PROJECT 4

RUTLEDGE AVENUE, Charleston, SC

We received THREE Carolopolis Awards for this baby! Read more here about this prestigious Historic Preservation award here in Charleston - https://www.preservationsociety.org/carolopolis/

Built in 1890, this building originally housed a corner store turned jazz bar at night with grand rooms above. The building has been abandoned for many years. We even found old black and white photos from the late bar nights of the 50's. Our initial walk-through was rather frightening - clothing everywhere, sunken-in roof, wild wallpaper all over, and glass everywhere - but the redeeming factor in all the rubble was the original interior architectural details of the early 1900's corner store still in tact, namely the shelving and wonderfully large crown molding circling the first floor. After removing the drop ceiling, we discovered beautiful curved plaster ceiling joists, resembling a boat hull. We were in love. The building has a commercial space on the bottom floor - Restaurant called Chasing Sage - and two 3-bedroom apartments on the 2nd & 3rd floors. Together with our pals at Flyway Construction, we restored this beauty back to life, as well as built two new homes in the back property within the period style of the front building. For the residential units, we are restored the original heart pine floors, interior transoms, opened fireplaces, ceiling joists and extra large pocket doors... breathing life back into this historical building that once had such heart and soul. See the Before & After photos towards the end for a big WOW.

Completed Summer 2017