The developer behind the first golf course to be built in the Charleston area in more than two decades is seeking two new permits for the 348-acre layout and the supporting infrastructure the Johns Island site will require.

Kiawah Resort Associates LP filed the requests for the Orange Hill tract it owns between Bohicket and River roads with the state on Dec. 22, triggering a public comment period that ends Jan. 1.

The 18-hole course was announced in mid-2022. It will be within a 933-acre tract that also will include 120 homes.

The investor is South Street Partners, the master developer of the residential area of nearby Kiawah Island for the past decade.

“What we’re doing is several different permitting processes concurrently,” said Ray Pantlik, vice president of development for the company, which has offices locally and in Charlotte.

The firm already has received a permit for a 2,000-foot deep-water well for irrigation and other purposes.

In addition to the two new requests filed with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, South Street is seeking federal and state approvals to fill about a half-acre of wetlands to accommodate the main entryway off River Road.

At the same time, it is working to revise and update an existing development plan for the property that was approved in 2005 and allows a golf course. It will require public hearings and a series of votes by Charleston County Council.

“That hasn’t been officially filed yet,” Pantlik said this week.

One of the newly filed DHEC applications is to allow pump stations for the well, a 2.5-million-gallon water tank, a maintenance building and parking to be constructed on a 3.8-acre site near Bohicket Road.

The other would authorize the work that will be required to build and shape the golf course.

United Airlines is adding another daily flight between the Lowcountry and Houston.

Currently, the Chicago-based airline flies between Charleston International and the Texas metropolis once per day, but that will change at the end of March.

The additional seasonal nonstop is part of a rollout of more than 40 new flights being added at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

According to United, the expansion is part of a broader initiative to connect “top outdoor North American destinations.”

A spokesperson for the carrier said demand for travel between the Bayou City and Charleston is high and that a second daily flight gives passengers more options and flexibility.

AAA rating

One of the newest boutique lodgings south of the City Market in downtown Charleston has joined the AAA’s list of Four Diamond accommodations.

The 45-room Palmetto Hotel was the only property in the state to be added this year. Formerly called The Saint, it reopened its doors last spring under a new name, new ownership and new look. The hotel finished its penthouse suite renovation late last year.

The Palmetto also secured a nod from Condé Nast Traveler in 2023 as one of the best places to bunk down in the Holy City.

The list of AAA Four Diamond recipients in the U.S. includes 16 hotels in the Charleston region and seven others across South Carolina. They include the Beach Club at Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina in Mount Pleasant, The Westin Poinsett in Greenville and the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes in Myrtle Beach.

One of the most influential and well-known figures in global finance received a round of applause as he approached the reception line — what the assembled group of employees at Meeting and Market streets termed “the tunnel of love.”

And then, after the introductions, JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO Jamie Dimon opened the floor for the next 25 minutes, fielding an array of questions ranging from the role of artificial intelligence at the nation’s biggest bank to his kitchen skills.

“We’ve been doing it for 10 years,” he said of AI.

“And some of it’s behind what you’re already doing. You just don’t see it,” Dimon added, while also noting the technology is still at “the tip of the iceberg” stage.

As for his culinary acumen, he’s most comfortable in front of the grill.

“I’m not a chef, like fine-tuned, but I do all the barbecuing,” he confided.

The blunt-spoken New York-bred Wall Street veteran has been at the helm of JPMorgan as chairman and CEO since 2005, making him the longest-tenured chief executive among the nation’s biggest financial institutions.

Dimon swooped into Charleston on Tuesday to meet with clients and to chat with workers at the bank’s flagship downtown location at 177 Meeting St. The short Southeast swing included a follow-on trip to Jacksonville, Fla.

About six years ago, Dimon spearheaded JPMorgan’s fast-paced expansion into areas it didn’t serve, including South Carolina, with the company’s Chase consumer bank brand leading the charge.

The plan called for the opening of least 400 retail branches around the country that would extend the New York-based financial titan’s reach to the 100 largest U.S. markets and 93 percent of the population.

“I think when we started were in 25 states,” he said after Tuesday’s employee Q&A session. “Now we’re in 48, other than Alaska and Hawaii. And it’s doing very well.”

In all, Chase has opened nine branches in the Charleston region and 10 more statewide since its 2018 debut, with several more coming this year. Last summer, the bank announced it would grow to 100 locations across the Carolinas over two years, more than double its original goal of 40.

Dimon also hinted at a new “rural strategy” in the works at JPMorgan that he described as “slightly different.”

“We haven’t rolled it out yet, but we are working on one,” he said.

