As the City of Charleston advances a new Peninsula Plan, comprehensive zoning updates, and a coordinated affordable housing initiative expected to deliver thousands of new housing units, the coming year will play a defining role in shaping the city’s historic character, livability, and long-term resilience.
In response to this pivotal moment, Historic Charleston Foundation (HCF) will host its annual Spring Advocacy Forum this May, bringing together leading voices in preservation, resilience, planning, and urban design for a timely public conversation.
Titled Charleston’s Future: Stitching Together Growth and Opportunity, the forum will feature a focused 90-minute discussion exploring how Charleston can accommodate growth while preserving the qualities that define the city.
“The decisions being made now will shape Charleston for generations,” said Winslow Hastie, President & CEO of Historic Charleston Foundation. “This forum is designed to equip residents and stakeholders with the context, language, and understanding needed to engage meaningfully in that process.”
The program aims to spark early public engagement around the City’s forthcoming planning efforts by highlighting key themes, trade-offs, and opportunities. Through expert perspectives and dialogue, attendees will gain insight into how transportation, urban design, resilience strategies, and housing policy function as interconnected systems that can—and should—work together.
Event Details:
Historic Charleston Foundation Spring Advocacy Forum
Charleston’s Future: Stitching Together Growth and Opportunity
Monday, May 18 | 6:00 – 7:30 p.m at The Charleston Museum, Arthur Wilcox Auditorium, 360 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC
- Free and open to the public, however space is limited so registration is required.
- Register online at: Charleston’s Future: Stitching Together Growth and Opportunities - May 18, 2026 (HistoricCharleston.org/
Events) - Doors open prior to 6:00 p.m.; program begins promptly
- The evening will include a special introduction and overview from Charleston Mayor William Cogswell, followed by brief presentations from panelists and a moderated discussion.
- The program will feature maps, visuals, and Charleston-based examples to ground the conversation in local context.
Panelists:
- Jared Bramblett, Senior Water Resources Engineer and Project Manager, Moffatt & Nichol Bramblett specializes in flood mitigation, stormwater management, and resilient infrastructure planning. His work includes contributions to the Charleston Water Plan and serving as Owner’s Agent for the City on the Battery Extension Project.
- Andrea Ostrodka, AICP, Urban Planner, Toole Design Group Ostrodka brings extensive experience leading interdisciplinary teams on major placemaking initiatives, including the Lowcountry Rapid Transit project, SunRail in Florida, and active transportation strategies across the Southeast.
- Christian Sottile, FAIA, Founding Principal, Sottile & Sottile An architect and urban designer working extensively in historic districts, Sottile also serves as Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design and is former Dean of the School of Building Arts.
Moderator
- Scott Parker, FASLA, Co-Founder, DesignWorks Parker is a nationally recognized landscape architect and civic leader who serves on numerous boards and advisory groups, including the City of Charleston Peninsula Task Force and the Urban Land Institute Council on Sustainable Development.
The Advocacy Forum is part of Historic Charleston Foundation’s ongoing commitment to advancing thoughtful, informed dialogue around preservation and the future of Charleston’s built environment.
For more information and to register, visit: HistoricCharleston.org/Events