The Sustainability Institute brought an Upper Peninsula Initiative event to Charleston on Tuesday, January 26th. The gathering focused on tech innovation and was hosted by Local 616, a specialty bar on Meeting Street. The bar is owned and operated by a brother-sister duo, both Charleston natives.
The Charleston Upper Peninsula Initiative is an innovative, community planning and urban redevelopment effort focused on the Upper Eastside of the Charleston peninsula.
Local 616 is one of Charleston’s favorite bars, and The Old 616, happens to be one of Charleston’s favorite drinks.
Food was provided by Local 616’s neighbor, spero, which has some pretty amazing food.
Also featured on the menu was The Institute, a cocktail 4 a cause, where a percentage of the proceeds go back to the Upper Peninsula Initiative.
Everyone played a round of life-sized JENGA and Cards Against Urbanity, a sustainable spin on the popular card game Cards Against Humanity.
Those in attendance were caught up on Upper Peninsula Initiative food and beverage development in the area with a lot of new establishments on our horizon, courtesy of The Sustainability Institute.
Derek Wills, senior project manager at South Carolina Research Authority, was one of the guest speakers of the evening, reminding the attendees of the importance of implementing sustainable practices throughout the Upper Peninsula.
SCRA is a research corporation, collaborating with industry leaders to promote sustainable, high-tech development. MUSC Innovation Center, one of SCRA’s operating facilities, is a revolutionary, state-of-the-art space designed to support medical research on the Peninsula. The facility was renovated in 2013, and earned an “Excellence in Construction” award, due to its spectacular building specifications. Distilled water and sub-zero freezers help make the LEED certified facility a sustainable space for medical professionals to conduct their work.
A survey was also conducted, requesting feedback and potential projects and efforts for the Upper Peninsula Initiative to take on.
The results of the survey as follows:
The Upper Peninsula Initiative is a public-private planning effort managed by the City of Charleston and the backbone organization, The Sustainability Institute.
For more information, please visit CharlestonUp.com or email info@charlestonUP.com.
Photos by Stan Foxworthy Foxworthy Studios.
*UPI is a community centered, neighborhood oriented planning initiative, created with the needs of the areas it serves in mind. The results of any survey conducted do not use empirical methods of data collection, and are not necessarily reflective of the community at large.
