Johns Island · Wadmalaw · checked monthly
What's coming to Johns Island
Every road, neighborhood, store and public project we can find in the City and County records, with its status, its dates and the source. Where sources disagree, we say so.
Last verified
Photo: Cantbeatpie, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized)
The three projects people ask about most: the City’s Johns Island Recreation & Aquatic Facility at 140 Kathryn Ross Way (construction from Q3 2026, finish set for late 2027), the 75-room Jubilee Hotel at 2919 Maybank Highway (conceptual approval Sept 8, 2026) and Stono’s Oyster Bar at the Maybank Highway bridge (target spring 2027). The biggest road question is the Nov 3, 2026 sales tax, which would fund the $65 million Maybank Highway southern pitchfork.
Most asked
The rec center, the hotel and the oyster bar
Johns Island Recreation & Aquatic Facility
140 Kathryn Ross Way, off Maybank Highway near Hayes Park
A City of Charleston center of about 50,000 sq ft: a 25-meter pool, a therapy pool, two basketball and two volleyball courts, four indoor pickleball courts and a splash pad, paid for by the 2023 parks bond. The Post and Courier puts it at $65 million.
City: construction from Q3 2026, finished late 2027
Live 5 reports a 2028 opening.
Source: City of Charleston project page · Post and Courier, Oct 2, 2026 · Live 5, Oct 7, 2026
Jubilee Hotel
2919 Maybank Highway
A four-story, 75-room hotel with a future restaurant pad.
Design Review Board conceptual approval Sept 8, 2026 (4–0); no opening date announced
Source: City of Charleston Design Review Board, Sept 8, 2026
Stono's Oyster Bar
2409 Maybank Highway, on the Stono River at the Maybank Highway bridge
A 5,700 sq ft oyster bar with a deck, a rooftop bar and at least 60 free boat slips.
Target opening spring 2027
Source: Post and Courier, June 26, 2026 · Stono's Oyster Bar
Roads and bridges
What's being built, what's funded, what's waiting on the Nov 3 vote and what's been dropped.
US 17 and Main Road interchange (Main Road Corridor, Segment A)
Bees Ferry Road to River and Chisolm Roads
Four ramps, flyovers, a bridge over the CSX railroad and a widened Main Road, $354 million, paid for by the 2016 sales tax.
First ramp and the Main/River/Chisolm roundabout targeted for the end of 2026; the whole project late 2028
The Post and Courier (Oct 2, 2026) says completion is expected next fall.
Source: Main Road Corridor · Live 5, Apr 21, 2026 · Post and Courier, Oct 2, 2026
Maybank Highway fourth lane
River Road to the Stono River bridge, outbound
A second outbound lane where Maybank narrows to one, a County and City project with tree impacts reduced in design.
Start reported for October 2026 (City, P&C) or early 2027, finishing fall 2027 (Live 5)
Reported cost differs: about $10 million (Live 5) or $12 million (P&C).
Source: Live 5, Sept 24, 2026 · Post and Courier, Oct 2, 2026 · Live 5, Oct 7, 2026
Maybank Highway southern pitchfork and roundabouts
Maybank Highway at River Road
A $65 million connector and roundabouts, the featured island project in the 2026 transportation sales tax.
Depends on the Nov 3, 2026 vote
Source: 2026 sales tax ballot questions (PDF) · Post and Courier, May 22, 2026
Roundabout at Main Road and Mary Ann Point
Main Road
A $5 million roundabout listed in the 2026 sales tax.
Depends on the Nov 3, 2026 vote
Seabrook Island Road elevation
Seabrook Island Road
Named in the sales tax's roadway elevation resiliency program; the amount is not broken out.
Depends on the Nov 3, 2026 vote
River Road and Brownswood Road roundabout
River Road at Brownswood Road
A roundabout and turn lanes, with $2 million moved from the cancelled Mark Clark money.
Schedule not published
Source: Post and Courier, Jan 22, 2026
New signal at Maybank Highway and Southwick Drive
Maybank Highway; Southwick Drive realigned with St. Johns Woods Parkway
A $3 million City signal and realignment.
Construction expected to begin in 2027
Source: Post and Courier, Oct 2, 2026
Mark Clark (I-526) extension
West Ashley to Johns and James Islands
Ended. The state infrastructure bank ended its agreement on May 12, 2025, and in January 2026 a County committee moved about $78 million to nine other projects, including the Maybank fourth lane and Main Road.
No revival found in 2026
Source: Live 5, Jan 22, 2026
Main Road Segment C (Bohicket Road widening)
Bohicket Road, Maybank Highway to Betsy Kerrison Parkway
A widening with redesigned intersections and a 12-foot path, budgeted at $75–90 million; its money went to Segment A.
Put on hold February 2025
Source: Post and Courier, Feb 19, 2025
New neighborhoods and apartments
The largest approved or active residential projects. Built rental communities are listed separately.
Wooddale
Off River Road and Plow Ground Road
A 430-home planned development by Lennar; the first phase plat is 139 lots on 77 acres.
Phase 1 plat in technical review, Sept 2026
Source: City of Charleston Technical Review Committee, Sept 24, 2026
Maybank Walk
1612 Burnswick Drive
161 townhomes on 60.6 acres by Mungo Homes.
