Richter & Co
History buffs could soon own a home with a rich military history on Sullivan’s Island. Located at 3030 Brownell Ave., a World War II bunker that was converted into a home in 1972 is listed by Realtor Jurgen Bushi of Kevin Richter’s Richter & Co.
“For the longtime owners, letting go of the property is a bittersweet moment,” Bushi said. “It’s not just another historic home—it’s something significant to our island.”
The 7,000-square-foot home has four bedrooms and three bathrooms and was purchased in 1993 by Lou Edens, an entrepreneur from Mount Pleasant. Shortly after purchasing it, she converted it into a bed-and-breakfast that operated on Sullivan’s Island for years before the home became a private residence for her son Jamie and his family.
The home sits on historic land with military ties dating back to the Revolutionary War when it was a sub-post of Fort Moultrie used by American patriots to guard the breach inlets from British troops. During the Civil War, it was used as a training site for Confederate soldiers to practice firing.
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the bunker was ordered to be constructed by General George S. Patton as part of the harbor defense of Charleston to protect the city and surrounding area against German aerial and coastal attacks. Built on 20 feet of elevation, the bunker is reinforced with steel beams that go down to the bedrock, as well as concrete.
“General Patton built it using $26 a square foot of concrete; the whole structure cost just over $1.3 million to develop, with the entire bunker costing just over $26 million,” said Bushi. “Since it was built in wartime, all resources were devoted to its construction, which took eight months.”
The bunker had two 12-foot long-range rifles mounted in casemate barbette carriages—one facing the harbor and the other facing the inlet—which were transported from Galveston, Texas. Each carriage weighed an impressive 415,000 pounds, and the rounds weighed 1,500 pounds, Bushi said.
“You can’t easily identify where the gun battery is,” adds Bushi. “It’s a concrete fortress.”
Following World War II, the fort was repurposed into residential lots. The bunker home officially hit the market on Carolina Day (June 28, 2024) and is currently listed at $5,350,000.
Bushi notes that the property has the potential to be repurposed and built upon and has received approval for the idea from Sullivan’s Island, but conceptual plans still need to be approved.
“It is one of the most unique and historic properties with the most potential,” said Bushi.
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