Demolition set for Charleston building that partially collapsed on Halloween
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – A King Street building is awaiting demolition after partially collapsing on Halloween.
The 1941 brick building on 1001 King St. was vacant for years before the roof collapsed. The collapse caused the building to lean toward the neighboring apartment building that sits an estimated four feet away.
Neighbors at the nearby apartment and guests at Rodney Scott’s BBQ were forced out of the area that night.
Next door to the apartments is the Artist & Craftsmen Supply Store. Sales associate Anna Robertson remembers exactly what happened that day.
“It caught on a power line and we heard a loud pop and a flash of light and we didn’t think anything of it until a lot of firetrucks began to show up,” Robertson says.
Apartment residents still remain evacuated from their units after city officials made the call. City leaders say the American Red Cross is assisting residents.
People passing are continuing to take detours as a result of the city’s emergency road closure for that portion of King Street.
City of Charleston leaders approved to use about $600,000 in funds to remove a two-story abandoned building.
City Chief Building Official Ken Granata says termite damage caused the collapse.
He says other concerns for the building structure raised the price to tear the structure down.
“A significant portion of the demolition cost is due to the contractor and the city unable to test and abate asbestos that might be in the building, so the whole building,” Grenada says. “All the building materials have to go to an asbestos landfill. There’s a higher cost for that and that’s why there’s a high cost on the demolition.”
Crews will begin a hand selection demolition of the front and exterior walls. Grenata says this process is meant to carefully evaluate the inside of the building and avoid causing damage to the apartment.
Grenata says the other half of the cost is to prepare reconstruction efforts to repair the apartment building if damage is found.
The decades-old building is owned by the St. John’s Masonic Temple Lodge. Grenata says finding living owners for the lot makes this demolition unique from other projects.
The building sits just down the street from where former District 4 councilman Robert Mitchell lives.
“Now you can’t even utilize it,” Mitchell says. “Now you can’t even fix it, then the city…we have to come in and do something with it and put a lid against your property. And if you don’t come in at a certain time, they are going to own it.”
Mitchell says the teardown process is ensuring the area’s safety.
“We have a school here too with kids coming out and we don’t want to see nothing happen to anyone in the area,” Mitchell says. “So, for safety, we have to do something and do it right away. We can’t wait. That’s why we approved it on Tuesday past.”
The timeline for the demolition to be completed is not set in stone. Grenata says the goal is to safely return residents to their units as soon as possible.
Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.
link
