Chimney Sweep in North Charleston, SC

Two hotels near Tanger Outlets and the Centre Pointe development in North Charleston are checking into the market and ready to welcome guests this month — marking the first newly constructed lodgings for the area in 2025.

An eight-story, 252-room Drury Plaza opened April 4 at 2934 W. Montague Ave., off of Interstate 26.

The hotel has more than 3,600 square feet of flexible meeting space for expected business travel demand along with other usual hotel amenities.

General manager John Ogrzewalla said the prime location offers guests easy access to the airport and interstate to get downtown, while also attracting those in town for events at the Charleston Area Convention Center or visitors heading to nearby military bases.

"We seek to meet the needs of both business travelers and leisure travelers, which is why we've thoughtfully created a lot of public spaces throughout the hotel," Ogrzewalla said. "Whether you visit Charleston for business often or it's your family's first time in Charleston, we wanted to create that sense of place even though we are not downtown."

The hotel is the second Drury flag in the state and the seventh across the Carolinas. It will employ 70 full-time and part-time workers in North Charleston.

Nearby, a four-story, 123-room Element by Marriott Charleston Airport is nearly ready for check-in at 4865 N. Arco Lane. The owner bought the 4.2 acre property in 2018 for $7.5 million.

The hotel has been added to Marriott's booking website and is accepting reservations starting April 25. The lodging will have an outdoor pool, 24-hour fitness center, restaurant, bar and 500 square feet of meeting space. Each room has its own kitchenette for extended-stay travelers.

The owner is Contender Development. Hospitality America will manage the property.

Nightly standard room rates start at around $132 at the Element and $119 at Drury Plaza Hotel.

NORTH CHARLESTON — A fried chicken restaurant that rose to national prominence after visits from University of South Carolina head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley and former President Joe Biden has opened its first Lowcountry location.

Kiki’s Chicken & Waffles is now serving its famed crisped poultry, shrimp and grits, French toast, Belgian waffles and more at 5623 Rivers Ave.

It’s the third restaurant of the Midlands-based concept with locations in Harbison and Columbia’s Northeast. It’s owned by 2024 James Beard Award semifinalists Tyrone and Kitwanda “Kiki” Cyrus, whose original outpost was inspired by Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles in Atlanta.

Kiki’s 2012 debut was at first met with a slow response, Kiki Cyrus recalled, but within a few weeks, word of mouth took off, helped in part by pictures of meals posted on social media. It also got a boost from Staley, who recorded a commercial for Kiki's.

The restaurant has been a huge hit ever since, with celebrities, including presidential candidates, regularly stopping by.

A Charleston native, Cyrus knew Kiki’s could flourish in the Lowcountry with help from her family members who live there. She had a feeling demand would be strong, too.

“We have a lot of customers that travel from Charleston to Columbia to eat at Kiki’s,” she said.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Water Mission held its annual fundraising event Saturday morning in North Charleston.

Water Mission is a nonprofit based in North Charleston that works year-round to fight the global water crisis and create safe water solutions for people across the world. Millions of people in the world must walk for miles every single day just to collect water that is often contaminated and unsafe to consume.

This is why since 2007, Water Mission has hosted the annual “Walk for Water” event. This is one of the organization’s largest fundraisers and is centered on spreading awareness about the need for clean, safe water.

Thousands of people in the Lowcountry gathered at Riverfront Park in North Charleston to simulate what women and children all across the world do every single day. Participants carried a bucket and walked a mile and a half to Water Mission to fill those buckets up with dirty water and then walk the mile and a half back with the water collected.

The walk not only spreads awareness about the work that Water Mission does, but it also raises funds to support that work.

Mary Howell, the senior manager of community engagement at Water Mission, says that on average, this event will raise them $700,000 which can change the lives of over 14,000 people.

“Every $50 we raise will bring safe water to one person. That’s one person who doesn’t have to walk for water. One person who’s not drinking contaminated water that will make them sick and potentially cause them to lose their life,” she says.

The event is $25 for adults to register, $10 for children and free for children under the age of five. All of this money goes directly toward the nonprofit.

The North Charleston Walk for Water is the flagship walk, but 82 different walks will take place across the world. Different partners, churches and schools in different communities will host walks in their areas throughout the year.

For the North Charleston walk, Howell says they anticipate seeing around 5,000 participants. Almost 3,000 have already registered, but there is no limit to the number of people who can register.

“A quarter of the world’s population is collecting water with bacteria, disease, parasites, and kids are getting sick and ultimately, every 37 seconds someone loses their life because they lack access to safe water,” Howell says. “That number is why we’re here. That number is why we gather at Riverfront Park. We want to bring hope to those 2 billion people,” Howell says.

While the event is symbolic, it is also full of fun. They will have an assortment of games and activities including a “toilet toss,” the organization’s version of corn hole, as well as card making for people in other country programs and a bubble station. There will also be several food trucks at the event.

