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News

Happy Women’s History Month 2025!

Mez Joseph

As we look back on Women’s History Month, Sarah Glass reflects on her experience at last year’s AIA Women's Leadership Summit. This inspiring event brings together the industry’s largest network of women for impactful programming, leadership seminars, expert insights, and networking. We are proud to be a part of an organization that empowers women to break down barriers to become leaders in the industry. Mark your calendar for the 2025 Women’s Leadership Summit happening November 3-5 in Atlanta! For more info click here.

CCPL's Edgar Allan Poe/Sullivan's Island Library Ribbon-Cutting & Grand Reopening

Mez Joseph

Congratulations to Charleston County Public Library on the grand reopening of Edgar Allan Poe/Sullivan's Island Library! Our team had the pleasure of attending the ribbon-cutting celebration Tuesday morning, where we heard from local leaders, connected with community members, and spent some time with Owlbert, CCPL’s mascot. The library is located in the renovated Battery Gadsden, a former Spanish-American War battery built to protect the South Carolina coastline. Angela Craig, Executive Director of Charleston County Public Library, shared an impactful message: “For nearly 50 years, the Edgar Allen Poe/Sullivan’s Island Library has been more than just a place for books – it’s been a gathering space for the community and, quite literally, a repurposed stronghold!” We are honored to have been a part of this meaningful renovation and look forward to seeing the continued positive impact this library will have on its visitors!

“While the history of this building may linger in its walls, the true magic happens in the connections made between neighbors, friends, and readers of all ages.” – Angela Craig, Executive Director, CCPL

SPOTLIGHT ON: NAVYA TUMMALA

Mez Joseph

Spotlight On is our tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and get to know them better. Our next Spotlight On feature of 2025 is Navya Tummala. A valuable asset to the team, Navya joined Liollio in 2024 and is a graduate of Savannah College of Art + Design (SCAD), where she earned his Master of Architecture degree. Navya is dedicated to creating spaces that foster connection, inspire creativity, and promote sustainability. In an ever-changing world, she sees architecture not as static structures, but as dynamic reflections of our values and aspirations. By listening to the needs of the public, embracing the principles of unintrusive design, and practicing with intentionality, Navya strives to create spaces that resonate with the human spirit and stand the test of time. We sat down for a Q+A session with our newest Spotlight On feature:

Where did you grow up?
Frisco, Texas – a suburb in the DFW area.

Are you married
No

Do you have children?
No

What do you like to do for fun?
Play with my dog, crochet, read

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them.
I have a two-year-old dog named Oakly! He is a super sweet Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who does pretty much everything with me.

Favorite place(s) to go locally?
Since I try and find things my dog can do with me, pretty much any parks or walking trails around Charleston are our most frequented spots.

Favorite restaurant?
There is a brewery in Savannah called Hopatomica that has the best pizza.

Favorite food?
Either burritos or pizza

Least favorite food?
I think I can eat anything honestly!

Favorite book?
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is incredible, very emotional but an amazing book.

Do you play any instruments?
I played piano growing up but I am very out of practice now.

What song is at the top of your most played list?
I get fixated on a new song every couple of months, but right now it is I’m Still Fine by the Red Clay Strays.

Favorite musical artist or genre?
Folk/Country

Favorite visual artist?
I love any contemporary or mixed media artists. I think my favorites are reserved for my friends I went to college with who are amazing illustrators and creatives.

Favorite television show?
Our Planet; or anything with David Attenborough

Favorite book or author?
Kristin Hannah and Khaled Hosseini are both writers whose books I always enjoy.

Favorite podcast or blog?
This American Life or Armchair Expert

Favorite movie or genre?
I don’t think I have a favorite movie, but I can never go wrong with some kind of historical fiction.

Last movie you watched?
Wicked

Favorite place you have traveled to and why?
I traveled to Kenya a few years ago, and that was incredible. Being able to see wildlife and animals that candidly is indescribable.

