College of Charleston Released Burial Ground Report

The report follows GPR scans at the 106 Coming St. site slated for a new 1,000-student dormitory.

Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in College Life

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a historic brick wall facade, evoking the gravity of archaeological preservation and institutional reporting. — The College of Charleston is releasing a redacted report on 18th-century human remains identified via ground-penetrating radar at a proposed dormitory construction site. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The College of Charleston is set to release a report on ground-penetrating radar scans conducted at a former 18th-century burial ground. The site at 106 Coming St. is the planned location for a new student dormitory.

Why it matters

The college has implemented strict access conditions for the report, including nondisclosure agreements and content redactions. These measures are intended to prevent treasure hunters from targeting the site where human remains were detected.

The proposed dormitory will house 1,000 students at 106 Coming St. after the college demolished the former YWCA building. Scans conducted by Scott Harris used radar capable of detecting objects up to 7 feet deep in the soil.

The players

College of Charleston

This public university located in Charleston is the entity planning the construction of the dormitory.

Scott Harris

He is the researcher who operated the ground-penetrating radar scanner across the Coming Street parking lots.

South Carolina Bureau of Coastal Management

This state regulatory agency issued the permit conditions requiring the redaction of sensitive site data.

Community Engagement Council

This advisory group is tasked with reviewing the findings under restrictive, non-disclosure-based conditions.

The details

The South Carolina Bureau of Coastal Management required the college to redact sensitive locational data regarding human remains from public documents. While the public will see a redacted version, members of the Community Engagement Council must sign nondisclosure agreements and forgo photography or note-taking to view the full report in the president's office.

Scott Harris performed ground-penetrating radar scans in February 2026.
The college expects to release the GPR report during the week of October 6, 2026.
An ancestors libation ceremony is scheduled for October 24, 2026.
Removal of asphalt from the site is planned to begin after October 25, 2026.

Culture Shift

This development highlights the ongoing tension between urban campus expansion and the preservation of historical burial sites. The college's approach to the 106 Coming St. site mirrors a broader trend of institutions balancing modern infrastructure needs with archaeological sensitivity.

Residents and students may notice the removal of asphalt and upcoming construction activity at the Coming Street site following the October 25, 2026 deadline. Those interested in the historical findings must rely on the redacted version of the report, as public access to the raw data is restricted.

The takeaway

Balancing urban development with the protection of sensitive archaeological sites requires rigorous adherence to state regulatory protocols. Stakeholders and students should monitor the college's official communications for updates following the release of the redacted report.