The branch expansion — Chase now operates nearly 5,000 U.S. brick-and-mortar locations — is a “physical manifestation” of a broader-based and localized flood-the-zone strategy, Dimon said.

“The investment bank came down here, the private bank has a good share .. So it’s all of JPMorgan Chase, it’s not one thing,” he said.

Still, the walk-in storefronts remain an important part of the business. Dimon estimated that about a million customers visit a bank branch every day in the U.S. and that traffic is “very consistent.”

“That’s why,” he said.

The difference is the modern-day office setup is smaller and staffed less by tellers and more by “advisers,” such as mortgage lenders, wealth managers and small business bankers.

“So the people need advice, that’s what they need. The financial world looks kind of complex, and they want to talk to someone,” he said.

JPMorgan itself is a complicated organization. The financial services behemoth manages loans and other assets totaling $3.9 trillion as of Dec. 31 and it has a stock market value of $508 billion. Dimon steered the company through the financial crisis 15 years ago and last May he helped seal the takeover of the troubled First Republic Bank.

For the moment, the CEO and Wall Street statesman isn’t too worried about the broader economy, though he’s “a little more of a skeptic” about whether the Federal Reserve can avoid a recession by pulling off a so-called soft landing in its war on inflation. He’s encouraged that the labor market is strong and wages are climbing “at the low end for the first time in years.”

“And all that’s good, you know, because consumers are in pretty good financial shape,” he said. “While debt has gone up, it’s still nowhere near what it was as a function of your net worth or your income as it was before. So if we would go into recession, we’re in pretty good shape. Companies have been in pretty good shape.”

Dimon, 67, said his biggest worry isn’t whether interest rates rise or fall or if the economy heads south. It’s “the state of the world” that weighs on his mind, including the Israel-Gaza conflict, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Red Sea terrorist attacks.

“That’s the stuff that matters,” he said. “I don’t like even talking about the economy in the same breath because it almost diminishes the importance.”

Dimon also pointed to the threat of “autocratic” regimes — “so think of China, Iran, North Korea, Russia — wanting to damage the western democracies, and in particular America.”

“So I look at that .. as that’s the frontline for us,” he said.

At the same time Dimon stressed he’s bullish on the U.S. and its knack to constantly innovate, grow and prosper.

“People look at Silicon Valley, but we took a bus trip this summer in Boise and Spokane and Bozeman. It’s everywhere. ... I mean, it’s really amazing the vibrancy of this country and the freedom, the power of freedom,” he said.

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Just 25 miles from downtown Charleston, Kiawah and Seabrook islands are the destinations for anyone looking to escape the bustle of the city.

These islands offer so much more than beautiful beaches. They have sports, spas, top restaurants and amazing shopping.

We’ve compiled a guide for tourists and locals drawn to the islands’ natural beauty. Whether you like fine dining or a relaxed day on the golf course or the beach, we have a guide for you.

Explore

The two barrier islands each offer world-class golf courses that have been featured in major sporting events. Anyone looking to live out their professional golf fantasy can find a home at Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s Ocean Course. The resort has twice hosted the PGA Golf Championship, in 2012 and in 2021.

The resort renovated all of its courses in preparation for the 2021 tournament which brought thousands of fans to the island.

Those looking for a golf membership should also consider the Seabrook Island Club. The club’s two courses, Ocean Winds and Crooked Oaks, are open to members, group outings and events.

The two islands aren’t just for golfers; they also feature world-class beaches. Kiawah alone has 10 miles of beaches. The Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission operates Beachwalker County Park, the only beach on the island open to the public.

Seabrook’s Pelican and North beaches also offer views of the sunset and sunrise, although they are not open to the public. The rest of Kiawah’s beaches are privately owned, so those looking for a longer stay should consider all-access options.

The islands are also a great place to explore Lowcountry wildlife. Those looking to get up close to dolphins should visit the northernmost tip of North Beach during low tide at Seabrook or Captain Sam’s Inlet on Kiawah. Bottlenose dolphins are known to strand-feed there — a technique the dolphins used to trap fish and drive them onto sandbars and shorelines.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Inspired by his life’s work and to celebrate his legacy, this week’s topic is justice.

The winner is Robert Peterson with the photo of the Martin Luther King Jr. statue in Washington, D.C. The honorable mentions are Ken Schaub with a snapshot of the former federal prison known as Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay, and Randy Cochran with an image of a quote at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library at the University of Texas.

Next week’s topic is cold, as we deal with our first serious cold snap of the winter.

