| North Charleston | |||
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| — City — | |||
| City of North Charleston | |||
| The new City Hall for the City of North Charleston. | |||
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| Nickname(s): "A great place to live, work, and play" | |||
| Motto: "Perseverance - Progress - Prosperity" | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | South Carolina | ||
| Counties | Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester[1] | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Mayor-council government | ||
| • Mayor | R. Keith Summey | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 76.6 sq mi (198.393 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 25 ft (6 m) | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • Total | 97,471 | ||
| • Density | 1,360.5/sq mi (525.3/km2) | ||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| Area code(s) | 843 | ||
| FIPS code | 45-50875[2] | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1225072 | ||
| Website | www.northcharleston.org | ||
North Charleston is the 3rd largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina with incorporated areas in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties.[1] On June 12, 1972 the city of North Charleston incorporated and was the 9th largest city in South Carolina. According to the 2010 Census, North Charleston has a population of 97,471 with a current area of more than 76.6 square miles (198 km2).[3] As defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and used by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes only, North Charleston is included within the Charleston – North Charleston – Summerville metropolitan area and the Charleston-North Charleston urban area. The city is considered one of the state's major industrial cities and it is the state's major retail center.[4]
From the 17th century until the Civil War, this area was occupied primarily by plantations. Some of the plantations located in what is now North Charleston were:
The large plantations were continually subdivided into smaller farms as the population began moving northward. After the Civil War, phosphate fertilizer plants began to spring up, with extensive strip mining occurring between the Ashley River and Broad Path (Meeting Street Road). The main route for transportation of these phosphates would eventually become known as Ashley Phosphate Road.
Since the early 20th century, the section of unincorporated Charleston County that later became the city of North Charleston had been designated by Charleston business and community leaders as a place for development of industry, military and other business sites. The first industry started in this area was the E.P. Burton Lumber Company. In 1901, the Charleston Naval Shipyard was established with agreements between the Federal Government and local Charleston city leaders. Shortly thereafter, the General Asbestos and Rubber Company built the world's largest asbestos mill under one roof.
In 1912, a group of businessmen from the city of Charleston formed a development company that bought the E.P. Burton Lumber Company tract and began to lay out an area for further development. The Park Circle area was one of the first to be designed and developed, allocating sections for industrial, commercial, and residential usage. Park Circle was planned as one of only two English Garden Style communities in the US and most of the original planning concept remains today. Some of the streets in the area still bear the names of these original developers: Durant, Buist, Mixon, Hyde, and O'Hear. During World War II, substantial development occurred as the military bases and industries expanded and people moved to the region to be closer to where they worked.
From World War II through the 1960s, many people who lived in this region (referred to by Charlestonians as the North Area) were unhappy about the way parts of their community were being developed. They wanted the citizens in the area to have direct control over future development. Many of their attempts to create an independent city were defeated via court rulings. As a means of bringing government closer to the people, an incorporation referendum was held on April 27, 1971. On June 12, 1972, after a series of legal battles, the South Carolina Supreme Court upheld the referendum results and North Charleston became a city with John E. Bourne Jr. as its first mayor.
When North Charleston incorporated on June 12, 1972, it consisted of several areas including the Russelldale, Ferndale, Morningside, Liberty Park, Palmetto Heights, Singing Pines, Dewey Hill, Liberty Homes and John C. Calhoun Homes neighborhoods. Within the first week of operation, the city passed a 61-page Code and signed a five year lease for 308 Montague Avenue for $300.00 per month. Also, during the month of June, the city hired a police chief, treasurer and annexed its first industry, which was Textone Incorporated Plywood, Westvaco. On June 21, a ribbon was cut on the first city park on Virginia Avenue. At the end of the first month, the city reached an agreement for garbage collection and fire protection by the local public service district. The month concluded with the city’s first big annexation, south of Bexley Street between Spruill Avenue and the Charleston Naval Shipyard. By December, North Charleston had become the 4th largest city in the state after annexing the Naval Base, the Air Force Base and the Charleston International Airport.[4]
In February 1973, North Charleston had doubled its area through annexation, and in March expanded into Berkeley County. In May 1973, the city launched its new police department, which included 21 officers and six cars. By the end of North Charleston’s first year, the population had increased from 22,000 to 53,000.
