MUSC Health acquires portions of Citadel Mall property to expand education, research and clinical care
December 19, 2025
MUSC Health has finalized the purchase of five parcels of the Citadel Mall property and surrounding land in West Ashley. This strategic purchase will enable MUSC to expand research facilities, enhance educational programs and improve clinical care delivery, while also addressing critical parking challenges on the downtown Charleston campus.
“This acquisition reflects MUSC Health’s unwavering commitment to reshape the future of health care in South Carolina. By expanding our footprint and embracing innovative models, like the medical mall concept of repurposing retail spaces into comprehensive health care hubs, we are laying the foundation for groundbreaking research, world-class education and exceptional patient care, while ensuring we have the capacity necessary to serve our community for generations to come,” said Patrick Cawley, M.D., CEO of MUSC Health and executive vice president for health affairs, University.
The $83.5 million purchase includes 53.03 acres and 556,000 usable square feet. The property comprises the MUSC Health West Ashley Pavilion (previously leased), the vacant Sears building, the inline mall space, and more than 2,000 parking spaces. Belk, Dillard’s and Target will retain their own buildings and parking rights while the currently occupied inline mall space will continue to be used for retail space by its current occupants for the near term.
The MUSC Board of Trustees approved the acquisition of Citadel Mall at the December 12, 2025, BOT meeting. MUSC will begin setting up fencing and transportation schedules for employee parking in early 2026. Long-term plans may include repurposing existing structures into clinical space and adding modular facilities to support MUSC’s new comprehensive cancer hospital and medical office building.
About MUSC
Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates nearly 3,500 students in six colleges and trains approximately 1,050 residents and fellows across its health system. MUSC leads the state in federal, National Institutes of Health and other research funding. For information on our academic programs, visit musc.edu.
As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. In 2025, for the 11th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.
MUSC has a total enterprise annual operating budget of $8.9 billion. The nearly 35,000 MUSC members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, contract employees, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research and patient care.
