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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/

Elissa Morrison honored with National AIA Award in Washington D.C.

Mez Joseph

Liollio Firm Associate, Elissa Morrison, AIA, was recognized last week at the The American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Conference, as one of only 30 nationwide recipients of the 2024 AIA Young Architects Award. This prestigious award recognizes individuals for their exceptional leadership and significant contributions to the architecture profession and their communities.

Always seeking to elevate the quality of life for the communities she serves, Elissa has distinguished herself as an unparalleled leader and award-winning architect. Liollio would like to congratulate Elissa and all of this year’s award winners!

Earth Day Spotlight: Liollio Architecture + Hood Design Studio’s New Discovery Place Museum Begins Construction

Mez Joseph

Construction has begun on the new Discovery Place nature museum situated in Charlotte, NC’s Freedom Park. The reimagined nature haven, designed by Liollio Architecture and Hood Design Studio and constructed by Rodgers Builders, will be a world-class environmental education center serving the Carolinas. Founded in 1947 as the Children’s Nature Museum, Discovery Place Nature has been a staple in Charlotte’s education and cultural community for over 75 years. The museum conjures curiosity and activates the imagination through educational experiences that help us connect to the natural world. The new museum will be developed at the current location, providing a complete reinvention of the first nature museum in the Southeast.

The project is a public-private partnership between Mecklenburg County, who owns the property and facility, and Discovery Place, a non-profit leader for science education in the U.S. Liollio is leading the design, collaborating with Hood Design Studio—led by Charlotte native Walter Hood. Hood Design Studio is well-known for its award-winning landscape design, public art, and installation art, and have recently completed the International African American Museum in Charleston. Liollio has built a reputation of design through community engagement and collaboration, and their work is rooted in the particulars of place, people, and landscape.

“Mecklenburg County and Discovery Place are thrilled to have such a talented and environmentally focused team on board to bring a new future for Discovery Place Nature to life,” said Catherine Wilson Horne, President and CEO of Discovery Place Inc. “We can’t wait to see the vision formed by Liollio and Hood, two organizations with deep Carolina roots, come to life for one of Charlotte’s most beloved and important institutions. The new design will allow us to connect with the community in an elevated way, including signature environment educational experiences and programming for all ages.”

“We are honored to be collaborating with Discovery Place and Mecklenburg County on the new nature museum, which will combine Discovery Place’s capacity for innovation and education in science, nature and design with the incredible setting of Freedom Park,” said Jennifer Charzewski, Principal at Liollio Architecture. “For the Liollio and Hood Design Studio team, this has been an exciting opportunity to create an engaging and creative place for residents and visitors for generations to come.”

Hood Design Studio Principal Paul Peters notes that “the public gardens embody the cultural use of landscape for pollination, stormwater management, performance, and leisure. Elevating the visitor experience is a canopy walk, threading through the forest’s upper layers, featuring two distinctive treehouses that provide transformative interactions with the natural world. The museum will not be so much as place as it is a portal.”

The museum design is intentionally quiet, receding into the site and acting as a canvas for the incredible natural surroundings and exhibits.  The entrance faces Little Sugar Creek Greenway, with a free public garden filled with wildlife and native plants that invites the community to connect with and explore the wonders of our natural world. A double height lobby leads to multiple gallery spaces, designed for all ages, with live animals and interactives focusing on the Piedmont, along with multiple classrooms and multi-purpose spaces. Bird-safe glass protects the forest residents while allowing multiple visual connection points for the immersive experiences inside and out. Nature trails lead visitors through the forest offering fresh perspectives on the forest environment through demonstration pavilions, forest moments, creek interactions, and a canopy walk.

For more information about Discovery Place, visit discoveryplace.org.

Liollio Welcomes New Team Members Erin Estep & Nate Stoltenberg

Mez Joseph

Erin Estep AIA, LEED AP

Nate Stoltenberg Associate AIA

Liollio Architecture is pleased to welcome Architect, Erin Estep, and Designer, Nate Stoltenberg, to its studio.

