Historic Charleston Foundation is committed to a visionary design for the 70-acre Union Pier site that includes waterfront access to iconic parks; generous civic spaces; and blocks and buildings that reflect Charleston’s historic neighborhoods.
The Union Pier project represents the largest redevelopment opportunity on the Charleston peninsula in decades.
World-Class Standards: In November 2025, HCF joined City of Charleston leaders, preservationists, architects, and developers on a European research trip to London, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen to inform the future redevelopment of Union Pier, with a focus on sustainable design, public access, historic preservation, and the integration of modern needs within a historic waterfront context. The trip was intended to study successful urban and waterfront projects in historic cities, identify best practices in resilient development, parks, and public spaces, and align key stakeholders around a shared vision for the site.
Bennett Rice Mill: In late October 2025, HCF joined the S.C. State Ports Authority to celebrate the $1.6 million restoration and stabilization of the historic Bennett Rice Mill, a solitary masonry wall dating back to the mid-nineteenth century on Union Pier. HCF President and CEO Winslow Hastie notes that the Bennett Rice Mill facade restoration will "help bridge the past with the present as part of the eventual overhaul of Union Pier into a new mixed-use neighborhood for the peninsula."
Urban Waterfront District Approval: On March 25, 2025, Charleston City Council adopted an ordinance to amend the Charleston City Plan to include an Urban Waterfront Future Land Use District. We believe this comprehensive plan language reflects our priorities, and we will continue to advocate for development on Union Pier that reflects historic Charleston’s development patterns, centered around an accessible and vibrant public realm. For more information on what this action means for the future of the site, read our blog post.
The TIF: In the fall of 2024, Charleston City Council, Charleston County and the Charleston County School District approved the Union Pier Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district with the support of HCF and coalition partners.
TIF districts are a common revitalization tool that allow the city to issue bonds against the projected tax revenue created by the redevelopment to help pay for public improvements such as parks, resiliency features, affordable housing, and other infrastructure. Due to the scale and complexity of this site, HCF strongly believes that a true public-private partnership is required to make Union Pier the world-class development that the community deserves.
Historically owned by the SC Ports Authority, Union Pier has been exempt from paying property taxes, but it is under new private ownership. By forming a TIF district lasting 30 years, the city anticipates more than $626 million in future tax revenue over that period. As Mayor Cogswell told Council, “We are essentially setting up a bank account for the project.”
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