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NORTH CHARLESTON — The city is pushing for an amendment to state legislation that would help finance affordable housing in the south end's largest ongoing development project.

Redevelopment of the former Charleston Naval Base along the banks of the Cooper River is helmed by joint venture Jamestown L.P., WECCO and Weaver Capital through two projects working in conjunction: Navy Yard Charleston and Battery Park.

The proposed amendment would allow a special tax district to fund affordable housing at the site of the former military base, making the large-scale development easier to finance. The bill was pre-filed ahead of this year's legislative session that started Jan. 14.

City Council approved the Battery Park contract negotiations with the development group in December 2023, days before then-Mayor Keith Summey retired after nearly three decades in office.

In October 2024, City Council voted to extend the contract's due diligence period, which was set to expire that month, until July 15, 2026, or 30 days after the proposed state bill is ratified, whichever comes first. This extension gives the developers additional time before the sale is finalized.

"This isn't a one or two-year development," said Ryan Johnson, the city’s director of administration. "This is a long-term development that's going to be massive in scale and very complex. It's very important to get it right instead of rushing something through."

Legislation would make affordable housing easier

In 1994, South Carolina established a law for redeveloping federal military installations after the federal government's Base Realignment and Closure that shut down or downsized military bases across the country. In South Carolina, the Charleston Naval Base and Myrtle Beach Air Force Base were part of these closures.

Redevelopment authorities were then created to oversee the disposal of federal property and the opportunity to create tax increment financing districts to fund public infrastructure improvements.

A TIF district is a popular funding tool used by municipalities to revitalize blighted communities. These special tax districts allow local governments to take on debt for infrastructure improvements in the district, then use the increased property tax revenue after the area's revitalization to pay off the debt.

The state's Tax Increment Financing Law provides guidelines for most TIFs in the state, including North Charleston's Ingleside, City Center and Noisette TIF districts. However, former military bases are subject to the rules in the state's Federal Defense Facilities Redevelopment Law, which doesn't include guidance on affordable housing.

Amending the Federal Defense Facilities Redevelopment Law would help it mirror the state's general guidance on TIF districts, Johnson said.

The amendment would allow for new property tax revenues generated in the TIF district to be used for the creation of publicly or privately owned affordable housing, which is defined as 80 percent of the area's median income. The state's law on TIF districts includes the same language for affordable housing as the proposed bill.

A similar version of this bill did not pass the General Assembly during the 2024 session because "some amendments were added on that made it not viable to pass," Johnson said.

Last year's bill received bipartisan support, passing in both chambers unanimously, said Erica Wright, a legislative and public policy advocate with the Municipal Association of South Carolina. Gov. Henry McMaster and Col. Michael Freeman, commander of Joint Base Charleston, wrote letters of support for the legislation, she said.

"We hope to get it done this year," Wright said.

If the bill does not pass, Johnson said it will make the large-scale development more challenging to complete.

"There are a lot of big numbers that have to be associated with this," Johnson said. "A TIF is the primary driver for redevelopment in a municipality because it can fund all the public infrastructure."

The Naval Base redevelopment project has other opportunities for tax incentives because the property is located in a federal Opportunity Zone, an economically disadvantaged area that qualifies for tax benefits.

Developers known for large-scale projects

The development team's past work includes other large-scale projects. Jamestown developed Ponce City Market in Atlanta and Chelsea Market in Manhattan.

Charleston Mayor William Cogswell is principal of WECCO, which has been involved in a number of local development projects, such as the Cigar Factory in Charleston and Garco Mill in North Charleston. He has stepped back from any development efforts that might pose a conflict with his political duties. Lucile Cogswell, his wife, has taken the reins as president of WECCO, according to its website.

Battery Park, the proposed 50-acre development north of Riverfront Park across the Noisette Creek Bridge, is expected to become a vibrant district with 1,400 residential units, commercial developments and public parks. As part of the Battery Park agreement, 17 percent of the residential units will be designated as affordable housing.

Two pieces of federal property remain on the Battery Park development. The city is working with the federal government to terminate the lease on those properties so they can be sold to the developers, Johnson said. Extending the contract's due diligence period provides more time to finalize this transfer, he added.

