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Wednesday, December 15, 2004

Watch Cooper River Bridges Fall, Tides Rise on Charleston Harbor

Watch Cooper River Bridges Fall, Tides Rise on Charleston Harbor

Six-Month Countdown: Webcam Shows Bridge View from Luxury Condos Selling Now

CHARLESTON, S.C., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Had the $632 million bridge spanning Charleston Harbor proceeded on schedule, residents of the Tides luxury condominiums would have witnessed history, watching from their living rooms as the new bridge was completed and the old bridges came down.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041215/CLW042 )

Instead, the new Cooper River bridge -- North America's longest cable- stayed bridge -- is about six months from completion, and more than a year ahead of the original schedule. Near the base of the bridge, construction begins this month on Tides' first midrise tower, expected to open in summer 2006. Tides has erected a webcam ( http://www.tidescharleston.com/cam.asp ) to allow buyers to monitor the progress of their future homes, as well as the historic bridge construction and demolition.

Tides has the Lowcountry's best views of the new bridge -- many of its residences will look beneath the bridge to the waterfront of downtown Charleston. Others offer elevated views further down the harbor to Fort Sumter, or up the Cooper and Wando rivers to Daniel Island.

"The new bridge is such a graceful structure that our architects drew inspiration from it as they designed Tides," said developer Richard H. Coen. "Given our proximity to such an architectural icon, we wanted Tides to embrace the Cooper River bridge at every turn. Judging by initial sales results, our future residents have embraced the new bridge as well."

With 42 residences priced from the $500s to $2.2 million, Tides' first building was fully reserved within a week of its Oct. 25 release. Based on buyer feedback, FMK Architects designed building two with larger residences ranging from 1,240 to 4,487 square feet in one- to five-bedroom configurations, with penthouses priced up to $3.2 million. Since the Nov. 30 release of building two, deposits have been made on 27 of its 39 residences. Reservations on the third building are expected to begin in January.

The new Cooper River bridge is already the Charleston region's signature landmark. Even the rooftop terraces of Tides' sixth-story penthouse units will look under the bridge roadbed, which peaks at 186 feet above the harbor, to view Charleston's skyline and historic church steeples. South Carolina's Department of Transportation is required to dismantle the two existing bridges within six months of the new bridge's opening.

Most of the old bridge structures will be used to create acres of offshore reef habitat, according to Department of Natural Resources officials. However, a small portion of the John P. Grace Memorial Bridge, which opened in 1928, will be saved for Mount Pleasant's 22-acre waterfront park, which is expected to open in 2006. And a row of pilings from the Silas Pearman Bridge, which opened in 1966, will remain intact just beneath the waterline as the support structure of a new 1,200-foot fishing pier.

Beyond dramatically improving the Charleston Harbor views, the new bridge positively impacts Tides in several ways:

- When caisson shafts were drilled 20 stories deep for the new Cooper
River bridge towers, marl extracted from under the harbor floor had to
be disposed of elsewhere. Tides' developers offered their site, using
the dense, clay-like material to elevate the property by an average of
10 feet. As a result, Tides' first floor will be 18 feet above sea
level, providing more dramatic views for all residents.
- Tides' half-mile harbor-walk trail will connect to Mount Pleasant's
planned $4 million waterfront park. The park's paths will extend under
the new causeway, linking Tides residents to the new Cooper River
bridge pedestrian/bike lane that is a crucial part of the East Coast
Greenway, a paved path for cyclists and pedestrians that will
eventually run from Canada to Key West, Fla.
- With the new Wingo Way on-ramp right beside the entrance to Tides, its
residents will reach the bridge without encountering a single stop
light, enjoying Mount Pleasant's shortest commute into downtown
Charleston.



"Anyone who ever sets foot in Charleston will feel the positive impact of the new bridge, but for the residents of Tides, this bridge is a lifestyle amenity," said project architect Mark Fishero, managing principal of FMK Architects in Charlotte, N.C. "Some will see it out their bedroom window each night, others will see it from their patio, and all residents will enjoy views of the bridge and harbor from the Tides Club & Fitness Center.

"It's almost beyond comprehension how fast the bridge is bringing Mount Pleasant's waterfront to life, and Tides is right at the heart of that activity. We are keenly aware of the legacy Tides will have on Mount Pleasant's gateway, and we feel fortunate to be part of such a significant project."

Tides is a new offering of condominium residences on Charleston Harbor in Mount Pleasant. Each home will have dramatic water views of the tidal marsh and river. In addition to its harbor views and ideal setting, Tides will be distinguished by its architectural style, quality of finishes and amenities. The $150 million project is being developed by Carolina Eastport LLC, a partnership of Richard H. Coen and David M. Sidbury. FMK Architects of Charlotte is the project architect and developed the master plan for Tides; Seamon, Whiteside & Associates of Mount Pleasant is responsible for engineering and landscape architecture. For more information, visit www.tidescharleston.com .

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041215/CLW042
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN4
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Tides

CONTACT: Bill Norton of Corder Philips Wilson, +1-704-378-2106, or
bnorton@cpwadv.com , for Tides

Web site: www.tidescharleston.com
www.tidescharleston.com/cam.asp


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