Charleston-area news remains positive! This month we share a variety of local news items related to communications and energy, manufacturing, hospitality, and housing. Be sure to follow the links where you see bold blue font if you want to learn more about any topics of particular interest to you.
IQ Fiber, a high-speed, fiber-optic Internet service out of Jacksonville, Florida is expanding its 10-gig capable network into SC, first investing over $40 million in the Mount Pleasant and West Ashley areas. To support its 100% renewable energy consumption goals, IKEA’s parent company the Ingka Group is building a massive photovoltaic solar farm called Kingstree West in Williamsburg County. Once completed and operational, its 178,000 modules will produce an estimated 186 GWh annually.
National groups HITT Contracting and BE&K Building Group have partnered as construction managers for Boeing’s $1B expansion project in North Charleston, with BRPH of Florida the architect of record. Construction is scheduled to start later this year. W International’s metal fabrication complex in Goose Creek has been purchased by HII, the largest military shipbuilder in the U.S. and headquartered in Virginia, which will be renovating it in order to provide manufacturing support to the Virginia-class, Columbia-class and aircraft carrier programs of its Newport News Shipbuilding division. Current operations remain ongoing and an additional 250 jobs will be created.
Planters Inn, a circa-1844 luxury boutique hotel in downtown Charleston that is the only member of the exclusive Relais & Châteaux association, has been purchased for $75 million by Crystal Creek Capital, a Wyoming private equity real estate investment firm with plans to renovate and manage the 64-room property. The four-year-old Avid Hotel by IHG near Azalea Square in Summerville has also changed ownership for $12.9 million. Crafthouse North, a tap house on Daniel Island, is adding a new Charleston location with craft beer and sushi pairings in Carolina Park in Mount Pleasant. It will be opening in early May.
Del Webb is developing Del Webb Point Hope, its third 55+ senior living community in the Charleston area. Being built within the 9,000-acre Point Hope master-planned community on land that formed part of the historic Cainhoy Plantation in Berkeley County, it is expected to open to residents in late 2025 or early 2026. Charleston Southern University will have a new residence hall on its campus. Its Board of Trustees has approved construction of a three-story, suite-style residence hall that will house 216 students. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer, with completion targeted for August 2026.
