With Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler naming Charleston the No. 1 vacation destination in the world year after year, developing Patriots Point demanded a clearly defined master plan, according to Ian Duncan, development director of the Bennett Hospitality Group. Having updated sketches of the vision for the project continuously over the last 10 years, Duncan said the plans for a blend of commercial and residential properties that have been in place since 2011 have since evolved into an upscale, world class mixed-use 6.2-acre development called Seafair Village, located within the 30.32-acre Patriots Annex development.
Additionally, Jake Carter, planner for the Town of Mount Pleasant, shared that the site as it exists today consists of the current entrance drive to the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, parking lot area and existing underground utilities adjacent to the critical line against the Cooper River. According to Duncan, the Bennett Hospitality Group is collaborating with the USS Yorktown to ensure that the first phase will not interfere with operations at Patriots Point.
“As the Yorktown brings thousands of visitors each year, we have been working closely together to make sure we are good neighbors,” Duncan said.
Working hand in hand with high-profile and seasoned Atlanta-based Rabun Architects, Duncan said that Phase One of the long-term project includes a top-of-the-line resort boasting a three-story hotel with 105 rooms, as well as an adjacent 12 cottages, each of which are outfitted with a kitchenette, living room and covered porch. Amenities will include a pool, bar, spa, fitness facility and conference center. Further, outdoor areas incorporating gazebos, tiki huts, fire pits, open areas with views of the harbor, marinas and the Battery along with parks and an interactive fountain resembling the pineapple at downtown Charleston’s Waterfront Park will lend a family dynamic to the property.
Additionally, high-end boutiques and restaurants will give Seafair Village a vibe like that of Kiawah’s Freshfields Village, Wild Dunes or Nexton. And as Duncan said, due to its convenient location, Seafair is geared to become the heart of Mount Pleasant where residents and visitors can bike or drive. With convenient perimeter parking, a vacation or day trip to Seafair will offer something for everyone, whether hiking a waterside trail connecting to Hog Island, kayaking, playing a round at the Patriots Point Links course, relaxing during a massage, taking a harbor cruise or spending the day shopping while lingering to enjoy dinner.
“It’s so exciting to see the plans coming to fruition,” Duncan said. He added that this fall, before ground can be broken for construction of the hotel and cottages, a land disturbing activity, work on the first phase of the Seafair Village development will require the enormous endeavor of verifying existing conditions, including but not limited to topographic, tree, storm drainage facilities and all exact vertical and horizontal locations of all existing utilities. Duncan estimated that this intricate work, along with building the hotel and cottages, will take approximately 12-18 months to complete Phase One to the Bennett Hospitality Group’s high standards, with the grand opening slated for some time in 2026.
The next steps, according to Duncan, will include Bennett Hospitality finalizing landscaping, as well as interior packages with Atlanta-based Design Continuum, Inc.’s lead designer Karen Jenkins, who is in the preliminary phases of conceptualizing the coastal contemporary look that will pull neutral colors from the outdoors to mirror surrounding nature. As Duncan said, this streamlined and timeless style fits beautifully with Mount Pleasant’s vernacular.
Future phases include developing hundreds of thousands of additional square feet allocated for upwards of 500 hotel rooms, a conference facility, boutique second-story office spaces, residential components, as well as a sports and entertainment venue.
“This project is already attracting national attention,” Duncan said, adding that market demand will ultimately determine final plans for other long-term phases of Seafair Village. “I’ll still be drawing for several months,” Duncan said with a chuckle. “In fact, I’ll never stop drawing.”
By Sarah Rose
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