AC Repair in Seabrook Island, SC

The more than 20,000 square foot facility will be located at 1884 Seabrook Island Road, near Bohicket Marina. The Sea Islands community is expected to undergo significant population growth over the next few years, especially those residents 65 and older. The Sea Islands are also geographically isolated, situated more than 20 miles from the nearest hospital. The area also accommodates a large seasonal population of tourists, many of whom have trouble navigating local health care services.

“It can take up to 45 minutes to get to the nearest hospital from the Sea Islands. That’s too long for an emergency situation such as a stroke, where every minute counts. As the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, we are committed to delivering the best possible care, closest to home,” said David J. Cole, M.D., FACS, MUSC president. “This new medical pavilion will provide rapid access to outstanding care for the entire Sea Islands community.”

As part of the MUSC Health system’s overarching strategy, the MUSC Health Charleston Division has worked to provide better community access and local care in the greater Tri-County region, as well as coastal communities to the north and south of Charleston. This enables better capacity at the flagship facilities, which offer specialized and complex care downtown while enhancing overall accessibility and continuity of care for patients and families, especially in underserved communities. Since 2019, four new multispecialty ambulatory care platforms have opened in West Ashley, North Charleston and Mount Pleasant.

In addition to 24/7 emergency care, the facility will offer two trauma rooms, a rooftop helicopter pad, and a medical office building that will provide primary and specialty care, including imaging and lab services, cardiology and physical therapy. A telemedicine network will connect the entire facility to some of the nation’s top providers at MUSC Health in downtown Charleston. The Town of Kiawah Island donated $1 million to create a healing, restful green space and garden adjacent to the new facility.

“Accessibility to the wonderful health system and hospitals we have here has been a concern, so it was exciting to hear about this project,” said Town of Kiawah Mayor John Labriola. “My hat’s off to the MUSC Board of Trustees and the institution’s leadership, because getting a certificate of need is not easy… personally, I look forward to the ribbon cutting and seeing our garden that will be named for the Town of Kiawah.”

The project was made possible in part by Kiawah Partners, which was acquired by South Street Partners in 2013, who donated 6 acres of land to the Medical University Hospital Authority (MUSC Health), valued at $4.85 million.

"This project was initiated to meet the huge need for medical services on Kiawah Island, Seabrook, and Johns Island. With no convenient emergency healthcare options currently available, we have been working for seven-plus years to figure out a way to bring accessible healthcare to the Sea Islands,” said Chris Randolph, South Street Partners. “Thanks to MUSC, we will soon have a world-class medical facility that provides so much more than what we had originally envisioned. We couldn’t be more pleased to have been able to donate the land for this project and feel very grateful to partner with such an excellent health care system.”

Of the estimated $30 million needed to fund the project, MUSC is committed to raising $17 million in private support. To date, it has received more than $9.5 million in confirmed gifts, with many coming from local residents.

“Private support is critical to the long-term success of the MUSC Health Sea Islands Medical Pavilion because of the many financial challenges that come with operating a medical facility in this community,” said Kate Azizi, vice president for Institutional Advancement. “One challenge is the low population density of the Sea Islands. While this is an aging population that needs timely access to medical care – there aren’t enough people living in these communities full time to sustain our operations. Philanthropic support helps fill those gaps, allowing us to deliver the best care possible where and when it’s needed.”

Donors Chris and DeeDee Gibson are giving $2 million to the project. In recognition of their generosity, the physical therapy space will be named in their honor. “My family has been coming to Kiawah for close to 40 years,” Chris Gibson said. “When my wife DeeDee and I built a home here, she had one request: that there was a hospital nearby in case of an emergency. All these years later, we are excited to contribute to the new MUSC Health Sea Islands Medical Pavilion and to help make these vital medical services available to our neighbors on Kiawah, Seabrook and Johns islands.”

