Lowe breaks ground on new waterfront hotel in downtown Charleston, announces regional office

Listen to this article

National real estate firm Lowe recently broke ground on The Cooper, its new waterfront hotel in downtown Charleston. The 225-key hotel will be built at 176 Concord St., adjacent to the Joe Riley Waterfront Park.

Lowe acquired the property from the S.C. Ports Authority in 2017.

The Cooper will include 12,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space on Concord Street, plus views of the harbor and downtown skyline.

The hotel is expected to include a waterfront cafe, a rooftop lounge and a restaurant. Fleet Landing restaurant is located on the property and will remain open during construction.

Lowe has worked with the city of Charleston to extend the Joe Riley Waterfront Park by more than 400 feet, starting at the park’s north entrance on Concord Street and ending at Cumberland Street, a release said. Lowe will build a new dock and marina facility to allow for public day boat dockage and water taxi service.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the hotel on Feb. 20 was attended by elected officials, community representatives and city leaders, including Gov. Henry McMaster, Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg, Explore Charleston CEO Helen Hill and Lowe co-CEO Robert J. Lowe Jr.

 “The Cooper and the expansion of Joe Riley Waterfront Park exemplify the positive impacts that take place when investors appreciate and work to improve our community’s landmarks.” Tecklenburg said.

Hill said the Lowe team’s design will be distinctively Charleston.

“Highly regarded accommodations like The Cooper complement our strategy to identify and attract discerning travelers who want to experience the region’s unique attributes, from authentic history to thriving cultural arts to soul-stirring landscapes,” Hill said. “For the local community, a full-service property like The Cooper becomes a civic benefit.”

Lowe also announced at the groundbreaking ceremony the formation of the company’s Southeast regional office in Charleston. The office will be led by Senior Vice President Dan Battista.

The company has owned and managed Wild Dunes Resort on the Isle of Palms for nearly 25 years, which Battista said makes Charleston an ideal home for its new regional office.

“With this expansion, we anticipate diversifying and pursuing additional investment and development opportunities beyond the hospitality industry,” Battista said. “We are proud to help contribute to Charleston’s renaissance and make the city even more special while preserving its unique charm.”

Lowe expects The Cooper to open in 2022.