kitchen countertopsNear Summerville, SC

Summerville designer Gray Benko and her family are on a quest to bring color and life back to historic spaces in the Charleston area. It’s a feat they are accomplishing head-on in a new TV series called “Happy to be Home with the Benkos.”

In six episodes, Gray Benko teams up with her craftsman husband, Mike Benko, and her father, Joe “Grumpy” Highsmith, to renovate portions of six historic Charleston-area homes.

Each episode features a different house that dates back at least 100 years. The idea is to add color, texture and fun to each one while breaking away from the “stereotypical farmhouse concept that has been so popular for so long,” said Mike Benko.

Most of the renovated spaces are ones the homeowners were unhappy with. They were either looking for a change, or the space needed some sort of structural or construction work.

The crew works to salvage the integrity of each home’s history while adding the flair of Gray Benko’s designs. Once complete, most of the spaces are revived from floor to ceiling with brand new construction, vibrant colors and patterns, antique furniture and fixtures from local shops.

Each member of the trio has their own rule in the renovations. Gray, who is also a photographer, is responsible for the designs. Highsmith, a general contractor from Hilton Head Island, oversees the construction. And Gray describes her husband, Mike, as a renaissance man who’s “like a jack-of-all-trades kind of guy.” He completes a personalized, special project for each homeowner.

Gray, a Lowcountry native, said her family’s passion for this work likely stems from living in historic homes for so many years. They’ve renovated their own homes, “and that’s kind of how this whole things started,” she said.

“I did our houses, people saw it on my Instagram, loved it and then started asking me for help with their house,” she said. “And then it all turned into this whole TV show thing, and here we are.”

“Happy to be Home with the Benkos” airs on the Magnolia Network, which features original shows curated by Chip and Joanna Gaines, the stars of the hit home renovation TV series “Fixer Upper” and owners of the Magnolia home brand. The show can be streamed on HBO Max and Discovery+, too.

Since the Benkos utilize local businesses to help with the renovations, many Lowcountry faces are seen on the show, too, like Charleston upholsterer Kelvin Moultrie of Carolina Auto Trim, seamstress Elizabeth Wheaton of Wheaton Whaley Home and designer Sally Bennet of Mirth Studio, among other South Carolinians.

The Benkos are currently taking on new projects in the Summerville and Charleston areas. Homes that are built in the 1920s or earlier are preferred.

“We are looking for people who are not afraid of color, obviously, and who have renovations that they already want to do,” Gray said.

Those who are interested should send an email to info.graybenko@gmail.com.

Enrollment is officially open for interested parents and families to sign up for a new private preschool opening up in the summer of 2024.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Enrollment is officially open for interested parents and families to sign up for a new private preschool opening up in the summer of 2024.

Goddard Schools Summerville is a unique program focused on behavioral health and well-being through play and inquiry-based training.

“Our mission is kindergarten readiness for all of our students,” Goddard Schools Summerville Co-owner Amy Strickland said. “And we serve families with little ones from 6 weeks up til right before kindergarten starts.”

The curriculum gives kids a chance to learn their own way by using their senses and minds to make early education more engaging and exciting.

“It empowers children to find their voices, ask questions,” Strickland said.

There are hundreds of these programs across the nation, Nexton’s new location being the eighth in South Carolina.

Tuition will vary depending on the age of your children, how many you hope to enroll and what schedules you would prefer.

The school needs final approval before it can begin building the facility. Officials hope to start construction next week.

The school will be located in a developing shopping center on Nexton Parkway and Brighton Park Boulevard.

The area is being built up and occupied by young families.

Some tell me that’s why it is the perfect spot.

One local parent with a former Goddard student says it’s been hard for young families to find childcare resources in the area.

“The Charleston childcare scene is absolutely in a deficit, we really need more and more,” Parent Katie Olejniczak said. “I know a lot of families there that desperately need daycare or desperately need an early childhood development program. And these waitlists are absolutely absurd.”

Olejniczak says the program made a remarkable impact on her daughter’s lifestyle.

“Cam in general loves being around people, loves playing, and she was just in such a positive environment.”

Strickland says it’s the most fulfilling experience she’s had.

“To be able to send 40 kids year after year to kindergarten not scared, not anxious, but happy and confident and ready to take on the world and so excited about school,” Strickland said. If they’re excited about school when they start kindergarten, that really maintains.”

Owners hope to kickstart an office space so that interested families can meet in person and ask questions.

For now, if you’re interested in joining the program as family or staff, you can find out more here.

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SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - The S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism recently granted nearly $34,000 to bring more people into Summerville.

The town, acknowledged for its charm, history and its people, wants to make sure everyone gets to experience some of the Summerville way.

“It feels good to be able to show off our hometown to people who can come visit and vacation here,” Town of Summerville Public Information Officer Chris Makowski said. “And to really see the beauty and the people that are here.”

Summerville sees a record number of visitors, sitting at around 250,000 every year and housing more than 50,000 permanent residents.

