CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – The 65-acre property that has been a topic of discussion for several years in downtown Charleston has been purchased.

The South Carolina Ports Authority announced Tuesday that the pier has been sold to a local businessman, Ben Navarro.

Mayor William Cogswell said that he laid out his expectations for the site and that future plans should reflect the feedback that has been collected during community workshops.

Those expectations include significant public access to the waterfront, more green space and lower height and density so that goes along with the historic district. The cruise terminal will also be eliminated, and an affordable housing component will be included.

“I remain committed to these key tenants and look forward to proactively working with Mr. Navarro to ensure these conditions are met as he moves forward,” Cogswell said in a release.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Charleston. The city controls much of the process going forward. While this will no doubt be a complicated plan, I’ll ensure it is grounded in reality and is an amenity that every resident in Charleston can enjoy. This can and should be a project that makes all of Charleston proud, and I look forward to working with Beemok and Mr. Navarro on making this resident-focused vision a reality.”

South Carolina Ports Authority Chairman Bill Stern released the following statement on the transaction:

Two years ago, we announced our plan to sell Union Pier with a shared goal that a future buyer would redevelop the site, and we have engaged extensively with the community throughout that time.

We are now thrilled to have Ben Navarro as the local buyer of the site. It was important to us and to the city to have a local buyer who is both invested in the community and has a desire to develop something everyone is proud of. Ben calls Charleston home and actively invests in making our community a better place to live. We are confident that this path forward will enable city leaders and the community to work directly with a local buyer in shaping the future of Union Pier.

SC Ports will continue to focus on our core mission of keeping freight moving for the thousands of livelihoods, businesses and communities that depend on our port system.

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