Open Land Trust has secured a 10-acre property on St. Helena Island, with support of a $600,000 investment from Coastal Community Foundation and a $1 million grant from the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism.
This highly visible parcel is the last large undeveloped tract in the Corners Community of St. Helena, the island’s designated center for commercial growth. Community members have long voiced a desire to see development in the Corners Community reflect and honor Gullah Geechee culture.
“Preserving the culture of St. Helena Island and creating economic opportunity are not competing priorities,” said Sen. Chip Campsen, who represents Beaufort, Charleston, and Colleton counties. “By securing this property, we are helping ensure that future growth on St. Helena Island reflects the values and history of the community.”
The property, located at the intersection of Polowana Road and Sea Island Parkway, had been under consideration by the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation for several months for an Entrepreneurial Market and Village Center. When that contract ended, and the property was set to default to a national retailer, Open Land Trust stepped in to acquire the site and preserve time and space for the community to explore options for the land that reflect St. Helena Island’s history, culture, and vision for the future.
“The Open Land Trust is pleased to be one part of a larger partnership that came together to help secure this property,” said Kristin Williams, Executive Director. “This is about creating space for thoughtful next steps and preserving the opportunity for a community-centered outcome that honors the history, culture, and character of this special place while supporting economic growth on St. Helena Island.”
Coastal Community Foundation will continue to serve as a partner in this project by conducting an economic feasibility study designed to help the community assess what options would be viable, sustainable, and culturally grounded on this site. The six-month study will determine the market demand for a cultural center and entrepreneur market, develop a 10-year financial sustainability model, and provide a strategy to implement the plan.
“Coastal Community Foundation has access to a variety of resources to ensure this project is successful,” says Darrin Goss, Sr., President and CEO. “We are more than a funder. We are a convener that brings together expert partners to create long-term solutions for community benefit. None of our work is done in a vacuum, and we look forward to having in-depth conversations with the residents of St. Helena Island about how this land can best be used to preserve their culture and provide greater economic opportunity.”
Community engagement conversations will begin on Monday, May 18 at 5:30 p.m. at the St. Helena Library (6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road). Findings will be shared publicly once the study is complete, and no permanent decisions will be made during this process.
“I heartily support and endorse the development of the cultural economic development project for St. Helena,” said Pastor Kenneth Doe of Bethesda Christian Fellowship. “This is just the entity needed to foster and undergird hope and sustainability in our community. This community is home to one of the richest, most potent cultural realities in our nation. It must be preserved and shared so that others may value it as well.”
Both the land acquisition and the feasibility study are fully aligned with the Beaufort County 2040 Comprehensive Plan, which emphasizes cultural protection, preservation of historically significant land, and small-scale, locally rooted economic development approaches for St. Helena Island. This effort is supported by several partners, including Penn Center, the Beaufort Area Small Business Development Center, and members of the St. Helena community.
