In the Dickensian sense, 2009 was the worst of times, and the best of times for South Carolina. Hit hard by the global recession, the state's unemployment soared to an alarming 12 percent. Nationally, South Carolina became the butt of jokes on late night television comedy shows as Governor Mark Sanford admitted to having an extra-marital relationship with an Argentine reporter.

© Andrew Gould The Southeast Region is making some serious headway regarding its commitment to renewable energy strategies, and nowhere is that more evident than in Charleston, S.C. Freelance writer Keith F. West, who has a finger squarely on the pulse of all things renewable in Charleston, provides his perspective of the emerging trends helping shape Charleston's reputation as a renewable forerunner—an industrial backwater city no more as it plants the seeds for a 21st Century economy. © Hunter-Desportes © flickr.com/photos/randomurl

Despite the embarrassing distractions, the state began planting seeds for a 21st century economy in late 2009, as a number of nationally significant, brownfield-based economic development projects were announced around the Charleston metro area.

Pioneering Green Energy
Last November, the U.S. Dept. of Energy announced that the Clemson University Restoration Institute, located on a brownfield site of the former Charleston Naval Base in North Charleston, will be the national research site for a wind turbine drive train testing facility—a project that could ultimately generate more than 20,000 jobs statewide. The $98 million seed capital for the center has attracted the attention of companies like General Electric, with CEO Jeffrey Immelt saying in late 2009 that the corporate giant was "quite interested" in the project.

Nearby, Boeing Aircraft Co. announced that it would build a second plant in North Charleston near the Charleston International Airport for its next generation passenger aircraft, the 787 Dreamliner. As construction of the new plant began at a furious pace, the plant is projected to initially employ 3,800 workers during the current economic downturn.

Nationally, experts predict a new East Coast avionics hub mirroring Seattle's post-World War II evolution as a technology center. The Boeing investment of $750 million represents the largest single industrial announcement in the U.S. during the current recession.

National Honors
Nationally, the media began recognizing the region as one of America's greatest comeback stories. In December, Forbes Magazine recognized the Charleston metro area as one of the world's "Top 10 Smartest Cities," proclaiming, "Once an industrial backwater, Charleston now seems poised to emerge as a major aerospace center."

The City of North Charleston received the first-ever Home Depot Foundation Award of Excellence for Sustainable Community Development, for its progress in implementing the 3,000-acre eco-friendly Noisette Community Master Plan. The Foundation cited the 55-acre, green infill Oak Terrace Preserve neighborhood, built on the site of formerly dilapidated, former World War II naval shipyard housing, as the national example for sustainable redevelopment.

At a 29th Annual Economic Outlook Conference at the University of South Carolina, economist Doug Woodward proclaimed that the state's long recession is over, with the Lowcountry leading the South Carolina, and the Southeast, in the recovery. Even with national economic woes, South Carolina's Lowcountry seemed poised to realize the vision of becoming the "Silicon Valley of the Restoration Economy," a concept forwarded by revitalization expert and author Storm Cunningham in the early 2000s.

Brownfields Controversy
In 2009, the state of South Carolina unveiled preliminary plans to build an inter-modal rail facility on the site of the former naval base in North Charleston. The rail yard would be the first of its type in the nation, serving a new terminal for the Port of Charleston, which has been losing volume for the past decade, largely due to the emergence of Savannah as a major port and the aftershocks of the economic downturn.

The state's announcement created a firestorm of controversy, as rails would run through the city of North Charleston's revitalizing Park Circle residential and commercial district. Taxpayer concerns mounted over the fate of the northern end of the former naval base.

The city's Comprehensive Plan for redevelopment calls for a mixed-use community in the area surrounding the naval and industrial sites. Mayor Keith Summey contends that North Charleston is not the "dumping ground" for the region's heavy industry, promising lawsuits that could tie up port expansion for years if a compromise on the rails is not reached.

The year also witnessed setbacks for regional brownfield redevelopment. With Capmark Financial, Inc. declaring bankruptcy, a court-appointed receiver was named for the Noisette Company, LLC, as part of a foreclosure suit by that lien holder against the company on 240 acres at the former naval base. In late 2009, Noisette officials stated that they were working towards securing a new financial backer to replace Capmark.

Nearby, developers of The Magnolia Project, a mixed-use brownfield development which borders the adjacent cities of Charleston and North Charleston, are reportedly waiting for market conditions to rebound before any new construction begins.

Nonetheless, regional indicators point to a rebound. "Clearly, North Charleston is moving to the forefront of sustainable communities in the U.S.," concludes Summey. "Recent economic development announcements and national honors point to the city as planting the seeds for a 21st Century economy."

Keith F. West is a writer and corporate communications consultant who lives in Charleston, SC. He can be reached at keithfwest@comcast.net