Vacant King Street School Being Transformed Into New Business and Dining Hub
A long-vacant former school building on Charleston’s upper peninsula is getting a new life.
The former New Israel Christian School property near the corner of King and Simons streets is being redeveloped into King Simons, an adaptive-reuse project that will bring small business suites, creative workspaces and a future restaurant to the property.
Rather than demolishing the existing building, the development team is renovating the roughly 10,000-square-foot former schoolhouse and repositioning it for a new generation of businesses.
Construction is already underway, with the first spaces expected to become available later this year.
From Schoolhouse to Small Business Hub
The building was previously used by New Israel Christian School, which operated educational facilities connected to New Israel Reformed Episcopal Church.
The school served students from preschool through middle-school grades, and the King Street property once accommodated hundreds of students.
After the school closed, however, the building sat largely unused.
The property was purchased for approximately $1.6 million in 2025, setting the stage for its next chapter.
Today, instead of classrooms, plans call for 11 private commercial suites geared toward small businesses, professional services, studios and other local operators.
The spaces are expected to range from approximately 187 to 600 square feet, giving smaller businesses an opportunity to establish a presence along one of Charleston’s most recognizable commercial corridors without taking on a massive storefront.
Shared amenities are also planned, including conference space, a kitchenette and other common areas.
A New Restaurant Is Planned for the King Street Corner
One of the most noticeable additions could eventually be a new food-and-beverage concept.
King Simons includes approximately 1,600 square feet of dedicated restaurant space near the King Street side of the property.
Plans include infrastructure for a commercial kitchen, along with an outdoor patio along Simons Street.
No specific restaurant operator has been publicly announced yet, so Charleston diners will have to wait a little longer to learn exactly what is coming.
For now, the project is being marketed as restaurant-ready space rather than a confirmed restaurant opening.
Several Businesses Have Already Signed On
Interest in King Simons appears to be building before construction is even complete.
Project architect Tyler A. Smyth has said multiple businesses have already committed to spaces within the development, with his own architecture studio also planning to operate from the building.
The early tenants have largely been described as smaller or growing local businesses.
That could make King Simons less of a traditional office redevelopment and more of a small-business cluster, bringing several different operators together under one roof.
Construction Is Underway
Work on the former schoolhouse has moved into the physical construction phase.
Recent project updates have shown crews installing new windows, creating additional openings and completing building systems and interior rough-ins.
Plans also include updated doors, HVAC equipment, landscaping, awnings, exterior improvements and other renovations intended to make the former institutional building feel more connected to the surrounding King Street corridor.
The project is currently advertising fall 2026 availability.
Parking Was One of the Biggest Challenges
One of the more complicated parts of redeveloping the old school had little to do with the building itself.
It was parking.
The property has limited room for vehicles, creating a significant challenge for converting a former school into commercial space.
Developers proposed using a separate nearby parcel along Romney Street to provide off-site parking for King Simons.
That proposal generated neighborhood debate, with some residents concerned about additional traffic and the potential expansion of commercial activity into nearby residential streets.
Supporters, meanwhile, argued that finding a parking solution was necessary if the long-vacant King Street property was ever going to be successfully reused.
Charleston ultimately approved a path forward for the parking area with conditions related to landscaping, screening and other site improvements.
Charleston Also Approved Changes to the Building
Because of the property’s location, exterior changes went through Charleston’s architectural review process.
The approved renovation includes new windows and doors, landscaping, awnings and other improvements to the building’s appearance.
The goal is not simply to reopen the building but to make the property feel more active at the street level.
That could become particularly noticeable once businesses occupy the suites and the future restaurant and patio begin drawing additional foot traffic to the corner.
Another Change Coming to Upper King Street
King Simons is a relatively small project compared with some of the major developments reshaping Charleston, but its location makes it worth watching.
Development and redevelopment have continued moving north along the King Street corridor as formerly industrial, institutional and underused properties find new purposes.
King Simons represents that shift on a neighborhood scale.
Instead of another large apartment building or complete demolition and rebuild, an existing Charleston property is being adapted into space for local businesses and potentially a new dining destination.
And after years of sitting vacant, the old schoolhouse could soon be busy again — just with entrepreneurs, workers and restaurant customers replacing students in the hallways.
What We Know
Project: King Simons
Location: King and Simons streets, Charleston
Former use: New Israel Christian School
New use: Business suites, studios and restaurant space
Business suites: 11
Restaurant space: Approximately 1,600 square feet
Outdoor dining: Patio planned along Simons Street
Status: Under construction
Target availability: Fall 2026
Restaurant tenant: Not yet publicly announced