A native of Delaware, Erin Estep earned her Master of Architecture and Bachelor of Science in Architecture at The Catholic University of America in Washington DC. Erin believes good design maintains strong connections to design concepts and client missions. As an Architect and Project Manager, Erin has been able to hone a skillset that ranges from client and team management to technical architectural skills. Her ambitions for continued growth and high design drives her to a detail-oriented, efficient work ethic, with a focus on delivering the best quality spaces for end users.

Upon graduating from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, Nate Stoltenberg relocated from Des Moines, Iowa to the Charleston area to join the Liollio studio as a Project Designer. Nate has a passion for sustainability and resiliency, which are important factors of responsible Lowcountry design. The representation of unique designs have been at the forefront of Nate’s education and interest. He values the process of physical model making as well as mixed media visual representation. Nate and Erin are valuable additions to the Liollio team, contributing in pinups, jumping into production, and elevating firm culture.

Liollio Architecture + SeamonWhiteside Selected to Design Rifle Range Road Park in Mt. Pleasant

Mez Joseph

The Town of Mount Pleasant’s New Rifle Range Road Park Site Plan - Transforming over 100 acres into a public park and recreation center for community enjoyment.

The Liollio Team is committed to working with the Town of Mount Pleasant to provide a world-class community park experience on Rifle Range Road for decades to come, and we are thrilled to continue our collaboration with SW+. Many of our team members call Mount Pleasant home, and we feel a strong sense of stewardship and responsibility for giving back to our community,
— Andy Clark, Principal, Liollio Architecture

Liollio Architecture + SeamonWhiteside (SW+), along with their team of local engineers, has been selected to provide planning, architectural, and engineering services for the newest park in Mount Pleasant, SC. Once complete, the hundred-acre Rifle Range Road Park will be an expansive community park in the Town. The completed park will provide a balance of passive and active spaces, preserving this natural resource for future generations while also offering recreational amenities for the community.

The design team is led by Liollio in partnership with SW+. The team will collaborate closely with Town leadership on master planning and site programming through construction to completion. Liollio will oversee overall project management and architectural design for a new recreation and community center. SW+ will assist in master planning, landscape architecture, and civil engineering services.

"The Liollio Team is committed to working with the Town of Mount Pleasant to provide a world-class community park experience on Rifle Range Road for decades to come, and we are thrilled to continue our collaboration with SW+. Many of our team members call Mount Pleasant home, and we feel a strong sense of stewardship and responsibility for giving back to our community," says Andy Clark, principal at Liollio Architecture.

"Making a lasting impact on the community in which we live is a huge source of pride for us here at SeamonWhiteside," says Gary Collins, vice president at SeamonWhiteside. "Not only are we excited for our employees to join neighbors and friends in experiencing the park once complete, but we're also excited to continue working alongside Liollio on another successful project here in the Charleston area."

Connected to Mount Pleasant Way, just north of Six Mile Road, the Rifle Range Road Park will add much-needed recreational amenities to the Town of Mount Pleasant and the surrounding neighborhoods. This new park will feature soccer fields, tennis courts, pickleball courts, beach volleyball courts, and outdoor basketball courts. In addition to these sporting components, a performance stage, grand lawn, picnic pavilions, playground, dog park, and walking trails are in the plans, with a central community building tying it all together. The community building will provide a 2-court basketball gymnasium, a walking track, and studios for community music, art, dance, and camp activities.

Rifle Range Road Park will be adjacent to beautiful wetlands and natural areas, allowing residents to enjoy the Lowcountry environment and amenities in a quiet, rural setting. Uniquely located and within walking distance of many residential communities, this park will provide a central hub to bring the local community together.

