City approves College of Charleston request to demolish former YWCA building, making way for new dorm
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Members of the Board of Architectural Review (BAR) in Charleston voted Wednesday to allow the demolition of a historic building downtown.
Members voted to approve the College of Charleston's request to demolish the former Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) site at 106 Coming Street. The YWCA sold the property in 2014, and it has sat vacant for years.
The College plans to build new student housing under the Coming Street Commons plan, which includes 1,000 beds in mostly double rooms. Some single-bed rooms will be available also.
The building, which is considered mid-century as it was built in 1964, is where the African American branch of the YWCA was headquartered and served as a community space, particularly during the Civil Rights Movement.
During this time, the branch was run by notably Black civil rights leaders, including Septima Clark.
Not only is the former YWCA building a site of significance for the civil rights movement, but it sits on top of a potter's field.
Charleston potter's fields were public burial grounds for unnamed individuals who were likely enslaved or the poorest citizens.
This one opened in 1794 and is encased in a block connected by Vanderhorst, Coming, and Calhoun streets. That area was declared to be at burial capacity thirteen years later in the summer of 1807, according to Charleston County Public Library.
About 4,600 individuals were buried in the space.
'In this particular case, we believe the history of the property is more significant than the existing structure. That's why I want to reaffirm our strong and sincere commitment to properly commemorate both the YWCA and the potter's field that once occupied this site,' said College of Charleston President Andrew Hsu at the meeting.
'This history matters to us, and we are committed to honoring it in a way that is respectful, lasting, and visceral,' Hsu added. Detailed plans for the future memorial have yet to be announced.
During the public comment portion, several individuals spoke, including representatives from the Preservation Society of Charleston, Historic Charleston Foundation, and Charleston Black Lives Matter, asking members to defer their vote until the College had a more complete plan of what to do during possible excavations and further community input.
Anna-Catherine Alexander with the Preservation Society said that after her team assessed the site, they found no structural deficiencies that required demolishing the building.
'Further, the argument that the building must be removed to facilitate site work and removal of potential burials that may be found on the site is not within the BAR's purview to consider and, therefore, not grounds for demolition…' said Alexander.
'If a decision on demolition has already been made it calls into question of having this dialogue at all. Community involvement can not be rushed on arbitrary timetables. Once a building is gone, it's gone forever,' Alexander continued.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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