ashley Revitalization Commission led efforts for the West Ashley Plan in 2018.

The 50-year plan defines the future of the area.

“We all agreed that we needed to have denser housing here because we have a growing population,” Smith said.

With the new housing, residents say developers have not been responsible in maintaining the “look” of the neighborhood.

“We deserve protection here. We love our neighborhoods, too,” Smith said.

“Downtown has all of this in place. They can’t build, they can’t move an inch without having to follow strict development guidelines. West Ashley deserves that, too,” Tidestrom said.

“I think when developers come to West Ashley and choose to implement the plan they need to respect the community, they need to sit down and find common ground, and that’s the way to achieve harmony within these neighborhoods.”

News 4 reached out to the developer and did not receive a response.