Historic preservation supporters get slam dunked by City Hall
By Lolita Huckaby
BEAUFORT
Observers of Beaufort City Hall comings and goings might have expected the City Council last week to “give a bone” to the historic preservation supporters of the community. They didn’t.
Instead, the remaining four – now minus Mayor Stephen Murray, who we all know suddenly resigned last month – took action to appoint two members to the Historic Review Board. And they didn’t pick the historic preservation community’s favorite – Maxine Lutz.
After seven months of deliberations, most of it behind closed doors, the remaining council voted unanimously last Tuesday to appoint two newcomers – architect Grady Woods and real estate developer Eric Berman. The two were among six candidates who were considered for the volunteer review board seat, including Lutz.
Lutz, the only female in the group of candidates, had worked with Historic Beaufort Foundation for almost 20 years and had served on the review board for two years.
She was the recommended appointment of the Beaufort Historic Foundation. But the City Council had already decided to abolish a 50-year-old practice of honoring BHF recommendations to the review board.
She agreed to step up for reappointment consideration when her term expired, probably believing then-Mayor Murray’s proclamation that he wanted “rock stars” for the city’s boards and commissions.
Murray’s gone now, and a race is already shaping up to take his place. But the unrest and unhappiness generated by those concerned about the future of Beaufort’s historic significance and those not so much concerned, still exists.
And that division will most certainly be played out in the upcoming special election when former Councilman Phil Cromer and former Councilman and Historic Review Board member Mike Sutton will face off.
But even with Murray gone, and infrastructure construction beginning for the new three-story hotel with a rooftop bar on the corner of Port Republic and West streets, there still is tension here in “River City” about how Beaufort will look in the future.
And the vote last week by the City Council members shows which way those four are leaning, indeed, willing to give another proverbial slap in the face to a part of their constituency.
Oops, there goes another one
BEAUFORT – As the city prepares for an influx of hundreds of visitors this weekend to participate in Historic Beaufort Foundation’s annual Tour of Homes, another historic piece of the town was demolished.
This latest example of demolition by neglect took place on the corner of Duke and Wilmington streets.
The former neighborhood store believed to be early 20th century construction, was quietly demolished, making room for who knows what … something “new and improved.”
What was a neighborhood grocery, a commerce center for the Black citizens who once occupied the Northwest Quadrant years ago, is now an empty space. True, the wooden structure with architectural features reflecting its age had been propped up for years while one owner after another worked to finance a restoration.
That is until 2020, when the city’s Historic Review Board (THAT board) agreed with staff that it was beyond repair and gave approval for its demolition. And on July 21, City building officials issued a permit to knock it down.
So, the building, like many of the homes that once belonged to the people who helped build the town, is gone. Maybe the current owners, the Beaufort Preservation Trust, Inc., whose registered agent happens to be Courtney Worrell, CEO of 303 Associates, will build something that even reflects the history of what was there.
But it’ll be a copy … if that.
Another tidbit to explain Beaufort’s growth
BEAUFORT – As more and more car washes pop up in our corner of the Lowcountry, one might wonder just how many car washes does a community need?
Is it because we’re a semi-military community whose members like a neat and clean vehicle?
Is because we have more and more residents from “up north” where maybe going to the car wash every other day is “a thing?”
Is it because we have so many retirees, and cleaning cars are a way to occupy one’s time?
According to a recent report in The Post And Courier, the profit margin on express car washes is roughly 40 percent, after initial startup costs are incurred.
According to a University of South Carolina instructor the reporter quoted, a general global average for retail businesses would be 7 to 10 percent profit is considered good.
Now we know. It’s the profit.
Lolita Huckaby Watson is a community volunteer and newspaper columnist. In her former role as a reporter with The Beaufort Gazette, The Savannah Morning News, Bluffton Today and Beaufort Today, she prided herself in trying to stay neutral and unbiased. As a columnist, these are her opinions. Her goal is to be factual but opinionated, based on her own observations. Feel free to contact her at bftbay@gmail.com.
