MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - After more than a year of construction and a $4.8 million investment, one of Mount Pleasant’s most historic and scenic public landmarks is back open.
Alhambra Hall, located on Middle Street in the heart of the Old Village, reopens to the public Tuesday morning following a complete renovation project that closed the site for over a year.
The waterfront venue has long been a centerpiece of Mount Pleasant’s community spaces.
Though it now serves primarily as a wedding and event venue, the building has a deep local history.
It was originally constructed as a ferry terminal but was moved to its current location in 1937 by Mount Pleasant residents who wanted to create a dance hall.
Over the years, it became a central gathering space and even served as the original location for the town’s Blessing of the Fleet Festival, which honors Mount Pleasant’s fishing and shrimping industries.
During a town-wide assessment of public facilities, officials determined that Alhambra Hall needed significant repairs. The decision was made to close the entire facility for the duration of the work. The project included structural upgrades, interior and exterior refurbishments as well as safety and accessibility improvements.
All of it was part of the town’s larger renovation project, which aimed to update aging infrastructure, preserve historical features and make the area more accessible for all residents and visitors.
Now, the building and its grounds offer far more than just event space.
The site features a large waterfront park with panoramic views of the Charleston Harbor, wide green lawns, walking trails and a playground located across the street.
“When people walk up… they see the detail that we went into making this building brighter, again… highlighting all the existing features that are part of it,” Frankie Pettit, the asset manager for the Town of Mount Pleasant Public Services, said. “But when you walk in, you see it’s brand-new wood floors all throughout. You come upstairs; there’s a brand-new air conditioning unit. And the biggest thing is that, if you’re in the hall, especially on a warmer day, with all of our improvements that we did to the building envelope itself, it feels better. It’s quieter.”
The updated Alhambra Hall now features new hardwood flooring throughout, refinished trim and siding, insulated energy-efficient windows, a new HVAC system, patios and porch rails, a modern fire sprinkler system and ADA-compliant improvements including expanded handicapped parking and accessible building entryways.
Across the street, the playground was entirely rebuilt with inclusivity in mind.
The town constructed it from the ground up with a smooth pour-in surface for mobility devices, ramps and handlebars at varying heights to accommodate children with disabilities. Though the playground opened ahead of schedule in June, Tuesday marks the first time the full grounds are open again for public use.
“It’s kind of opening up in phases, but [now] everything will be accessible to everyone. The playground was ahead of schedule, so we saw an opportunity to go ahead and open it up and let people start using it. But, this site, we were putting the final touches even [Tuesday] on it,” Pettit said.
He said what stands out most about Alhambra are the scenic views surrounding it.
“This site, we’re lucky that it just has so much natural beauty and great features already… the only thing we did was enhance what was already there,” Pettit said. “So, it’s going to be familiar to them, but when they start looking closer, they’re going to see these improvements.”
He added that the project is part of a larger town effort to keep public properties functional, sustainable and aligned with current standards.
“We need to do these types of projects every now and again to keep up with how we’re evolving, how we’re trying to be more efficient and lower the cost of maintenance, which helps out everyone in the long run.”
While Alhambra Hall is still primarily used for private events, members of the public are welcome to visit after the ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. Tuesday. The town plans to set official public visitation hours in the future, but for now, visitors are welcome at any time. Leashed pets are also allowed on the property.