The Charleston Trident Association of Realtors has partnered with Opticos to develop a “missing middle” housing study for the Lowcountry Rapid Transit corridor , according to a news release.
The project research officially kicks off this week as the Opticos team will meet with stakeholder groups and conduct site visits to learn and understand more about the neighborhoods in the LCRT corridor and document the existing build environment, the release stated.
“Missing middle” is a term used to describe housing types between traditional single-family homes and larger scale multi-family housing, the release stated. These housing types include duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, courtyard, bungalow, townhomes, and mixed-use housing that promote a live/work/play community.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to help shape the future growth of our region. Missing Middle housing is a way to add housing, without disrupting the fabric of our communities,” 2024 CTAR President Drew Grossklaus said in the release. “Partnering with Opticos, the global leader on the subject, we are proud to participate in this work with our local leaders.
“We believe this analysis will provide the roadmap to create housing opportunities where they currently do not exist and help make our region accessible to everyone.”
“Missing middle housing is a key piece of the Lowcountry Rapid Transit corridor development puzzle,” said CARTA Board and LCRT chairman Mike Seekings in the release. “Understanding the need and fostering an environment in which this housing type can flourish will not only support Transit Oriented Development objectives but also provide a bridge to existing neighborhoods and residents along the line, who should be foremost among the beneficiaries of South Carolina’s first mass transit infrastructure project.”
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North Charleston Mayor Reggie Burgess supports the work being done by this collaborative, the release stated.
“North Charleston will play a significant role in the Lowcountry’s future, and with the addition of LCRT through our city, we have the opportunity to create housing types for all income levels,” Burgess said in the release.
The LCRT Missing Middle study area includes Charleston and North Charleston of the 21.3-mile corridor. The study will be broken into two phases and conclude in 2025, according to the release. Phase 1 will occur in 2024 and includes reviewing the existing policies, stakeholder meetings, touring the LCRT corridor with officials, review barriers to entry, and a displacement risk analysis.
Phase 2 will take place in 2025 and focus on market sensitivity, lot size analysis, test existing zoning and recommendations, and a presentation of the findings with the report. This study will look to incorporate, not duplicate, the efforts by the BCDCOG, City of Charleston, and the City of North Charleston regarding the zoning framework along LCRT.
“We are working hard to address the affordability crisis in Charleston, but it takes all hands on deck,” Charleston Mayor William Cogswell said in the release. “By looking into the options around the “Missing Middle” and how we can better serve that market, we can work to fix our supply issues and make our city a better place to live.”
Jennifer Settle, senior associate with Opticos said, “The Opticos team is excited to partner with CTAR, and work with the cities of Charleston and North Charleston, to identify “Missing Middle” solutions that can help reframe the conversation about new housing choices. This study is an opportunity to thoughtfully lay out a path for providing new housing options.”
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