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South Carolina Divorce 101

Divorce is a difficult decision for anyone, whether it's you or your partner who initiates it. It's a painful experience that can leave you feeling shattered and alone in the dark. When you made your wedding vows, you did so with the intention of being together for life. You invested a lot of time and money into your wedding, inviting friends and family from all over South Carolina to share in your joy.

Now, you're faced with the harsh reality that you and your former spouse are no longer together. As your family law attorney in Charleston, SC, we understand how overwhelming this can be. We've assisted many clients through the divorce process and had the knowledge and tools to help them work through it and move on to greener pastures.

The Cobb Hammett Law Firm Approach to Child Custody in South Carolina

Did you know that the U.S. Census Bureau states that 25% of children younger than 21 live with just one parent while the other parent resides elsewhere in the country? In such circumstances, many families must navigate the complicated and legally complex process of child custody. As seasoned family law attorneys, we have represented clients in all aspects and legal stages of child custody and support.

We focus in providing services for a range of issues, including but not limited to:

  • Drafting Reasonable Proposed Parenting Plans
  • Preparing Child Support Calculations
  • Communication with a Guardian ad Litem (if applicable)
  • Securing De Facto Custodian / Psychological Parent Rights
  • Negotiating Agreements Relating to Child Custody
  • Prosecuting Claims Related to Domestic Violence
  • Prosecuting and Defending Claims for
  • Adoption,
  • Termination of Parental Rights
  • Custody, and
  • Visitation
  • Defending Claims Alleging Abuse / Neglect by the Department of Social Services

Every family has its own distinct characteristics, and as such, child-related agreements must also be customized to fit each unique situation. In South Carolina, our team of skilled family law attorneys takes the time to understand our clients' individual goals and needs and tailor our services accordingly.

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South Carolina Alimony 101

When you get married, you go into the partnership believing that you'll be together forever. It makes sense, then, that most divorcing couples don't know very much about alimony in South Carolina (also referred to as spousal support). They ask questions such as:

  • Who gets alimony?
  • What is a reasonable amount of alimony?

Fortunately, working with a family law lawyer in Charleston, SC, can answer those questions and make alimony easier to understand and approach.

 Family Support Attorney Charleston, SC
Family Law Attorney Charleston, SC

What is Alimony in South Carolina?

Many individuals often mistake alimony for child support, but they are, in fact, two distinct forms of financial obligation and not mutually exclusive. Alimony was established to safeguard a supported spouse in the event of a divorce or separation. For example, a spouse who did not work during the course of the marriage would generally have a stronger alimony claim than a spouse who worked throughout the marriage. Likewise, a spouse who worked throughout the marriage but made less than the other spouse would have a stronger alimony claim than a spouse who worked and earned equivalent income to the supporting spouse.

In many cases, a spouse may choose to stay at home to tend to the children and manage the household. Oftentimes, the spouse who remains at home has sacrificed their career or education to care for the family. In such instances, a divorce could leave the financially weaker spouse in a state of financial turmoil. Without that support system, they will have to start over from scratch. These are some factors the Court will consider in evaluating an appropriate alimony case. Throughout your marriage, you have structured your quality of life based on a budget determined by your finances. While all expenses are shared by both partners, what happens if you have been financially dependent on your spouse and need to support yourself?

At Cobb, Dill, & Hammett, LLC, we aim to assist you in securing the alimony you need to support both yourself and your children. At the same time, we want to ensure that you are not overpaying your spouse, if you are the one required to pay. You may be required to pay an amount that could leave you in a difficult financial situation. Regardless, it's crucial to have the right legal representation to guide you through the alimony process in South Carolina.

The Cobb Hammett Law Firm Approach to Alimonyin South Carolina

Some people may assume financial responsibilities to a former partner are end with the filing of a divorce decree. However, if the court has mandated alimony payments, then the financial obligations survive. Failure to meet those obligations can lead to serious legal and financial consequences. Family law attorneys at Cobb Hammett, LLC have years of experience representing clients throughout the divorce process, including alimony determinations.

