Designer of Summers Corner To Shape A Sustainable Vision
February 2018
As a member of Dorchester County’s Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee, I was asked to present a county history, including current and future land-use initiatives, to Design Workshop and Urban Design Associates (UDA), the two firms that were hired by the county to assist with the update to their comprehensive plan. I was familiar with Design Workshop’s extraordinary track record in planning and urban design, and Rob Robinson of UDA had been highly recommended by a friend and former colleague, Tom Moriarity of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, so I knew the project was in the best of hands.
While he’s based in Pittsburg, PA, Rob Robinson is no stranger to the Lowcountry. His familiarity with the area and especially Summerville, goes back several years when he and his design firm were selected to be the lead design team for Summers Corner, a multi-use community that began residential construction in 2015. Today, it is an integral part of the East Edisto region, which spans Dorchester and Charleston counties.
L-R Rob Robinson, chairman of Urban Design Associates, and George W. McDaniel, president of McDaniel Consulting. Robinson leads UDA’s strategic design approach to urban design as well as some of its biggest projects around the world. Rob has also been instrumental in resurrecting the use of Pattern Books in urban design today, and he co-authored “The Architectural Pattern Book” with Norton Publications.
The county invited Rob and his firm back to the area in 2016 to develop the vision for 90 newly zoned acres around the Cooks Crossroads intersection at Bacon’s Bridge Road and Highway 61, part of a subdistrict within the Ashley River Historic Overlay. The area along 61 attracts many thousands of visitors a year thanks to the appeal of its historic 18th-century plantations, including Drayton Hall where I am Executive Director Emeritus. And the number of both locals and newcomers putting down roots in popular developments like Summers Corner and Legend Oaks continues impressive growth as word spreads about our vibrant communities and the remarkable quality of life that surrounds them — a quality of life that can only be sustained through careful planning and a viable infrastructure.
“The challenge is what’s going to happen to all of these wonderful green areas. If it’s not done right, there’s no Plan B. This is it.” – George W. McDaniel on “County land-use, parks, and connectivity” as reported in this excellent and detailed article in the Summerville Journal Scene.
I presented a history of the county to the teams who will be working on the update to the county’s Comprehensive Plan.
Taking a walking tour during orientation.
Reviewing conservation and trail maps.
Residents are on board with green space development. County residents approved a $43 million bond referendum in 2016 that included $13 million for parks and trails. – Summerville Journal Scene
George W. McDaniel, Ph.D., is President of McDaniel Consulting, LLC, a strategy firm that helps organizations use history to build bridges within itself and to its broader constituents. The company’s tag line, “Building Bridges through History,” is grounded in McDaniel’s personal beliefs and his experience in site management, preservation, education, board development, fundraising, and community outreach. Rather than using history to divide us, he strives to help organizations use history, especially local history, to enhance cross-cultural understanding and to support local museums, preservation, and education. Dr. McDaniel recently led volunteer efforts with Emanuel AME Church and historical organizations in Charleston to use historic preservation to enhance racial reconciliation and healing. McDaniel is also the Executive Director Emeritus of Drayton Hall, a historic site in Charleston, SC, owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He retired from Drayton Hall in 2015 after 25 years of distinguished service.
A frequent writer, speaker, and facilitator about such issues, he can be reached at gmcdaniel4444@gmail.com or through his website at www.mcdanielconsulting.net.
Header Image: Cooks Crossroads at the intersection of S.C. 165 (Bacons Bridge Road) and S.C. 61. Photo credit: Jenna-Ley Harrison, Summerville Journal Scene
McDaniel Consulting LLC is a strategy firm that helps organizations use history to build bridges within itself and its broader constituents.