Favorite style of architecture?
Anything where local craft is visible. The most meaningful pieces of architecture I have seen or interacted with that have struck me most were ones where I could observe local materials and means of construction; seeing the hand of the people in which the architecture serves in its construction makes the physicality of it even more connective for users.

What building have you visited that most impressed or inspired you?
I grew up visiting small temples in different villages throughout Southern India. I was most inspired by these buildings because of what I stated previously in that each one had its unique identity based on its location and community that built it.

What would the book or movie about your life be called?
Navya?

Who would play you in a movie about your life?
I would love to see an interpretive rendition of my life preformed by my dog, Oakly.

If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
An otter so I could float in the water all day.

Are you messy or organized?
Organized

What’s your pet peeve?
Seeing anyone being disrespectful

Guilty pleasure?
I don’t think I have one.

Tell us a random fact.
I have the same birthday as Barack Obama.

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?
Jane Goodall

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see?
I try not to glamorize historical events because there’s a lot more nuance to events that have taken place than I am sure I realize, but witnessing New York City on V-J Day I am sure would be a unique experience.

If your house was burning down, what is the one non-living thing you would save?
My glasses or contacts

What three traits characterize you?
Organized, welcoming, and friendly

What’s your astrological sign?
Leo

What is your personal philosophy?
To give others and myself grace

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?
My loved ones

What is your greatest fear?
Honestly, losing someone I love.

What is your superpower?

I can remember conversations pretty verbatim; months can go by and I’ll be able to recall what someone else and I talked about word-for-word.

What inspires you most?
The people I love

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Raising my dog

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
The inclusivity and diversity of the office, there is not one person with the same background or experience and all that diversity creates such a rich and welcoming team to work within.

What does true leadership mean to you?
Being a representation of the ideals most valuable to a team/workplace (i.e. being respectful, inclusive, etc.)

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
Wildlife conservationist

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
Nothing is that serious.

How do you define success?
Feeling fulfilled in staying true to your ethos as a person, but also challenged in your craft.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
My boyfriend always gives me amazing advice, and one of the things he told me was to tend to the parts of the garden you can see. It is part of one of his favorite quotes but it is something I replay in my head a lot when things feel turbulent in work, school, etc.

Association for Learning Environments SC Conference 2025

Mez Joseph

Last week Andy Clark and Sarah Glass led a session at the Association for Learning Environments SC Conference in Hilton Head, SC. Alongside Charleston County School District’s Executive Director of Capital Programs, Jasmeen Shaw, and Brownstone Construction’s Senior Project Manager, Bobby Teachey, they presented the story of Early College High School on Wilmot J. Fraser Campus. The session highlighted how one school district’s willingness to listen and learn from the community led to the creation of a state-of-the-art educational facility focused on future opportunities. We are grateful for the opportunity to share this important story. Thank you to the A4LE organization for this experience!

Celebrating Charleston County School District's An Evening with the Stars 2025 Gala

Mez Joseph

Charleston County School District recently hosted its An Evening with the Stars Annual Gala and Silent Auction, an event that raises awareness of public education through community partnerships, honors the accomplishments of educators, and helps fund the annual Charleston Educator Symposium for principals and teachers.

We were honored to celebrate Early College High School Principal, Barrett Reese, as he was recognized as Star Principal. This achievement highlights seven outstanding leaders for the 2024-2025 year who have demonstrated dedication and creativity. A part of CCSD for 17 years, Mr. Reese joined Early College High School in 2019. Through his strong relationships with students, families, and community members, he has proven to be a trusted leader at ECHS.

Liollio would like to congratulate Principal Reese and all of this year's remarkable award recipients!

Old City Jail Honored with Preservation Award at 71st Carolopolis Awards Ceremony

Mez Joseph

The Preservation Society of Charleston (PSC) handed out more awards last Friday evening than they have in 30 years at the 71st Carolopolis Awards, showcasing outstanding achievement in historical preservation and restoration throughout the Charleston area. The PSC recognized Landmark Enterprises with a Carolopolis Award for the Exterior Preservation of the Old City Jail — a project we were honored to contribute to.