Our legal services cover many aspects of alimony law, such as:

  • Negotiating Temporary and Final Alimony Payments
  • Modifying Alimony
  • Providing Advice on Reasonable Alimony
  • Filing to Collect Unpaid Alimony

Though our family law attorneys are fearless negotiators and litigators, we always strive to keep your legal proceedings as seamless and straightforward as possible. Our goal is to help reach an agreement on alimony that is reasonable for both you and your spouse. However, compromises aren't always possible. If needed, our lawyers will fight aggressively on your behalf to help ensure your financial rights are protected.

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Trust the Cobb, Dill, & Hammett Difference

Dealing with family law cases can be incredibly trying, particularly when it comes to matters of separation or divorce. As your family law attorney in Charleston, SC, we recognize the challenges you're facing. With that in mind, know that we're committed to offering empathetic legal counsel on your behalf, no matter how contentious or confusing your situation may become. Contact our law offices today for your initial family law consultation.

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Latest News in Charleston, SC

9 Hottest New Restaurants in Charleston, February 2025

More often than not, tipsters, readers, friends, and family of Eater have one question: Where should I eat right now? What are the new restaurants? What's everyone talking about? While the Eater 18 is a crucial resource covering old standbys and neighborhood essentials across the city, it is not a chronicle of the "it" places of the moment. Enter the Eater Heatmap, which will change continually to highlight the spots crowds...

More often than not, tipsters, readers, friends, and family of Eater have one question: Where should I eat right now? What are the new restaurants? What's everyone talking about? While the Eater 18 is a crucial resource covering old standbys and neighborhood essentials across the city, it is not a chronicle of the "it" places of the moment. Enter the Eater Heatmap, which will change continually to highlight the spots crowds are flocking to at the moment or generating a big buzz. Folks are asking, "Have you been yet?" Try one of these newbies today.

This month, the new Jackrabbit Filly location joins the list.

For all the latest Charleston dining intel, subscribe to Eater Charleston's newsletter.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Chinese American restaurant Jackrabbit Filly moved up the street to a bigger dining room and more prominent location. With the move comes a more extensive menu with exciting new options. Karrage, dumplings, and fried rice are still on the menu, but now there’s also a crab rangoon cheese ball, mapo tofu vol au vent, spicy Korean gnocchi, and Sichuan seafood wonton soup.

The couple behind Wagener Terrace hangout Berkeley’s recently opened their second restaurant, the Archer. They want it to have the same neighborhood vibes but raise the stakes with a full bar and fine dining-level comfort plates. Chef Paul Farmer (formerly of Three Sirens), puts out plates like duck frites, baked oysters, beef stroganoff, chicken liver mousse, and chilled crab dip.

Chubby Fish (most recently visited by Martha Stewart) has smartly expanded into the space next door with another cozy nautical space, but this time, the team is focused on world-class cocktails from Christian Favier (formerly of the Ordinary). Rum figures heavily on the list, but there’s also a delicious smoked dirty martini and plenty of fizzy drinks thanks to a fancy Japanese Suntory highball machine. Customers can order snacks from the ever-changing menu, including oysters, crudos, agnolotti, Iberico ham, and more.

Legami is a new Italian restaurant boasting a chef brought in from Rome by a family with roots in Turin, Italy. Washington Street Hospitality, which controls three Pasta Beach restaurants in New England, thought the King Street building would be another location for Pasta Beach, but decided to switch it up once they got into the historic building. Chef Andrea Congiusta cooks modern Italian fare with some influences from France. “We took inspiration from the classic fine dining, but we also want to have something fun, something that looks very fancy, and something you can crave,” says Congiusta. Dishes include king crab tagliolini, beef Wellington, and veal Milanese.

Modern steakhouse Marbled & Fin is giving all the other steakhouses a run for their money. The expansive dining room fills nightly with well-heeled customers ready to see and be seen. On the menu, chef Eucepe “Cepe” Puntriano includes all the steakhouse classics plus an emphasis on seafood dishes for non-meat eaters. Look for seafood towers, wedge salads, wagyu beef, bone marrow with oysters, creamed spinach, and more.

