Everywhere folks turn, it seems that “development” is the buzzword around Daniel Island. Buildings are going up and leases are getting signed, bringing business upon business to the island’s downtown area. And with the Small Business Optimism Index reaching highs in 2018 and Daniel Island economist Steve Slifer predicting further economic increases in the next year, things could get busier for the area throughout 2019.
“The trend is bigger and better, as we’ve been moving over the past couple of years,” commented Lee & Associates Principal Pete Harper. “We’re moving from a small little office market to one of the largest—we have the two largest tech companies in all of Charleston on Daniel Island bringing 3,500 employees a day here. I think that’s huge and that’s the impetus for a whole bunch more demand from office tenants.”
“We’re going to see more architects, more engineers, more attorneys, the higher end professional categories, financial services,” Harper added. “We’re starting to see some other interesting types of uses that either feed off the port or feed off some of our other larger manufacturers.”
When talking about the mixed-use Central Island Square in the heart of Daniel Island proper, Harper listed off several businesses that will take up the building’s space. “MUSC is still doing their primary care, Beech is still doing their poke place, New York Butcher is working to get open, Tacos and Tequila is coming, the chiropractor is already open, and O2 is building out their full service work-out facility,” he said. “All those tenants are still coming.” “Everybody thought it was just a residential market where there’s a lot of high priced homes, but it really is one of the best submarkets in Charleston for offices because of the availabilities and the amenities that are serving those office employees,” Harper described. “Two or three years ago, a lot of brokers or a lot of office tenants didn’t consider Daniel Island. It didn’t even make it in their search criteria. Now it’s usually at the top.”
While only time can tell what will happen over the next year, Harper seemed optimistic about the business patterns for the area. “Daniel Island really has come into its own,” he said.
For more information on Daniel Island, please contact The Brennaman Group: 843.345.6074 – bob@charlestonproperty.net