The Navy Yard Charleston project, which started in 2021, is further along in progress to restore several of the old military buildings on the former base. One of the former storehouse buildings is now a boutique apartment complex called Storehouse Nine and Building 64 is a live-event venue available for rentals.

The developers are looking for a buyer to transform the iconic blonde brick Powerhouse building into a live performance hall.

NORTH CHARLESTON — A new ramen restaurant is coming to Park Circle.

Katsubō Chicken & Ramen is targeting a March opening, owner Joe Nierstedt told The Post and Courier. The eatery, an extension of a pop-up Nierstedt hosted at The Daily in 2021, will be located at 4628 Spruill Ave., previously occupied by Jackrabbit Filly. Shuai and Corrie Wang's Chinese American restaurant operated at the address from 2019-2024 before relocating to 1083 E. Montague Ave. in December.

"I'm a big fan of Jackrabbit Filly," Nierstedt said. "It being a new buildout recently, it just made a lot of sense."

Nierstedt is perhaps best known for KinFolk, the Johns Island fried chicken destination he operated with his brother Kevin from 2019 to 2023. He's been looking for a new location for that business or Katsubō since — and the Spruill Avenue space lent itself to the latter, he said.

Nierstedt grasped the technique of ramen cookery while working at Mu Ramen, a highly regarded New York restaurant that closed in 2021. He plans to bring that knowledge to Katsubō, which will offer various meat-based and vegetarian broths that will rotate throughout the year.

"We had a line out the door every single day," Nierstedt said of his time at Mu Ramen. "Everything I learned comes from that restaurant."

Katsubō was similarly busy during its time at The Daily. The name, the Japanese word for "craving," speaks to Nierstedt's goal of catering to a broad audience. He plans to do so at his new restaurant by offering ramen alongside a range of Japanese dishes, from charred edamame to okonomiyaki, blistered shishito peppers with bonito flakes, gyoza dumplings and fried chicken wings.

As he prepares to open Katsubō, Nierstedt didn't rule out the reincarnation of KinFolk, whose closure came at the end of the brothers' lease at 4430 Betsy Kerrison Parkway. Fans of the restaurant's fried chicken, scratch-made sides and soft serve ice cream — many of whom still reach out to Nierstedt for recipes — would surely support its return to the Lowcountry.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - As we prepare for the severe winter weather expected to hit the Lowcountry, Charleston International Airport is ramping up preparations to minimize flight disruptions.

Spokesperson Spencer Pryor said preparations for the anticipated storm can be summed up by the word: proactive.

He said they have a plan set in place for winter weather, just like they would in the case of a hurricane.

As for cancellations, Pryor said there have already been quite a few, all of which were supposed to leave after 3 p.m. or 4 p.m.

He said it’s all hands on deck right now for airport staff but they’re well-prepared for whatever Mother Nature brings.

Pryor said the airport’s operational department began developing a plan for a situation like we’re dealing with now, months ago.

He said the airport has been working with the South Carolina Department of Transportation, which has already salted nearby roads, like the parking garage entrances and pedestrian walkways, and will continue to do so as needed.

Pryor said that even if it’s not needed, they have pre-positioned snowplows and other equipment to ensure the airport remains fully operational so you can get where you need to go.

He said delays and cancellations all depend on the airline you’re flying, and where you’re going, so passengers are urged to stay in close contact with their airlines for real-time updates.

He adds some flights that have already been canceled are from up north but for one passenger heading back home to Phoenix, Arizona, her United flight has already been canceled.

“I had a flight back at 4:15 on United Airlines, and now I’m stuck here for another 24 hours because United flies out my itinerary just twice a day. The one was at seven o’clock in the morning, which obviously was on time, and left, and I cursed the day I forgot to book that one, I should have just left early. But then they booked me for the 4:15 tomorrow, which means I’m stuck here for another 24 hours. And I love Charleston, but it’s too cold. I’m from Phoenix, Arizona. I want to go back to the heat,” Mayura Rege said.

That flyer said she’s fortunate enough to have family here who she can stay with while she waits, and that she’s lucky she got another flight that leaves tomorrow, but she said she’s a little worried that if flights are already being canceled today, what does that mean for her travel plans tomorrow?

Pryor said contractors from out of state have been brought in to assist with snow removal, ensuring that the airport’s runway and taxiways will be cleared without delay.

