Copyright Charleston Post and Courier
GREENVILLE — The name dates to the 1830s, when the road became part of a corridor connecting Greenville to Augusta, Georgia. A few decades later, a train depot arrived, along with a new Furman University administration building. But what truly came to define the area known as Augusta Road would be its neighborhoods — one leafy, idyllic enclave after another, popping up over the ensuing century to meet the housing needs of a growing population. It's much the same today, as the Augusta Road area — yes, it should probably be called the Augusta Street area, but the other name persists — remains home to some of Greenville’s most established neighborhoods, full of handsome houses along tree-lined streets. Retail options, good schools, and proximity to downtown and Interstate 85 certainly enhance that fact, but to many in Greenville, the Augusta Road area is known first and foremost for its quality of life. “There is a neighborhood park called Rockwood Park that a lot of people like, and that area also offers convenient access to I-85. So I think location is one of the big draws,” said Blair Miller, an agent with Wilson Associates Real Estate. “I think the other draw is for people who like older, established neighborhoods with trees and sidewalks and that kind of thing, because that's what you see there. And the community has done a good job of bringing in some great boutiques and restaurants, which have made it even more appealing.” Miller would know — she’s currently listing 7 Waccamaw Circle, a five-bedroom new build in the Sunset Hills neighborhood, which is tucked off Augusta Street and located near Augusta Circle Elementary School. Listed for $2.224 million, the 4,293-square-foot residence feels very at home in the Augusta Road area with its gated and pebbled front walkway, genuine shutters and largely brick exterior. Laundry on three levels The home at 7 Waccamaw Circle was built by Michael Redmon, a longtime Greenville builder who is co-owner of the construction and design firm The Boardman Group. Bright and open, the home features 10-foot ceilings on the main level, hardwood and white ceramic tile flooring and a kitchen with quartzite countertops. The primary suite is also on the main level, and includes a bath with a tiled shower, a soaking tub and double vanities. “The sellers really wanted to add some neat touches — like the gate at the front entrance, the real shutters on the house,” Miller said. “It has nice, big windows, and high-end appliances and countertops. And you also have a very large garage, which is hard to come by in an area where garages are not necessarily the norm.” Indeed, the home at 7 Waccamaw Circle includes an attached two-car garage with a built-in pet washing station. And while there’s a fireplace in the great room and a fire pit out back, the true showstopper might be the home’s basement level, which functions as a residence unto itself with a kitchenette and separate entrance — along with space for a game room, gym or dedicated office, and a full bedroom and bath. “You have interior access from the house if you want it, but there’s also a separate entrance from the exterior — making it complete for multigenerational living,” Miller said. “So you have a whole separate area if you have older kids, or guests who come into town, or a live-in babysitter or au pair. I think that’s awesome.” And there’s another bonus: laundry hookups on all three levels, in a walk-in laundry room on the main level and laundry closets on the other two. “I’ve seen that before, but it’s uncommon,” Miller added. “But having children myself, a laundry room on every level would definitely be utilized.” A melting pot The Augusta Road area truly took off around the turn of the 20th century — a trolley line was built, the street was paved, and churches, schools and suburbs began going up in earnest, according to a history of the region by the Augusta Road Business Association. The opening of Greenville High School in 1938 brought more growth to the area, as did World War II with Greenville Army Air Base located right off Augusta Road. And the enduring appeal of the neighborhoods off the Augusta Street area means that homes there span the decades. At one end of the spectrum, the 2025 build at 7 Waccamaw Circle, and at the other, a house like the renovated 1942 creation at 116 E. Tallulah Drive, which recently sold for $1.15 million. It’s like that in most of the neighborhoods that run along Augusta Street, Sunset Hills included. Just look at the same street as Miller’s Waccamaw Circle listing, for example — where other homes just a few doors down were built in 1950, 1968 and 1949, in addition to a handful of more recent builds from the 2010s. “It's a really nice area, because it's a melting pot,” Miller said. “You may have older homes that are fairly original to the area, but people have really done nice upgrades and made them quite cute little cottages. And then you have some homes that are brand new construction, and they're 4,000-plus square feet. But I think it all adds a lot of variety to the neighborhood. It brings a lot of people together in the community, which I think makes it very interesting and welcoming.”
