SILICON HARBOR Charleston, South Carolina
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nce a sleepy town with a sleepier economy, Charleston relied on its historic roots, period architecture a n d s u b t ro p i c a l climate to attract tourism and maintain its hospitality industry. Founded in 1670 and named for King Charles II, Charleston has most recently found itself on lists of America’s friendliest and most hospitable cities, and maintains a unique blend of southern charm and hipster cool. The quality of life and evolving cultural and culinary scene has in the past decade attracted major economic growth in the tech sector, earning Charleston the new moniker Silicon Harbor. This boom has in turn changed the landscape of the city and its residential real estate market.
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“The recent influx of highly educated and highly paid workers is fueling an increase in home prices, new developments and a revitalization of distressed areas,” says Daniel Ravenel, Broker/Owner of Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty. “Global companies are also establishing large manufacturing plants nearby, including Volvo, Boeing and Mercedes, while BMW’s upstate factory ships their cars around the world via the Charleston Port system.” Ravenel admits it may be a bit of a hometown bias, but says what separates Charleston from other tech hub cities is that you would be hard pressed to find another American tech scene located in a more beautiful and historic city than Charleston: “It’s truly a European city. The downtown area is walkable and accessible in size which gives residents
a very strong sense of place. The setting is further enhanced by the warm people in our community. It is a city that lives like a small town with a vibrant and strong downtown scene.” Alex Chalmers came to Charleston via New York and Silicon Valley, and recently launched Material Capital Partners to invest in tech growth companies and real estate projects in Charleston and beyond. “Charleston’s tech sector is at the beginning of its growth curve, so it’s an exciting time to be part of this inclusive community of entrepreneurs, forwardthinking Fortune companies and unique investment opportunities on all fronts–it makes it a special place to be.” He cites a ten-minute commute to most meetings, an airport that makes flying enjoyable, a wide variety of housing options, a vibrant downtown restaurant scene, an active