Charleston is going crazy for soup dumplings, and newcomer Chef Loong Dim Sum delivers. The restaurant offers four flavors (pork soup, chicken soup, pork tomato soup, and truffle pork soup). The rest of the menu is quite extensive as well, with selections ranging from Sichuan mala chicken, crab rangoon, dan dan noodles, mapo tofu, and more.

Chef Micheal Toscano recently opened a taco shop next to his Italian restaurant Le Farfalle. Blanca Estrada is Toscano’s ode to his Mexican mother and grandmother, whose cooking was an early influence on his culinary journey. The kitchen offers a selection of tacos, from cochinita pibil to lengua, several specials, like a lamb neck burrito, and several tequila drinks and pineapple vinegar soda.

Ice-cold martinis with a side of caviar set the vibe at By the Way, a new upscale lounge and restaurant in Cannonborough/Elliotborough hoping to draw a slightly more mature clientele away from King Street. It’s from Uptown Hospitality Group, the folks behind hotspots like Uptown Social and Bodega, in partnership with Craig Conover and Austen Kroll, two stars of Bravo TV’s Southern Charm. Fairly intimate with the feel of an old-world tavern, By the Way serves a menu of trendy pub fare like ’nduja deviled eggs, poutine, fried oysters with caviar, and steak frites.

Charming new hotel the Dunlin offers sweeping views of the Kiawah River, abundant hospitality, and coastal Southern fare in its signature restaurant, Linnette’s. Chef Michael DeCicco puts out dishes like a pressed and pickled watermelon salad, wood-fired oysters, cornmeal-crusted flounder, and a sorghum-benne lacquered steak with charred okra.

Chinese American restaurant Jackrabbit Filly moved up the street to a bigger dining room and more prominent location. With the move comes a more extensive menu with exciting new options. Karrage, dumplings, and fried rice are still on the menu, but now there’s also a crab rangoon cheese ball, mapo tofu vol au vent, spicy Korean gnocchi, and Sichuan seafood wonton soup.

The couple behind Wagener Terrace hangout Berkeley’s recently opened their second restaurant, the Archer. They want it to have the same neighborhood vibes but raise the stakes with a full bar and fine dining-level comfort plates. Chef Paul Farmer (formerly of Three Sirens), puts out plates like duck frites, baked oysters, beef stroganoff, chicken liver mousse, and chilled crab dip.

Chubby Fish (most recently visited by Martha Stewart) has smartly expanded into the space next door with another cozy nautical space, but this time, the team is focused on world-class cocktails from Christian Favier (formerly of the Ordinary). Rum figures heavily on the list, but there’s also a delicious smoked dirty martini and plenty of fizzy drinks thanks to a fancy Japanese Suntory highball machine. Customers can order snacks from the ever-changing menu, including oysters, crudos, agnolotti, Iberico ham, and more.

Legami is a new Italian restaurant boasting a chef brought in from Rome by a family with roots in Turin, Italy. Washington Street Hospitality, which controls three Pasta Beach restaurants in New England, thought the King Street building would be another location for Pasta Beach, but decided to switch it up once they got into the historic building. Chef Andrea Congiusta cooks modern Italian fare with some influences from France. “We took inspiration from the classic fine dining, but we also want to have something fun, something that looks very fancy, and something you can crave,” says Congiusta. Dishes include king crab tagliolini, beef Wellington, and veal Milanese.

Modern steakhouse Marbled & Fin is giving all the other steakhouses a run for their money. The expansive dining room fills nightly with well-heeled customers ready to see and be seen. On the menu, chef Eucepe “Cepe” Puntriano includes all the steakhouse classics plus an emphasis on seafood dishes for non-meat eaters. Look for seafood towers, wedge salads, wagyu beef, bone marrow with oysters, creamed spinach, and more.

Charleston is going crazy for soup dumplings, and newcomer Chef Loong Dim Sum delivers. The restaurant offers four flavors (pork soup, chicken soup, pork tomato soup, and truffle pork soup). The rest of the menu is quite extensive as well, with selections ranging from Sichuan mala chicken, crab rangoon, dan dan noodles, mapo tofu, and more.

