Realtors Group Collaborate on Charleston Rapid Transit Housing Study

Realtors Group Collaborate on Charleston Rapid Transit Housing Study

The Charleston Trident Association of Realtors has announced a strategic partnership with Opticos Design to conduct a comprehensive “missing middle” housing analysis along the Lowcountry Rapid Transit (LCRT) corridor, based on a recent news release.

This project will kick-start this week with the Opticos team meeting different stakeholder groups and making site visits. Through these interactions, Opticos aims to gain detailed insights about the neighborhoods in the LCRT corridor and the existing built environment.

“Missing middle” is a term coined to represent a range of housing types that fill in the gap between traditional single-family homes and larger scale multi-family housing. The possible types of accommodations under consideration include duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, courtyard homes, bungalows, townhomes, and mixed-use housing that stimulates a live-work-play community.

Project Support

“This is a golden opportunity to help mold the future development of our region. ‘Missing Middle’ housing is a way to introduce more housing options without causing disturbances to the original fabric of our communities,” remarked Drew Grossklaus, the 2024 President of Charleston Trident Association of Realtors (CTAR).

The current Board and LCRT Chairman of Charleston Area Rapid Transit Authority (CARTA), Mike Seekings, supports this idea. He emphasized the significance of ‘missing middle’ housing in the development of the LCRT corridor. He believes this housing type would not only support Transit Oriented Development objectives but also form a bridge to the existing residents and neighborhoods along the transit line.

North Charleston Mayor, Reggie Burgess, voiced his support for this initiative, recognizing the pivotal role North Charleston will play in the future of the Lowcountry. “With the integration of LCRT through our city, we have the opportunity to create housing types for all income levels.”

The Scope of the Housing Study

The LCRT Missing Middle study focuses on Charleston and North Charleston within the 21.3-mile corridor. The study will proceed in two phases and is scheduled for completion in 2025.

Phase 1, set for 2024, includes a thorough review of current policies, stakeholder meetings, LCRT corridor tours, assessment of potential barriers to entry, and a displacement risk analysis. Phase 2, scheduled in 2025, will concentrate on market sensitivity, lot size analysis, existing zoning tests and recommendations, and a presentation of the project findings and final report.

This study aims to supplement and not replicate the efforts by the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG), City of Charleston, and the City of North Charleston regarding the zoning framework along the LCRT.

Looking Ahead

“We are committed to addressing the affordability crisis in Charleston, and it requires combined efforts,” Charleston Mayor William Cogswell stated in the release, indicating that this move could be a key component of their broader strategy.

Jennifer Settle, senior associate with Opticos said, “Our team is excited to collaborate with CTAR, and work with the cities of Charleston and North Charleston, to identify ‘missing middle’ solutions that can help redefine the conversation about new housing options. This study lays out a thoughtful path to facilitating new housing opportunities.”