Once neglected and at risk, this landmark has been carefully rehabilitated, balancing preservation and adaptive reuse. The restoration retained the Jail’s historic character while introducing thoughtful interventions, ensuring its continued use and stewardship.

Twenty-seven awards were handed out in total — the most since 1995. Liollio would like to congratulate all of this year’s award recipients!

Celebrating Black History Month 2025: Reflecting on Wilmot J. Fraser Elementary

Mez Joseph

This Black History Month, we honor Wilmot J. Fraser Elementary and its namesake. Originally built in 1957 as Columbus Street Elementary, the school was part of South Carolina’s Equalization Program, built for African American students. The school became a vital hub for the Eastside community, a gathering place during pivotal historical moments, including the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo, Civil Rights rallies and the assassination of John F. Kennedy, as recounted by the Eastside Community Development Corporation board.

The Columbus Street school was later renamed in honor of Wilmot J. Fraser, a dedicated African American educator, and continued to shape young minds and benefit the community. Fraser served not only as Principal of Columbus Street Elementary, but also East Bay Elementary, and the Archer School among others. He went on to act as the supervisor for all African American schools in Charleston and later assistant director of elementary schools for the entire county.

Throughout his career, Fraser was committed to uplifting students and ensuring that schools served as centers for both education and community support. As one of the initial organizers, president, and board member of the Elementary Principal Association within the South Carolina Palmetto Education Association (PEA), he worked to strengthen teacher development and mentor the next generation of educators. His efforts laid the groundwork for lasting change in Charleston’s education system.

Now, through community engagement sessions, the next chapter of this historic site is being written. Early College High School will preserve the stories of the past while creating future opportunities for students in one of South Carolina’s most historically significant neighborhoods. 

By weaving together history, resilience, education and community, this project ensures that Wilmot J. Fraser’s legacy continues—providing a stable foundation for the future to take root.

City of Charleston Fire Station #23 Groundbreaking

Mez Joseph

This week, Liollio joined the City of Charleston and Charleston Fire Department for the City of Charleston Fire Station #23 groundbreaking on Johns Island. Designed to meet the growing needs of Johns Island, this new station will provide enhanced coverage. We are proud to contribute to a project that strengthens resilience and meets future needs. 

Discovery Place Celebrates Topping Out Milestone of Charlotte Museum of Nature

Mez Joseph

We recently had the honor of attending the Discovery Place Charlotte Museum of Nature Topping Out Ceremony. We are excited to see this impactful space take its next steps with this milestone! The building taking shape is thoughtfully designed to serve as a threshold, connecting public spaces such as the new Gathering Grove, Little Sugar Creek Greenway, and Freedom Park to the immersive and magical forest floor experience. This landscape-driven design approach reflects our goal to inspire museum visitors to move from observing nature to actively participating in the natural world around us.

We are grateful to our design, engineering, and construction partners: Hood Design Studio, Stimmel, Stewart, Optima, Wildlands Engineering, and Rodgers Builders. A special thanks to Discovery Place and Mecklenburg County for giving us the opportunity to help bring this meaningful vision to life!

Liollio Joins SC Aquarium for MLK Jr. Day of Service

Mez Joseph

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, Liollio participated in the South Carolina Aquarium's Litter Sweep and Food Drive at Harmon Field in Charleston on Monday. This event aimed to clean up the roadsides along the Gadsden Creek marsh, helping prevent trash from polluting the Ashley River. We are honored to contribute in keeping our community clean.

A special thank you to the South Carolina Aquarium for organizing this impactful event and to The Citadel Near Center for Climate Studies, Charleston Parks Conservancy, Kids Teaching Flood Resilience, Carolina Ocean Alliance, and The MARSH Project for partnering in this environmental initiative.

Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mez Joseph

Liollio observes Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 20, 2025. This is a day for honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., giving back to our community, and observing the holiday in a way that is meaningful.  MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service, to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities, as we celebrate and carry forward Dr. King’s great legacy.

