Dorchester County holds groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate new North Charleston Library

June 27, 2022

Dorchester County Government held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new North Charleston Library Branch on Monday, June 27. Community leaders and honored guests came together to celebrate the future 15,000 square foot state-of-the art library that will be located at 8690 Patriot Boulevard in North Charleston near the campus of Fort Dorchester High School next to the North Charleston Aquatic Center.

Discussions for this project started years ago when increased population growth necessitated the need for access to library services. In 2013, Dorchester County, the City of North Charleston, and Dorchester District Two purchased 13.67 acres with plans to build a joint-use space that would house a public library and media center for Fort Dorchester High School. With the community’s support from the 2019 bond referendum, funding was secured for the construction of the new library that will provide a 5,000 square foot media center connected to a 10,000 square foot public library which will hold over 275,000 books, a STEAM Lab, maker’s space, an audio-video editing suite, and meeting room spaces. The library will also allow Fort Dorchester High School to expand by creating much-needed classrooms in the previous media center space.

The groundbreaking ceremony included a welcome address by Mayor Summey of the City of North Charleston and remarks by Dorchester Library Executive Director Robert Antill, Dorchester School District Two Superintendent Joseph Pye, and Dorchester County Councilman Todd Friddle.

During his remarks, Councilman Friddle said, “Today, we come together to break ground on the first of three libraries that the residents of Dorchester County overwhelmingly supported in the 2019 bond referendum.  It is our hope that this library will improve the quality of life for Fort Dorchester High School students and residents in the surrounding communities for years to come.” He ended by thanking the City of North Charleston and Dorchester District Two for their collaboration and promised residents that this is only the beginning. “With all the surrounding property available, let’s work together to turn Patriot Boulevard into the Collaboration Corridor.”

The program also included a special recognition to Mr. Joseph Pye on his retirement from Dorchester School District Two. Dorchester County Council Vice Chairman Jay Byars, on behalf of the Dorchester County Council, thanked Mr. Pye for his years of service to the community and presented him with framed renderings of the new library.

The Dorchester County North Charleston Library Branch is planned to be completed by mid-summer of 2023.