The rules: Send your best photo to [email protected] by noon Thursday. Include your name, town and where the photo was taken. Add your name and the topic to the file. If you want your photo to be eligible to run in the newspaper, it must be at least 1,500 pixels, not have a commercial watermark and not have been published in another publication.

On Fridays, we first announce the editors’ pick of the week at postandcourier.com/yourphotos and declare a topic for the next week. On Saturdays, we publish an online gallery.

On Sunday, the photo pick of the week will appear in this section, Life.

All photos submitted will be considered for publication in The Post and Courier’s yearly magazine, My Charleston. Some images may be selected for other editorial or noncommercial use.

We reserve the right to not publish any photo for any reason.

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD)- The Kiawah Island Community Association (KICA) teamed up with biologists to conduct their annual alligator count last week.

Town biologists reported counting 146 alligators on July 18 and 143 alligators on July 19 across the island.

“We’ve been doing these surveys every year since 2003,” Kiawah Island wildlife biologist Jim Jordan said. “And we’ve seen some ups and downs like you would expect, but overall the population has remained stable.”

The route, which covers 48 ponds and approximately 153 acres of water, is surveyed twice in order to ensure the most accurate count possible.

“We actually, we reverse it the second night, so we start at the endpoint just to try to take out some potential variability,” Jordan said.

Biologists use the count to determine the estimated density of alligators on the island, which is reported as the number of reptiles per 100 acres of water. It also is used to help determine the population size on the island, which the town estimates is between 600 and 700 alligators.

“The best use of the data is to look at trends over time and you know, again, particularly with density, but also with kind of a breakdown of size classes,” Jordan said. “So we tend to kind of look at it over a long period of time, looking for any significant upward or downward trends.”

Data shows that alligator density on Kiawah Island has remained relatively stable over the past two decades despite some fluctuations in the count. In 2003, density was reported as 134, while this year it was reported as 249.

A number of factors can contribute to the slight fluctuation, according to Jordan, including how active the alligators are at night and whether or not they are visible in a given location.

“Alligator populations typically do, you know, remain stable once they get to what we call carrying capacity,” Jordan explained. “So when there are as many alligators out there as the habitat can support, the numbers tend to remain pretty stable.”

As the team moves along the route, they also keep track of the relative size of each alligator that is counted. If an exact size cannot be determined, the animals are categorized as “unknowns” either under or over six feet in length.

“As a rule, probably 70 to 75% of the alligators that we see on the survey and are able to put into a size class are under six feet,” Jordan explained. “So most of these alligators are very small juveniles and a lot of them probably won’t make it to adulthood and that’s pretty typical for an alligator population.”

Determining the relative size of the alligators is also useful in helping biologists to track shifts in population size and density on the island, according to Jordan.

“Typically, when we see a little bit of a spike in numbers, it probably has to do with just a year where reproduction was really good and so we’ve got a lot of smaller alligators out there,” he said.

As for large alligators, which are generally considered over eight feet in length, only five were counted during the two-day survey period.

But, whether large or small, there are a few key points people should keep in mind if they encounter an alligator while living or vacationing on the island.

The town encourages people to stay at least 60 feet away from alligators whenever possible, do not swim in a body of water other than the ocean, and keep pets away from water.

“Alligators are, you know, they’re a large predator and they need to be treated with respect,” Jordan said.

A new retail destination with a larger Harris Teeter supermarket to serve residents of Kiawah, Seabrook and Johns islands is one step closer to becoming a reality.

The Charleston County Planning Commission voted 7-1 on Aug. 14 to recommend a land-use change from low-density residential to a planned development district for about 50 acres in the Andell West tract next to the Freshfields Village Shopping Center.

The proposal failed to move forward last October when the panel deadlocked 4-4 after questions were raised about the connectivity to Freshfields, the placement of the connections and the architectural blending of the new retail site with businesses in the neighboring center.

Freshfields is owned by Columbia-based Edens. It paid nearly $125 million for the property last year.

The new plan for the project off Kiawah Island Parkway clarifies the points of connection between the two retail sites, puts a 100-foot vegetated buffer between the road and the development and sets aside 20 percent of the land as open space.

Plans call for the existing Harris Teeter supermarket at Freshfields to move to the new location in a larger building of up to 65,000 square feet, according to Chris Corrada, a principal with the development firm Riverstone Properties LLC of Richmond, Va., which owns the 50-acre parcel.

Historic Charleston Foundation, with its recent reversal of the controversial decision to sell one of its homes after an outpouring of opposition, is making another pivotal move.

