Mosquito Beach’s Pine Tree Hotel sets date for completion

James Island, S.C. (WCBD) – The historic Mosquito Beach, a haven for African Americans during the Jim Crow era, is seeing new changes as development in the area continues.

The main focus at Mosquito Beach is to restore the history, starting with the Pine Tree Hotel which was destroyed by a fire in 2019. Project Manager Kyle Taylor said they’re hoping to finish the hotel by September, but they need the community’s help to reach their goal.

“We’re on board to complete the building and have the budget for it, however, there is a strong need for funds,” said Taylor.

The initial funding for the renovation project came in 2019 from the National Park Service African American Civil Rights Grant Program. Since then, developers have been working to restore the hotel, but the property manager for the Historic Charleston Foundation, Justin Schwebler said they have run into many unforeseen costs.

“Stormwater plans, the fire, a sprinkler system we have to install in the hotel, those were unaccounted-for costs when the grant was originally written,” said Schwebler

The group has started a GoFundMe to help supplement the grant money.

Despite the financial setbacks, Michael Riffert, the owner of Construction Consultants, said progress is being made.

“So to this point, we’ve got plumbing electric heating, and air in, we are waiting on our custom-built wood windows,” said Riffert.

The owner of the Pine Tree Hotel, Bill “Cubby” Wilder, said he is confident the project will move forward and this is just the beginning for mosquito beach.

“Now Mosquito Beach is here, and Mosquito Beach is here to stay,” said Wilder.