Mortgage Broker in Park Circle, SC

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — North Charleston’s Park Circle community is seeing long-time Charleston businesses moving in while current food and beverage spots are working toward increasing customer base.

"Since we’ve all returned from the covid pandemic, you can definitely see a lot more volume in this area with the new apartments, the new bars and restaurants, as well as legal and doctors’ offices," John Hunter, general manager of Dig in the Park, said.

Dig in the Park is spending half a million dollars on renovations, while new competitors- like former Charleston staple Tattooed Moose- builds nearby.

That competition is a welcomed sight.

"With all of the new businesses and people putting money back into their businesses, it’s been great for us as a company," Hunter said.

He says one of the area’s bigger supporters is the city of North Charleston.

"It’s changed tremendously from when we first moved into this area to now. You know, they’ve really put a lot of money into restoring this entire park circle area," he said.

"It was not easy at first to get people to invest. But, as it did and more people invest, it encouraged more people to come in," said North Charleston mayor Keith Summey.

Along with the growth comes accolades. Two of Park Circle’s restaurants were recently named to a Yelp's national top 100 restaurants list.

"(It's) a great location that people from all around the Lowcountry like to come to and enjoy either the entertainment, the food, or just having a good time with your friends," Summey said.

With all of this growth, ABC News 4 asked mayor Summey if the area can handle any increased needs for parking.

The mayor said there's free over-flow parking not far from the business district off of Montague.

Along Montague itself, there's nothing that can be done to increase the street parking.

Other parts of Park Circle have to provide their own parking.

State and county incentives will fund new I-77 interchange, several traffic circles in the town, and other improvements to roads to help alleviate traffic in and around Blythewood.

OLUMBIA – The Richland County Economic Development Office announced on Monday that Scout Motors EV, which is backed by Volkswagen, is bringing its manufacturing operations to Blythewood’s new industrial park off Blythewood Road.

The plant will build all-electric trucks and SUVs under the Scout brand with production expected to eventually reach 200,000 vehicles per year.

“Originally produced by International Harvester from 1960 to 1980, Scout was an early SUV that stopped being made in the 1980’s,” according to a statement released by the SC Department of Commerce. “Scout Motors is bringing it back as both a truck and an SUV, both all-electric.”

The company’s planned $2 billion investment and its potential to create 4,000 jobs, would both set all-time records for a Richland County economic development project according to county officials.

Choosing Blythewood

During a remote roundtable Monday morning with Governor Henry McMaster, Scout Motors CEO Scott Keogh and Secretary of the SC Department of Economic Development Harry Lightsey, Keogh said the company looked at 74 sites around the country before choosing the Blythewood site to establish the world’s first manufacturer of the Scout electric vehicles.

Incentives offered by the state and county to attract the company included $1.291 billion over and above tax and other incentives.

Blythewood Road Improvements

Approximately $650 million of the $1.291 billion state incentive package will be used to fund improvements to roads in and around Blythewood to support this project and to help alleviate traffic in the Blythewood area that is already unmanageable at times, according to Jeff Ruble, Director of Richland County’s Department of Economic Development.

“The improvements to Blythewood area roads are in addition to the current penny-tax plan to widen Blythewood Road from the Exit 27 Interchange to Syrup Mill Road and to add a traffic circle at the entrance to Cobblestone Park,” Ruble told The Voice. “We’ll be making additional improvements between the interchange and the traffic circle, and we’ll continue the four lanes on Blythewood Road from Syrup Mill all the way to Muller Road,” he said.

“Just about everywhere in town that there’s a road leading to the plant, the company plans to improve the intersections,” Ruble continued.

“The entrance into the industrial site off Blythewood Road will be located at Syrup Mill Road,” he said, “and we’re going to install some long turn lanes to alleviate traffic problems there and possibly a roundabout. We’ll also be landscaping the 300-foot-wide buffer along Blythewood Road across from Cobblestone Park, and we’re going to do it right. Our goal is to make it look like the entrance to Cobblestone,” Ruble said.

Community Road Widened

Community Road, he said, will also be widened to four lanes.

