“Uptown Carnes” could bring more business, entertainment to Goose Creek

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCBD) – A $50 million investment could soon bring new businesses to an area of Goose Creek being referred to as the uptown development.

Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib said the development, which will be built on a property off Highway 17A in the Carnes Crossroads community, will be a huge opportunity for Goose Creek.

 “I’ve said for a long time that we need to participate in our development, and we’re very fortunate to have partners in Urban Core Advisors Real Estate, who came to the folks out at Carnes Crossroads, and who came to us, and started talking about what they wanted to develop,” Mayor Habib said.

Leaders saw this as a chance to improve the city at a low cost.

“Offices down there, there are shops down there, there are restaurants and bars. Things like that,” he said.

Mayor Habib said the developer may even open a rooftop bar.

“We don’t have a walkable downtown area in the city of Goose Creek, and while this isn’t going to be the downtown, it is affectionately known now, and properly known, as uptown Carnes,” he said.

Goose Creek is partnering with a developer on the project.

“We have entered into a joint use agreement with them. We have committed $75,000 per year which makes up for part of the maintenance cost of that property,” Habib explained.

There is no upfront cost to the city, and the city council will be able to vote each year on whether to continue the agreement.

“And what it is going to be, because we partnered with them in a joint use agreement, is a walkable kind of downtown area with a great lawn in the middle. We can use that property as well to program, whether that be for a farmers’ market or in arts and craft show or concert.”

While he does not have an exact size for the great lawn, it will be larger than Hutchinson Square in Summerville and will be surrounded by businesses like Hutchinson Square.

The new uptown development is expected to open by early 2026.