Chef Micheal Toscano recently opened a taco shop next to his Italian restaurant Le Farfalle. Blanca Estrada is Toscano’s ode to his Mexican mother and grandmother, whose cooking was an early influence on his culinary journey. The kitchen offers a selection of tacos, from cochinita pibil to lengua, several specials, like a lamb neck burrito, and several tequila drinks and pineapple vinegar soda.

Ice-cold martinis with a side of caviar set the vibe at By the Way, a new upscale lounge and restaurant in Cannonborough/Elliotborough hoping to draw a slightly more mature clientele away from King Street. It’s from Uptown Hospitality Group, the folks behind hotspots like Uptown Social and Bodega, in partnership with Craig Conover and Austen Kroll, two stars of Bravo TV’s Southern Charm. Fairly intimate with the feel of an old-world tavern, By the Way serves a menu of trendy pub fare like ’nduja deviled eggs, poutine, fried oysters with caviar, and steak frites.

Charming new hotel the Dunlin offers sweeping views of the Kiawah River, abundant hospitality, and coastal Southern fare in its signature restaurant, Linnette’s. Chef Michael DeCicco puts out dishes like a pressed and pickled watermelon salad, wood-fired oysters, cornmeal-crusted flounder, and a sorghum-benne lacquered steak with charred okra.

Charleston (SC) vs. Monmouth men’s basketball tickets still available for Sunday, March 9

Data SkriveThe No. 3 seed Charleston (SC) Cougars (23-8, 13-5 CAA) will meet the No. 6 seed Monmouth Hawks (13-19, 10-8 CAA) in the CAA tournament Sunday at St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena, starting at 8:30 p.m. ET.Buy tickets for Charleston (SC) vs. Monmouth...

Data Skrive

The No. 3 seed Charleston (SC) Cougars (23-8, 13-5 CAA) will meet the No. 6 seed Monmouth Hawks (13-19, 10-8 CAA) in the CAA tournament Sunday at St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena, starting at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Buy tickets for Charleston (SC) vs. Monmouth

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Charleston (SC) vs. Monmouth game information

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Charleston (SC) vs. Monmouth stats breakdown

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City of Charleston looking to purchase county property for affordable housing

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of Charleston is looking to purchase property on the peninsula from Charleston County to build more affordable housing.The county-owned property sits at 993 and 995 Morrison Drive, located next to the Charleston Tech Center, and currently is a parking lot.On Thursday night, the county’s finance committee will meet to discuss potentially selling the property, with the city offering $30 million.This comes after the county council recommended on Jan. 28 entering negotiations with the...

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of Charleston is looking to purchase property on the peninsula from Charleston County to build more affordable housing.

The county-owned property sits at 993 and 995 Morrison Drive, located next to the Charleston Tech Center, and currently is a parking lot.

On Thursday night, the county’s finance committee will meet to discuss potentially selling the property, with the city offering $30 million.

This comes after the county council recommended on Jan. 28 entering negotiations with the city for an amount ranging between $30 and $35 million for the cost of the property.

This is a $10 million increase from Mayor William Cogswell’s initial offer of $20 million back in October. County councilmember Jenny Costa Honeycutt says that is because the county was looking for an offer closer to the appraisal value of the property which exceeded $30 million.

City officials say that their plan is to use funds they have set aside from their Cooper River Bridge Tax Increment Financing District to purchase the property if they receive final approval from the county.

If the county sells this property to the city, Honeycutt says the funds they would receive would go into the county’s capital projects program which consists of various different initiatives.

“We do have a lot of capital projects that are ongoing. Azalea, the bio lab, and other upfits that are being done, so that’s where those dollars would be spent. I’m sure there will be a discussion among council about the possibility of other areas and reinvestment into affordable housing initiatives, but at this point, the designated funds typically go back into our capital projects program,” Honeycutt says.

The county had initially considered seeking out developers for this property to create affordable housing, however, before moving too far along in the process, the city showed interest in purchasing it.

“To get potential developers to look at developing it in the way that would maximize its utility and provide the most affordable housing that they could put on this site,” Honeycutt says. “We didn’t expect the city to come in with a competitive offer and so before we got to that phase of the process, the city made its initial offer and so there have been discussions ongoing with the city.”

