ANSONBOROUGH
AND H.A.N.A. INFORMATION
by
J. J. Nuss
Revised July 2007
Ansonborough as it has
developed today is the result of a well conceived plan administered by the
Historic Charleston Foundation, an organization dedicated to the preservation
of Charleston's historic and architectural heritage.
The Ansonborough area
restoration began in 1959. The
Foundation started purchasing properties with a "revolving"
fund. Monies donated to the Foundation
were used to buy properties and to restore them. As the properties were sold to private
individuals, the original outlays were recovered and used again to purchase
other properties in the Ansonborough area.
This action by the
Foundation stimulated interest and activity in the Ansonborough area which
resulted in making Ansonborough the most attractive restored area that it is
today.
Ansonborough derives
its name from Captain George Anson, of the Royal Navy, who commanded an
anti-piracy patrol in Charleston during the seventeen-twenties. While here, the story goes that he won this
property at cards. It is of interest
that Captain Anson later became famous for successfully raiding Spanish
treasure ships during the English war with Spain. And as a result of this, Anson became an
admiral, a baron, and the First Lord of the British Admiralty.
The Ansonborough area
applies to most of those properties between George, Meeting, Pinckney and East
Bay streets. It contains more than 125
pre-Civil War houses, plus four churches and one public building, the first
public city high school, at 55 Society St.
Prior to the
restoration started by the Historic Charleston Foundation, the Ansonborough
area had gradually declined from one of the finest residential areas in
anti-bellum Charleston, to a point where tenements and slums began to
predominate.
On April 30, 1969, the
Historic Ansonborough Neighborhood Association (known by its initials, HANA)
was formed. Its basic objectives are to
foster and promote continued development of the Ansonborough community and to
encourage growth and re-vitalization of other communities. A Board of Directors and appointed committees
coordinate with other preservation organizations and associations in matters of
cleanliness, traffic, crime, zoning regulations, maintenance of trees, etc.
HANA meets with
proposed developers to insure that zoning regulations are honored. Sometimes building variances are supported by
HANA if the integrity of the neighborhood can still be maintained. As Sis Inabinet, a past president stated,
"We in Ansonborough are not trying to put a wall around our neighborhood,
we are trying to maintain our quality of life."
Jean Fenner was the first President
in 1969. Subsequent Presidents are Fred
Ehni (1969-70); Glenn Cole (1970-71); Bill McIntosh (1971-72); Shirley Doran
(1972-73); Charlie Hunter (1973-74); Peggy Hunter (1974-75); Jerry Nuss
(1975-76); Henry Lee (1976-77); Ed Owens (1977-78); Lawrence Walker (1978-79);
Suzanne McIntosh (1979-80); Larry Montano (1980-81); George Toulmin (1981-82); Chet
Kellogg (1982-83); Vic Nichols (1983-84); Karen Prewitt (1984-85); George
Miller (1985-87); Howard Drew (1987-88); Sis Inabinet (1988-90); Blaine Ewing
(1990-91); Jerry Sifford (1991-93); Robert Clement III (1993-95); Michael
Molony (1995-97);Courtenay McDowell (1997-99); Bill
Prewitt (1999-2000); Charles Summerall (2000-01); Jeremy
Willets (2001-02); Caroline Cleveland (2002-2003); Robert DeMarco (2003-2004);
Ben Wilson (2004-2005); Pat Jones (2005-2006); Lance Hiatt (2006-2007).
HANA has been successful in
preserving the residential integrity of the area. It has fought to get businesses nearby
compatible with the neighborhood, and in many cases it has worked. For example, executives from Harris Teeter
met with HANA officials prior to locating its store on East Bay. Many of the suggestions HANA offered were
implemented prior to building. A few
years ago, a proposed parking garage which would have had an adverse effect on
our traffic, was opposed to by our organization and the plan was defeated by
the Board of Architectural Review. We helped to eliminate sidewalk dining on
city-owned streets, eliminating not only a traffic problem, but an unsightly
vision on Meeting street. HANA has petitioned for stricter parking hours in our
neighborhood streets, and has some success to have these hours enforced on
a 24 hour, 7 days per week basis.
In 1996, a special team from HANA made an
in-depth study and submitted a comprehensive paper to City Council, urging the
Power company to place all wiring underground.
This action is still in process and petitions to the neighbors are
underway. A financial plan has been
agreed on by the city and SCG&E. If
the residents give the final approval, some of the cost will be made by
them. But as of this date, we still do
not have underground wiring. In 1997, a
permit to install a nightclub, “The
Alligator Lounge”, was requested for a building that had been a beauty salon. HANA orchestrated a vigorous objection to
this permit as it would be completely inimical to the residential quality of
our neighborhood. The Board of
Adjustment agreed and the permit was denied.
In 1998, the city and a private
developer petitioned to build a huge, 7 story, 200 plus room hotel on the old
bus depot grounds between Wentworth and Society streets. This hotel would have had inadequate parking
for all guests. HANA and others again
objected on the grounds that traffic would be seriously impeded and parking
would be sought by hotel guests in the already sparse spaces of HANA. A compromise was reached where the hotel
agreed to eliminate one floor and several rooms, and also build a garage to
adequately handle guest’s parking.
Also in January 1998, a verbal
proposal was made by the College of Charleston to build a 6500 seat basketball
arena in coordination with the City on the Gaillard Auditorium site. This immediately aroused unanimous HANA
opposition. Many letters were written to
College Trustees, City Council members, the Editor of the Post Courier. A protesting
petition distributed by HANA board members and other residents was signed by hundreds of residents both
within and outside of Ansonborough.
Preservation groups and surrounding Churches were strongly vocal against
this plan. In June, the College announced that it would not pursue locating the
arena in Ansonborough.
A Neighborhood Coalition Group with other
Charleston neighborhood organizations
has been founded, where representatives from each can discuss mutual concerns
and render support on issues that affect one or more of our historical
areas. In 2004, Ansonborough residents,
Warwick and Pat Jones initiated a Web site,”Charlestonwatch.com”, which has
various articles on projects and problems concerning Ansonborough and other
neighborhoods of Charleston.In 2005, Clemson University obtained
the small parking lot on George Street which is across from the Spoleto
Headquarters. They proposed to build a
very modernistic and oversized Architectural school building on this site. This plan was totally out of character with
the Ansonborough area and was immediately criticized by HANA and all of the
preservation entities in Charleston.
After many meetings with Mayor Riley, neighborhood association
presidents, preservation societies, Clemson, City and State officials, numerous
letters and phone calls, a protest march and as a last resort, legal council,
Clemson finally decided to locate the building nearby on Meeting Street. This was a tremendous effort by all concerned
to protect the milieu of Ansonborough.
HANA is needed now and in the
future. One of big problems will be to
monitor and hopefully influence the development of Union Pier which will take
place when and if and when the Ports Authority moves all of its operations to
the Former Naval Base. This is a huge area and we want to prevent any
development that would reflect adversely on our fragile, historic and precious
neighborhood. It is strongly urged and
hoped that the residents of Ansonborough will always support and participate
in HANA.
By doing so, they will help maintain the quality of life that exists in
the Ansonborough area.