Downtown is what people think of when they picture "Charleston" in their minds - narrow streets, the Battery, King Street shopping, Rainbow Row, art museums, historic homes and churches, hidden gardens and some of the best restaurants on the East Coast. And yet downtown - called the Peninsula - is not just a tourist destination. It is also full of active neighborhoods. "South of Broad", Harleston Village and Ansonborough are living history, where historic homes and gardens are part of truly walkable communities. The neighborhoods surrounding MUSC and the College of Charleston mix students with young professionals. And entrepreneurial shop owners and investments of infrastructure have transformed up-and-coming pocket neighborhoods into stylish destinations for homebuyers.
If you are looking for luxury living, South of Broad is the zip code you want your address to be located in. Along the tree-lined streets and narrow alleyways are the largest concentration of Charleston’s premier properties: gracious mansions, elegant Charleston single and double houses, and renovated townhouses and condominiums dating from the 1700s to the present. Window boxes, iron gates, intimate gardens and courtyards adorn this stately neighborhood. All homes are within walking distance to the harbor and the latest restaurants, art galleries and shops. At the tip of the peninsula in this neighborhood is the famous Whitepoint Garden where the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter. Dance in the gazebo, sit on the cannons or walk along the Battery, the quaintness of this area is endless.
Situated by the Cooper River and the beautiful and private Waterfront Park sits a neighborhood filled with renovated warehouses and pre-Revolutionary buildings providing a vibrant mix of residential and commercial use. Amid the narrow cobblestone streets, these stucco and brick dwellings symbolize eighteenth century European architecture. Residents live among galleries and participate in popular evening art walks. All homes are within walking distance to the harbor and the latest restaurants, art galleries and shops.
These are true Charleston neighborhoods, largely developed in the early 20th century, and are typified by brick bungalows and craftsman cottages. Wide streets with corridors to the Ashley River allow residents wonderful sunset views in Wagener Terrace. Many homes have been recently renovated and upgraded. Close to area hospitals, colleges and downtown, this community is attractive to people looking for a downtown lifestyle without the South of Broad price tag.