As the storm nears, the airport is urging travelers to stay informed and plan ahead.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Charlotte received some snow on Tuesday as Charleston, South Carolina saw a major snowfall event.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — In recent years, Charlotte, North Carolina has been waiting and lacking snow. The snow that fell on Jan. 10 of this year finally broke the 1,077 day streak without snow. Charlotte has been too far south and too warm for most of the snow chances between now and January 2022, when three years ago the city saw back-to-back-to-back weekends with snow.

During the winter months, a low-pressure weather system will typically produce the heaviest snowfall about 100 miles north of its center location. That's why Charlotte is typically too far south for snow.

However, this weather setup is uniquely different. When the low pressure is over water, it can be as much as 200 miles north of the center that experiences impacts from the heaviest snow. That is the case for this setup.

The further north you get from a low, the drier the air. In this scenario, a cold front is also aiding this system to remain well south of the Carolinas but just enough to our north to bring a significant snowfall to the South Carolina shoreline.

Why is there more snow south of Charlotte? The low that is bringing the precipitation is so far south that it can only bring snow so far north. A cold front is also putting up the Heisman keeping most snow away from Charlotte but keeping it cold.. @wcnc pic.twitter.com/j3lWrAoqZ2

— Chris Mulcahy (@YOURWEATHERMAN) January 21, 2025

This area also has a lot of moisture, which increases the snow rates and leads to greater accumulations.

Credit: WCNC Weather Impact Team

The Jan. 21 snow event in Charleston could make the list of the top 5 snowfall events.

In most recent memory, a weather setup back in 2018 produced snow for the city but is different than its challenger in 2025. This path was a more north-to-south movement compared to a low-pressure system moving southwest-to-northeast.

Here is what was needed for this historic snowfall:

Plain and simple, this low pressure needed to be between 150 and 200 miles further north. The image below is the ideal Nor'easter setup that impacts the Mid-Atlantic states the hardest.

Credit: WCNC Weather Impact

For Charlotte to likely see the biggest snow impacts, the low needs to pass directly over Charleston.

The last big Charlotte snowstorm back in 2004 had this set up.

RELATED: Weather IQ: The 5 biggest snow storms in the greater Charlotte area

A blanket of snow fell across Charleston and the Lowcountry late Jan. 21, following days of shifting predictions and a healthy dose of public doubt that it would ever arrive. In the end, the forecasters were right — with the added measure of more snowfall than anticipated.

The National Weather Service's rare snowy forecast came as a prolonged period of sleet coated the area and forced local officials to close the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge to the east of the Charleston peninsula and the Ashley River Bridges to the west.

The patter of sleet transitioned to the silence of snow at about 10:20 p.m., according to the the NWS in Charleston.

Predicted snowfall for the Lowcountry increased in the hours before it arrived, according to the evening NWS forecast. A morning prediction of an inch or two of snow in southeastern South Carolina grew to a forecast of 3 to 5 inches through early Jan. 22, with some localized amounts of up to six inches possible. A NOAA forecast map showed that much of the tri-county and southern Lowcountry could get 4 to 6 inches of snow.

"It does look like, at some point later this evening, it will be entirely snow across the Lowcountry. There's still some question about what point in time that transition occurs," NWS meteorologist Jonathan Lamb said early on Jan. 21.

Sleeting and freezing rain began slowly in the tri-county area around 4 p.m. Jan. 21. By 8:30 p.m., authorities closed the Ravenel bridge. Closure of the Ashley River Bridges came soon after.

The heaviest snow fall was expected to come overnight and run into the early morning of Jan 22. Snow should end by noon, when the winter weather advisory expires.

Inland counties saw snow start earlier than the coastal territories, with little or no sleet or freezing rain.

Frigid temperatures, particularly lows in the 20s with even colder wind chills, through Thursday brings the possibility of continued icy conditions as well as a slight chance of freezing rain.

Warming centers opened across the tri-county

Three warming centers opened across Charleston County Jan. 20 due to the cold and winter storm warning:

After 8 p.m. Jan. 21, Hibben and Seacoast reached capacity.

Amber Henry, executive director of Holy City Missions, said their warming center has been at capacity of 84 guests the past couple weeks. She anticipates reaching capacity again for the next few nights.