The partnership between Liollio and SeamonWhiteside will provide efficiency and cohesiveness. The two firms have worked together on previous projects, including Ashley River Park, a beloved and highly successful park for Dorchester County and the Tri-County region. The team is also currently working to complete Mt. Pleasant Fire Station #7. Liollio is recognized regionally for award-winning, sustainable architecture, using local history and culture as a guide, striving to create places that will become a source of local pride. SW+ is known for its ability to create stunning landscape designs and comprehensive site development. Rifle Range Road Park will undoubtedly benefit from the team’s combined skills and expertise.

CCPL Opens Renovated John L. Dart Library

Mez Joseph

Charleston County Public Library held the ribbon-cutting and grand reopening of the renovated John L. Dart Library in downtown Charleston this morning. The ribbon-cutting ceremony began at 9AM at the 1067 King Street branch. “We’re excited to show patrons the incredible transformation that has taken place at Dart,” said CCPL Executive Director Angela Craig. “The updates at the branch offer the surrounding community a modern library equipped with resources, services, and technology that complement our updated collection.”

Updates included new interior finishes, replacement of shelving, refreshed collection items (books, audiobooks, etc.), new furniture, technology upgrades, a private study room featuring Rev. John L. Dart’s personal book collection, and a new community meeting space.

Liollio is honored to have collaborated with the Charleston County Public Library, MB Kahn, and RMF Engineering on this momentous and meaningful project. Dart Hall, which was later replaced by the John L. Dart Library, was one of the original library branches established in 1931. Dart existed as a library for many years before the Charleston County Library adopted it as a branch. Dart Hall was originally built as the Charleston Industrial Normal Institute by the Rev. John L. Dart, a distinguished educator and a leading minister of the city. The current Library was built by the County Council in 1968 and named in honor of the late Rev. John L. Dart. Dedication ceremonies were held on Dec. 12, 1968, with members of the Dart family present.

For more information about this newly renovated library branch, please visit ccpl.org/construction.

USC's South Caroliniana Library Ribbon Cutting & Grand Reopening

Mez Joseph

The ribbon cutting for the University of South Carolina's South Caroliniana Library took place in Columbia recently and was a huge success! The library is our nation's oldest freestanding academic library and underwent meticulous renovation. Liollio is honored to have been part of the team who helped preserve this important and historic building for generations to come! Learn more about South Caroliniana Library, which houses the stories and the treasures of our state – from its leaders to its ordinary citizens. go.sc.edu/CarolinianaReopening

North Charleston's New Dorchester County Library Celebrates Ribbon Cutting

Mez Joseph

We are honored to have been part of the team for the new Dorchester County Library & Media Center in North Charleston. We were excited to attend the Ribbon Cutting ceremony last week, and the event was a huge success. Congratulations to Dorchester County Library, Dorchester County Government, Dorchester County School District, our amazing team and partners at Edifice, the City of North Charleston, and the greater community!

Firehouse Magazine Announces National Station Design Award Winners

Mez Joseph

Firehouse Magazine announced the winners of its ninth annual Station Design Awards program, which recognizes outstanding architecture and design from fire departments and emergency facilities nationwide. Peter Matthews, Firehouse Editor-in-Chief said, “This is the ninth year of the awards, and we are excited to see the advances in fire station designs. It’s wonderful to see the coordination between fire departments and architectural firms to design stations with a focus on keeping firefighters trained and healthy to better serve their communities. As fire departments become true all-hazard response agencies, their training and equipment needs grow, and the new facilities offer improved opportunities for firefighters to hone their skills.”

Winners were selected by a panel of seven judges, including fire chiefs and architects experienced in recent design and construction. Liollio is honored to announce that The City of Charleston Fire Station #11 received the Firehouse Station Special Design Award and James Island Public Service District Fire Station #1 HQ received a Notable Award.

Fire stations are essential public buildings that serve as critical infrastructure for emergency response services, and designing them requires careful consideration of operational needs, efficiency, and aesthetics. Receiving this award highlights Liollio’s commitment to creating spaces that not only meet the functional requirements of a fire station but also contribute to the community's architectural landscape. It recognizes Liollio’s dedication to designing buildings that enhance the well-being of the firefighters and the surrounding community while promoting safety and efficiency.

