Johns Island medical development, businesses concept approved to move forward

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - A new medical office development and other businesses are coming to Johns Island. Developers of the project presented their initial renderings to the City of Charleston’s Design Review Board Tuesday night.

The development is set to be along Maybank Highway next to the Angel Oak Animal Hospital. For those familiar with the area, it’s almost directly between River Road and Main Road close to businesses like the Royal Tern and Minero.

Right now, the plan for development stands at three, one-story buildings and three, 2-story buildings. Those buildings have the potential to hold up to 17 new businesses and will have more than 250 parking spaces.

Developers say 85% of the businesses will be medically related. The other 15% would be light restaurant and retail use.

The city says this type of medical development is needed in this area.

”This is one of the things that we need more of,” City of Charleston’s Planning, Preservation and Sustainability Department Director Robert Summerfield said. “Providing better, easier access for folks in that part of the community to be able to access those daily services that they may need.”

Overall, the board liked the renderings of the proposal. The renderings show the preservation of several grand trees on the property. The three larger buildings would also be toward the interior of the site, not directly up against Maybank.

The developer says their idea would be to start construction on the buildings on the right side of the new street all at once.

The board gave a favorable finding to the developer, so they will move forward in renderings and fine tuning some more details.

Summerfield says he feels like the developer is definitely energized for the project and moving quickly so we could see groundbreaking on the project by the end of the year, if not early next year.

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