For more info, visit: https: americorps.gov/serve/volunteer/mlk-day
For information regarding MLK day events:
 ywcagc.org/mlk-celebration.html

SPOTLIGHT ON: NATE STOLTENBERG

Mez Joseph

Spotlight On is our tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and get to know them better. Our first Spotlight On feature of 2025 is Nate Stoltenberg. A valuable asset to the team, Nate joined Liollio in January 2024 and is a graduate of the Iowa State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree. Nate has a passion for architectural design and sustainability. Representation of unique designs have been at the forefront of Nate’s education and interest. Nate values the process of physical model making as well as mixed media visual representation. We sat down for a Q+A session with our newest Spotlight On feature:

Where did you grow up?
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Are you married?
Soon to be!

Do you have children?
Nope just my dog.

What do you like to do for fun?
I love the beach, whether its surfing, playing spike ball, or just hanging out with a cold one!

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them.
I have a dog named Bean that was a failed foster because as soon as we held him at the shelter we knew he was coming home with us!

Favorite place(s) to go locally?
Brown Fox Coffee is my favorite coffee on a Saturday morning, but Shem Creek is also a blast for food and drinks. My favorite meal I’ve had in Charleston though is for sure Hall’s Chophouse.

Favorite restaurant?
Lewis BBQ is my go-to. Their brisket and banana pudding are amazing.

Favorite food?
Popcorn is my favorite snack by far.

Favorite book?
Im not a big reader but I prefer non-fiction. My favorite book is Side Country by John Branch

Do you play any instruments?
I played piano for a couple of years in elementary school but nothing since then.

Favorite musical artist or genre?
Its tough to pick one but I really like Drake and AC/DC (what a combo).

Favorite television show?
Dexter for sure because it kept me entertained through covid.

Favorite podcast or blog?
Kill Tony (not true crime its comedy)

Favorite movie or genre?
The Dark Knight

Last movie you watched?
I watched the new Joker movie without realizing it was a musical so that was a shock.

Favorite place you have traveled to and why?
I really love Hawaii because the islands have so much to offer from culture, cuisine, hikes, beaches. It is a slower lifestyle that is very welcoming and fun.

Are you messy or organized?
I am an organized person.

Guilty pleasure?
Lewis BBQ

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?
Anthony Bourdain

What’s your astrological sign?
Sagittarius

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
I really enjoy when the studio comes together for a pin up or think and drink to hangout and bounce ideas off one another.

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
Slow down

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Comparison is the thief of joy.

LIOLLIO WELCOMES NEW TEAM MEMBERS

Mez Joseph

Liollio is happy to announce the addition of four new team members to our studio! We are thrilled to welcome Madison Koeman as Business Development Coordinator and Gauge Bethea, Navya Tummala, and William Scott as Architectural Designers. Welcome to the studiollio new team members!

AIA South Carolina Awards Reflection: Exceptional Projects & Visionary Clients

Mez Joseph

In this time of reflection and celebration, Liollio is so grateful to our wonderful clients who invest in great buildings to serve their communities! Cheers to our colleagues and clients who were recognized in 2024 with AIA South Carolina Design Awards, recognizing this vision and commitment to design excellence. We are honored to have collaborated on these four American Institute of Architects South Carolina award-winning projects.

AIA South Carolina has recognized the City of Charleston with an AIA South Carolina Honor Award for Carr-Richardson Park, James Island Public Service District with an AIA South Carolina Merit Award for the new James Island PSD Fire Station 1 Headquarters, The University of South Carolina with an AIA South Carolina Citation Award for the preservation of the South Caroliniana Library, and Landmark Enterprises with an AIA South Carolina Merit Award for the rehabilitation of Old City Jail.

Exceptional projects are the result of collaboration with visionary clients. Liollio congratulates our clients and collaborators on these amazing accolades!

