Exploring The Possibilities Of The 'New Neck'

"The New Neck, fast becoming one of the hottest urban redeveloping areas in the nation, extends northward up to North Charleston's Park Circle. In its new geography, it's a stretch of land as large as Manhattan.

In this region's debate about growth, about where more homes should be built or not built, the New Neck is the best staging ground to demonstrate how more people can live closer to major job centers. It's the proving ground for rebuilding whole neighborhoods without violating the legitimate rights and interests of people already there.

But putting a hard squeeze on the New Neck are a bunch of big decisions, all coming at once, with the clock ticking. The size and routing of Interstate 26 road access to the port terminal, the potential of better freight railroad connections — all are in the hands of assorted government agencies and private companies that generally see little need to talk with each other."