Through continued growth that included 20 churches, a 62 store shopping mall and other large tracts of residential neighborhoods, the city became the 3rd largest city in South Carolina on July 3, 1976.
On June 12, 1982, North Charleston had a population of 65,000 in a 30.5-mile (49.1 km) area. In ten short years the city's growth rate was 250 percent. It had made $15 million in capital investments; $1.95 million invested in parks and recreation facilities, and $2.28 million in economic development.
In 1983, North Charleston became the first city in South Carolina to implement a computer aided dispatch system. Baker Hospital opened a new facility on the banks of the Ashley River. The following year, Wal-Mart announced plans to open one of the nation’s first Sam’s Clubs in North Charleston. Plans were revealed in 1985 for the 400-acre (1.6 km2) Centre Pointe development which included Sams Club, Wal-mart and Tanger Outlet Mall as anchors.
By 1986, North Charleston's population had reached 78,000 residents spanning 47 square miles (120 km2). A monument to honor Vietnam veterans was erected and dedicated in front of City Hall, where it stood for over 20 years before being moved to Patriots Point in 2008. The city celebrated its 15th anniversary the next year, marked by such events as the opening of the Northwoods Center shooping complex and the appearance of a beach in the middle of the city with the opening of Treasure Lake.
In September 1989, Hurricane Hugo brought devastation to the area, causing over $2.8 billion in damage to the South Carolina Lowcountry.
In 1991, John E. Bourne, Jr. lost his bid for a sixth term as mayor to Bobby Kinard, who became the city's second mayor. Kinard's tenure as mayor was tumultuous and was marked by repeated conflict with the City Council, who went so far as to strip Kinard of his mayoral powers during a council meeting. Kinard would resign in 1994 on the grounds that his relationship with the council was damaged irreparably.[8]
The area saw welcome expansion in 1993 when a squadron of the C-17 Globemaster III aircraft was established at Charleston Air Force base. The North Charleston Coliseum opened and the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL began play later that year.
Following Bobby Kinard's resignation in 1994, R. Keith Summey was elected the city’s third mayor to fill the vacant seat.
The Charleston Naval Base remained the largest employer of civilians in South Carolina into the 1990s. The influence of Lowcountry legislators and the threat of nuclear attack played an important role in keeping North Charleston's bases open in the face of periodic attempts at closure.
However, in the early 1990s, with the resolution of the Cold War and impending defense budget cuts, the Charleston Navy Base was once again on the chopping block. In 1993, the Charleston Naval Base was given a closure date of April 1, 1996. With an annual expenditure of approximately 1.4 Billion dollars the closing of the base was a blow to the entire Tri-County economy. Over the years, billions of dollars had flowed into the region's economy and hundreds of thousands of jobs were provided to military and civilian personnel,[9] the vast majority being civilians. Many military personnel who worked at or passed through the base returned to the city to retire. Following the closure of the Charleston Naval Base and the Charleston Naval Shipyard, parts of the base and dry-docks were leased out to various government and private businesses. Community parks for North Charleston were established on old base grounds, to include Riverfront Park.
After years of development, community input and revisions, the Noisette Community Master Plan for the old naval base was finalized in a contractual agreement in early 2004. The plan sought to preserve historic architectural styles, neighborhood diversity and the area’s unique social fabric. It also intended to restore environmental stability and beauty, attract jobs, improve services like education and health care, reduce dependence on car travel, promote recreation, eliminate the foundations of crime and poverty, and strengthen residents' sense of pride.
