85 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com However, by 2016, shifts in global shipping trends, industrial operations, lack of demand and the cost and complexity of maintaining the waterway caused a sharp decline in local maritime activity, leading the port to close. The stagnation of operations led the property to remain underutilized until 2023, when Georgetown County acquired it. According to Georgetown County’s Economic Development Director, Kelly RobertsonSlagle, since assuming ownership Georgetown County Council and county staff have taken deliberate steps to prepare the site for its next chapter: creating a generational opportunity to reimagine one of the county’s most significant waterfront assets. “This work has included environmental review, site cleanup, removal of dilapidated structures, structural assessment and coordination with federal and state partners regarding the Georgetown Harbor navigation channel,” she explained. She added that in 2025, the council took the next step, issuing a Request for Qualifications for a Master Plan, which sought national-caliber planning, engineering and market and development expertise that would help create a realistic and actionable road map for the property. The RFQ generated 17 responses submitted from top firms across multiple states. On April 7, Georgetown County Council voted to approve the selection of the Mount Pleasantbased firm of Seamon, Whiteside & Associates Inc. to develop the Port Master Plan. With the goal of balancing economic opportunity, environmental stewardship, public access and long-term community benefit, the firm will evaluate land use, infrastructure, environmental conditions, market feasibility, public investment needs, private development opportunities and community priorities. The planning process, which Robertson-Slagle said is expected to formally kick off in the coming weeks, will include a robust public outreach component to ensure community input helps shape the future of the site to boost tourism, waterfront activation and community pride. “The completed plan will position the Port of Georgetown for sustainable growth and long-term benefits for residents and visitors,” she said. One such advantage will be the creation of new jobs in many different sectors, helping to offset hundreds of layoffs that resulted from the closure of the International Paper Mill and the Liberty Steel Mill in 2024. While both properties have since been purchased by River Development Equities, a development company with an office in Mount Pleasant, plans for their future have not yet been announced. Regarding the port project, Robertson-Slagle said she is confident the redevelopment will ensure a cohesive aesthetic that reflects the history, culture and beauty for which Georgetown is renowned, while providing an enhanced quality of life for the community. on the coast Provided by Georgetown County
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