College of Charleston is preparing for a major expansion aimed at linking students more closely with Charleston’s thriving tourism and business communities. Plans call for a new hospitality and tourism center on Calhoun Street and a future business school at the former Carroll Building downtown, creating new academic and civic spaces across the city.
Key takeaways
- The Michael and Amy Bennett School for Hospitality and Tourism Management is planned for the former College Lodge site at 159 Calhoun St.
- The hospitality project could include an event center, alumni facilities, a welcome center and offices for Explore Charleston.
- Ben Navarro plans to donate the former Carroll Building at Market and East Bay streets for a new business school.
- Both projects remain in the planning phase and will require city approvals.
A hospitality hub designed for Charleston
The hospitality school is expected to become the centerpiece of a multipurpose academic building serving students, faculty, tourism professionals and the broader community. The location reflects Charleston’s role as a major visitor destination, with roughly eight million tourists contributing to a regional tourism economy valued at about $14 billion.
College President Andrew T. Hsu said applications to the hospitality program have more than tripled over the past seven years. That growth is prompting the college to think beyond traditional classrooms and create a setting where students can learn alongside industry practitioners.
Early concepts include an event and conference center, a 2,500-square-foot multipurpose room, an alumni center, a welcome center and access to a rooftop amenity. Explore Charleston could also share the facility, giving students a closer view of how the region’s visitor economy operates.
A major gift reshapes the business school’s future
The college’s second major project centers on the long-vacant Carroll Building at the northeast corner of Market and East Bay streets. Ben Navarro, founder of Beemok, purchased the property for $11.5 million and has announced plans to donate it to the college for a new School of Business.
The site is less than a 10-minute walk from the Beatty Center. Its location would extend the campus into Charleston’s historic commercial district and place business students near employers, retailers and other organizations that can support internships and partnerships.
College leaders view the property as a rare chance to give the business school a more visible role in the city’s economic and civic life. The location could also raise the college’s profile along the Market Street corridor as downtown development continues, including plans for the nearby Union Pier area.
Projects still face planning milestones
Demolition has begun at the former College Lodge site, although the timing of the next construction steps will depend on contractors and coordination with local and state partners. Hsu expects demolition to take several months and said the college is exploring a public-private partnership for the hospitality center, which could take two to three years to complete.
The business school has no announced construction schedule. Both developments must move through required city boards and additional planning stages before work can begin.
Taken together, the projects offer an upbeat vision for Charleston’s next generation of students. They would give the College of Charleston more room to educate future business and hospitality leaders while opening new opportunities for the city’s employers, visitors and residents.
Sources
- College of Charleston plans business and hospitality schools, Post and Courier.