“The construction of a full-fledged medical facility with emergency services is a dream come true for all Johns, Kiawah and Seabrook Islands,” said local resident Pam Harrington, who donated $2 million and will name the emergency department after the Harrington family. “As our population continues to grow and more folks are retiring to our area, the demand for medical services grows with it! Being a Kiawah/Cassique resident for many years, the addition of a medical pavilion fills a real need that has existed over several decades. Prior to my 40-plus years in real estate on the islands I was a practicing ICU nurse. This medical center is near and dear to my heart! As a thank you and show of appreciation to all who have been so supportive of my success, here, on the Sea Islands, it seems befitting to take this opportunity to give back in a meaningful way.”

Construction is expected to conclude in late 2023.

Quote bank:

Seabrook Mayor John Gregg – “It is indeed my pleasure to welcome MUSC to Seabrook Island, as our local community will be well served by the capabilities of this facility and the practitioners who will staff it. We look forward to having better availability of care, ranging from emergency room treatment, to advanced diagnostics for the ailments, bumps, pains, scrapes, stings, and strains that come with having an active and diverse population.”

MUSC Board of Trustees Vice Chairman Charles Schulze – “On behalf of the board, I want to acknowledge, commend, and deeply, deeply thank you for your dedication hard work and the public private collaboration that is taking place to get us to where we are today. As an air force veteran of the Vietnam war, I know the importance and necessity of teamwork. When you have a complex mission ahead of you in those situations, your unity as a team is your biggest strength… And it didn't matter where you live, where you were from or what your background was in our military. You learned that persistence, perseverance, collaboration, and expertise are critical to the success of a mission. And it's been no different in this case. When the board began to discuss the feasibility of this project, we knew it wasn't going to happen without teamwork and vision. Not only from everybody at MUSC, but also from the community here in the sea islands.”

MUSC Health System CEO and Executive Vice President of Health Affairs Dr. Pat Cawley – “What makes this project challenging is that it doesn’t fit into normal health constructs. We spent a lot of time with the community, trying to gauge what was needed and it was clear that there was tremendous community support for this project and it was the engagement with the concept of neighbors caring for neighbors and the work of the community to reach out to state officials and regulators that helped make this project a reality. MUSC Health is proud to be a part of this community and its health care provider of choice, and we are humbled by the level of support we are receiving to bring this shared vision to reality.”

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a unique mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates more than 3,000 students in six colleges – Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy – and trains more than 850 residents and fellows in its health system. MUSC brought in more than $327.6 million in research funds in fiscal year 2021, leading the state overall in research funding. MUSC also leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health funding, with more than $220 million. For information on academic programs, visit web.musc.edu

As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Patient care is provided at 14 hospitals with approximately 2,500 beds and five additional hospital locations in development; more than 350 telehealth sites, with connectivity to patients’ homes; and nearly 750 care locations situated in all regions of South Carolina. In 2022, for the eighth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.

MUSC and its affiliates have collective annual budgets totaling $5.1 billion. The nearly 25,000 MUSC team members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, students, affiliates and care team members who deliver and support groundbreaking education, research, and patient care.

DeeDee and Chris Gibson have spent time on Kiawah Island, about 25 miles south of Charleston, for about four decades. “DeeDee and I built a house here, and one request she had was that we had a hospital close by for emergency needs,” he said.

But there wasn’t one. Now, thanks to the generosity of the Gibsons and other donors, that’s about to change. The mayors of Kiawah and Seabrook islands joined leaders from MUSC on Sept. 8 to break ground for the MUSC Health Sea Islands Medical Pavilion.

DeeDee Gibson, who with her husband contributed $2 million to the project, was on hand to see it. “I’m just glad to be a part of it. We just needed it so badly.”

The pavilion, on Seabrook Island Road near the Bohicket Marina, will serve Kiawah, Johns and Seabrook islands and the surrounding area. Pat Cawley, M.D., CEO of the MUSC Health system, said the goal is to bring health care to the people who need it. “We would establish this by providing a 24/7 emergency room, more primary care, more specialty care and all of this would be backed up by a world-class academic health system.”

Here’s a little more detail about the features Cawley mentioned. The free-standing Emergency Department will have a helipad for people who need to be flown to MUSC Health’s downtown Charleston hospital, four exam rooms, two trauma rooms and fast-track triage, along with X-ray, CT scan and lab services.