Showcasing and recognizing both projects is a tremendous honor and the Liollio team would like to thank Firehouse, the jurors, and our clients and project team. Congratulations to our clients at the City of Charleston, Charleston Fire Department and James Island Public Service District!

About Firehouse
Firehouse is the leading fire and emergency services brand, reaching more than 1.5 million visitors and subscribers monthly and thousands of attendees annually via its live events and media portfolio. The Firehouse brand encompasses Firehouse Magazine, Firehouse.com, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse Station Design Conference, Station Design Awards, and many print and digital products targeting fire and emergency services personnel. Utilizing its multiple platforms and unparalleled reach, Firehouse sets itself apart from the competition by fostering a culture that encourages innovation and the use of the latest digital and database technologies to best serve its audience and companies serving the marketplace.

USCB Hilton Head Campus Awarded AIA Charleston Design Award

Mez Joseph

Liollio is excited to announce that the University of South Carolina-Beaufort’s Hilton Head Hospitality Management Campus received an American Institute of Architects (AIA) Charleston Merit Award for New Construction at the 2023 AIA Charleston Design Awards. Congratulations to our clients and friends at USCB Hilton Head!

This 40,000 SF facility is a new resource for USCB’s Hospitality Department in Beaufort and for Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County and Jasper County's thriving hospitality industry. The design is harmonious with natural surroundings, incorporates campus culture and island character, and reflects the island’s ecological design principles and sustainable practices by achieving Two Green Globes sustainability certification. The entry portico mimics the architectural style of the Old Beaufort College Building, referencing the history of the University while also reflecting its evolution. In addition to State and USCB program requirements, municipal aesthetic requirements are unique to the Island. The team led a successful collaborative effort to develop the design of this much needed school and event space for the Region. Liollio, in association with Bialosky, carefully developed the iconic design for this two-story facility. The site design focuses on preserving the island’s natural aesthetic through sensitive redevelopment. The design limits disruption to the environment, enhances the existing natural elements, and incorporates natural materials and finishes.

 Liollio Architecture Elevates Team Members to Associate

Mez Joseph

Liollio Architecture is pleased to announce the elevation of Lance Eubanks, Liz Corr, and Sarah Glass to Associate. The Liollio team celebrates their accomplishments and looks forward to their continued leadership. Congratulations to our new Associates!

Lance Eubanks, AIA, LEED AP,
a Mississippi native, earned a Bachelor of Architecture at Mississippi State University. Lance has worked on multiple project types, including Biomedical Research Centers, Federal and Municipal projects, Higher Education Learning Environments, and Healthcare Facilities – always drawing his inspiration from the people who occupy these buildings. He fosters an encouraging and collaborative environment on each of his project teams. Lance is a member of AIA South Carolina and an alumnus of the AIA Christopher Kelley Leadership Development program. Prior to joining Liollio, Lance worked as a Project Manager and Project Designer in Washington DC. 

Liz Corr, AIA, GGP, is a native of Philadelphia, PA. She completed her undergraduate education at Shippensburg University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics before completing her Master of Architecture at Clemson University. Liz’s professional experience includes projects in the Community, K12, Higher Education, and Federal markets. Her passion lies in education, library, and other community-centered design, where she believes architecture can have the most influential and positive impact. Liz is a member of AIA South Carolina, a board member with the Charleston Chapter of the ACE Mentor Program of America, and an Aqua Angel and regular volunteer with the Charleston Parks Conservancy.

Sarah Glass, AIA, a native of Charleston, received her Bachelor of Design in Architecture at the University of Florida and her Master of Architecture at Clemson University. She believes that the built environment has an incredible amount of influence on people’s lives. Sarah’s professional experience includes K12, Higher Education, Community, and Federal projects. She is the current AIA Charleston President, a past-chair of AIA SC’s Equity in Architecture Committee, and is involved with the Clemson Architecture Center in Charleston. Sarah is a studio leader, consistently bringing passion, confident direction, and expertise to the studio and on every phase of a project that she’s involved in.