The Walk for Water will take place Saturday, March 29 at Riverfront Park. Water Mission will host an open registration and T-shirt pickup event on Friday at Firefly Distillery located at 4201 Spruill Avenue in North Charleston. That event will be from noon to 6 p.m.

If unable to attend the Friday registration event, there will be another opportunity next Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Water Mission, located at 1150 Molly Greene Way Building 1605 in North Charleston. They will also allow registration and T-shirt pickup the morning of the walk for those who want to show up.

Online registration is also always available. A link to register or donate to the mission can be found here.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Artist renderings of the new PickleRage facility coming to North Charleston. (Provided)

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — An indoor pickleball club franchise is set to open a facility in North Charleston soon. PickleRage will soon be housing pickleball enthusiasts, offering indoor courts, community events, and opportunities for players of all skill levels to partake in America’s fastest-growing sport.

The new club will be located at the intersection of Ashley Phosphate Road and Dorchester Road at 5101 Ashley Phosphate Rd., North Charleston, SC.

A spokesperson confirmed Friday, the facility is estimated to open in the third quarter of 2025. This will be the club's first location ever in South Carolina.

Expanding into South Carolina represents an exciting step for PickleRage as we continue to grow nationally,” commented David Smith, COO at PickleRage. “We’re excited to become part of the community and provide a welcoming space where players can connect, compete, and improve their game.”

The facility will be 40,195 square feet and include 13 indoor CushionX courts in a temperature-controlled environment.

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They will also have a pro-shop with equipment and apparel for sale, as well as offer programs, lessons, and clinics.

North Charleston is an ideal market for PickleRage,” said Chris Daiss, VP of Real Estate and Construction at PickleRage. “Festival Centre’s high traffic and central location make it the perfect spot to introduce our state-of-the-art facility. The growing enthusiasm for pickleball in the community aligns perfectly with our mission to provide a world-class playing experience for all skill levels.”

NORTH CHARLESTON — Funds the city set aside to revive its anti-violence grant program that's been swept up in a federal corruption probe could now help finance an affordable housing project instead.

The $1.3 million Gun Violence Prevention Grant program, an initiative created by City Council in late 2022, doled out one-time $100,000 payments to 13 nonprofits working to tamp down violence across the city. A Post and Courier investigation later found city officials failed to thoroughly evaluate the nonprofits and track how the public funds were spent.

In February, the Federal Bureau of Investigation charged Councilman Jerome Heyward in a series of schemes, including accepting $40,000 in kickbacks from two nonprofit leaders in exchange for using his position to steer grant funds from the program their way. Heyward, one of eight people charged in the federal probe, resigned from public office before pleading guilty.

Also charged were the nonprofit leaders who allegedly paid Heyward to help secure the grant funds, Donavan Moten of Core4Success and Michelle Stint-Hilton of DEEP SC. They, along with Rose Lorenzo, a financial company owner who allegedly helped to facilitate the payments, were charged with bribery, conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering.

Despite the controversy, Mayor Reggie Burgess hoped to relaunch the program with a committee dedicated to overseeing the funds. In December 2024, City Council approved $1 million for the program with the guarantee that funds would not be distributed until the FBI concluded its inquiry.

Now, however, city officials said it's "unlikely" the grant money will be allocated to nonprofits this fiscal year, which ends June 30.

Instead, officials are considering giving $600,000 of the funding to the North Charleston Housing Authority's nonprofit arm, called North Charleston Renaissance, to help finance a 120-unit affordable housing project on Eagle Landing Boulevard.

The city's Finance Committee approved the reallocation of the money during an April 17 meeting, though the item still must pass two City Council readings.

The reallocated funding would help bolster the North Charleston Housing Authority's 9 percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credit application for the first phase of the project. The competitive federal incentive program, administered by SC Housing, does not award more than one new construction application per county, according to the program's application.

The city's funds will only be transferred upon the Housing Authority receiving the award, which is expected to be announced in November.

The Housing Authority purchased the 6.5-acre lot in October 2023 for $3.85 million. A deserted movie theater once sat on the property located within walking distance to Northwoods Mall. The vacant lot is near the planned Lowcountry Rapid Transit bus line on Rivers Avenue, which is primed for future housing growth.

If awarded, the tax credit, combined with the city's grant, will support the financial closing of the project's first phase at the start of 2026, according to a letter from the Housing Authority. This phase includes 60 units designed for residents earning between 20 percent and 80 percent of the area's median income. For a single-person household, a $54,450 annual salary is 80 percent AMI in Charleston County.

Councilwoman Rhonda Jerome said during a committee meeting that the grant is a gift to the Housing Authority and the city will not be involved in the project's development.

Any leftover funds that were set aside for the anti-violence grant program that aren't allocated before the close of the fiscal year will return to the city's fund balance. If officials decide to pursue the grant program in the next fiscal year, the amount must be re-appropriated in that budget, according to city documents.

Burgess previously told The Post and Courier he wants to continue the program to reward the nonprofits that are making a positive impact on the community.