With the groundbreaking still months away, the buzz surrounding construction of The Peninsula of Charleston is already the talk of the town among the area’s seniors. Co-owned and operated by Liberty Senior Living and Evening Post Industries (EPI), the proposed independent living residence features upscale amenities, concierge services and a robust social calendar for the residents of its 140 unique units that vary in size from 700 to 3,500 square feet. With the project slated for completion in 2026, the community offers a dimension in luxury independent living yet to be seen in the Charleston Lowcountry.
According to Paige Canaday Crone, Bishop Gadsden has epitomized the best in luxury living among Charleston’s older population since the turn of the 21st century. “We looked to Bishop Gadsden as a leader and a beacon in this area,” says Crone, the director of marketing and sales for The Peninsula of Charleston. “While we love Bishop Gadsden, this proposed community will offer a few new twists to the usual model that I believe our residents will love.”
Location, location, location! Crone can’t emphasize enough the excitement of bringing the first luxury senior living community to downtown Charleston. “We’ve never had anything like this,” she states. “Our residents can live downtown and remain engaged in all the things they love to do there.”
The site for The Peninsula of Charleston is located on Upper King Street across from the Post and Courier building in Courier Square next to Hoffler Place. Tow new buildings recently constructed there were designed by acclaimed New York-based Robert A.M. Stern Architect (RAMSA). The structures, an office building housing the headquarters for property developer Greystar, and The Guild an eight-story loft brick apartment building, perfectly capture the city’s classical tradition of 19th-century commercial architecture using Greet Revival details to mark the multi-story structures. RAMSA is also credited with designing Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course Clubhouse, the long low profiled structure that stretches out along the dunes to fit into the naturalistic character of the links-style golf course.
In partnership with Charleston-based LS3P, RAMSA’s created a magnificent design for The Peninsula of Charleston that will complement the plan for the district. The design has received preliminary approval from Charleston’s Board of Architectural Review. “It’s a long, arduous process, but necessary,” notes Crone. “We’re getting very close to final approval.”
Because of its urban location, Crone promises that life in the community will be “Charleston-centric” with the community’s programming focused on all of the wonderful things people love about living in the Holy City. From church-life to fine dining to arts and culture to festivals and entertainment, those activities will remain at our residents’ fingertips.
“We want our residents to feel as if they’re living in a luxury hotel – concierge living at its best,” Crone adds. “When they enter their new home, they’ll walk into a beautiful vestibule that leads to a great hall. Then it opens to a giant Charleston courtyard designed by Scott Parker of DesignWorks, another great local company that’s working with us. The Charleston courtyard is going to be breathtaking!”
In addition to the courtyard and outdoor gardens, the list of luxury amenities that will make life at The Peninsula of Charleston so special includes a full salon and spa; indoor heated saltwater pool; concierge and transportation services; casual, fine dining and a community bar; state-of-the-art fitness and wellness amenities; reserved underground parking and valet services; and spacious multi-purpose rooms and gathering spaces. “We also have 40,000 square feet of amenity space, which is yet to be defined,” says Crone. “Since we are still early in the process, we’ll ask our residents for input. What would they like? Wine lockers? Golf simulators? What else would make life at The Peninsula of Charleston special for them?”
Another extraordinary feature is that the Peninsula of Charleston, in partnership with the Medical University of South Carolina, will provide residents the reassurance of care with assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care service options all in the same building. “The Peninsula of Charleston will offer the whole gamut of care – 100 percent CCRC under one roof,” states Crone. “That will be especially nice when one spouse needs a higher level of care, the other doesn’t have to leave the building to visit hi or her loved one.”
With senior living communities in five states across the South, Liberty Senior Living currently owns and operates the Kempton of Charleston, a premier assisted living community located on Spring Street.
Likely the most distinctive feature of The Peninsula of Charleston is that it allows individuals ownership of each unit, providing members the opportunity to sell their residence or designate it as an inheritance. “The project will be the only one of this kind in Charleston,” says Crone. “It’s a relatively new concept in senior living…there are only 20 others like it in the entire United States.”
“It’s also somethings referred to as an equity model because you’re building equity as you do when you buy a condo,” adds Crone. “We’re excited to be the first in Charleston to use this model.”
Anyone interested in learning more about The Peninsula of Charleston is invited to visit their new sales gallery located at the corner of King and Cannon. The beautiful 4,000 square foot office/meeting space just down from the construction site is slated to open mid-March.
BY PATRA TAYLOR
