40 Charlotte Street

Architecturally noted as one of the oldest Greek Revival homes in Charleston, and built on one of the highest points in the Historic Downtown, one can understand why the Plantation Style with double piazza, forged ironwork, oversized lot, grand marble staircase, and gas lantern has such a street presence.Like most great plantations in the Low-country, they are humble yet elegant. From the English Basement you can see, this home has a spectacular structure of old heart pine beams, joists and brickwork. The upper rooms are large with lots of light, with four windows and one fireplace in each of the six main rooms. Single planks of heart pine flooring span from wall to wall with original plaster cornice moldings.

What makes this Plantation Style home architecturally unique and functionally advantageous: all four bedrooms in the upper part of the main house have large ensuite bathrooms. The separate Historic Kitchen House has one bedroom and bath with its own meters and entrances. What once seemed outside of the center of Charleston, today is the most vibrant area with the Farmer's Marker, Main Auditorium, Music Hall, Museum, Aquarium, and the Best Restaurants & Hotels: all within a Four-Block Radius. Yet the wide-canopy of the Live Oak lined Charlotte Street, blue stone sidewalks, and the double width lot, makes you feel like you escaped to the country. Equally important to the great location on high ground is the line of history of Building Artisans who owned, built & maintained this grand 1831 Plantation Style Home. Rising some 45' to the roof ridge, this house has many different options for a family using the private basement and attic spaces or others might use the exterior entrance to the basement as a future apartment. And yet others might use the English Basement for a wine room/cellar and the attic as an artist studio. The exterior elevator has been through the Board of Architectural Review process, and can now be easily added to the rear including an approved deck and more windows to the 3rdFloor rear of the house, if needed. Based on the Plantation Style orientation and not a restricted narrow lot with a Single House orientation, 40 Charlotte has historic wings off the back that lent itself for the newly upgraded plumbing and expanded baths. Also tucked in the historic wings, a cozy office, butlers pantry, a half-bath and broom closets. A recent one-story addition with a new large modern kitchen is nestled in-between the Historic Kitchen House and the Main House. A new garden wall was added to give privacy to the Kitchen House and define more of a Charleston garden. Plenty of parking and room for expansion on this .23 acre lot. The original large property would have had multiple buildings on it. By sharing the driveway and defining a future site for building art structures that feature brick, stone, timber framing, plaster & stucco, with ornament detail in iron and brickwork, we think the site and in the spirit of its founding artisan builders will once again host beautiful and elegant structures.