Old City Jail

The Old City Jail, built in 1802 and used as a jail until 1939, proved to be one of the most difficult buildings in Charleston for redevelopment. Numerous efforts to reuse the complex failed to overcome the daunting scale and unique challenges of the building and its site. Today the Old City Jail has new uses of interpretative space on the first floor, offices on the second and a third-floor event venue. Great care in preserving historic fabric and finishes was taken, new structural systems replaced those that were failing and unrepairable and state of the art consolidation and reconstruction preserved irreplaceable deteriorated original material. Compatible new construction allows for new access throughout the building.
For successfully taking on this seemingly intractable project, for combining sensitive conservation and practical decision making and for coordination with review agencies in applying the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, the Old City Jail is well deserving of its Honor Award.