COMMUNITY PROFILES / CITY OF CHARLESTON
City Hall
80 Broad Street
Charleston 843-577-6970
https://www.charleston-sc.gov
Chamber of Commerce
4500 Leeds Avenue
North Charleston 843-577-2510
https://www.charlestonchamber.org
Services
The second-largest city in South Carolina after Columbia, historic Charleston is well known for its grand architecture, Southern charm, and breathtaking landscapes. The city limits encompass approximately 100 square miles, eight of which are covered by the downtown peninsula. The largest of the metropolitan region’s healthcare centers surrounds the Medical University of South Carolina, covering more than 50 acres in downtown Charleston. Six MUSC colleges and patient-care facilities offer a full spectrum of healthcare and educational services, featuring nationally recognized specialists in such important fields as cardiology, cancer, and pediatrics. Other major healthcare facilities include Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, East Cooper Regional Medical Center, Roper Hospital, and the Trident Medical Center.
The city is also home to a variety of outstanding educational institutions, including public and private schools on every academic level. The College of Charleston also enjoys a convenient downtown location, serving nearly 12,000 students. Established in 1770, this historic state-support institution offers four-year undergraduate programs and a graduate school. The Medical University of South Carolina is part of the state’s university system, providing a dedicated institution of higher education for those who are interested in the healthcare professions. Six colleges offer diverse opportunities for study: Medicine, nursing, health-related professions, pharmacy, dentistry, and health-related graduate programs. Other post-secondary schools close to home include Trident Technical College, Johnson and Wales University at Charleston, Lowcounty Graduate Center, The Citadel, Webster University, and Charleston Southern University.
Lifestyle
Earning national accolades for livability and quality of life, Charleston is ideally situated on the Atlantic Ocean coast at the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper rivers. The city welcomes more than four million visitors each year who generate $5 million in annual tourism revenue, elevating the region to an enviable stature for historic preservation and hospitality. The same blend of distinctive charm, efficient services, and world-class cultural and entertainment attractions that continually captivates visitors has made Charleston a popular choice for new residents from retirees to professionals and families.
Long recognized as the cultural capital of the South, Charleston is home to a symphony orchestra, community and professional theatre, dance companies, comedy and film, fine art galleries and studios, and wonderful museums including the Gibbes Museum of Art. Charleston’s Historic French Quarter alone provides a charming setting for more than 30 art galleries, all within walking distance from each other. Nearby North Charleston adds the North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center, an exciting complex for sports, special events, and stellar entertainment. Annual events draw throngs of visitors to the city, crowned by the famous Spoleto Festival USA, Piccolo Spoleto, and MOJA Arts festivals.
Opportunities abound for residents to cheer on your favorite team or explore rich natural habitats that serve as panoramic backdrops for every imaginable form of outdoor adventure. Sailing, boating, personal watercraft, parasailing, fishing, crabbing, swimming, and sunbathing on pristine beaches are common pastimes in this water-rich environment. Surrounding parks, green space, and forests encourage hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing, hunting, nature photography, bird watching, and camping. The housing selection in Charleston is nothing less than enchanting, mixing historic properties with vibrant new construction. Enjoy exploring Charleston’s unique neighborhoods and residential communities, brimming over with unhurried grace, Southern charm, undeniable romance, and visual delights.
NOTABLE NEIGHBORHOODS & DISTRICTS
Downtown & The Peninsula
The heart of Charleston nestles on a peninsula, most often referred to as “downtown” by local residents. The southeastern tip of the peninsula features Charleston’s world-famous historic district, bounded by Calhoun Street to the north, the Cooper River to the east, the Battery to the south, and Lockwood Boulevard to the west. More than 2,000 historic homes, churches, and museums share the legacy of stunning architecture and breathtaking views at every turn. The primarily retail corridor in this area is King Street, cutting a swath through Broad Street. Tourist traffic is heaviest north of the Crosstown where US Highway 17 cuts across Upper King. Most residents and visitors prefer to stroll through pedestrian-friendly historic downtown Charleston, occasionally taking advantage of pedicab rickshaws, taxi cabs, or bicycles.