Other services in the medical pavilion will include:

David Cole, M.D., president of the Medical University of South Carolina, said the pavilion symbolizes the future health of the community and thanked everyone who helped make it possible.

“Your dedication to the health and wellness of this community will have an impact for generations to come. This marks a major milestone for this community and the many who will come after you and also the many who will serve here on a daily basis, certainly a beginning of a journey.”

That journey is possible due in part to the real estate investment firm South Street Partners. It donated the land for the medical pavilion and has strong ties to the area, including a luxury senior living site under development near the medical pavilion.

But the journey to this point hasn’t always been easy. Charles Schulze, chairman of the MUSC Board of Trustees, noted the time and effort that have gone into it.

“As an Air Force veteran of the Vietnam war, I know the importance and necessity of teamwork. When you have a complex mission ahead of you, in those situations, your unity as a team is your biggest strength. And it didn’t matter where you live, where you were from or what your background was in our military. You learned that persistence, perseverance, collaboration and expertise are critical to the success of a mission,” he said.

“And it’s been no different in this case. When the board began to discuss the feasibility of this project, we knew it wasn’t going to happen without teamwork and vision. Not only from everybody at MUSC, but also from the community here in the Sea Islands.”

Leaders of those islands were happy to help realize that vision. They thanked MUSC Health for bringing badly needed care to the area.

“We look forward to having better availability of care, ranging from emergency room treatment to advanced diagnostics for the ailments, bumps, pains, scrapes, stings and strains that come with having an active and diverse population,” said Mayor John Gregg of Seabrook Island.

Kiawah Mayor John Labriola said he also looked forward to seeing the healing, restful green space and garden adjacent to the new facility that his town donated $1 million for.

MUSC is still raising money to build the medical pavilion. Of the estimated $30 million needed, MUSC is committed to raising $17 million in private support. So far, it has more than $9.5 million in confirmed gifts, with many coming from local residents such as the Gibsons. They said it’s rewarding to be able to help.

“We’re really excited to be a part and contribute to MUSC and really look forward to having the medical needs for everybody on Kiawah, Seabrook and Johns islands,” Chris Gibson said.

A new chef familiar with South Carolina will now lead The Technical College of the Lowcountry's Culinary Institute of the South.

Chef Francine Marz will serve as dean of the Culinary Institute of the South, a news release said.

The Culinary Institute of the South is a 30,000+-square-foot training facility in Bluffton that features six academic classrooms, two teaching kitchens, one show kitchen, a baking lab, lecture theater, teaching restaurant, and a café, TCL said.

Students can choose from one of three program areas at the Institute: , baking and pastry, culinary, and hospitality, and can elect to earn an associate degree or certificate in these areas.

“I’m very excited about the building and all the potential opportunities that are here,” Marz said. “The team at the culinary school and the college itself were just the right fit.”

Marz, a South Carolina native, said she is excited to be relocating back to her home state and the Lowcountry.

“I love this area and the fact that it is a growing area, and just everything it has to offer,” she said.

Marz has more than 30 years of industry experience, most recently serving as culinary director for Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, TCL said. While at Northampton, Marz oversaw renovation of the school’s student-run restaurant, culinary kitchen and related facilities. She also headed up the college’s culinary program, overseeing faculty, catering and students .

Prior to working for Northampton Community College, Marz worked for Montgomery County Community College in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, where she was responsible for opening its Culinary Arts Institute and launching the school’s curriculum, a news release said..

Before moving into education, TCL said Marz worked in a number of restaurants, hotels and resorts across the country, such as Marriott Hotel and Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World, often serving in leadership roles or as executive chef.

TCL President Richard Gough said in the news release the college was very happy to have Marz join the team.

“Having worked in the industry and also having opened and worked at not one but two culinary schools similar to ours made her the ideal candidate for the dean’s position,” Gough said. “Her energy and enthusiasm will certainly have an impact.”

Marz earned her doctorate in organizational leadership, innovation and learning last year from Wilmington University in New Castle, Delaware.

