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Mayor, Corps say historic consultants and archaeologists are part of Bridal Arches rehab to limit cultural impacts
Summary
Officials told the forum that the city and Corps are working with historic consultants and archaeologists to assess and mitigate risks to 19th-century brick-arches during rehabilitations tied to stormwater conveyance.
Moderator Jonah Chester raised previously reported concerns from the Historic Charleston Foundation and the Preservation Society of Charleston that materials applied to rehabilitate the 19th-century brick-arches could compromise their structural integrity or harm adjacent historic buildings.
Mayor William Cogswell said the city takes its historic built environment seriously and brings in historical consultants for federal- and city-funded projects. "We bring in historical consultants... we take our built environment, particularly our historic built environment, even if it's subterranean, very, very seriously," he said. Lt. Col. Todd Mannering added that archaeologists are part of required Corps work and that the process is meticulous.
Both officials said they are attempting to balance preserving historic assets with functional upgrades that extend service life and improve drainage. They noted the goal is to avoid "perfection [being] the enemy of good" when a solution both preserves and prevents structural failure.