MUSC Breaks Ground on New College of Medicine & Administrative Building

Mez Joseph

Liollio Architecture, in collaboration with [tag The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM)], is proud to be part of the journey to redefine medical education in South Carolina. The new Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine & Administrative Building will provide a space for students, staff, and faculty to support innovation and progress in medicine, education, and research. We celebrate MUSC’s leadership in education and their commitment to excellence as they break ground on this facility. Congratulations to the MUSC community on this milestone! Take a sneak peek at the new MUSC College of Medicine below.

Behre: A rehabilitation that took a lot of reimagining (and fighting) - The Post and Courier Article

Mez Joseph

The renovation of Charleston's Old City Jail into offices and event space included meticulous retooling of the stone surround on its main entrance.

By Robert Behre
Nov 16, 2024

One of Charleston's last unrestored landmarks — the Old City Jail at 21 Magazine St. — has emerged after a 7-year-long saga to reimagine, rehabilitate and repurpose one of the city's most fraught places into one of its most engaging.

A building that began life around 1802 housing criminals, debtors and enslaved people is now a creative mix of uses, ranging from a tour company on its first floor that gives visitors a glimpse of its past to new offices and an event space on the third floor and on the outside grounds that will define its future.

Importantly, the city, its preservation community and nearby residents worked with the developer, Landmark Enterprises, to give it the flexibility needed to create new commercial and office space in the middle of a residential neighborhood.

Such flexibility is key to reusing, and therefore revitalizing, unique properties, whether it's something the size of this jail or the tiny brick filling station at 80 Ashley Ave. 

The inside of the Old City Jail retains many unique, historical details, such as this small cage in a cell block door.

Architect Jay White of Liollio Architecture added the only visible new touch, a handsome vertical addition in the rear that provides an elevator and external stairs, both of which were needed to satisfy modern handicap access needs and safety codes. Not only is the addition tucked away, but it barely touches the historic jail. It's complementary but not competing.

The stair and elevator addition to the Old City Jail also includes small "Juliette balconies" from which visitors can look over its spacious grounds.

Very few other renovations of historic buildings receive the kind of governmental scrutiny the jail did. In addition to the city's Board of Architectural Review, the plan of work also needed the blessing of the State Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service because its work was financed in part by state and federal historic tax credits.

As Jonathan Oakman with Landmark notes, securing all those approvals was a monumental task, as these different agencies had strong opinions that weren't always in agreement. That added time and money to a project that already needed a lot of both.

Old jails may be the most difficult buildings to adapt and reuse, though the city's second jail — the so-called "Seabreeze Hotel," built in the 20th century as an immigration station but later converted into a jail as the city finally closed its Magazine Street jail in 1939 — was successfully fixed up several years ago.

The second floor room of the Old City Jail that has been renovated for office use.

But the Old City Jail posed a far more challenging task: It was built in three segments: a main series of cell blocks that opened in 1802, with a jailer's quarters added closer to Magazine Street in 1859, and a rear, octagonal cell block that was added on the back. After the 1886 earthquake, the 1802 section's floors were rebuilt with steel and concrete. During the past century, the steel rusted and expanded, causing the concrete floors to push against the exterior sides.

Chunks of those floors already had been removed by the time Landmark bought the building, but it was up to Charles Blanchard Construction Co. to remove the rest and rebuild them to stop the damage.

Outside, about 40% of the brick work needed repointing, and 70% of the plaster replaced. All the window bars had deteriorated due to rust; they were removed, repaired and replaced. The nice thing about using the building as offices is they did not have to be attached quite as securely as when burly inmates naturally tested them.

Much of the stucco on the Old City Jail needed to be replaced, but some older portions were fine. And the building still has a patina reflecting its age.

The renovation also kept some ornamental plasterwork and a timber-framed shelter on the grounds, both of which reflect the recent years in which the American College of the Building Arts operated here before moving uptown to the renovated trolley barn.

"It was a challenging project that never truly wanted to get pinned to the mat," Jason Ward of Landmark says. "It was a fight the whole way down."

The stone detail on the front door was meticulously retooled and is more dramatic than the entrance to many churches. Inside the spaces are comfortable and austere in a genuine way.