“The goal of the company is to have most of the traffic, including employees, coming off I-77 at the new interchange or from a new road extension from Highway 21 through the Google property to the front and main entrance of the plant. This should keep a lot of the to-and-from plant traffic out of Blythewood and easily onto the interstate.”

Ruble explained that a rail spur will run from the track on the east side of Hwy 21 across Hwy 21 and extend to a rail bridge over I-77 at the lower part of the company’s complex.

“Several traffic circles will also be incorporated into some of the road improvements, particularly at Syrup Mill and Blythewood Road, at Highway 21 where it connects to the extension road through the Google property, and at intersections within the industrial site,” Rubble said.

During the Monday roundtable meeting, Lightsey echoed concern for easing local traffic.

“The new interchange and these road improvements will actually help and benefit the residents of the Blythewood community,” Lightsey said. “It will improve the traffic flow and keep traffic coming to and from the site out of downtown Blythewood.”

Plans for the $650 million incentive also include upgrades to the Blythewood fire station, and stipends to support eligible employees’ childcare costs. An onsite child care facility is also planned.

The $1.291 billion incentive package also included $400 million for the company to build facilities on the site; a $200 million loan for soil stabilization (paid back at 5 percent interest); $25 million to build a publicly owned Midlands Technical College training center for employment with Scout Motors; and $16 million for property acquisition for construction of the railroad spur to the site.

Other county incentives include a reduction in the company’s property tax assessment ratio from six percent to four percent over 40 years. County officials say the company would also be eligible for a 50 percent tax break through an infrastructure tax credit.

Richland County Council is scheduled to give the package third reading on March 21.

Scout is planning to break ground on the new manufacturing facility in mid-2023 and begin production by the end of 2026.

“This proposed manufacturing facility marks a major milestone in the history of Richland County and the potential to be our most significant economic development project to date,” said Overture Walker, Chair of the Richland County Council. “This decision represents a transformational breakthrough that would position us at the forefront of the clean energy future while promising to boost the quality of life for residents across our county for generations to come.”

“Richland County has spent years laying the groundwork for today’s historic announcement, and we are thrilled that Scout shares our view that this area is the ideal location for a world-class company to plant its flag,” Ruble said.

Most hiring is expected to happen toward the end of 2025, according to officials. Individuals interested in joining the Scout team should visit readySC’s recruitment website.

It's no secret that the walkable streets of downtown Charleston are lined with historic homes as well as well-established restaurants and bars. There seems to be a charming hotel and inviting seafood restaurant on every block. But just a 20-minute ride from downtown boutique hotels like The Ryder and Emeline, there's a relatively under-the-radar neighborhood in North Charleston with a walkable main street, stunning street art and, most importantly, a thriving food scene.

We've picked 10 of our favorite food spots in Park Circle, North Charleston.

Azul Mexicano

This laid-back, high-ceiling Mexican restaurant caters to seafood lovers without alienating carnivores or vegans. As the name Azul indicates, the chairs, tables, ceiling and dozens of small agave decorations along the wall are blue. Most of the fare is on the heartier side, with smaller portions available for lunch.

For something lighter, try the ceviche. While it's not on the lunch menu, the staff can prepare it upon request. Both the shrimp and tilapia versions come with all fresh ingredients finely chopped to the point where it's more practical to eat with a spoon. They serve this citrusy dish with four packs of Saladitas crackers. You can ask for a mix of shrimp and tilapia, which we highly recommend.

Basil Thai Park Circle

One of Basil Thai's six Carolinas locations is located in the heart of Park Circle's unofficial restaurant row. Those Korean barbeque tables that line the outer red brick walls remind guests that this stylish spot near the intersection of Chateau and Montague was once the local spot for grilled beef and kimchi. The cool lounge music combined with artfully framed photos of floating markets and elephant statues from the motherland give the Park Circle location a refined feel.

While the menu manages to play the hits like most Thai restaurants do, crispy red curry duck is the signature dish. If you've never tried barramundi, you can find it here, deep-fried with your choice of basil or curry sauce. They also have a full bar.

