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Anne Lawless: The Connector
Park Circle, a vibrant neighborhood within North Charleston, South Carolina, is experiencing a renaissance led by individuals who blend personal passion and professional expertise to foster community development.
In a recent conversation for Park Circle Quarterly Magazine, Anne Lawless, Development Associate with Cityvolve and community advocate, sat down with Okeeba Jubalo, Publisher of Park Circle Quarterly Magazine, to reflect on the area’s evolution, her personal connection to the Lowcountry, and the importance of preserving Park Circle’s unique character.
A Deep Connection to the Lowcountry
Lawless’ journey to Park Circle is deeply tied to her family roots and love for the South Carolina Lowcountry. Born in Nashville, Tennessee, and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Lawless spent much of her childhood vacationing in the region, where her parents eventually moved to Hilton Head Island residing there for over 30 years. After working with development, construction, and architectural firms in Atlanta, she sought to reconnect with her roots. Though initially considering opportunities spanning the South Carolina and Georgia coastal regions, she relocated to Charleston in 2007 when a professional opportunity arose.
“I originally made a goal to move to the South Carolina coast, but I wasn’t really focused on Charleston,” Lawless shared. “I just had a range from Myrtle Beach all the way down to Savannah. But an opportunity came through real estate connections steering me to Charleston, and I moved here—and I have not really ever looked back.” Initially working for The Noisette Company connecting with a “phenomenal group” of individuals with a passion for urban infill redevelopment, Lawless has continued that work over the past several years with Jeff Baxter and Jim Haley. Beginning with The Noisette Company, their shared interest in thoughtful redevelopment has continued over the past several years with Cityvolve, which Jeff and Jim founded over 11 years ago.
Jubalo, reflecting on his own deep familial ties to North Charleston, highlighted the sense of belonging that defines the area. “I’m from here—from here. I’ve got family in every single corner of this place, with hundreds of years of blood in the soil,” he said. “That’s what people don’t always understand—it’s not just where we live. It’s who we are.”
In 2017, Cityvolve redeveloped a prominent corner on North Charleston’s historic main street. Known as Marquis Station, the 4-building complex is located at East Montague Avenue and Virginia Avenue. The project has brought new life to a once quiet and semi-industrial part of the East Montague business district.
A Walkable, Connected Community
Lawless initially lived in Mount Pleasant for a few years, but Park Circle became home in 2019. She describes the neighborhood as vibrant and community-centered, a place where neighbors greet each other by name, and local businesses serve as gathering spots.
“This is such a vibrant area,” Lawless said. “I usually park my car [on weekends] and rarely get in it. I thrive on having that community center—walking down the street, people know your name and vice versa.”
Jubalo recalled meeting Lawless nearly three years ago while looking for a temporary gallery space in North Charleston. “When I sat with you and Shawn and Ryan Smith I said, ‘I’m going to need a whole building,’” he said with a laugh, but in all seriousness. “For our exhibitions, we would run the artwork down the halls, have fashion shows coming down the hallway, yoga classes in the front—and when it was all over, the space would go back to normal.”
A Blueprint for Thoughtful Growth
Park Circle has become a hub for young families, entrepreneurs, and professionals, drawn by its walkability and welcoming environment. Lawless attributes much of the area’s success to North Charleston’s business-friendly policies. However, she emphasized the need for thoughtful growth as the community evolves.
“We’ve got to really take stock of things like workforce and affordable housing,” Lawless noted. “Managing the influx of people—traffic control, parking, and infrastructure—is going to be key.”
Jubalo echoed her concerns, underscoring the importance of intentional development. “There’s a lot of opportunity here,” he said. “But we have to be smart about it. I’ve worked in Atlanta, and I’ve seen what happens when growth isn’t managed. We can’t afford to make those same mistakes.”
Lawless also emphasized preserving Park Circle’s character through thoughtful urban planning. “It’s about maintaining the community feel while adding elements that serve the community” she explained. “Things like supporting local businesses, short-term rental regulations and something as simple as effective signage ordinances help keep the community intact.”
A Place to Call Home
Ultimately, both Lawless and Jubalo emphasized that Park Circle’s strength lies in its community spirit. “This is a place where people stop to say hello,” Lawless said. “It’s a place where families grow, businesses thrive, and neighbors become friends.”
Jubalo underscored the importance of fostering genuine connections and encouraging community involvement. “We build communities by communicating,” he said. “The more people see what’s happening here, the more they’ll gravitate toward it—and that’s how we grow.”
Looking ahead, Jubalo is focused on an ambitious plan to develop an arts district in Park Circle, inspired by creative hubs like Castleberry Hill in Atlanta and Wynwood in Miami, Florida. The vision is to create a cultural center that serves as both an economic engine and a gathering place for residents and visitors.
“Our next phase is to build an arts district,” Jubalo shared. “We need a place that becomes the heARTbeat of the Park Circle community.”
With a focus on thoughtful growth, community-driven initiatives, and creative investments, Park Circle is poised to thrive as a model for inclusive revitalization. Lawless’ experience, vision, and willingness to serve as a connector offer a blueprint for how neighborhoods can grow sustainably while staying true to their roots. Anne Lawless is a community connector.
The Cityvolve Team: Jeff Baxter, Jim Haley & Anne Lawless
Services
Cityvolve is a full-service real estate development firm and actively acquires, develops and manages properties for its own account within the Charleston-North Charleston MSA. Additionally, Cityvolve partners with key owners, investors and clients providing development management, owner’s representation and consulting services.
OWNER-DEVELOPER-MANAGER
DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT
OWNER’S REPRESENTATION
DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT
CITYVOLVE COMMERCIAL REALTY
For Inquiries
Anne Lawless
(843) 566-5510
Cityvolve Featured Project
Ten Mile on Rivers
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC
Tenants: Creative Builders, A2Z Cargo & Logistics, Dumpsters.com, Kay & Co Weekends, Labor One, Carolina Healthcare, BrightView, Tribal 1, NobleSol Art Group, Blair Jennings Law Firm, Garney Construction, Hana Engineering, RL Kunz, Target Market, Unity Insurance Agency
Size: 22,222 sf
Type: Adaptive Building Re-use
Category: Multi-tenant Class A Office
Completion Date: April 2021
Cityvolve Services: Broker, Development Consultant
The former Charlestowne Academy school site was successfully transformed into a professional office campus,
now known as Ten Mile on Rivers. Sitting on “Ten Mile Hill,” a reference to the mileage marker from Broad Street,
this 5-acre property is located in the center of the region with unparalleled access to I-26 and I-526.
The 1950’s school building boasts an updated facade, new roof, interior enhancements, high ceilings with light filled
spaces and 100% new MEP systems. The best-in-class HVAC system provides enhanced ventilation and filtration.
A new 175-space parking lot was constructed while preserving 27 grand oak trees.
The building is now one of Charleston’s most cool and iconic places to do business, with excellent presence in the
burgeoning Rivers Avenue corridor. Floorplans offer a variety of highly flexible lease options from
200 RSF to 5,000 RSF, with opportunity to combine spaces into larger contiguous suites.
