The Grand Revival of the Stevens-Lathers House: Where Charleston’s Past and Present Dance Together

In the heart of historic Charleston, where cobblestone streets whisper stories of centuries past, stands a grand old house with a vibrant new life. The Stevens-Lathers House, built in the 1840s, is no longer just a beautiful relic of antebellum elegance—it’s a lively gathering place, a lovingly restored masterpiece, and a symbol of Charleston’s enduring spirit.

But the journey from aging mansion to cultural gem didn’t happen overnight.

A New Chapter Begins

In 2018, the house caught the eye of Dr. Jack L. Schaeffer, a visionary with a deep love for history—and a knack for bringing it back to life. Through his firm, Charleston Properties S. Battery LLC, Dr. Schaeffer purchased the property for $3.4 million. What followed was an eighteen-month, multi-million-dollar renovation that would breathe new life into every brick, beam, and balustrade.

This wasn’t just a cosmetic facelift. It was a top-to-bottom resurrection.

Masonry and woodwork were repaired with surgical precision. Original brick pavers were unearthed beneath concrete floors. The iconic piazza’s original balustrade was rediscovered beneath later additions. Even the slate tiles on the roof were meticulously replaced using original tiles found on the property. It was historical archaeology meets architectural artistry.

The Past Reawakens

Inside, the Stevens-Lathers House dazzled. Imagine peeling away time itself to uncover nineteenth-century gold leaf trim in the ballroom and parlor. Delicate hand-painted frescoes and original wallpaper emerged from decades of dust. An elegant metal-paneled ceiling in the ballroom was restored panel by panel, crowned with a reconstructed skylight that bathes the room in soft, natural light.

Updated bathrooms and expanded guest rooms transformed the space into a boutique eleven-room inn, where old-world charm meets modern comfort. The result? A home that feels like it stepped out of time, yet warmly welcomes the present.

An Award-Winning Transformation

For his passionate and precise preservation work, Dr. Schaeffer was honored with the Pro Merito Award from the Preservation Society of Charleston—one of the highest recognitions for historic preservation in the city.

But for Dr. Schaeffer, the restoration was never just about architecture. It was about reviving the house’s soul.

Where History Lives Again

Once a center of Charleston’s social and political life, the Stevens-Lathers House is bustling once more. In 2020, it hosted the centennial celebration of the Preservation Society, exactly 100 years after it was founded in the home’s very drawing room.

In 2022, it welcomed 28 newly elected U.S. governors, echoing similar 19th-century political gatherings once hosted by owner Charles Lathers. Since the renovation, it has also been featured on FOX, ABC, NBC, and TBS, and has served as a stage for opera and symphony performances, charity galas, and civic fundraisers.

From the Gibbes Museum of Art to the Red Cross, many of the same organizations that once graced its halls have returned—proof that the past and present can coexist beautifully under one roof.

A House With a Heart

Between 2020 and 2023, the Stevens-Lathers House opened its doors to over 5,000 guests across more than 86 charitable and community events—many of them benefitting local nonprofits and cultural organizations like the Charleston Opera Theater, the College of Charleston, and the Lowcountry Rice Culture Project.

And this is just the beginning.

As Dr. Schaeffer says, “This is what this house was made for.” More than a restored property, the Stevens-Lathers House is a living love letter to Charleston—a place where music, art, history, and hospitality meet in grand celebration.

So next time you’re in Charleston and hear the notes of an aria drifting from a historic piazza, you just might be near the Stevens-Lathers House—where the past isn’t just preserved… it’s alive.