For dessert, try the fried banana topped with coconut ice cream. Basil Thai's twist on this traditional Thai dessert is the house-made raspberry jam, which mixes well with the coconut ice cream. And it's the same jam they use in their raspberry bourbon jam cocktail.

Basil Thai Park Circle is closed on Sunday.

EVO Pizzeria

EVO stands for Extra Virgin Oven. And from this extra virgin oven, Executive Chef Zach Turner and his team turn out six different pies plus a calzone and daily featured pizza.

While enjoying your wood-fired pie on one of the EVO's wooden tabletops, you'll notice that the dough is chewy to the point where there's no excuse for not eating the crust. And while the margherita may be the standard by which any establishment referring to itself as a pizzeria is measured, the meat-centric pies definitely have a southern twist. For purists, the margherita may be number one, but EVO's pistachio pesto is a very close second.

After dining at the pizzeria, check out EVO Craft Bakery, which is their sister location on the rear of the property. Here, you can enjoy espresso and dessert on their elevated back deck seven days a week.

Fratello's Italian Tavern

There are waist-high basil plants on each side of the entrance to Fratello's Italian Tavern. The menu is traditional Italian, with pasta dishes like penne alla vodka and lasagna being the most popular. The ravioli special changes every other day.

As Charleston is a coastal city, we recommend ordering a pasta dish with seafood. If you like garlic and clams, try the linguine alle vongole. And working backwards, start your meal at Fratello's with either the popular namesake salad or pomodoro e mozzarella. The latter is a simple, yet delicious mix of house-pulled mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil taken straight from the plants at the main entrance.

Fratello's is closed on Sundays.

Jackrabbit Filly

Jackrabbit Filly is the most modern restaurant in Park Circle. The fact that this Asian fusion spot is located next to an antique store a block from Montague Avenue makes it feel all the more exclusive. Once you pass the ceramic jackrabbit and step inside, you could easily feel like you're in either Manhattan's West Village or West Hollywood.

The majority of dishes have an East Asian influence. Both karaage versions are popular, with the Sichuan version being much spicier thanks to the chili oil. Regardless of which version you order, you won't have to worry about taking your first bite only to discover that you just ordered a bowl of the all-too-common mix of excessive breading and fatty dark meat that too many Japanese and Taiwanese restaurants serve. Everything here is top quality.

And the menu changes often. If it's on the menu, you must try the seared scallops dish. Same with the Xi'an shrimp.

Sunday is dim sum brunch only. They are closed Monday and Tuesday. Reservations are highly recommended.

LoLA

Thanks to LoLA, you can enjoy Louisiana recipes in the Lowcountry. The extensive menu is divided into six sections, with appetizers and sides being plentiful enough for a separate location. Bayou classics like etouffee, jambalaya and shrimp creole will take you on a culinary journey to the Louisiana swamps, yet LoLA looks and feels like a beach bar that happens to serve unapologetically heavy Cajun and Creole food.

The festive atmosphere is pure New Orleans, but after a Creolepolitan or two, one could be excused for thinking that the Myrtle Beach Promenade is just around the corner.

LoLA is closed Sunday and Monday.

Park Circle Creamery

All of Park Circle Creamery's 17-plus flavors are made in-house. The ice cream here is good enough that it's worth skipping dessert at one of the local restaurants just so you can try a scoop or two. Inside, you'll find a classic stand-alone ice cream parlor feel.

If you're looking to beat the heat, grab a bar-style stool opposite the ice cream counter. Flavors range from the popular lemon crunch to the nostalgic cereal-inspired Lucky Charms. While you can find the different flavors listed on their website, they do run out of some, especially by evening. Coconut Oreo is the vegan option.

Southern Roots Smokehouse

Southern Roots Smokehouse may look like a sports bar from the outside, but it's also the best barbeque spot in Park Circle. Nothing is on a small scale here. The portions are enormous, and two rooms combined make Southern Roots Smokehouse one of the larger dining spots in the area.

