Land once slated for the removal of 23 grand trees now up for sale

Commercial real estate company Holder Properties is selling a prominent 8.65-acre parcel of land that was once targeted for the controversial removal of 23 grand trees.

 

The parcel, originally planned for a townhome community, is listed for $4 million, signaling a shift in Holder’s focus to completing their Nowell Creek Village project off Daniel Island Drive.

 

The wooded lot for sale is located behind Blackbaud’s parking lot, off the I-526 Eastbound on-ramp, and is often referred to by residents as the “gateway to Daniel Island,” adding the tree-lined foliage shields traffic noise from the interstate.

 

In 2023, plans to build 30 luxury townhomes on the site, which included removing 23 grand trees, faced significant opposition. More than 348 public comments, all against the project, cited concerns about losing the natural sound and visual buffer, the impact on wildlife, and changes to the island’s scenic character.

 

“This was the most public comments ever received for any request to the Board of Zoning Appeals-Site Design,” said Torrence Sullivan, chair of the Daniel Island Neighborhood Association’s development and land use committee. “Every single comment was against it. All of them.”

 

Holder Properties originally proposed building 30 luxury townhomes, including a mix of two- and three-story townhomes with enhanced buffers and preserved green space, but deferred the plans following community pushback.

 

Ultimately, they deferred their application to the Board of Zoning Appeals-Site Design committee, and the land remained in limbo until the developer decided to list it for sale.

 

Abby Hawkins, director of marketing for Holder Properties, said the decision to sell the land was not influenced by resident opposition, but instead reflects a strategic focus on the upcoming opening of Nowell Creek Village.

 

“Over the last year, we’ve been focused on getting everything done at Nowell Creek Village,” Hawkins said. “We got some interesting inquiries and figured we’d just put it up for sale and see what happens. We explored putting townhomes there, but we really just kept our eyes focused on Nowell Creek and (are) trying to figure out what’s best for Daniel Island. It’s one of the last few parcels, and we think it’s a great one.”

 

Nowell Creek Village, located on the former Blackbaud headquarters site, is a 36-acre mixed-use project that currently houses Marshside, a Class A office building that is 90% leased. The site will soon begin leasing residences at Atlantic Nowell Creek, a 320-unit high-end apartment complex, and Fenland Townhomes, which will offer 50 marshfront units. Tenants and the broader community can also expect a community dock, a park, and retail and dining space.

 

As the land goes up for sale, Sullivan said DINA will continue to fight for the trees on the lot, some of which are decades old. He is hopeful that any new development would respect the island’s “natural sound and visual buffer.”

 

“Something will eventually go there,” Sullivan said. “If someone were to buy this parcel, we would be beyond motivated to help ensure it is handled according to current zoning, built in the best fashion possible, given the important location at the ‘gateway to Daniel Island.’ We just hope it’s not at the expense of some of the island’s oldest, tallest, most prominent grand trees — especially in a way that negatively impacts everyone on the island as they enter or leave via I-526.”