PENINSULA PULSE
Hey neighbor,
Spring hit the peninsula the way it always does, fast and full. The tourists are back. The gardens are showing off. And some items of note going on downtown.
The Cooper is open. The hotel opened March 30, and if you haven't driven by, go look. Right there at the end of Market Street where the old Ports Authority building used to be. 191 rooms, a private marina, four dining concepts. The Crossing is their signature restaurant, Mediterranean-leaning, open to locals, waterfront views. CurrentBurger is the walk-up window spot next to Waterfront Park. The rooftop infinity pool and on-site marina offering private yacht excursions are exactly what they sound like.
This is a big deal for those of us who live here. Charleston's waterfront has always been something we admired from a distance.
Speaking of change, the Days Inn on Meeting Street is being cleared. Demolition is underway to make way for South Carolina's first Four Seasons Hotel and Residences at 155 Meeting Street. It was almost completely cleared when I drove by yesterday. The developer, Strategic Property Partners, now estimates completion in 2029. When finished, it'll have 139 guest rooms, 36 private residences, multiple restaurants, a spa, a pool, and 7,000 square feet of event space. The residences start at $5 million. It's that kind of project.
That block has been dead since COVID. Whatever comes next is better than what's there now.
One more thing before the weekend: The Charleston Festival wraps up Saturday, April 11, its 79th year, with house and garden tours running through the end of the run. If you haven't done one this season, this is your last chance.
MARKET PULSE
Inventory is a trickle right now. That's the headline.
Both 29401 and 29403 have almost nothing for sale. And what does hit the market, if it's priced right and in good shape, doesn't last long. The irony of spring in a low-inventory market, it's technically the busiest buying season of the year, and buyers have almost nothing to choose from. That creates real frustration. I'm seeing it with my clients right now.
If you're a seller who's been on the fence, I'll be honest with you, this is your moment. Motivated buyers, limited competition, and the Cooper and Four Seasons halo effect starting to work in your favor.
If you're a buyer, patience is the job right now. The right home will come. When it does, you need to be ready to move fast.
Get Your Home's Value →
LOCAL LOVE
If you haven't been to Kudu Coffee & Craft Beer on Vanderhorst, give it a try.
It's been a neighborhood staple for years. Exposed brick. Good light. Serious coffee. Craft beer when the afternoon calls for it. The kind of place where you sit down for one cup and realize an hour has passed. There's also a great side courtyard.
If you're new to the peninsula or know someone who is, take them to Kudu. It explains a lot about why people move here and never leave.
TIP OF THE WEEK
People keep asking me about the Cooper and the Four Seasons. Not usually about staying there. About what it means for the neighborhood.
Short answer: it matters.
When a luxury flag plants itself in a historic district, a few things happen. The immediate area gets cleaned up. Nationally-known restaurants follow. Design-forward retail comes after that. And buyers who hadn't considered Charleston before start looking.
The Four Seasons residences start at $5 million. That's not the comp pool for most buyers on the peninsula, but it sets a ceiling, and ceilings lift floors. It doesn't happen overnight. That building won't open until 2029. But the halo effect on Meeting Street and the blocks around it is already baked in. Sellers know it. Buyers should too.
FROM THE COMMUNITY
Someone asked me a questions on my new Reddit community r/CharlestonLife. The question was basically, is the Days Inn demolition actually a big deal, or is everyone overselling it?
What I am hereing is all over the place, which is exactly why it's interesting. Some people are excited. Others are skeptical about what high-end development does to a city's character. A few folks mentioned Toast! All Day, which had to relocate from the site. (They're merging with Eli's Table a few blocks down, for what it's worth.)
It's a fair conversation. Charleston has a complicated relationship with development. We love the history. We're wary of anything that feels like it's pricing people out or changing the texture of the place.
But here's the thing. That site has been a closed, fenced-off parking lot since 2020. Five years of dead sidewalk in the middle of downtown. Whatever replaces it, and a Four Seasons is a lot of whatever, is a net gain for the neighborhood.
I get the hesitation. When you live here, you feel every change personally. That's what makes this place worth fighting for.
r/CharlestonLife
That's a wrap for this week. Happy Easter to those celebrating this Sunday. Hope you find a good porch to spend it on.
If you have a neighbor who'd enjoy this, forward it along. And if you ever want to talk real estate, buying, selling, or just knowing what your place is worth, I'm always around.
See you on the peninsula.
— Brian Walsh Walsh CHS | Downtown Charleston Real Estate
843-754-2089 | www.walshchs.com
Reply to this email anytime. I actually read them.
Comments (0)
Be the first to comment on this post!
Post a Comment