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Real estate committee approves lease extension, Holiday Inn MOA and multiple annexations
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Summary
At its April 27 meeting, the Charleston City Committee on Real Estate approved a one-year lease extension for city operations at Milford Street, authorized a memorandum of agreement connected to a Holiday Inn renovation and approved eight residential annexations; committee members also discussed an audit of the San Andrew’s PSD agreement.
The Charleston City Committee on Real Estate met April 27 and approved a set of administrative items including a one-year extension of the city’s lease on the Milford Street operations site, a memorandum of agreement related to a planned Holiday Inn renovation and eight bundled residential annexations.
Malena, presenting the lease amendment for HR Charleston, said the extension keeps city public-service operations at the Milford Street site through July 31, 2027, and described the arrangement as a nominal ($1) lease: “It's a $1 lease agreement, so we are not paying rents,” she said, adding that the city remains responsible for maintenance. Committee members asked whether a single additional year would be sufficient; Malena said staff had requested a longer term but the lessor would only agree to one year at this time.
The committee also approved a memorandum of agreement with Ashley Riverview Holdings LLC connected to a proposed renovation of the Holiday Inn and an extension of a pier onto an adjacent marsh parcel. Copeland, the presenting staff member, said the hotel owners have asked the city to use eminent-domain authority if necessary to acquire the parcel; the owners would fund any acquisition and grant a perpetual public-access easement to connect the pier head and contribute half the pier’s building/floaters toward future connectivity between Highway 61 and the Arc Bridge.
The committee bundled and approved eight residential annexations in a single voice vote and confirmed approval of prior minutes. No member requested further postponement of those votes.
The meeting ended with a standing item: Councilman Casimir Waring raised a long-running concern about the San Andrew’s PSD agreement, saying the current financial arrangement disadvantages city residents, and staff said the city has retained an external auditor and expects the audit to start next week.
Votes at a glance • Approval of minutes (03/23/2026): approved by voice vote. • Lease amendment with HR Charleston (Milford Street) — extend to 07/31/2027: approved by voice vote (motion moved by Casimir Waring; second noted). • Amendment to multi-county industrial business park to include city property: approved by voice vote after presentation. • Memorandum of agreement with Ashley Riverview Holdings LLC (Holiday Inn renovation and pier easement): approved by voice vote. • Eight residential annexations: bundled and approved by voice vote.
Next steps: Staff will implement the lease amendment, record the memorandum of agreement provisions and continue work on the San Andrew’s PSD audit; Copeland said any decision to pursue condemnation would be brought back to the council separately.
