Residents press concerns as developer previews 14,000‑sq‑ft flex building near Bethel AME

A developer preview for a proposed 14,000‑square‑foot multi‑tenant flex building at 3735 Old Charleston Road drew strong public interest and opposition at a July 16, 2025 Charleston County Historic Preservation Commission workshop, where residents and local stakeholders urged sensitivity to the adjacent Bethel AME Church and the Red Top community.

Applicant Jake Verrini told the commission the site comprises two parcels that will be combined and that the property is zoned for industrial use; he said the building is intended as small‑unit warehouse/contractor space and that one prospective tenant is a crawl‑space encapsulation contractor. Verrini said there are other industrial/metal‑skinned buildings on Old Charleston Road and that the proposal would follow required site plan and architectural standards during the county review process.

Several members of the Red Top community and nearby property owners spoke in opposition. Gary Burini, a civil engineer, asked how the historic buffer that touches a corner of the tract would affect the development footprint and urged the commission to consider that the majority of the building and parking lie outside the buffer. Von Loeffler, who described himself as a volunteer speaking for the Red Top community and as a nearby property developer, emphasized pedestrian safety on Old Charleston Road and asked for robust screening and tree preservation. Dr. Melody Dover, president of the Red Top Improvement Association, said the community is a Black settlement with active churches and homes immediately adjacent to the site and said the area should not have been zoned industrial.

Residents raised specific concerns about traffic volumes, truck noise from nearby industrial uses, flood and stormwater impacts, and the potential visual impact of a metal‑skinned building on the church’s setting. Planner staff and the applicant noted that future site plan review will test parking counts, landscaping and building materials; staff also reminded the audience that architectural and site standards limit the amount of exposed metal facing rights of way.

Because the presentation was a conceptual workshop rather than a formal CHA or site‑plan review, the commission offered feedback but did not take action. Staff said the buffer rule requires HPC review when any portion of a lot falls within 300 feet of a designated historic property (here, Bethel AME Church), even if the proposed building footprint itself is largely outside the buffer. The applicant said he will proceed to formal site plan submittal and continue coordination with staff on architectural treatments, parking and stormwater.