Even the salads are a full meal. The bar is impressive, but the signature hickory smoked meats are the main culinary attraction. You can make your own plate with one to three meat options plus sides, or you can order the smoked meats a la carte and add them to a salad. Regardless of which meat you choose, you won't need a knife. The Southern Roots smoked meats are tender enough to cut with a weak plastic fork.

The Tattooed Moose

The Tattooed Moose is that kind of place where you can spend a lazy afternoon eating, drinking and reliving your childhood at the pinball machine. Even if you happen to just be passing by along Chateau Avenue, it’s impossible not to notice the Patch Whisky street art that adorns the one-story former rehearsal space.

In the dining room, a wall-mounted moose heads jut out above the tables, each of which comes with a small bucket of crayons and markers. The space is super casual to the point where patrons are welcome to write whatever they want on the tables or walls. But despite the crayons, markers and mini arcade near the main entrance, this is no Chuck E. Cheese.

The menu leans towards hearty pub fare, which fits perfectly with the dozen or so beers on draft. The duck club sandwich is their top seller. You'll also see duck fat fries on every other table. When Guy Fieri came to Charleston to film "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," he had the blue cheese fries. Although he visited the downtown location, the menus are the same at both locations. The fries are cut super thin and garnished with salt to the point where the garlic aioli that comes on the side can be optional.

Three Sirens

Park Circle's newest seafood restaurant opened in early 2022. Inside, Three Sirens is as blue as the sea itself. Everything from wallpaper to the electrical outlets is a shade of blue. As all ingredients are sourced locally, the menu changes daily.

The one thing you need to order is the butter shrimp and corn. The shrimp (from nearby Crosby's) are cured with sugar and salt and served over a bed of charred corn in a cream reduction that includes milk from the cobs. The dish's moderate spice level comes from the pickled fresnos.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Park Circle is officially getting a makeover.

The City of North Charleston is breaking ground Wednesday on a $20 million redevelopment project in the center of the community. The work looks to transform the circle.

Previously, there used to be a community center, a butterfly garden, a green space and baseball field. But the community center was demolished just a few days ago, with the baseball field torn up as well.

City officials say those amenities were outdated and didn’t fit the needs of their citizens today, which leaders hope will change with the completion of this project.

Improvements include a new cultural arts and recreation facility twice the size of the previous building, as well as an all-inclusive baseball field, a 55,000-square-foot accessible playground, and repaving of the walking path around the circle. The playground is expected to be one of the largest on the East Coast.

TJ Rostin, the city’s park and recreation manager, says he believes this will be the first facility of its kind in the Lowcountry and that it will help build a path for more like it in the future.

“This facility is going to be magnificent,” Rostin said. “When we open this, it's going to be one of the most state-of-the-art facilities this region in the Lowcountry has seen in quite some time [and will be something] everybody can have fun with. Just like I said, [the space will] really meet the needs of every citizen we have.”

The redevelopment is expected to take anywhere from 12-16 months, and Rostin says he hopes to welcome North Charleston residents to it by fall of 2023.

While this might be the biggest project to date for the city, it is certainly not the first project leaders have put together, as officials say they are making a commitment to bring more inclusive facilities to North Charleston.

The city just unveiled a new all-inclusive park in the Oak Terrace community in April. They also committed $26 million to improvements the Danny Jones Recreational Complex, which is expected to break ground by the end of the summer.

The new playground that will be built in Park Circle will also be a testing site for external research companies to analyze its impact in the community for future projects.

Park Circle is officially getting a makeover. (WCIV)

Rostin says these projects and resources put towards them will help citizens utilize the facilities more, which they hope will lead to more activity in the community.

“We’re starting with the Rec. Department facilities because we know those are the facilities that most people enjoy and use on a daily basis. We're really trying to reach out to every part of our community to make sure what we have and that we're here for them, they can utilize our facilities utilize our programs in any way that they need to,” Rostin added.

North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey said he would have started remodeling the Park Circle area sooner, but the city only received ownership of the land two years ago.

Funds for the project came from taxes and revenue bonds through the tax increment financing district in the city. Funding will also go towards improvements at the Danny Jones Recreational Complex.

