The long-vacant K-Mart building at 3725 Rivers Avenue in North Charleston is getting a new life as a youth development center. Kids On Point, a nonprofit that has spent years working out of a space hosted by the College of Charleston, announced plans to build its first permanent campus on the site, with hopes the move will double the number of students it can serve each year.
According to WCBD News 2, the former K-Mart property will become the home of a youth development center operated by Kids On Point. The organization called it its first permanent home, an independent youth development facility at 3725 Rivers Avenue, according to Holy City Sinner. The site sits near the intersection of Rivers and McMillan avenues and was chosen specifically for its accessibility to the families Kids On Point serves.
The project is being made possible in large part by Jessica and Todd Aaron, who acquired and will donate the land for the campus. The same report notes the Aarons also made an anchor investment toward construction of the project. Lauren Herterich said that Jessica and Todd have given Kids On Point both the ground to build on and the investment to build it, adding that the campus gives the organization room to grow, serve more families, and support students for decades.
A Site Chosen for Transit Access
Beyond the donated land, the location itself is a key part of the plan. The site sits along a major public transit route and near the forthcoming Shipwatch Square Transit and Workforce Center, which is meant to help reduce transportation barriers for students and families trying to reach the program. Plans for that nearby transit center are moving forward, per the same account from The Post and Courier, which also reported that the hub will eventually connect CARTA riders to a proposed 23-mile Lowcountry Rapid Transit line running primarily along Rivers Avenue.
Property records describe the 3725 Rivers Avenue parcel as a 116,783-square-foot site in Charleston County, classified for industrial, distribution/warehouse, and light assembly/manufacturing use, according to a South Carolina Commerce property report. That zoning history underscores just how different the building's next chapter will look once it's converted into a space built around classrooms, mentorship, and community programming rather than retail or warehousing.
What the New Campus Is Meant to Do
The facility is designed to serve young people and families while also functioning as a hub where partners, neighbors, and organizations can connect and collaborate. Kids On Point has said demand for its programs and its waitlists continue to grow, which is part of the motivation behind expanding beyond its current footprint.
North Charleston Mayor Reggie Burgess said the project represents continued investment along the Rivers Avenue corridor, and he praised the partnership for creating additional opportunities for local children and families. Community members will also have chances to weigh in as plans for the new youth center continue to take shape.
Growth Built on a 2009 Foundation
Kids On Point got its start in 2009, as noted on the organization's own site, and has operated at the College of Charleston for the past 16 years. That location will remain fully operational even after the North Charleston campus is built, giving the nonprofit two bases instead of one. Five days a week, students currently take part in dedicated homework time, academic mentorship, and athletics opportunities, the group says on its website.
The organization now serves more than 500 students annually from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, with a 91% retention rate, and works in partnership with more than 60 community organizations. That growth builds on an earlier expansion: Kids On Point has said its North Charleston expansion allowed it to welcome more students, after the group previously reported increasing enrollment from 120 to 350 students over a two-year stretch, according to Furman University's Riley Institute. The organization has also expanded its North Charleston presence.