The city had said previously that their goal was to create 500 affordable housing units on this property, but the Chief Policy Officer for the city, Logan McVey, says it will depend on factors such as the final price tag, site conditions and the cost of building materials at the time of construction.

McVey says that affordable housing is essential for the peninsula, not only to alleviate traffic problems in the area but to ensure long-time Charleston residents have a place to live.

“When you have to live in Goose Creek or outer West Ashley or Johns Island, you have to drive all the way if you’re coming to downtown and when you do that, you put a strain on our roads,” McVey says. “We’ve even got a study that shows that people who are from here can’t afford to live here anymore and they’re being replaced by people that are moving here, so we’re kind of losing the culture that makes Charleston special and it’s really important to keep it affordable to live here to preserve that.”

Honeycutt says that Thursday’s discussion could result in approving or rejecting the city’s offer or coming up with a counteroffer. If the county decides to move forward with the city’s offer it will have to go to the county council for approval on Tuesday.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

How to Watch Charleston (SC) Cougars vs. Hampton Pirates Women’s Basketball: Live Stream or on TV

The Charleston (SC) Cougars (22-6) will attempt to build on a seven-game winning streak when they host the Hampton Pirates (7-21) on March 8, 2025 at TD Arena.On Thursday, in its most recent game, Charleston (SC) defeated Campbell 75-54. With 22 points, Lara Rohkohl was its top scorer. In its previous game, Hampton lost to UNC Wilmington on Thursday, 68-54. Its high scorer was Jasha Clinton with 13 points.Watch women’...

The Charleston (SC) Cougars (22-6) will attempt to build on a seven-game winning streak when they host the Hampton Pirates (7-21) on March 8, 2025 at TD Arena.

On Thursday, in its most recent game, Charleston (SC) defeated Campbell 75-54. With 22 points, Lara Rohkohl was its top scorer. In its previous game, Hampton lost to UNC Wilmington on Thursday, 68-54. Its high scorer was Jasha Clinton with 13 points.

Watch women’s college basketball, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up.

When is Charleston (SC) vs. Hampton and when does it start?

This contest between the Cougars and Pirates will happen on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Be ready to see the opening tip at 2 p.m. ET.

The Cougars and Pirates will take to the hardwood at TD Arena for this matchup on March 8, and if you’d like to see the game live, get your tickets now from Vivid Seats!

Watch women’s college basketball all season on Fubo.

Charleston (SC) Cougars vs. Hampton Pirates Game Preview

Charleston (SC) is outscoring opponents by 18.4 points per game with a +517 scoring differential overall. It puts up 74.4 points per game (48th in college basketball) and allows 56.0 per contest (24th in college basketball).

The 74.4 points the Cougars average are 7.1 more than the Pirates concede.

Charleston (SC) connects on 7.3 three-pointers per game (77th in college basketball), 1.6 more than its opponents (5.7). It is shooting 30.1% from deep (227th in college basketball) while allowing opponents to shoot 30.3%.

The Cougars put up 80.4 points per game at home, compared to 68.5 points per game on the road, a difference of 11.9 points per contest.

Charleston (SC) has been putting up 76.5 points per game in its last 10 times on the court, an average that’s slightly higher than the 74.4 it has scored over the course of the 2024-25 campaign.

Hampton has been outscored by 9.7 points per game (posting 57.6 points per game, 324th in college basketball, while allowing 67.3 per outing, 243rd in college basketball) and has a -273 scoring differential.

The Pirates post only 1.6 more points per game (57.6) than the Cougars concede (56.0).

Hampton makes 4.3 three-pointers per game (318th in college basketball) at a 25.7% rate (336th in college basketball), compared to the 5.0 its opponents make, shooting 30.7% from beyond the arc.

In 2024-25 the Pirates are averaging 3.0 more points per game at home (58.6) than on the road (55.6).

Over its previous 10 games, Hampton is scoring 56.6 points per game, 1.0 fewer point than its season average (57.6).

Want to attend this game live? Buy tickets for Charleston (SC) vs. Hampton on Vivid Seats.

Rep your favorite team with officially licensed apparel from Lids or Fanatics.