The town hopes to boost the statewide economy by encouraging tourism and development in the area.

The community shared their thoughts on the funding and what they hope to see come out of it.

One family, planning to move to the area in just a few weeks, was ecstatic.

“As far as bringing tourists in, I do feel like it’s worth it,” future Summerville homeowner Whitney Mourlam said. “It’s just a gem, and it’s worth coming inland a little bit to check it out.”

“It’s a great location, like a little way from the touristy feel but you can really blend in and feel like you’re a local right away,” future Summerville homeowner Mark Mourlam said. “We want to grow our family down here and live everything Summerville has to offer.”

One long-term resident said he enjoys seeing his town thrive, but worries about what it could mean for traffic, infrastructure and the cost of living.

“I’ve watched the growth, and it’s terrific how fast and how large this place has gotten,” Summerville Homeowner John Calvert said. “But you can only build so many apartments and so many subdivisions. We’re running out of space!”

There are no specific projects or plans for the grant.

The Town of Summerville says they want to allocate the money toward marketing campaigns through social media, magazines and the local visitor center, to name a few.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Charleston gained one restaurant and lost another during the past few days while two new dining venues are coming to the Summerville area.

Charleston Hospitality Group opened Republic of Pizza at 451 King St. on May 31 next door to sister restaurant Toast! on King. Salad-server Verde at 347 King closed its doors on May 26.

The pizzeria is the group’s 11th property in South Carolina, joining several Toast! All Day locations, Queology, Eli’s Table, John King Grill & Bar and Honkytonk.

The new restaurant offers appetizers, small plates, salads and Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizzas. It’s open from 3 p.m. until midnight daily. Beer, wine, cocktails as well as cappuccino and espresso drinks also are available.

A second pizza location is planned for Savannah later this year, according to Eric Parker, chief operating officer.

Lights out

A couple of blocks north of the pizzeria, a restaurant that launched a dozen years ago shuttered its flagship venue.

Verde closed after the owners decided not to renew their lease, according to a Facebook post. The owners hinted that they might not go away completely from the peninsula.

“We will continue to focus on our smaller footprint locations (keep your eyes peeled downtown),” according to the posting.

Verde has other restaurants on Coleman Boulevard and Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant and on Magnolia Road in West Ashley. It also offers On the Go locations at Charleston International Airport and the Medical University of South Carolina.

What’s cooking?

Another restaurant tenant has signed onto a new retail development near Summerville.

Mexican venture Catrinas recently leased 4,567 square feet in the One Nexton development at One Nexton Boulevard off Nexton Parkway. The site will be anchored by Publix supermarket.

Hannah Kamba and Brent Case of Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic represented the tenant. Jeff Yurfest of The Shopping Center Group represented the landlord, C4 Nexton PLX LLC, an affiliate of Charlotte-based developer Crosland Southeast, which bought the 24-acre site in 2021 for $12 million.

Sweet shop Dulce and Woodhaven Pizza recently signed leases in One Nexton as well.

On the way

Also in the works is a new restaurant venture in Summerville by the owners of a nearby dining venue.

Ginny and Chris VanZile, who own Lowcountry Fish Camp at 903 Central Ave., will open a pub-style diner called Lowcountry Public House at 1426 Central Ave. by late summer. It’s the former location of Ledyard Bar B Que Co.

New threads

A clothing retailer with stores in several major U.S. cities and abroad is coming to downtown Charleston.

Reformation plans to open in the summer in the 3,000-square-foot space vacated by retailer Steve Madden earlier this year at 287 King St., according to Wade Allen, president of the commercial real estate firm Lee & Associates, which handled the lease for the landlord.

The Los Angeles-based retailer’s website shows it is looking for a store manager in Charleston. Interior renovation is underway.

In addition to its home base, the company has shops in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Honolulu, Miami, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and sites outside the U.S. in Toronto and London.

A company representative did not immediately respond for comment.

In the works

A downtown Charleston restaurant plans to add a sipping lounge and private salon where an ice cream shop once operated.

Felix Cocktails et Cuisine at 550 King St. will add La Cave at Felix later this year in the 1,650-square-foot space left vacant in February when Odd Fellows Ice Cream Shop closed after 15 months in business.

What’s brewing?

A new brewery is inching closer to opening in the Charleston area.

High Score Brewing Co. recently applied for a state license to sell beer and wine for on-site use at 8210 Windsor Hill Blvd. near Ashley Phosphate Road in North Charleston.

Last fall, the brewery leased 5,000 square feet with a target of opening this summer. The new business also will offer arcade games and consoles from the 1970s through the 1990s.

It’s still in the construction phase but look for an opening by late summer, according to a company representative.

Soaring home prices and mortgage interest rates have made it far more difficult to buy a house, but most South Carolina residents overlook a valuable tax benefit that could help.

The mortgage credit certificate opens the door to a federal income tax credit that can be worth $2,000 every year of home ownership. It’s an unusual tax credit because you can only claim it if you obtain an MCC before closing on a home purchase.

