N. Charleston approves Midland Park purchase to Charleston Co. schools

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The North Charleston City Council approved the final vote to sell a property in the Midland Park community to the Charleston County School District at its meeting on Thursday night.

The district purchased the property located at 2427 Midland Park Rd. from North Charleston with plans to turn it into a school property.

The land is currently home to the Midland Park Ministry Center and Food Distribution Center, for which the district paid around $1.2 million for 2.3 acres of land.

“It is a pretty lengthy, lengthy process in this area. It was a unique combination of a local church and the city of North Charleston,” Charleston County School District’s Chief Operating Officer Jeff Borowy said. “We’re just happy that both organizations were interested in partnering with us.”

The expansion would help to organize the size of classrooms, hallways and support facilities, like car and bus loops or multipurpose rooms. This would also add drainage for the existing school.

Borowy said step one of the process is now complete by securing all the property.

“I firmly believe that there’ll be a lot of momentum to replace Midland Park, and this land will allow us that opportunity,” Borowy said. “If it is a desire, and the community and the district sees it as a need, which I believe it will, that would go forward on the sales tax referendum extension.”

A large question mark has been placed on the long-term structural integrity of several schools in the city, which were built in the early to mid-1900s. Midland Park opened as a smaller schoolhouse in 1936.

“We know that it’s a very close-knit community,” Borowy said. “There is a lot that goes on within that neighborhood itself, and we want to make sure that our school, and what we do to support that community, enhances what they have.”

Borowy said this is a portion of a plan to improve the quality of education for the students in North Charleston. He refers to projects at Lambs, Ladson, A.C. Corcoran and Stall which are underway.

The Board of Trustees approved the funding for this project in a previous referendum.

The district plans to add this to its capital master plan, which means taxpayers would see the option of a sales tax extension in Fall 2026.

“If the voters agree that this is the right thing to do for the entire district, that will allow us to begin planning and execution of the construction projects that follow that,” Borowy added.