The City of Charleston has started a full restoration project for the historic smokestacks at the St. Julian Devine Community Center. The initiative aims to preserve an important landmark on the Eastside and maintain the neighborhood’s historic skyline.
The smokestacks were built in 1935 as part of Charleston’s municipal trash incinerator, which operated until the 1960s. After the facility closed, the site was redeveloped into a community center in the late 1970s. In 1992, it was renamed to honor St. Julian F. Devine, who was the first African American elected to Charleston City Council since Reconstruction. The smokestacks have remained as symbols of both the area’s industrial history and its resilience.
“Protecting these smokestacks means protecting the Eastside’s historic skyline,” said Mayor William Cogswell. “They are more than just structures — they are part of Charleston’s history and a source of pride for the community.”
ICC, a contractor that has inspected the smokestacks for ten years, will lead the restoration work. Planned tasks include removing existing steel bands and replacing them with corrosion-resistant stainless-steel bands, taking out embedded steel step irons that have caused cracks, tuck-pointing all exterior brickwork, and replacing any damaged bricks.
Interior reinforcement will involve adding structural masonry and applying a Gunite (shotcrete) lining over new reinforcing materials so that the stacks can withstand hurricane-force winds and comply with current safety codes. The project also includes reinstalling and re-certifying lightning protection systems after repairs are complete.
Two years ago, interim stabilization work addressed failing masonry inside the smokestacks to reduce internal failure risks. With full funding now secured, Charleston is proceeding with comprehensive rehabilitation efforts.
Restoration work is set to begin this week and is expected to finish by early 2026.
