By Chelsea Hadaway
chadaway@scbiznews.com
Published Dec. 14, 2009

The city of North Charleston and The Sustainability Institute received the national Award of Excellence for Sustainable Community Development.

The inaugural award, given by the Home Depot Foundation, recognizes a small city and a large city, along with nonprofit partners, for their commitment to creation of sustainable neighborhoods. North Charleston and Minneapolis both received checks for $75,000.

“North Charleston provides a model for the rest of the country,” said Fred Wacker, chief operating officer for the Home Depot Foundation. Wacker presented the check in a ceremony today at the North Charleston City Hall.

The award recognized North Charleston’s dedication to revitalization of the community around the Navy Base after it closed, particularly the city-owned Oak Terrace Preserve.

“We’ve developed a Class A neighborhood,” North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey said. He lauded the city for creation of a community where people want to live and said the award validates the city council’s efforts to leave the city a better place for the next generation.

The $75,000 check will support the programs of The Sustainability Institute. This includes weatherization of 50 homes next year, help for small businesses to reduce their environmental footprints, and energy efficiency training for more homeowners, said Bryan Cordell, executive director of the institute.

Wacker said the foundation reached out to about 50 cities across the country and selected North Charleston from among a large number of smaller cities.

“North Charleston has set a very high standard,” he said.