75 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com BY SARAH ROSE Icing on the Cake Redefining iconic ‘Wedding Cake House’ An abandoned house that fell into ruin, the developer who demolished it and plans for rebuilding a new statement home have made for controversial gossip on and around Sullivan’s Island over the last few months. But by peering behind the veil of the story about the “Wedding Cake House,” more commonly known as the “Round House,” located at 3209 Marshall Blvd., it is evident that this project was more complicated than simply restoring the home by taking it down to the studs. During World War II, construction began on a gun turret on the property. But according to commercial builder and developer Pat Marr, prior to completion the weapon wasn’t fitted on the mounting platform, and after the war ended, it was ultimately converted to a cistern. Decades later, this circular container became the footprint for the “Round House” when it was built in 1982. No one has lived in the house since before the COVID pandemic, according to Charles Drayton, director of Planning and Zoning for the Town of Sullivan’s Island, and the interior had fallen into a state of disrepair, welcoming raccoons, birds and other wildlife — as well as mold. Renovation was literally impossible, said Marr, who added that there was no other option outside of bringing the home down below the foundation due to the house being in a V Zone (high-risk flood zone). As the previous owners had repeatedly contacted realtor Ashley Haynes over several years, the fate of the property had long since been considered. When the transaction was finally made, Haynes’ longtime friend and client Marr stepped in to transform the plot. If Marr hadn’t, other developers who were already waiting in the wings would have swooped at the chance. Proposed square footage for the new build is approximately 3,942 square feet, according to Haynes, who said that the house will include 4 bedrooms, 4 and a half bathrooms and a home office. The property is unique in that it is perched on the point of the island, where it will afford its occupants a 270-degree panoramic view of the Atlantic, Breach Inlet, sandbars and the Isle of Palms. Haynes added that an unobstructed seascape like this doesn’t exist on any other part of the island, due to verdant The former “Wedding Cake House.” coastal dwellings Photo by Keen Eye.
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