Skip To Content

55 E Bay Street

Charleston, SC 29401
  • $9,600,000
  • STATUS: Active
  • ON SITE: 38 Days
  • ID#: 25016001
UPDATED: 70 min ago
$9,600,000
  • 5
    BEDS
  • 0.19
    ACRES
  • 5
    BATHS
  • 1
    1/2 BATHS
  • 7,343
    SQFT
  • $1,307
    $/SQFT
Neighborhood:
Type:
Single-Family Home
Built:
1785
County:

School Information

Elementary School:
Middle School:
High School:

Description

This stunning c. 1785 four-story masonry home has been carefully preserved, exhibiting significant historical integrity. It has undergone a meticulous renovation, elegantly updated to accommodate modern living and entertaining. Book-ended by Rainbow Row and High Battery, the Jonathan Simpson House was built within the original walled city by a wealthy merchant. Twelve-foot ceilings and grand rooms allow the house to be filled with light. The pine floors run the full extent of the house (28'). Much of the original molding, cypress paneling, doors, and interior shutters remain. The current owners created a hyphen to connect the original home and kitchen house under the direction of renowned Charleston architects Dufford Young, with construction by Artis, winning a 2019 Carolopolis Award.The project allowed for a new side garden design by Sheila Wertimer. The gourmet kitchen features a butler's pantry, mudroom, and floor-to-ceiling steel doors overlooking the side garden. The former kitchen house now features a spacious second-floor guest suite or office and a large secondary living room flanked by original fireplaces, as well as access to the screened porch overlooking the magnificent backyard that encompasses nearly a quarter of an acre of peace and tranquility. Plans were created for a 10' x 30' swimming pool and have been approved by the city. The original staircase remains, rising eloquently for all four flights, one of the tallest in the city. The second floor of the home has a 21x25 drawing room with five floor-to-ceiling windows. Across the hall, a primary suite with a fireplace and a private porch overlooking historic rooftops and palmetto trees. The third floor includes two spacious bedrooms, both with en-suite bathrooms, as well as a laundry room. The front bedroom offers clear views of Charleston Harbor. The back bedroom offers a private porch that's perched in the palmetto trees. The fourth floor is laid out as a two-room guest suite with a full bathroom and a living room, incredible historic and water views from every window. Of significant architectural interest is the cantilevered marble balcony, which projects from the second floor and is the only one in Charleston constructed in this manner. The elliptical fan light and the use of tall, glazed windows typify the work of the Adam period. Also of notable distinction is the detailed woodwork and roping around the door frame, which makes this one of the more attractive entrances in historic Charleston. The home retains architectural features of the late Georgian period, also embracing the ornamentation that more closely resembles the Adam style or the Federal period of architectural development.

Monthly Payment Calculator



Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS® logo Real estate listing marked with the CTMLS logo or an abbreviated logo are provided courtesy of the Charleston Trident MLS Broker Reciprocity Database. IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS or The Cassina Group, LLC. Data last updated: 2025-07-18T21:31:30.5.
www.thecassinagroup.com/homes/164709228
Print Image

55 E Bay Street Charleston, SC 29401

  • Price: $9,600,000
  • Status: Active
  • On Site: 38 Days
  • Updated: 70 min ago
  • ID#: 25016001
5
Beds
5
Baths
1
½ Baths
0.19
Acres
7,343
SQFT
$1,307
$/SQFT
1785
Built
Neighborhood:
South Of Broad
County:
Charleston
Area:
Charleston Peninsula - Below Crosstown
Elementary School:
Memminger
Middle School:
Courtenay
High School:
Burke
Property Description
This stunning c. 1785 four-story masonry home has been carefully preserved, exhibiting significant historical integrity. It has undergone a meticulous renovation, elegantly updated to accommodate modern living and entertaining. Book-ended by Rainbow Row and High Battery, the Jonathan Simpson House was built within the original walled city by a wealthy merchant. Twelve-foot ceilings and grand rooms allow the house to be filled with light. The pine floors run the full extent of the house (28'). Much of the original molding, cypress paneling, doors, and interior shutters remain. The current owners created a hyphen to connect the original home and kitchen house under the direction of renowned Charleston architects Dufford Young, with construction by Artis, winning a 2019 Carolopolis Award.The project allowed for a new side garden design by Sheila Wertimer. The gourmet kitchen features a butler's pantry, mudroom, and floor-to-ceiling steel doors overlooking the side garden. The former kitchen house now features a spacious second-floor guest suite or office and a large secondary living room flanked by original fireplaces, as well as access to the screened porch overlooking the magnificent backyard that encompasses nearly a quarter of an acre of peace and tranquility. Plans were created for a 10' x 30' swimming pool and have been approved by the city. The original staircase remains, rising eloquently for all four flights, one of the tallest in the city. The second floor of the home has a 21x25 drawing room with five floor-to-ceiling windows. Across the hall, a primary suite with a fireplace and a private porch overlooking historic rooftops and palmetto trees. The third floor includes two spacious bedrooms, both with en-suite bathrooms, as well as a laundry room. The front bedroom offers clear views of Charleston Harbor. The back bedroom offers a private porch that's perched in the palmetto trees. The fourth floor is laid out as a two-room guest suite with a full bathroom and a living room, incredible historic and water views from every window. Of significant architectural interest is the cantilevered marble balcony, which projects from the second floor and is the only one in Charleston constructed in this manner. The elliptical fan light and the use of tall, glazed windows typify the work of the Adam period. Also of notable distinction is the detailed woodwork and roping around the door frame, which makes this one of the more attractive entrances in historic Charleston. The home retains architectural features of the late Georgian period, also embracing the ornamentation that more closely resembles the Adam style or the Federal period of architectural development.
Exterior Features

Carport Spaces 0 Carport YN No Construction Materials BlockStucco Covered Spaces 0 Entry Location Ground Level Fencing Wrought Iron Foundation Details Basement Garage YN No Other Structures No Parking Features Off StreetOther Patio And Porch Features Screened Roof Slate

Interior Features

Cooling Central Air Cooling YN Yes Fireplace Features Three + Fireplace YN Yes Heating YN No Interior Features Ceiling - Cathedral/VaultedHigh CeilingsGarden Tub/ShowerWalk-In Closet(s)Eat-in KitchenFamilyFormal LivingOfficePantrySeparate Dining Laundry Features Laundry Room Master Bedroom Features Garden Tub/ShowerMultiple ClosetsWalk-In Closet(s) Master Bedroom Level Upper Window Features Window Treatments

Property Features

Listing Terms CashConventional New Construction YN No Property Attached YN No Property Sub Type Single Family Detached Sewer Public Sewer Utilities Charleston Water ServiceDominion Energy Water Source Public

Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS® logo Listing courtesy of The Boulevard Company: .


Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS® logo Real estate listing marked with the CTMLS logo or an abbreviated logo are provided courtesy of the Charleston Trident MLS Broker Reciprocity Database. IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS or The Cassina Group, LLC. Data last updated: 2025-07-18T21:31:30.5.
 
https://bt-photos.global.ssl.fastly.net/charleston/1280_boomver_1_25016001-2.jpg https://bt-photos.global.ssl.fastly.net/charleston/1280_boomver_1_25016001-2.jpg https://bt-photos.global.ssl.fastly.net/charleston/1280_boomver_1_25016001-2.jpg
Logo
The Cassina Group, LLC
309 Coleman Boulevard
Mount Pleasant SC, 29464