She also holds a master’s in business administration with a concentration in international business and finance from Argosy University in Phoenix; a bachelor's in food service management from Johnson & Wales University in Charleston; and associate degrees in baking and pastry and in culinary arts, also from Johnson & Wales. While in college, Marz worked at the Mills House Hotel, Seabrook Island Resort and Peninsula Grill.

Marz replaces Chef Miles Huff, who retired in June. TCL said Huff was instrumental in launching the Culinary Institute of the South, which opened last November.

SEABROOK ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - An ongoing battle over short-term rentals is brewing on Seabrook Island, where homeowners say uncontrolled growth of properties is affecting their quality of life.

Homeowners Ted Flerlage and Paul McLaughlin said although they do not want to end short-term rentals on the island, the effects of recent growth have prompted them to call for a cap on short-term rentals.

“If you come here in July, around July Fourth, as a resident walking out boardwalk one, let’s say, to north beach, there’s no space, and that is a rental issue,” Flerlage, who has lived on the island since March 2020, said. “That is a noise issue. It is a parking issue because every spot on the limited parking area is taken.”

The two homeowners have spearheaded the Preserve Seabrook effort. A letter sent to residents as part of the effort says concerns “center on the uncontrolled growth of short-term rentals, especially on streets where there are many full-time and private residential properties.”

“We aim to retain a reasonable offering of properties that can be rented by guests who love to visit and vacation on our beautiful island, while ensuring Seabrook does not gradually morph into a resort community,” the letter states. “We believe adding a cap on the number of resort properties on Seabrook would protect the unique qualities of our island while allowing revenue generated through rental properties to continue to flow back to the town through state and county accommodation taxes that the renters pay.”

Over 300 residents have signed a petition to cap the number of short-term rentals on the island, according to McLaughlin.

The petition seeks a single question on the Nov. 2, 2021 ballot that asks if voters support:

“Seabrook, when I bought here in 2002 and built our house here in 2009, it was more like ‘Cheers,’” McLaughlin said. “Everybody knew your name. Now, with the influx of 500 rental properties and growing, it’s changed a lot, and the quality of life on the island has changed a lot.”

Seabrook Island Mayor John Gregg said a petition from those calling for a cap has been sent to a committee, which will conduct a factual inquiry and then report to town council with recommendations.

“The object for the ad hoc committee was to identify inquiries of factual matters that could inform council as it considers whether or not it is warranted to do further regulation,” Gregg said.

The mayor added that to operate a short-term rental on the island, homeowners need to have a business license and a permit from the town.

McLaughlin and Flerlage said they welcome the data-driven effort but want more communication from the town and to work with them on a solution.

“Our question to them: What is the tipping point? If 500 isn’t the tipping point, is it 600? Is it 700? Is it 800? So, in the meantime, we need to figure it out,” McLaughlin said. “We need to halt what’s going on. Everybody keeps what they currently have, and we study the problem, and we figure out what the solution would be. We don’t make the problem worse while continuing to study it.”

“These are people who live in South Carolina and vote in South Carolina who live on the island and vote on the island,” Flerlage said. “These are the people who are their direct constituents – the people who vote for the mayor and the town council. It’s more than 300 of those people who signed up, which is nearly as many as who voted for them in the last election on Nov. 2, and in our opinion, there has been no communication and we’ve been getting fairly short-tripped on the issue.”

Copyright 2021 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Breathtaking beaches may be found all along the beautiful South Carolina coast. Tourists shall try one of the secret beaches on seldom frequented barrier islands if they want to escape away to their own quiet stretch of heaven. These sandy sanctuaries may be found all along the state's coastline, from SC's southernmost point to North Myrtle Beach, and offer a peaceful location to wander down the beach, look for shells, or simply soak up the sun. Only accessible by boat, most of the mesmerizing islands have remained undeveloped, preserving the beach in its natural state. Here are the best 10 underrated South Carolina beaches.

Charleston's Barrier Islands

Charleston has evolved to become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States, garnering several honors from travel journals. The interesting history, enchanting charm, and tasty gastronomy are all appealing, but tourists can also extend their vacation by a few days to visit some of the greatest beaches in the South. Only 45 minutes to an hour from downtown, the splendid peninsula of Charleston is encircled by barrier islands. There are several beautiful beaches to visit in the area!