The Battery and South of Broad
The Battery refers to the point of a narrow peninsula bounded by the Ashley and Cooper rivers, where handsome mansions graced by magnificent gardens face the picturesque harbor. The distinctive appearance of these historic homes is reminiscent of the West Indies—for a reason. Prior to their arrival in the Carolinas in the late 17th century, many British colonists had settled in the Caribbean isles where they built homes with high ceilings and broad piazzas to catch the wonderful salt-air breezes. In Charleston, they recreated this appealing style. The affluent South of Broad neighborhood features lovely private homes—often displaying public plaques that describe their history—and several impressive house museums. Nearby, picturesque Cabbage Row was the inspiration for Catfish Row in Porgy and Bess. Famous sites include St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, the Heyward-Washington House, the Nathaniel Russell House, the Calhoun Mansion, the Edmondston-Alston House, and the South Carolina Aquarium.
Daniel Island
Although Daniel Island was originally an incorporated area in Berkeley County, nearly all of the community was annexed by the city of Charleston in the early ’90s. Years of planning and vision made this thriving island town a reality, forming a desirable residential community from farmland and marshes. Daniel Island has emerged as a nationally acclaimed neotraditional town with a true feeling of community. Many of the historic design elements of the neighborhoods of downtown Charleston have been repeated, including homes set close to meandering, quiet streets. Many properties feature large piazzas that are ideal for casual chats with neighbors. Residents are often able to walk to retail shops, services, schools, and neighborhood parks along wide sidewalks that cross the island. Complementing carefully planned residential communities, thickets of preserved Spanish moss still drape over oak and towering palmetto trees. Recent additions include an acclaimed Tom Fazio golf course and a new tennis stadium that hosts Davis Cup matches as well as live entertainment and concerts.
North of Broad
The section of Charleston north of Broad Street is brimming over with impressive sights and attractions. The Charleston Museum features an extensive decorative arts collection, while the Joseph Manigault Mansion offers a first-rate house museum that dates back to the early 1800s. John Street is home to the American Military Museum, and Calhoun Street features the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church where slave rebellion leader Denmark Vesey was a member. Also on Calhoun Street, the Francis Marion Hotel was the highest building in the Carolinas in the 1920s. The idyllic campus for the College of Charleston invites visitors to pass through gated openings on St. Phillips Streets and stroll along walks shaded by moss-draped trees. King Street is famous as Charleston’s primary retail corridor. Other landmarks include the Greek Revival architectural masterpiece, the Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Reform Temple, and St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The long list of attractions also includes Market Hall, the bustling Old City Market, the Gibbes Museum of art, and classy Charleston Place.
West Ashley
Beyond historic downtown Charleston where the Ashley River hugs the west side of the peninsula, the far shore is known as West Ashley. Oddly, the locals say they “live West Ashley”—not in or at West Ashley. The city annexed West Ashley in 1960, and the area has seen rapid growth since that time. In fact, the population doubled from 1960 to 1990. West Ashley harmonizes a patchwork of long-established and newer residential neighborhoods with bustling commercial areas that line the major thoroughfares of US Highway 17 South and SC Highway 61. Many vintage neighborhoods showcase graceful oak trees, sweeping lawns, and meticulous landscaping. Particularly around the foot of the Ashley River Bridge, residents are keenly interested in preserving the charming village atmosphere. Landmarks and attractions include the Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site—a nature and historic theme park on the site of the original English settlement—Drayton Hall, Magnolia Gardens, and Middleton Place. The largest shopping center in Charleston, the Citadel Mall, is also located in West Ashley. The largest employer is Bon Secours-St. Francis Hospital, a sprawling 32-acre medical complex.