Celebrating the Careers, Achievements, & Contributions of Principals Cherie Liollio, AIA & Tommy Schimpf Upon Retirement

Mez Joseph

Cherie & Tommy’s combined experience spans a total of 80 years. Though we celebrate their careers, contributions, achievements, & retirement, they will remain part of the core foundation upon which Liollio Architecture was built and part of our professional family forever.
— The Liollio Team

Richland Library Ballentine Awarded AIA Charleston Merit Award

Mez Joseph

Liollio is excited to announce that Richland Library Ballentine received an American Institute of Architects (AIA) Charleston Merit Award for New Construction at the 2022 AIA Charleston Design + Service Awards last month. Congratulations to our clients and friends at Richland Library!

Richland Library Ballentine is a suburban public library that creates a wooded escape to support an active local community of artists and craftspeople. The library provides a connection to the outdoors that includes an artist’s corner for quiet, meditative work surrounded by nature. The central public space is seen as a living room, a linear space which is oriented away from civilization and culminates in a framed view of an undeveloped woodscape. The living room is punctuated by three public art works, including a wisteria tree which drapes playfully over a children’s reading area, crocheted by library patrons.

Ashley River Park Event Pavilion Honored With AIA South Atlantic Region & AIA Charleston Awards

Mez Joseph

Liollio is excited to announce that the Dorchester County Ashley River Park Event Pavilion received an American Institute of Architects (AIA) South Atlantic Region Merit Award for New Construction at the 2022 ASPIRE Conference in Asheville NC. The award-winning project also received an Honor Award for New Construction at the 2022 AIA Charleston Design + Service Awards last month. Congratulations to our clients and friends at Dorchester County Parks and Recreation, as well as, our Ashley River Park partners, SeamonWhiteside!

Liollio, in association with SeamonWhiteside, developed the new Ashley River Park for Dorchester County SC. The new 85-acre park features many amenities, including walking trails, fishing pier, dog park, interactive play foundation, playgrounds, open lawn, gatehouse, picnic shelters, event pavilion, restroom building and outfitters center. The event pavilion was designed for a wide variety of events, including family reunions, corporate events, weddings, music venue, etc. The outfitters building includes the park offices, tenant space for the future ropes course company, large conference room, a screen porch for school group programming and public restrooms. The team worked together to integrate the buildings and landscape. The Park has been warmly embraced by the community since its grand opening in March 2022.

2022 Aspire Design Awards Winners Winners were revealed at ASPIRE in Asheville NC in September. To view the awards gallery, click on the award image above.

Library Journal Features Award-Winning Charlotte Mecklenburg South County Regional Library

Mez Joseph

Liollio Architecture’s partnership with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and Mecklenburg County NC is featured in the latest Library Journal article “Future-Proofing Libraries Through Flexible Design” by Jessica Levine. Be sure to check out the coverage of South County Regional Library!

We are also excited to share that South County Library received an American Institute of Architects (AIA) South Atlantic Region Merit Award for Interior Architecture at the 2022 ASPIRE Conference in Asheville NC. Congratulations to our visionary clients!

As a civic building, a library should support a community’s needs and also represent that community’s identity, aspirations, or unique sense of place.
— Jennifer Charzewski, Liollio Principal & Community Market Leader

2022 Aspire Design Awards Winners Winners were revealed at ASPIRE in Asheville NC in September. To view the awards gallery, click on the award image above.

Liollio Principal, Jennifer Charzewski & Others Present at Pecha Kucha 40

Mez Joseph

Liollio Principal Jennifer Charzewski Presents at Pecha Kucha Charleston

PechaKucha, which means the sound of conversation in Japanese, was first conceived by Tokyo architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham, who were seeking a way to encourage student presenters to use PowerPoint in a more organized and succinct manner. PechaKucha has spread to over 135 cities around the world as an informal forum for creative people to meet, network and show their work in public. Each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for just 20 seconds, giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This keeps presentations concise, the interest level up, and gives more people the chance to show.