The preservation group plans to close its nearly four-decade-old gift shop at 108 Meeting St. on the lower peninsula by the end of February as part of its multiyear strategic plan to focus on its two museum properties and advocacy issues in the Lowcountry, according to CEO Winslow Hastie.

Hastie also pointed to the changing consumer landscape as a reason to shutter the 4,500-square-foot store that was once a gas station.

“Retail is a very volatile world, and it’s changed dramatically since (the shop) first started in the late 1980s,” he said.

The foundation opened a second retail space in 2011 in the City Market, a few blocks north of the Meeting Street gift shop, to capitalize on tourist-heavy foot traffic. The proximity of the two retail outlets is no longer ideal, Hastie said.

“The need for that amount of space is not really necessary,” he said of the soon-to-be-darkened site.

Retail

The foundation ideally hopes to lease the commercially zoned property, which is between Chalmers and Queen streets, as offices for a government agency or a professional services firm. Hastie doesn’t see the building as a good fit for restaurant or retail uses. He added the foundation would adamantly oppose any effort toward transforming the T-shaped structure into an inn.

“We will have restrictive covenants on the property,” he said. “It also doesn’t have parking. Any user will have to get creative on parking.”

The foundation acquired the property in 1986 from Exxon Corp. after paying $207,000, according to Charleston County land records. It made a few changes to the site, including the construction of a connection between the former storefront and the rear garage bays, but the building’s exterior, with its Colonial revival architectural features, remains intact.

The existing design came about to help the 1930s-built gas station blend into the surrounding historic neighborhood. When Exxon-predecessor Standard Oil decided to build the service station on the property, it demolished three historic homes built between 1782 and 1805 in 1929, stirring Charleston’s preservation movement to life.

Founded in 1947, Historic Charleston Foundation now wants to focus its attention on broader advocacy issues such as land use, development, tourism management, sea-level rise and settlement communities. It also hopes to expand its affordable housing-focused Common Cause Loan Fund that helps make home repairs for longtime city residents.

The decision to darken the retail shop is part of the recommendations in the group’s multiyear strategic plan, which included the decision late last year to sell the Nathaniel Russell House it owns down the street at 51 Meeting.

The group reversed its decision earlier this month after a public outcry, including a petition with thousands of signatures opposing the sale to a private entity.

“It’s been a rough couple of months,” Hastie said. “We are in a better place now.”

The foundation plans to keep its gift shop in the City Market as well as retail outposts in the Nathaniel Russell House and the group’s historic Aiken-Rhett House on Elizabeth Street in the Wraggborough neighborhood. The group also will focus on online sales more to generate revenue for its Lowcountry-centric products such as china, jewelry and home decor items.

Have you ever dreamed of rolling out of bed to watch the sun rise over the ocean waves? Do you find that a week at the beach is too short? If you love to spend your days searching for sea shells, watching for marine wildlife, or simply walking in the sand, you may have thought about purchasing a second home that would let you enjoy the ocean any time you please. In fact, some of the beaches in South Carolina are among some of the most popular in the entire country.

Each year, thousands of visitors flock to Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head Island, and other beachside towns in South Carolina and its neighboring states of Georgia and North Carolina. Yet if you have ever considered purchasing a beach house, you know that oceanfront property does not come cheap. This article covers five of the most popular and most expensive beaches in South Carolina. You will discover basic facts about each place and the key numbers that prove that they are among the most expensive places to buy a beach house in the entire state. Let’s dive in now, starting with the most expensive beach community in South Carolina.

Sullivan’s Island

First on the list of most expensive beaches in South Carolina is the town of Sullivan’s Island. Sullivan’s Island is a barrier island close to Charleston Harbor. This 2.5-mile island has a small-town feel with gorgeous beaches, marshes, and plenty of history and culture for visitors to enjoy. Located only about 10 miles outside of downtown Charleston, you can reach Sullivan’s Island after a quick 20-minute drive. This beach town is a popular destination for families with young children and retirees alike and provides plenty of award-winning restaurants, watersports like kayaking and swimming, and historic landmarks.

The quiet, picturesque town gives residents and visitors a sense of rural peace while a population of only about 2,000 ensures that neighbors know each other. The majority of homes are owned, with fewer than 20% of residents renting their homes on Sullivan’s Island. However, purchasing a home here will come at a steep price tag.

In June 2023, the average home price in Sullivan’s Island was around $3 million – but in 2022 the majority of single-family homes in Sullivan’s Island sold for $3.8 million. Halfway through 2023, the year’s median was up to $4.7 million. In June 2023, one oceanfront home sold for an incredible $6.29 million, setting a record for the year. Back in November 2020, another oceanfront villa sold for a whopping $8.2 million! Not only is Sullivan’s Island the most expensive beach community in which to buy a house in South Carolina, but it is also one of the top most expensive in the country!

