Want the real playbook for getting a project built in the Lowcountry without losing your mind or your margin? We sit down with eighth-generation Charlestonian and contractor Adam Ferrara to unpack the journey from spark to occupancy, why Charleston isn’t Charlotte, and how to grow without sacrificing the canopy, character, or coastline.

We start with the truth behind timelines: rezoning, design review, stormwater plans, and DRB approvals can stretch to two or three years before vertical work begins. Adam maps the stages that matter, from early land diligence to choosing the right civil and architect, and explains why design-assist-build helps small businesses avoid “beautiful but unbuildable” plans. Then we get into market cycles—multifamily and storage cooled after a rush, industrial surged and is now leveling—and what that means for investors weighing Mount Pleasant against the Queen City.

Charleston’s constraints are physical and philosophical. Height limits, tree preservation, and massing rules protect the town’s feel, while wind loads, seismic risk, and poor soils demand conservative structures and careful foundations. Adam breaks down liquefaction in plain English and shows how LID techniques, pervious pavements, and underground detention manage our flat terrain and heavy rain. Sustainability isn’t window dressing here; spray foam, LED lighting, and solar incentives deliver lower lifetime costs and better buildings.

We also explore Point Hope’s intentional growth, where schools, restaurants, healthcare, and services follow rooftops to reduce highway dependence. On the tech front, AI speeds early site layouts and feasibility, saving weeks at the front end, while remote-controlled earthwork hints at safer, smarter job sites. And for a region hungry for childcare, Adam details the economics of early childhood education centers—why they’re vital, why they’re expensive, and how funding and rates shape access.

If you care about smart growth, attainable housing, and building for generations rather than quarters, this conversation offers clear steps and hard-won lessons you can use now. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s planning a project, and leave a review to help more Charleston builders and business owners find us.

Presenting Sponsor: Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce

Studio Sponsor: Charleston Media Solutions

Expo Podcast Sponsor: ‪@PollenSocial‬

Production Sponsor: RMBO.co

Design Sponsor: DK Design

Interested in Sponsorship? Click here.

Committee:
Kathleen Herrmann | Host | MPCC Immediate Past President | Mount Pleasant Towne Centre
Mike Compton | Co-host | Marketing Chair | RMBO.co
Rebecca Imholz | Co-host | MPCC Executive Director
Amanda Bunting Comen | Co-host | Social ABCs
Ben Nesvold | Co-host | In-coming President | Edward Jones