Bulls Island

Bulls Island is the biggest of four barrier islands in the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, and it stands along with one of the most pristine stretches of shoreline on the east coast. The famous and unique Boneyard Beach, where the remnants of surf-battered trees are sprawled over the sand, is one of its seven miles of beaches. A ferry to the island is available for tourists, as well as a variety of guided excursions such as a Bulls Island sunrise tour, beach drop, kayak trip, and multiday adventure.

Capers Island

Travelers shall visit this state history preserve, located 15 miles (24km) north of Charleston at the southwestern edge of the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, on a picturesque kayak or boat tour. Along with a beautiful beach, they will be able to see a variety of dazzling birds, including endangered brown pelicans and ruddy turnstones. On the island, 294 different kinds of migrating birds have been sighted. Capers Island, like Bulls Island, features a "Boneyard Beach" formed by years of erosion.

Daufuskie Island

The splendid Daufuskie Island, located directly over Calibogue Sound from Hilton Head Island, will make its visitors feel a million miles away from society. It's not uncommon to observe no one when walking along the bewitching white sand beaches. To get to Daufuskie, travelers have to take a boat or water taxi from Hilton Head to Freeport Marina's public pier, then hire a golf cart and drive all the way across the island to the beach. They should not miss out on seeing the astonishing remainder of this remote South Carolina sea island and its numerous wonderful historical monuments while they're there.

Morris Island

This amazing 840-acre deserted island is located at the mouth of Charleston Harbor, across Lighthouse Inlet from Folly Beach, and is known for its historic 19th-century lighthouse. The incredible 150-foot brick structure now remains in the ocean just offshore after years of degradation. The stunning beach, on the other hand, is as lovely as ever, and it's an awesome place to hunt for seashells, especially sand dollars. Morris Island may be visited on a boat or kayak excursion organized by local outfitters.

Folly Beach

Folly Beach, South Carolina, is renowned as the "Edge of America" and is one of Charleston's most beautiful, well-known, and famous beaches. The Washout is a notable surfing area on the island's awesome eastern edge. If tourists continue walking until they reach a cul-de-sac, they may stroll to an abandoned road with hurricane-damaged foundations covered in colorful graffiti. A rookery of pelicans may also be seen where the Atlantic Ocean meets the clear water of Folly River.

Seabrook Island

The magnificent Seabrook Island has been home to soldiers, pirates, and well-to-do Charleston families over the years. The Seabrook Island Club is now a private community with beach access and vacation rentals. The splendid beaches are exclusively available to members and visitors due to the island's setup. The bewitching untouched sand is unlike any other beach in South Carolina. Aside from the beaches, Seabrook Island's tourists may ride their bikes throughout the land. Marsh rabbits, sea turtles, whitetail deer, and alligators are just a few of the fauna worth seeing.

Isle of Palms

The unique Isle of Palms is a high-end destination. Although the beautiful beach is still available to the public, there are several places that are only accessible if visitors stay at a resort or rent a unit. Beach access is available at Isle of Palms County Park, along with expert seasonal lifeguards and a dedicated swimming area for children. An exciting playground and marvelous picnic areas are also available.

The Grand Strand

The astonishing "Grand Strand," which runs between the Little River and Georgetown on the northern coast of South Carolina, is the state's greatest stretch of beautiful beach. The Waccamaw tribe used to live here until Europeans arrived after the American Revolution. Every year, millions of people visit this area, particularly the impressive Myrtle Beach. Unlike several other regions of the state, the Grand Strand has public access to all of its marvelous beaches. Family-friendly attractions are well-known in the area.

Pawleys Island

The tranquil and magical area of Pawleys Island, one of the region's oldest resort areas, is the first stop on the tourist's route north on King's Highway. There are a few fancy golf clubs and resorts on the "mainland" side of town, but visitors cannot access the beach from there. However, if they cross a beautiful little inlet, they will be on the wonderful island itself. They can also visit Otis Beach, which is a popular public beach.