In the following years, however, the plan failed to come to fruition. In 2005, city officials discovered that Noisette had borrowed $3 million against land on the former base without their knowledge. The next year, Noisette borrowed $23.7 million from Capmark Investing Group, using the majority of its remaining land on the base as collateral. Noisette failed to make timely repayment to Capmark, and the property went into foreclosure. Representatives of Noisette insisted at the time that they would be able to repay Capmark and make good on their vision for redeveloping the old Navy base.[10]
Discussion between city and state officials regarding the industrial development of remaining portions of the former base stalled in 2009 primarily due to a dispute over rail access to a proposed intermodal terminal that would occupy the central portion of the area. Representatives of the state government sought to have rail access from both the north and south. This notion was directly contradicted by Mayor Summey, who insisted that the northern rail access be abandoned to avoid heavy rail traffic through the slowly revitalizing Park Circle neighborhood.[10]
In October 2009, Boeing Aircraft announced the selection of North Charleston for its new 787 Dreamliner aircraft assembly and delivery prep center. This positioned North Charleston as one of the major aircraft centers of the world and paved the way for thousands of new jobs to provide quality work for residents of the city and the entire Tri-County area.[11]
In a tragic series of events in June 2010, former mayor Bobby Kinard committed suicide after dealing with depression in the aftermath of his experiences in the Vietnam War.[8] In December of that year, a Delaware corporation with ties to former state Commerce Secretary Bob Faith bought the largest parcel (approximately 240 acres (0.97 km2) at the north end of the former base) of Noisette land.[12] The corporation then transferred the deed for that land to the state's Commerce Department's Public Railways Division, giving them the impetus to move forward with their proposed rail yard with northern and southern access despite Mayor Summey's objections. The North Charleston mayor announced his intent to file a lawsuit against the state Commerce Department on the grounds that their plan violated the city's agreement with the State Ports Authority that no rail be run through the north end of the former base.[13]
With the arrival of Boeing Aircraft, the city has gained international importance and stature as one of only four places in the world for the manufacture and assembly of wide-body commercial aircraft. The other three places are in and around Everett, Washington (Boeing), Toulouse, France (Airbus) and Voronezh, Russia (Ilyushin).
North Charleston continues to be the State’s leader in retail sales for the sixteenth consecutive year. In calendar year 2007, gross retail sales exceeded $6.15 billion and surpassed its nearest competition, Columbia, South Carolina, by over $2 billion.
The city continues to expand its inventory of 4-star hotel accommodations. By the end of 2009, North Charleston had 7,246 rooms available for visitors to this region of South Carolina.
North Charleston is the home to the Global Financial Services - Charleston (US State Dept), located at the old Naval Station. Global Financial Services - Charleston is responsible overall for more than 200 bank accounts in over 160 countries and 169 different currencies. In 2005, it disbursed over $10 billion and purchased over $3 billion in foreign currency.
As part of an initiative by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide mail order prescriptions to veterans using computerization, at strategic locations, North Charleston is home to a Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP).
Since the construction of Palmetto Commerce Parkway, many businesses (including Venture Aerobearings, Daimler Vans Manufacturing, Cummins Turbo, and the VTL Group) have located and invested hundreds of millions of dollars in North Charleston’s local economy. Industrial hubs, such as this one, continue to provide high paying jobs in the area’s economy.
North Charleston is located near the Atlantic Ocean in the Coastal zone just north of Charleston in South Carolina. According to the 2010 United States Census, the city has a total area of 76.6 square miles (160.8 km2).
