North Charleston's Crumbling Admiral's House Undergoes Incredible Restoration
For 22 years, one of the most beautiful homes in North Charleston, South Carolina, stood vacant—crumbling, overgrown, and nearly forgotten.
Quarters A, known locally as the Admiral's House, sits on a spacious lot on a hill at the former Naval Base Charleston. The 7,300-square-foot Neo-Classical mansion was built in 1905 for the Commandant of the Charleston Navy Yard and overlooks the quarters of lower ranking officers.
The second-oldest building in the historic housing area—and by far the grandest— Quarters A once played host to large parties and events for Naval officers.
Sadly, after the Navy base closed in 1996, this home and other buildings sat abandoned for more than two decades, that is, until the South Carolina Legislature created the Charleston Naval Complex Redevelopment Authority to oversee the reuse and redevelopment of the former Charleston Naval Complex.
The restoration of Quarters A began in August 2018 and was completed September 2020 at a cost of $4.3 million.
Designer Karrie Britton took on the interiors, drawing inspiration from the exotic lives of the Admirals who lived there. The rescued home features special reproductions and period antiques similar to the overseas treasures that once occupied it.
City of North Charleston
"This is part of our history, we are showing respect for that history, and making sure that the generations to come will understand what the ship meant to all of us during the era it was here and then how ultimately, we preserved what was here," North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey said in a ribbon cutting event on June 26.
Returned to its former glory, the refurbished building is now a popular venue for weddings and events.
"North Charleston may be a young city, but our history is long and fascinating," Summey said. "I invite the entire community to join us and experience the history that was locked behind base gates for nearly 100 years."
For more information visit NorthCharleston.org.