And for more CBB game previews, NCAA basketball picks or even how to bet on college basketball check out the latest NCAAB lines on Betsperts.

Charleston investor and SC Ports agree to put Union Pier in private hands in 9-figure deal

A company owned by Charleston investor and philanthropist Ben Navarro will pay $250 million to buy Union Pier Terminal along the peninsula's waterfront, with a mortgage this week sealing the deal.Navarro's Marti Holdings LLC and the S.C. State Ports Authority filed the document with the county Register of Deeds on March 4. It capped more than a ...

A company owned by Charleston investor and philanthropist Ben Navarro will pay $250 million to buy Union Pier Terminal along the peninsula's waterfront, with a mortgage this week sealing the deal.

Navarro's Marti Holdings LLC and the S.C. State Ports Authority filed the document with the county Register of Deeds on March 4. It capped more than a year of negotiating the sale terms and working with local governments to form a special tax district that would pay for costly public infrastructure upgrades at the roughly 65-acre industrial site between Concord Street and Charleston Harbor.

The mortgage doesn't state a purchase price but references a $250 million deposit that Marti Holdings has placed on the property. The SPA confirmed Wednesday that figure matches the sale price.

Other details of the deal are included in a purchase agreement that was cited in the mortgage but not publicly filed. That document was signed a year ago, about the same time the SPA announced the sale to Navarro.

"The purchase and sale agreement are not public until the deal closes and the transfer deed is recorded," the SPA said in a written statement. "We do not release terms of the sale of an ongoing real estate transaction."

The $250 million also matches the assumed price cited in a footnote in a document outlining the special tax-district that Charleston City Council approved on Nov. 5.

The notation included another key detail — that the deal is expected to close in 2027.

A spokesperson for Beemok Capital, the "family office" that oversees Navarro's investments, said the company is "excited to proceed with closing this transaction with the Ports Authority."

At $250 million, the purchase price is well below the $400 million or so that some real estate analysts expected the prime property to fetch when the SPA announced in 2020 that it was putting Union Pier up for sale. The maritime agency has said it plans to use the proceeds for general operating expenses.

The effort to sell Union Pier has been tortured at times. The SPA initially hired Los Angeles-based developer Lowe to get the permits in place for a sale. It also offered the real estate firm an option to buy the site.

Lowe had previously purchased the ports authority's old headquarters just south of Union Pier, with the aim of replacing the outdated office building with a high-end waterfront hotel. That 191-room project has been taken over by Navarro's Beemok Hospitality Collection, which expects to open The Cooper later this year.

Conservationists and preservation groups opposed the original Union Pier redevelopment plan that Lowe proposed as too dense and out-of-character with the city's Historic District. The SPA ultimately paid $9.9 million to sever its ties with the California developer.

The authority also agreed to a new process that involved dozens of community groups that would form a plan for Union Pier's redevelopment during months of public meetings.

Navarro and the SPA started talking about a deal in late 2023. The agency's board unanimously approved the partnership in March 2024.

Bill Stern, the port's chairman, said at the time that the agency wanted to find a local buyer to redevelop the former cargo terminal that in recent years has been used mostly as a parking lot and as a cruise ship berth.

When it decided to sell Union Pier, the SPA let lapse its home-port agreement with the operator of the Carnival Sunshine, which left Charleston in January. The special tax-district agreement with the city calls for an eventual removal of the existing passenger building.

Navarro, a Rhode Island native who quickly rose to vice president of Citigroup early in his career, founded the investment firm Sherman Financial Group in 1998 and later bought a small bank he renamed Credit One Bank.

He moved his business to Charleston more than 20 years ago.

Credit One, the sponsor of an annual professional women's tennis tournament on Daniel Island, is now one of the nation's largest credit card issuers.

The centerpiece of Navarro's local hospitality holdings is The Charleston Place, just a few blocks inland from Union Pier. He bought the 434-room hotel and shopping complex for $350 million in late 2021 and is in the throes of a $150 million multiyear renovation project.

Navarro's other investments include the Riviera Theater on King Street; Sorrelle, an Italian restaurant, and the adjoining Mercato market on Broad Street; and the American Gardens urban park under construction at 141 Meeting St.

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