About 140 people total stayed at the three centers on Jan. 20, Henry said.

If all three warming centers reach capacity, the county will open a shelter at the Charleston County Sheriff's administration building at 3831 Leeds Ave., the county said.

Snow just the beginning as cold, hazards could linger

Snow and ice that melts during the day on Jan. 22 could refreeze overnight, bringing the possibility of dangerous black ice and prolonged traffic disruptions. The NWS also warned that melting ice could fall from the elevated places, creating one more hazard to be concerned about.

Along with the winter storm warning, a cold weather advisory is in place until 10 a.m. Jan. 23, alerting to an "unusually long period of bitterly cold weather."

A cold air mass settled over the area this week causing temperatures to tumble. Highs on Jan. 21 reached the low to mid-40s, but overnight temperatures were expected to drop into the 20s, according to an evening winter weather briefing. The following day could be the coldest of the season so far with highs likely not to climb out of the 30s. Overnight wind chills are forecast to be in the low teens. By Jan. 23, conditions will warm marginally, but overnight lows will again drop into the low 20s and continue to do so until the weekend.

An area of low pressure moving out of the Gulf of Mexico is expected to pass to the south and offshore of the the Palmetto State, where it will contact the cold air in place over the region. Its exact path will influence how much and what kind of precipitation occurs.

The NWS reports that the Jan. 22 night temperatures will be near-record low, which was set in 1985.

Roads already being prepped

The S.C. Department of Transportation began prepping roads on Jan. 19 and continued on Jan. 20, said agency spokeswoman Hannah Robinson. DOT typically begins preparations two days in advance as the salt brine solution used will stick to roads unless it rains, she said.

Sometimes, crews will leave salt deposits in medians and curbs to help prevent pooling water which could later freeze, Robinson said.

Using a "tiered system" of roadway preparation, DOT begins salting primary roads and interstates first, then following to secondary roads and occasionally neighborhood roads, if warranted, Robinson said.

While the immediate threat to the Upstate has lessened, Robinson said, the DOT operates on a preparedness system that covers the entire state, with some Upstate roads already pre-treated.

DOT monitors upwards of 41,000 miles of road across the state and regularly monitors weather updates. Robinson advised that drivers use the DOT storm resource page at scdot.org/travel/stormResources to monitor weather and road updates.

"As Southerners, we're not used to driving on ice or snow, so it can be hard to navigate that," Robinson said. "So we always encourage people, if you're able to, stay off the roads during any kind of weather event."

DOT stationed 15 plows across the Charleston region in advance of the winter weather, according to a Charleston city news release.

'No yahoos'

As frozen rain coated Charleston and before the snow arrived, city officials urged people to stay home as they announced road barricades.

City workers blocked off some roads to make way for plows. Entrances, sidewalks and parking lots near fire, police and parks and recreation facilities have been treated with a snow melt, a city spokeswoman said.

Earlier, government offices and school districts across the region announced closures.

Public schools in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties will have e-learning and remote work Jan. 22.

Charleston County offices closed at 4 p.m. Jan. 21 and will be closed Jan. 22. Curbside recycling will resume Jan. 23 on a two-hour delay. For the rest of the week, recycling will be on a one-day delay schedule.

Charleston municipal offices closed at 3 p.m. Jan. 21 and will remain closed on Jan. 22. All public meetings scheduled for these days will be rescheduled. Garbage collection will resume on Jan. 23, if road conditions are safe.

The Livability Department notified carriage businesses to have horses off city streets by 3 p.m. Jan. 21. No tours will be run Jan. 22.

CARTA ended its service at 8 p.m. Jan. 21. Operations for Jan. 22 will be "dependent on weather and road conditions."

Charleston officials said they were not considering a curfew like the one ordered last August during Tropical Storm Debby that closed off the peninsula to traffic in an effort to dissuade "yahoos" as Mayor William Cogswell called them from driving on flooded streets. City spokeswoman Deja Knight McMillan said those plans could change if too many people venture out in the snow and causes “further strain on first responders.”

“Stay home,” McMillan said.

Alan Hovorka, Maddy Quon, Megan Fernandes and Ali Rockett contributed reporting.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Reach Caitlin Bell at 843-790-9433. Follow her on Twitter/X @CaitlinPatBell