| Climate data for North Charleston, South Carolina (Airport) 32.8951 North and -80.0275 West | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °F (°C) | 57.1 (13.9) |
59.8 (15.4) |
65.8 (18.8) |
72.9 (22.7) |
79.6 (26.4) |
84.9 (29.4) |
88.5 (31.4) |
87.1 (30.6) |
83.0 (28.3) |
75.1 (23.9) |
67.6 (19.8) |
60.0 (15.6) |
73.5 (23.1) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 42.4 (5.8) |
44.9 (7.2) |
51.5 (10.8) |
58.5 (14.7) |
67.4 (19.7) |
73.8 (23.2) |
77.0 (25.0) |
76.1 (24.5) |
72.2 (22.3) |
61.9 (16.6) |
53.4 (11.9) |
45.5 (7.5) |
60.4 (15.8) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 3.62 (91.9) |
2.62 (66.5) |
3.83 (97.3) |
2.44 (62) |
2.77 (70.4) |
4.96 (126) |
5.50 (139.7) |
6.54 (166.1) |
6.13 (155.7) |
3.02 (76.7) |
2.18 (55.4) |
2.78 (70.6) |
46.39 (1,178.3) |
| Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.1 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 7.0 | 7.6 | 10.6 | 11.4 | 11.9 | 9.7 | 6.1 | 7.0 | 9.0 | 106.9 |
| Sunshine hours | 179.8 | 189.3 | 244.9 | 276.0 | 294.5 | 279.0 | 288.3 | 257.3 | 219.0 | 223.2 | 189.0 | 170.5 | 2,810.8 |
| Source: NOAA,[14] HKO[15] | |||||||||||||
| Historical populations | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1980 | 62,479 |
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| 1990 | 70,218 | 12.4% | |
| 2000 | 79,641 | 13.4% | |
| 2010 | 97,471 | 22.4% | |
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As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 79,641 people, 29,783 households, and 18,971 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,360.6 people per square mile (525.3/km2). There were 33,631 housing units at an average density of 574.5 per square mile (221.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 49.41% African American, 44.76% White, 0.44% Native American, 1.59% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.78% from other races, and 1.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.97% of the population.
There were 29,783 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.0% were married couples living together, 22.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the city, the population was spread out with 27.9% under the age of 18, 13.4% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,307, and the median income for a family was $32,868. Males had a median income of $26,681 versus $20,718 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,361. About 19.9% of families and 23.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.8% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.
The city is run by an elected Mayor-council government system with the mayor acting as the chief administrator and the executive officer of the municipality. The mayor also presides over city council meetings and has a vote, the same as other council members. City government moved into a new, more centrally located city hall in 2009, centralizing offices that had been in numerous locations across the city.
The North Charleston Police Department was formed in 1973 with 21 officers and five support personnel. Today, the department employs over 300 sworn officers and 100 civilian employees.
The first fire department founded in the area to become North Charleston was the St. Phillip's and St. Michael's Fire Department in 1935. They had one station and one engine. The North Charleston Fire Department was formed in 1937 with only one station and one engine. In 1959, the departments merged to become the North Charleston Consolidated Fire Department. NCFD became a paid service in 1962. At which time all the volunteers were released and they formed the organization today known as the Charleston County Volunteer Rescue Squad.
The two departments were again merged in 1996 to become the North Charleston Fire Department. There were 10 fire stations, 10 engines, 3 ladder trucks and 2 squads at that time. In the past 13 years, the department has grown to include new technology and new training. They have thermal imagers in each station, a confined-space rescue team, a hazardous materials team, a marine firefighting team, and each firefighter in the department is trained to a minimum of IFSAC Firefighter One.
The Emergency Medical Services for the City of North Charleston are provided by Charleston County Emergency Medical Services and Dorchester County Emergency Medical Services. The city is served by both Charleston and Dorchester counties EMS and 911 services since the city is part of both counties.
The following table shows North Charleston’s crime rate for CY2009 in six crimes that Morgan Quitno uses for their calculation for "America's most dangerous cities" ranking, in comparison to the national average. The statistics provided are for a crime rate based on the number of crimes committed per 100,000 people.[16]
| Crime | North Charleston (2009) | National Average |
|---|---|---|
| Murder | 10.4 | 5.0 |
| Rape | 57.3 | 28.7 |
| Robbery | 391.7 | 133.0 |
| Assault | 575.1 | 262.8 |
| Burglary | 1066.9 | 716.3 |
| Automobile Theft | 631.4 | 258.8 |
Since 1999, the overall crime rate of North Charleston has begun to decline. The total violent crime index rate for North Charleston for 1999 was 1043.5 crimes committed per 100,000 people, with the United States average at 729.6 per 100,000. North Charleston had a total violent crime index rate of 612.4 per 100,000 for the year of 2009, versus a national average of 429.4 per 100,000.[16]
According to the Congressional Quarterly Press 2009 City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America, North Charleston ranked as the 22nd most dangerous American city larger than 75,000 inhabitants.[17][18] However, the entire Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville Metropolitan Statistical Area had a lower overall crime rate ranking at #35.[19]
The 2010 Congressional Quarterly Press list of America's 400 most dangerous cities placed North Charleston at #63, a significant drop from the previous year. The homicide rate alone decreased by 61%, and the lower crime rate removed North Charleston from the company of such cities as Detroit and St. Louis, placing it more in line with average, medium-sized Southern cities like Columbia and Chattanooga. City officials attributed the drop to the hard work of the North Charleston Police Department and the cooperation of city residents.[20]
The City of North Charleston is served by these Zip Codes:[28]
Major highways
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Other major thoroughfares
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Charleston International Airport and the Charleston Air Force Base provide commercial and military air service for the region. The airport currently serves more than 1.1 million passengers annually and 14.9 million pounds of freight with a total of 108,438 flights. Commercial airlines include American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Express, and US Airways. Airtran previously provided service to the International Airport but ceased on December 3, 2009, citing concerns that the route was no longer "economically viable".[30] Southwest Airlines began local service March 13, 2011.[31]
North Charleston is home to many motor carriers servicing routes throughout the US.
