Mount Pleasant Town Hall Magazine

63 www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com | www.MPTownHall.com MOUNT PLEASANT Town Hall project, Sam Herin. Then, on the evening of Aug. 11, Town Hall staffers opened their doors to the public with an open house celebration showcasing their new home. Men, women and children were on hand for the event, touring offices from the Police Department to the Council chambers and the mayor’s office while helpful employees stood by, ready to answer any questions about their new home. For most of these visitors, the final stop on their tour was the expansive third floor terrace, with its views of the Ravenel Bridge and Charleston just across the Cooper River. All of the guests were treated to kettle corn and refreshing bottles of ice cold water and given sunglasses emblazoned with “Mount Pleasant, SC” and the town’s crest. For the children, balloon animals were the most exciting bonuses of the day. After touring the building, Kevin Weer of Snee Farm said, “I think it’s gorgeous and a great addition to our town. It’s beautiful and I really like all the open space.” Marjorie Weer, who brought their children, Monty and Evie, along for the tour, added, “I was very impressed by the fact that even though the town had to design a big new government building, the team managed to keep it in line with the feel of Mount Pleasant.” Louis and Claudine Herodote, natives of France who now live in Seaside Farms, had their own upbeat story about dealing with Town Hall. The Herodotes receive pensions from France and need official proof that they are alive and living in the United States so their checks can be sent to them. They had found it difficult to locate anyone in authority, “even a notary public,” to vouch for them until they walked into Town Hall just days before the open house. A helpful receptionist steered them to a staffer – a notary, as it turned out – who was able to solve their dilemma. Both the Herodotes had visited the old and the new Town Hall complexes and agreed that “the new building is a vast improvement.” A local attorney admitted he had had a ringside seat for all the construction of Town Hall. Richard Hricik’s law offices are located on Houston Northcutt Boulevard adjacent to the Ann Edwards Lane site. “I saw the whole transformation,” Hricik said. “They did a fantastic job. It doesn’t have the institutional feel of a government building. I love the inspirational pieces, the suggestions of the marsh grass and all the light. You walk by every office and each is flooded with natural light.” To experience the new Town Hall, Hricik brought along daughter Zoe, a junior at Wando High School this fall. Creekside resident Eugenia Felsinger called the new Town Hall “A piece of heaven right here. Its colors bring about a feeling of calm and healing. Just walk through, and you’ll feel like a new person.” Two artists with a special connection to the new building were graphic designer Janet Crouch, whose Vivid Sign and Design is located on Highway 41, and Babs Tarr, a nationally acclaimed comic book artist whose recent work for DC Comics included a major reworking of Batgirl’s look. Both Mount Pleasant residents are graduates of Bishop England High School. “All of the interior finishes were picked to reflect the environment around Mount Pleasant,” Tarr observed. “Pluff mud green on the signs; sweetgrass wallpaper; the stone used in the flooring.” “We’ve been hearing about the new building for a long time,” Crouch added. “As artists, we really appreciate the aesthetics incorporated into the design. This new Town Hall never disappoints.” TH Mount Pleasant Councilman Bob Brimmer, center, talks with former Councilmen Chris O’Neal, left, and Chris Nickels during the Town Hall ribbon-cutting ceremony. Photo by Brian Sherman. Mount Pleasant Councilman Mark Smith distributes fact sheets to attendees at the Town Hall grand opening reception. Photo by Jess Wood.