One might think the prospect of saving $2,000 yearly would result in a stampede for MCCs, but last year just 69 were issued in South Carolina.

There are home price and income limits, because it’s considered a type of federally subsidized financing, but both are generous. And both limits just increased in South Carolina, which makes the MCC available to more potential home buyers.

In 18 counties income limits vary but the home price limit is the same. The highest county income limits for a household of one or two are in Beaufort ($133,560), Berkeley ($121,500) and Dorchester ($121,560), while the lowest income cap is $82,900 in Aiken, Anderson, Greenwood, Oconee, and Spartanburg.

So, if you’re buying a home that will be your primary residence and you meet the price and income rules, you could get a mortgage credit certificate. Over a decade of home ownership, that could be worth $20,000.

One obtains an MCC by working with a participating lender, and paying up to $1,000 in fees — $500 for the MCC and up to $500 in lender charges. Again, this must be done before completing the purchase of the home.

After that, you get a tax credit of up to $2,000 each year. The amount is based on 30 percent of the mortgage interest paid, so most people would get the full $2,000 year after year.

Remember that a tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in federal income tax owed. It’s much more valuable than a tax deduction, which reduces the amount of income that’s taxed.

While the mortgage credit certificate is a federal tax credit, it’s only available in participating states where a housing finance agency has agreed to administer them. In South Carolina, that’s SC Housing — the short name for the State Housing Finance & Development Authority — which started offering them in 2013.

SC Housing has more information, including participating lenders, at schousing.com or 803-896-2211. The email address is mortgage.production@schousing.com.

An MCC can not only save money every year, but can help a home buyer more easily qualify for a loan.

That’s because the $2,000 annual tax credit can literally increase the buyer’s monthly income, by $166. Taking the tax credit into account, a person could reduce the federal income tax withheld from their pay instead of waiting for a tax refund later.

There is one more rule to be aware of.

If you get an MCC and sell the home after less than nine years and your income has increased beyond the MCC income limits and you make a profit selling the house, then you’d have to give some money back to the government.

The amount would be the lesser of half the capital gain on the house or 6.25 percent of the original loan amount. Someone in that circumstance would still come out ahead but would have to repay some of the subsidy.

I wish South Carolina had offered mortgage credit certificates when I bought a house in 2004. That would have saved me $26,000 by the time I sold it.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Some businesses say prioritizing a sense of place in the town of Summerville is most important and sometimes that means new development, despite what some people might think.

Dorchester County has a proposed plan to turn 500 N. Main St., also known as their main county building, into a hotel, retail spaces, a parking garage and more.

Some businesses located in the heart of Summerville, like Eva’s Restaurant, think change is about time.

“If we don’t have growth, we don’t have a future,” general manager Tina Howard said.

Eva’s Restaurant has been serving the town since 1944. With the proposed development, Howard says she’s not worried about competition.

“I think it would benefit us as a small business with, you know, bringing in tourists,” Howard said. “...I don’t feel it would hurt us personally because we have such a strong, established business.”

Diane Frankenberger, the owner of People, Places & Quilts, says she’s watched Summerville grow for over 30 years. She says with the old post office as the new public works art center, the old Coca-Cola company as the new YMCA and an old hardware store as her own business, she believes both the county and town councils prioritize preservation.

“You have to go forward with the future,” Frankenberger said. “We still can’t have the same houses around here and the old town hall and no computers and blah blah blah. And so, it’s keeping a sense of place, but moving forward with an eye towards the future.”

The county has already approved plans to preserve part of the county building, which once was the old hospital, and improve the current Veteran’s monument.

“I think when people are calling names or say, ‘Don’t do something,’ let’s wait and see and work together and make the best use of what we’ve got there,” Frankenberger said.

Howard says she wants her 6-year-old grandson to be able to experience a flourishing Summerville, just like she has all her life.

“A lot of people complain about the growth and ‘People will stop coming here, we’re full, don’t come here,’” Howard said. “Without growth, we don’t have a future. The future is growth.”

Frankenberger says she’s ready to move forward.

“No more gas on the fire,” Frankenberger said. “Let’s put water on the fire.”

Dorchester County provided the following statement about the proposed plan:

Dorchester County is looking forward to having greater capacity and flexibility to complete the following projects from fee revenues of the redevelopment:

Funding to preserve the façade of the old hospital building.

A new civic park and improvements to the Veterans Memorial.

An additional $8 Million in funding to DD2 schools to supplement $2 Million from the TIF.

Provide $20 Million in funding for a Community Recreation Facility in the Summerville area.

Provide $2 Million in additional funding for streetscaping and improvements to Main Street and Cedar Street.

Provide credits for workforce housing for teachers, firefighters, law enforcement, and first responders within the multi-family development for at least 15 years.

A modern County office building and additional Class A Office Space in the downtown area.

A new downtown hotel and restaurant to provide much-needed retail and hospitality amenities in the downtown area.

Create additional parking by providing for the construction of a parking garage in the downtown area.

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