The South Carolina State Ports Authority has four intermodal facilities, one of which is located in North Charleston. A new intermodal facility is being built on the former Charleston Naval Base. Each facility handles container, bulk, and break bulk cargo. With more than 2,000,000 square feet (190,000 m2) of warehouse and storage space, the port terminals can accommodate more than 17 vessels at a time. Veterans Terminal is designed mainly for bulk/break bulk cargo.
Amtrak, Norfolk Southern, the CSX System and the South Carolina Railroad Commission provide passenger and freight rail service in North Charleston.
The North Charleston Intermodal Transportation Center will consolidate a new train station, long haul and CARTA (local bus service) at one location.
North Charleston is served by a bus system, operated by the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA). The majority of the city is served by regional fixed route buses which are also equipped with bike racks as part of the system's Rack & Ride program.
Rural parts of North Charleston and the Tri-County metropolitan area are served by a different bus system, operated by Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Rural Transportation Management Association (BCD-RTMA).
The Trident Regional Medical Center is the major hospital located in North Charleston. There are several hospitals located throughout the area serving city residents. These hospitals are the Medical University of South Carolina, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Bon Secours-St Francis Xavier Hospital and Roper Hospital, located in Charleston. The East Cooper Regional Medical Center, located in Mount Pleasant, is another local hospital serving residents.
In 1937 the Jenkins Orphanage (now Jenkins Institute For Children) left the city of Charleston and moved to 3923 Azalea Drive in what is now the city of North Charleston. The Institute is renowned for its contributions to the welfare of its charges and the Jenkins Orphanage Band.
From its establishment in August 1999, the Convention Center has attracted millions of guests and visitors to North Charleston and contributed significantly to the local and regional economy. The Complex includes exhibition halls, ballrooms and meeting rooms.[32]
The Performing Arts Center, the North Charleston Coliseum, the Charleston Area Convention Center are owned by the city of North Charleston and managed by SMG. Together with the co-located Embassy Suites hotel, they help create an entertainment and cultural complex that serves the city of North Charleston and the entire region.
The South Carolina Stingrays, an ECHL (minor league professional ice hockey) team, have been affiliated with the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League since 2004. The Stingrays play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum.
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The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (CCPRC) operates numerous facilities within Charleston County.
Beach parks:
Fishing piers:
Marinas and boat landings:
Day parks:
Water parks:
Off-leash dog parks are offered at James Island, Palmetto Islands, and Wannamaker County Parks.
North Charleston is served by the Charleston County School District and Dorchester School District II. North Charleston is home to Charleston Southern University and Trident Technical College, Main Campus. In North Charleston, near the airport, the Lowcountry Graduate Center offers satellite campus access to some of South Carolinas' most prestigious universities. Clemson, University of South Carolina, Medical University of South Carolina, The Citadel and the College of Charleston all working together to provide lowcountry residents with access to graduate degree programs together in one convenient location. Webster University maintains two locations, one at the Charleston AFB and another just off of International Blvd.
Air Force
Coast Guard
Marine Corps
Navy
These TV stations have studios in and broadcast from North Charleston, South Carolina.
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