Board of Architectural Review approves demolition of College Lodge

Board of Architectural Review approves demolition of College Lodge

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Yet another iconic student residence is on the verge of demolition as the city’s Board of Architectural Review recently approved the demolition of the College Lodge building with a 2-1 vote. The College Lodge, located at 159 Calhoun St., has been serving as a useful housing option for students of College of Charleston since the 1960s, after having originally been a Downtowner Motor Inn.

New Plans on the Plate

Reports suggest that despite the slated demolition, the college still sees the site as a student dormitory. Should the demolition go through, construction of a new structure would cost about $31.4 million. The college, however, has continually voiced concerns about the structural integrity of the original building but has chosen to refrain from additional comments until the Board of Architectural Review assesses their plans.

Preserving Architecture with Adaptation

Robert Summerfield, the director of planning, preservation, and sustainability for the City of Charleston, pointed out that the building was one of the last mid-century modern style structures downtown. Given the architectural, cultural, and contextual importance of the building, he suggested that instead of demolition, an entire interior renovation could serve the purpose.

Nevertheless, the College of Charleston indicated that it’s not an option they could practically consider. According to Summerfield, “They are not sure if they can economically make that work for what they need in student housing.”

Students Share Mixed Feelings

For College of Charleston sophomore, Ryan Ciliento, finding on-campus housing is an uphill battle. In light of the severe housing crisis, he has noted that “with the dorms, they get filled up very quickly. And the houses that are here are very expensive.” Fellow student Savannah Magee echoed his sentiments, recounting instances when students had been left with no alternative but to lease out hotel rooms due to lack of housing.

While the duo agreed that demolishing College Lodge would lead to cleaner and better accommodation, they voiced concerns over the potential housing shortage in the interim. “It would take too long and, in the meantime, it would create a serious problem,” Ciliento said.

Delaying Tactics?

A previous deferral had been put into place to allow for more time to gather information before paving the way to approve the demolition of College Lodge. As of now, there’s no specific timeline for when College Lodge might be gone for good.

As the controversy continues to brew over the proposed demolition, Magee has called on the Board of Architectural Review and the college to take into consideration the housing woes of the student population. “Just consider the students and the priority of housing because it’s a very big necessity right now,” urged Magee.

Somewhere in the midst of all the tearing down and building up, the City of Charleston needs to figure out how to harmoniously blend the old with the new, preserving architectural heritage while meeting the changing needs of its most significant demographic – the student population.

Other Housing Endeavors

In the light of the current housing crisis, Summerfield revealed that Charleston City Council has approved the replacement of the YWCA building with a new dorm, as part of their ongoing efforts to provide affordable and comfortable accommodation to students.