WESTEDGE FOUNDATION INC
PO BOX 20549, CHARLESTON, SC 29413

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Organizations Filed Purposes: WESTEDGE IS A BOLD ECONOMIC AND URBAN REVITALIZATION VISION TO ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE-BASED SECTORS OF THE CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA REGIONAL ECONOMY.

TO SUPPORT THE CITY OF CHARLESTON AND THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA FOUNDATION.

THE WESTEDGE FOUNDATION MOBILIZES AND DEPLOYS RESOURCES TO PROMOTE INNOVATION AND ADVANCE OUR VISION OF A DYNAMIC KNOWLEDGE COMMUNITY TO BENEFIT AND STRENGTHEN OUR KEY STAKEHOLDERS, AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS. WE MEASURE OUR COLLECTIVE PROGRESS IN ACCOMPLISHING THIS MISSION BY: -ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL DISCOVERY.-EXPANDING EMPLOYMENT AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. -WIDENING PARTICIPATION IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND WEALTH-CREATION ACTIVITY. -CREATING PARTNERSHIPS WITH HIGHER EDUCATION, ADJACENT PUBLIC K-12 SCHOOLS AND INNOVATION-DRIVEN ENTERPRISES. -ADVOCATING INCLUSION AND IMPROVING OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITY BY REMOVING BARRIERS TO SUCCESS AND INVESTING IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO ADDRESS LOCAL CHALLENGES.WE ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSION THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR FOUNDERS, COLLABORATION WITH A DIVERSE ARRAY OF INNOVATION PARTNERS, AND BY DIRECT DELIVERY OF INNOVATION, PLACE MAKING, AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. SPECIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF WESTEDGE FOUNDATION'S EFFORTS INCLUDE: EXPANDING ACCESS & CLOSING THE GROCERY GAP:-PRIOR TO WESTEDGE, THE WEST SIDE OF THE PENINSULA WAS A FOOD DESERT. PUBLIX SUPER MARKET INCREASES ACCESS TO HEALTHY AND AFFORDABLE FOOD OPTIONS FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF THE WEST SIDE OF THE PENINSULA, ESPECIALLY LOWER INCOME, AND ELDERLY RESIDENTS.-IMPROVING SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS AND OTHER SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS AT BURKE HIGH SCHOOL AND CHARLESTON DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY.-ACTIVELY SERVING THE BURKE HIGH SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL TO ESTABLISH INTERNSHIP AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS FOR BURKE STUDENTS TO EXPERIENCE LIFE SCIENCE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.FLOODING:-DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION TO ELIMINATE TIDAL SUNNY DAY FLOODING AND REDUCING INSTANCES OF STORMWATER FLOODING WITH NEW DRAINAGE SOLUTIONS AND ENHANCED STORMWATER STORAGE CAPACITY ALREADY IN PLACE OR PLANNED.-WORKING TO CONNECT EXISTING GADSDEN GREEN AND ASHTON STREET DRAINAGE SYSTEMS TO THE SPRING FISHBURNE DEEP TUNNEL SYSTEM TO REDUCE NEIGHBORHOOD FLOODING.-RESTORING RELIABLE EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND EVACUATION ROUTES.WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT:-WESTEDGE HOUSES STUDIO 22 AND THE CITY-SPONSORED FLAGSHIP SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATOR FOR START-UP COMPANIES, ESPECIALLY IN THE TECHNOLOGY AND LIFE SCIENCE SECTORS.-CREATING STATE-OF-THE-ART LAB SPACE HELPS GROW LIFE SCIENCE BUSINESSES.-INCREASES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOB CREATION IN ALL SECTORS: OVER 500 NEW JOBS HAVE ALREADY BEEN CREATED IN WESTEDGE.-WESTEDGE HAS ATTRACTED OVER A DOZEN SMALL BUSINESSES, GENERATING NEW JOBS AND PROMOTING LOCAL PROSPERITY.HOUSING:-DEVELOPING WESTEDGE TO ENSURE THERE IS ZERO DISPLACEMENT OF AREA'S EXISTING RESIDENTS.-INCREASING CHARLESTON'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING: WESTEDGE PROJECT PARTNERS HAVE ALREADY CONTRIBUTED $3.0 MILLION TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING; FULL BUILD-OUT COULD ADD OVER $7.0 MILLION AND/OR CREATE EVEN MORE WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS.-INCREASING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES CLOSE TO EMPLOYMENT CENTERS LIKE THE MEDICAL DISTRICT.ENVIRONMENT: ONGOING EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE FLOODING WILL ALSO ELIMINATE CONTAMINATION ISSUES IN THE AREA AND BRING PERPETUAL BENEFITS TO THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALL OF THE WEST SIDE OF THE PENINSULA, INCLUDING:-STOPPING ONGOING HEALTH RISKS FROM SURFACE EXPOSURE TO CONTAMINATION FROM LANDFILL MATERIALS AND HAZARDOUS LEACHATE.-WORKING TO ELIMINATE TIDAL AND STORMWATER FLOODING TO STOP TRANSMITTING CONTAMINANTS INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, PROTECTING GADSDEN GREEN HOMES, CHARLESTON DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY AND HARMON FIELD.-SC DHEC VOLUNTARY CLEANUP PROGRAM ENSURES SAFETY FOR THE PUBLIC AND REDUCES ONGOING LIABILITY/EXPOSURE OF THE CITY AND MUSCF.SAFETY:-TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS ALREADY IN PLACE IMPROVE FLOW ON LOCKWOOD BLVD. AND PRESIDENT ST.-PROPOSED MEDICAL DISTRICT CONNECTOR WILL CREATE SAFE PEDESTRIAN, BICYCLE AND TRANSIT CONNECTIONS TO THE MEDICAL DISTRICT.-CREATING NEW WORKPLACES WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO TRANSIT & HOUSING SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES TRAFFIC IMPACTS.LOCAL ECONOMY:-INCREASING PROPERTY TAX REVENUES, BUSINESS LICENSE REVENUES AND SALES TAX REVENUES TO HELP FUND LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC SERVICES AND SCHOOLS.-TIF DISTRICT DEDICATES INCREMENTAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUES INTO PUBLIC INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE, DRAINAGE, AND OTHER PUBLIC AMENITIES.

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