Kiawah Island

Next up is Kiawah Island, a beach in South Carolina called an “oasis of untouched natural beauty and renowned hospitality.” The town of Kiawah Island is located about 21 miles outside of Charleston. With 10 miles of beaches and diverse habitats – from sand dunes to forests and marshes – Kiawah Island is the place to find wildlife thriving. From sea turtles to alligators and whitetail deer and bobcats, Kiawah Island is a window into ocean ecosystems and land mammals alike. This resort island has world-renowned golf resorts, including the famous Kiawah Island Golf Resort which has hosted golfing championships.

This charming resort island has a regular calendar of events, a thriving restaurant and shopping scene, and plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventure. Buying a home on Kiawah Island, however, could be an adventure of its own. Most of the homes on Kiawah Island are rented out during the year to the numerous guests visiting the beaches. Homeowners can expect to pay steep homeowners association (HOA) fees, significant upfront costs, flood insurance, and more. However, the local market makes up for that with a lot of options. Do you want to live in a condo? Would you prefer to buy a house? Are you looking for a beachfront mansion? Whichever it is, Kiawah Island has it all.

In 2022, the median price of a single-family home was $2.7 million. The island saw an incredible $742 million in sales.

Isle of Palms

The town of Isle of Palms is located on the barrier island also called “Isle of Palms.” This residential and resort community with a population of just over 4,300. Take a 20-minute drive from Charleston, and you might end up walking the six miles of white, sandy beaches. Isle of Palms has many bike paths around the island, lots of recreation facilities and opportunities to enjoy every sport from tennis to softball. On the north end of the island, the Wild Dunes Resort commands 1,500 acres of land. There, you will find pools, tennis courts, and golf, as well as homes and vacation rentals.

Isle of Palms is often voted one of the best places to live in South Carolina since the town offers plenty of restaurants and activities and operates like a tiny city. This self-contained ecosystem has everything you will need to live or vacation in a beachside house.

However, purchasing a home on the Isle of Palms might not be easy. In 2022, the median home price for a single-family home was $1.98 million. Yet by June 2023, the median home price was already up to $2.15 million – and prices still seemed to be on the upswing.

Folly Beach

Folly Beach is a town on Folly Island. In this beachfront city just south of Charleston, life revolves around the ocean. Whether biking the beachfront trails, kayaking, surfing, swimming, or boating, visitors flock to Folly Beach to enjoy the sun, surf, and sand. This 12-square-mile barrier island offers 6 miles of beaches and a quirky assortment of local businesses – from seafood restaurants to cafes and small shops.

Folly Beach is also steeped in history. From pirate legends to Civil War history, Folly Beach was historically the site of dastardly deeds and military occupation. Despite being abandoned after the Civil War and later being hit by devastating hurricanes, Folly Beach made an amazing comeback during the 20th century. Today, the boardwalk and the many local attractions bring thousands of visitors to the town that 2,400 residents call home.

In 2022, the median cost of a single-family home in Folly Beach was $1.66 million. Even a small two-bedroom bungalow could easily set you back $1.2 million.

Seabrook Island

Yet another Charleston-area beach town is Seabrook Island. This small, welcoming oceanfront community boasts of natural beauty, miles of pristine beaches, forest, and marshland. Seabrook Island is a private community on a gated barrier island. This means that Seabrook Island is exclusively accessible to residents and their guests. Privacy, peace, and nature attract members who want to enjoy the natural wonders away from crowded beaches.

Thanks to its exclusivity, Seabrook Island features many luxury homes, including those that look out at the ocean or feature river, marsh, forest, or golf course views. As a planned community, Seabrook Island’s designers sought to maintain the natural habitat, keep the local wildlife, and provide luxury real estate.

Unlike in other towns on this list, there is a unique process to become part of the Seabrook Island community. The Seabrook Island Real Estate team is your official source for buying and selling homes in Seabrook Island. You get the choice to buy a unique home or build your own, with the chance to surround yourself with incredible sights. The average home size on Seabrook Island is about 3,000 square feet. With 2,600 residential properties, you can choose from among 38 different mini-communities “within the community” – get a villa, cottage, or townhome.

In 2022, the median cost of a single-family home on Seabrook Island was $1.2 million. By June 2023, that cost had risen to $1.37 million.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © George A. Kenna/Shutterstock.com