The groundbreaking at Park Circle will happen at around 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

LITTLE RIVER, S.C. -- The Bridgewater State University softball team wrapped up its ten-game trip to the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic in Myrtle Beach on Thursday with a pair of setbacks to Waynesburg University and Penn State Altoona.

The Bears (2-8) dropped a 9-1 decision in six innings to Waynesburg and fell to Penn State Altoona by a margin of 8-4.

Waynesburg 9, Bridgewater State 1 (6 Inn.)

In the 9-1 setback to Waynesburg, the Bears broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third inning. Sophomore left fielder Emily Marcotte (North Dighton, Mass.) reached on an error, stole second and scored on an RBI single by sophomore shortstop Ashley Habib (Haverhill, Mass.). That, however, would be the lone hit of the game for Bridgewater State.

Waynesburg rallied in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore second baseman Grace Higgins (Canonsburg, Pa.) singled, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and trotted home with the tying run on an RBI triple by sophomore centerfielder Mackenzie Kearns (Elizabeth, Pa.). Kearns then raced home on a wild pitch to put the Yellow Jackets on top, 2-1. Following a pitching change, freshman right fielder Bella DeMark (Carnegie, Pa.) singled to keep the inning alive. Freshman pinch runner Jasmine Demaske (Waynesburg, Pa.) stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch and then scored on another wild pitch to make it a 3-1 game.

The Yellow Jackets capitalized on three BSU errors in the sixth to push across six unearned runs. Senior catcher Brin Hunter (West Alexander, Pa.) capped off the frame with a walk-off two-run double.

Freshman righthander Autumn Stemple (Morgantown, W.Va.) worked the first four innings for the Yellow Jackets but did not factor in the decision. Hunter allowed a run on a hit with a walk and six strikeouts. Sophomore lefthander Sydney Wilson (Pentress, W.Va.) picked up the win in relief. Wilson (2-1) retired all six batters she faced including four strikeouts.

Kearns (2-3, R, RBI) and junior designated hitter Ella Brookman (Washington, Pa.) finished with two hits apiece for Waynesburg. Brookman went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

Junior righthander Madelyn Klingel (Windsor, Conn.) pitched well in the loss for Bridgewater State. Klingel (1-4) gave up two runs on four hits over 4 2/3 innings with no walks and a pair of strikeouts. She retired 13 of the first 15 batters she faced.

Penn State Altoona 8, Bridgewater State 4

Penn State Altoona (4-4) won a back-and-forth tilt by a final score of 8-4. The Lions overcame a 4-3 deficit with a five-run fifth inning.

Sophomore righthander Alyssa Fisher (Lock Haven, Pa.) went the distance in the circle to record her first win of the season. Fisher allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Fisher also excelled at the plate for the Lions as she went 2-for-3 with a triple, an inside-the-park home run, a walk, two runs and four RBI.

Bridgewater State pushed across a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 4-3 lead. Freshman catcher Emily Eastman (Cranston, R.I.) led off the inning with a base hit and later scored when she stole home as part of a double steal. Two batters later, senior first baseman Olivia Silva (Somerset, Mass.) rapped an RBI single to center to plate sophomore left fielder Emily Marcotte (North Dighton, Mass.) with the go-ahead run.

Down by a run in the bottom of the fifth, a two-run triple by freshman second baseman Madelyn Maynard (Towanda, Pa.) put the Lions on top for good. Two batters later, Fished connected for a three-run, inside-the-park home run to make it an 8-4 game.

Maynard went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.

Sophomore righthander McKayla Cusack (West Haven, Conn.) worked the first three innings for the Bears in the circle but did not factor in the decision. Cusack allowed just one unearned run on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

BSU senior designated hitter Kerrin McLaughlin (Haverhill, Mass.) reached safely twice in three plate appearances as she went 1-for-2 with hit by pitch, a run, and an RBI.

The Bears are off until Tuesday, March 21st when they host a doubleheader with UMass Dartmouth. Game one is slated to get underway at 2:30.