PechaKucha 40 took place at Charleston Music Hall on Thursday, September 15, 2022 and featured presenters Candace Patterson, Will Kiser, Bintou N’Daw, Kalyn Oyer, Chase Quinn, and many others, including Liollio Principal Jennifer Charzewski. Check out all the presentations on Charleston Music Hall’s Youtube page.

Liollio's Elissa Morrison & Other Honorees Celebrated as CRBJ's 2022 Forty Under 40 Recipients

Mez Joseph

Last week the Charleston Regional Business Journal's 2022 Forty Under 40 Awards Ceremony was held at Charleston Gaillard Center. Liollio Associate and Architect, Elissa Morrison, AIA, was honored as one of the 40 recipients. The Liollio team would like to congratulate Elissa and all of this year’s honorees!

Charleston Regional Business Journal
Written by Jenny Peterson
Photography by
Ariel Perez
SEP 16, 2022


They’re volunteers, non-profit board members, foster parents, founders of nonprofits that help children and the community and pioneers in their fields.

Even more outstanding? They’re all under 40 years old.

More than 250 people attended the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 event, celebrating those young people’s accomplishments while feasting on prime rib and a mashed potatoes bar. The event was sponsored by Charleston Southern University and the Charleston Gaillard Center.

Each nominee was called to the stage and their resumes and community service highlighted by emcees Quinn Gaines — a past Forty Under 40 winner and director of business development for Choate Construction’s South Carolina Division — and Jason Thomas, executive editor of SC Biz News.

While the nominees work in a wide variety of industries — real estate, architecture, transportation, legal and health services, property management, hospitality — all of them have a deep passion for giving back to their community.

Collectively, the nominees dedicate their time and support the following organizations: The Susan G. Komen dragon boat race, Teacher’s Supply Closet, Green Heart Project, American Red Cross, Chase After the Cure, Girls on the Run, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center, Next Child Fund, One80Place, Goose Creek Planning Commission, financial literacy organization Increasing HOPE and the Junior League of Summerville.

Many nominees use their business skills to help the community, like Max N. Gruetzmacher, member attorney at Motley Rice, who has offered legal services for Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center, Charleston HALOS, Lowcountry Food Bank, Charleston WaterKeeper, Charleston Animal Society, Palmetto Paws and Charleston Legal Access.

Doing good through their work, Nichole Johnson, a local missions ministry leader at Seacoast Church, runs a warming shelter for homeless people in West Ashley. Devon Andrews, director of policy and partnerships at the Charleston Parks Conservancy, created community initiatives like Books on Buses, Books for Babies programs, Free and Fresh Fridge initiative.

Personal missions include the creation of new important nonprofits. Zach Volousky, vice president and financial consultant at South State Investment Services, co-founded Pickle’s People, which supports children and families that are undergoing a recent childhood cancer diagnosis, following his young daughter’s Leukemia diagnosis.

Marcus Bryant, a formerly homeless youth, founded Compass Collegiate Academy, a free charter school in North Charleston, and has dedicated his service to empowering marginalized communities.

Breaking down barriers in health care, Jill Dunnigan, manager of Provider Network Management for Select Health of South Carolina, served as the company’s first culturally and linguistically appropriate services coordinator. She learned about the problem of cultural and linguistic barriers while studying in Spain during college, where she experienced the struggles one encounters when using a health care system in a non-native language and culture. Dr. Cerrissa Hugie was recognized as the first female Black psychiatric nurse practitioner to open her own practice in Charleston.

Celebrating the local community, Dawn Boren, senior management specialist at Boeing, writes a children’s book series called Stories of the Gullah Geechee Children in her free time.

“Beautiful beaches, an historic downtown and great weather do not make a community — people like these 40 young people do,” said Thomas. “It takes many people volunteering their time and talent to build a strong, rich, vibrant, caring community. The selfless examples, the breadth and depth of community service and volunteer work represented tonight, is truly inspiring.”