Site plan in technical review, Aug 2026
Source: City of Charleston Technical Review Committee, Aug 20, 2026
Fern Hill
3280 and 3294 Maybank Highway
A rezoning to a planned unit development with a 62-lot concept plan.
On the City Planning Commission agenda Oct 21, 2026
Source: City of Charleston Planning Commission, Oct 21, 2026
3030 Maybank
3030 Maybank Highway
72 three-bedroom build-to-rent townhomes on about 9 acres, by The Berry Co.
First homes expected November 2026
Source: Multi-Housing News
Live Oak Square II
3015–3041 Reva Ridge Drive, off Maybank Highway
89 apartments in three three-story buildings by Crowne.
Design Review Board conceptual approval July 6, 2026
Source: City of Charleston Design Review Board, July 6, 2026
Whitney Lakes
Murraywood Road
108 apartments on 18.7 acres.
Technical review, Aug 2026; tree variances approved with conditions Apr 1, 2026
Source: City of Charleston Technical Review Committee, Aug 13, 2026
Orange Hill
Between Bohicket Road and River Road
A 933-acre planned development by Kiawah Resort Associates: up to 120 homes, a private golf course and 212 acres of conservancy.
Adopted by County Council Aug 26, 2025
Source: Charleston County, Orange Hill
Kiawah River
Off Betsy Kerrison Parkway and Kiawah River Drive
A planned development allowing up to 1,285 homes, with at least 117 workforce units and up to 450 guest rooms; The Dunlin hotel is open there.
Building out
Source: Charleston County, Kiawah River
Sea Island Habitat for Humanity neighborhood
Johns Island, 30 acres
50 for-sale homes with 0% interest, 30-year mortgages.
First move-ins expected as soon as December 2026
Source: Live 5, May 14, 2026
Shops, groceries and care
New retail and the island's first emergency room.
South Island Market
River Road at Betsy Kerrison Parkway
About 82,000 sq ft of shops, restaurants and offices in eight buildings, plus 79 Toll Brothers townhomes. No tenants named yet.
Broke ground August 2025
Source: Post and Courier, Aug 27, 2025
Andell West and a relocated Harris Teeter
Next to Freshfields Village, 830 Kiawah Island Parkway
A Harris Teeter of up to 65,000 sq ft moving from Freshfields, in about 160,000 sq ft of retail with a gas station.
Approved Oct 24, 2023; the owner said then the store likely opens no sooner than 2027
Source: Post and Courier, Aug 15, 2023
Trident Johns Island ER
Maybank Highway near Zelasko Road
A freestanding, 24-hour emergency room of about 11 rooms.
Broke ground Sept 25, 2025, targeting Sept 2026; Trident's page still says coming soon
Source: Trident Health · Live 5, Sept 25, 2025
Lowes Foods
3575 Maybank Highway
A grocery store that replaced KJ's Market.
Opened March 12, 2026
Source: The Shelby Report, Mar 17, 2026
Schools, parks and fire stations
Public projects on the island, from the County, the City and the school district.
Charleston Fire Station 23
Johns Island (City of Charleston)
A $16.2 million three-bay station with an engine and a ladder company.
Expected by the end of 2026
Source: ABC News 4, Aug 15, 2026
St. Johns Fire District stations 8 and 5
Station 8 on Kiawah River Drive; Station 5 renovated
Both stations grow to about 12,000 sq ft with a new ladder truck, on a $9.5 million County loan; the Station 8 site also gets EMS and a small sheriff's substation.
Funded July 2026
Source: Live 5, July 22, 2026
Angel Oak Preserve
3688 Angel Oak Road
A visitor center, restrooms, trails, a playground and parking on 44 acres, by the Lowcountry Land Trust and the City.
Design Review Board preliminary approval Jan 5, 2026
Simmons Creek future county park
Johns Island, 66 acres
Waterway access, with possible parking, a restroom and a dock.
Land acquired June 2025; no build date
Source: Live 5, June 25, 2025
Johns Island Elementary
River Road
A 90,600 sq ft school for grades 2–5, about 700 students.
Opened Aug 12, 2025
Source: Live 5, Aug 12, 2025
Growth and the rules
How the island decides what gets built
- About 1,500 homes are already approved on the City side of Johns Island, between River Road and the Maybank connector bridge, the City says. Live 5, Oct 7, 2026
- The County now weighs roads and stormwater before rezonings that ask for more density (Ordinance 2395, adopted June 25, 2026), after Council denied a Cane Slash Road rezoning in September 2025. Charleston County Ordinance 2395 (PDF)
- The City is drafting an ordinance that would make developers study traffic on the roads around a project, not just at its driveway. It goes to City Council for public input; no date yet. Live 5, Oct 7, 2026
- The Nov 3, 2026 sales tax would also put $690 million into greenbelt land, split evenly between urban and rural areas. The City says strengthening the urban growth boundary depends on it. 2026 sales tax ballot questions (PDF)
- Wadmalaw: no new rezoning, subdivision or public project was found in County records for 2025–26. Its zoning allows one home per 15 acres in the agricultural district. Charleston County Greenbelt, Wadmalaw Island Community Park
Buying on Johns Island? Check whether an address is in the City or the County, and its flood zone, with the address lookup, and see what each side costs to own on the Johns Island fee ledger. Every source on this page was checked October 13, 2026.
Photo by Andrew Shelley on Unsplash
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