The stone entrance to the Old City Jail was meticulously retooled and expresses the building's grandeur.

Landmark received the Historic Charleston Foundation's Whitelaw Founders Award this spring for its rehabilitation and excellent stewardship of the old jail, and more laurels are almost certainly on the way.

When I met Ward years ago as he was embarking on the project, he called it "so scary" and "so cool" and "so interesting." Years later, he's given the city an imposing old jail with a dramatic new and far more cheerful life.

It's so cool and interesting, it's scary.

The three-story central stair inside the Old City Jail still is illuminated by a skylight.

Read the article on The Post and Courier’s website here.

Liollio's Sarah Glass Honored with CRBJ's Forty Under 40 Award

Mez Joseph

The Charleston Regional Business Journal held it’s annual Forty Under 40 event last week at the Charleston Music Farm in downtown Charleston celebrating this year’s honorees. We are thrilled to share that Sarah Glass, AIA, Liollio Project Manager, Architect, & Associate, was honored as an award recipient. Honorees are chosen based on their career achievements and philanthropic efforts in the community. Liollio Architecture would like to congratulate Sarah and all of the 2024 Forty Under 40 honorees!

College of Charleston’s Albert Simons Center for the Arts Celebrates Grand Re-Opening

Mez Joseph

Our team was thrilled to celebrate the grand re-opening of the College of Charleston’s Albert Simons Center for the Arts. We were honored to present the College with a plaque reflecting its certification of Two Green Globes by the Green Building Initiative, in recognition of their commitment to sustainability. The Renovation and Expansion of the Simons Center, home of studio art, music, theatre, dance and more, had four leading goals: Modernizing Arts Education, Sustainability & Resiliency in the Urban Coastal Environment, Connecting History and the Future, and Showcasing the Arts. 

The revitalized School of the Arts building includes a new Black Box Theatre, new studios for sculpture, printmaking, drawing & painting, theatre design, costume shop, music classrooms, practice rooms, and a scene shop, in addition to active learning classrooms for Art History and Arts Management, faculty offices and spaces for student gathering. A new transparent Commons, that doubles as student gathering in the day and pre-function space in the evening, was added to welcome visitors in from the Green Way to experience the arts. 

President Hsu and Dean Jayme Host spoke at the opening, saying “this beautiful building bolsters our position as the artistic heartbeat of Charleston, as these spaces benefit our students as well as the community."  The reimagined Simons Center has ~100,000 SF of bright and colorful spaces that are inviting to students and visitors alike. The colors featured throughout the building are inspired by iconic architectural features found on campus along Green Way, College Way, and the Cistern Yard, such as the blue-green door of Towell Library and the rich coral color of Randolph Hall.

We would like to thank and congratulate College of Charleston and our entire AE team on the completion of this exciting and collaborative project! We can’t wait to attend all the exhibits and performances this fall! For more information on upcoming events, visit http://calendar.charleston.edu/simmons-center.

OLD CITY JAIL AWARDED HISTORIC CHARLESTON FOUNDATION'S 2024 WHITELAW FOUNDERS AWARD

Mez Joseph

Click image for more information.

The Old City Jail at 21 Magazine Street served as the county jail from its construction in 1802 until 1939 and was home to a variety of infamous inmates. Historic fabric and finishes were maintained wherever possible but there are challenges to retrofitting a jail for modern use. The new office suites have exposed brick walls, 14 to 16-foot ceilings, metal bars on the windows, and bars on some interior doors. Historic Charleston Foundation honored Old City Jail, LLC with a 2024 Whitelaw Founders Award for the rehabilitation and excellent stewardship of the Old City Jail. Liollio Architecture congratulates Old City Jail, LLC and our team on this amazing achievement. We’re honored to have been part of the team for the preservation and repurposing of this important and historic Charleston landmark. Congratulations to all of this year’s award recipients!

To learn more, visit: historiccharleston.org/blog/charter-day-2024-award-winners/