The Acquisition:
15 Smith Street was acquired as part of a short sale transaction in February 2015. The lot displayed a 1930’s ranch house on a quarter acre parcel of land when it was acquired. The previous owner had obtained approval to demolish the house and CKC determined that the lot would allow for 4 units. The location, just a block away from Colonial Lake in the Harleston Village Neighborhood, helped solidify confidence in the acquisition.
The Vision and Development:
The Smith Street Lofts was design for 2 structures to accommodate the 4 units. The structures followed historic standards of maintaining a subordinate structure in the rear of the front structure. Therefore, the front structure accommodates two 4-bedroom 4.5 bathroom units while the rear structure includes two 3-bedroom 2-bathroom units.
The front house is designed as a modern interpretation of a Charleston single house while the rear house resembles a carriage house. The use of brick and cementitious lap siding with some wrought iron and stained wood accents creates a rustic look to this modern design.
The Construction:
During the construction CKC first demolished the existing house and filled in the existing pool to set up the site. The site had poor soil thus require deep foundations. CKC tackled this issue using helical piles that reached 75’ in depth at every 8’ of footing.
The construction design considers maintenance free construction practices. Each house has a solid raised slab foundation to protect against crawl space mold and moisture issues. The first finished floor is raised well above flood level and all the materials used were mold and rot resistant.
The first floor displays an unheated loggia area that provide space for storage and activities. The multiple cypress stained barn doors provide a rustic feel in the open-air space. The remainder of the façade consists of brick and cementitious siding.
The project was finished on time and under budget and remains an attractive in-fill housing development in the Harleston Village neighborhood.
