Construction of St. James Baptist Church & the Relocation of Cherry Hill School

Beaufort County, in partnership with the Town of Hilton Head Island and St. James Baptist Church, invites qualified general contractors to submit proposals for the construction of a new St. James Baptist Church facility and the relocation of the historic Cherry Hill School. The project will include complete site development—parking, utilities, stormwater infrastructure, landscaping, and other related improvements—at a new site within the historic Mitchelville area of Hilton Head Island.

This project represents the culmination of years of collaboration between the County, Town, and Church to address longstanding safety concerns associated with the church’s current location beneath the Hilton Head Island Airport runway approach path. The new facility will serve as a vibrant house of worship and community gathering place while honoring the congregation’s historical roots and preserving the legacy of Mitchelville. The Cherry Hill School relocation, a companion effort under this contract, will safeguard one of Hilton Head’s most meaningful cultural landmarks through careful preservation and reconstruction at the new site.

The County seeks a single general contractor capable of delivering both elements of this work with excellence—combining technical construction skill, experience with places of worship and historic structures, and a deep appreciation for community heritage. Vendors with demonstrated experience in church construction or historic preservation projects are strongly encouraged to apply.

The relocation of St. James Baptist Church and Cherry Hill School is a project deeply rooted in both public safety and cultural preservation. St. James Baptist Church, a historic African American congregation, has worshipped for generations at its current location near the northern end of the Hilton Head Island Airport runway. As aircraft operations increased, the site fell within the Airport’s Runway Protection Zone, creating safety risks that necessitated relocation.

Rather than seeing this relocation as an ending, Beaufort County, the Town of Hilton Head Island, and the congregation joined together to transform it into an opportunity for renewal and growth—to create a modern, resilient, and welcoming new church campus that preserves the congregation’s spiritual and cultural identity within the island’s historic Mitchelville community. The relocation of the Cherry Hill School, one of the island’s oldest surviving African American educational buildings, further reinforces this commitment to honor the past while investing in the future.

An exceptional outcome for this project will not simply be measured in square footage or cost—it will be measured by how well the finished campus reflects the community’s story, craftsmanship, and pride. The ideal contractor will demonstrate collaborative communication, respect for the site’s cultural and historic context, and meticulous attention to quality and detail in both construction and preservation.