Personal Injury Attorney in Sullivan's Island, SC.

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND — On Ion Avenue, close enough to the beach that you can hear seagulls caw, an overgrown parcel sits in stark contrast to the manicured lawns and beach houses that line the street.

Thick shrubbery partially shrouds its entrance that’s set far back from the residential street. Topped with cacti and pine, a concrete bunker is built into an earthen mound here. The World War II-era bunker spans six properties, with gun batteries bookending the structure.

Now, three of those properties are poised to be developed.

Developer Patrick Marr, a Sullivan’s Island resident, had ambitions of placing homes atop the bunker. Marr, who’s worked on other high-profile island developments like the newest iteration of the “Wedding Cake House,” worked with Charleston-based firm Loyal Architects to bring three concepts for the homes to Sullivan’s Island’s Design Review Board in February.

The designs consisted of homes cascading down the mound, with at least one story of each home perching on top of the bunker. Each property would be unique, constructed with different materials and design elements to avoid a row of identical homes, Marr said.

“These houses are going to be able to stand on their own with completely distinct designs, just as private owners of each lot would do. We will ensure that the houses will reflect the island character,” he said.

The bunker is listed in the town’s historic resources survey as the Fort Marshall gun battery. Built for use in World War II, the bunker held munition for the army’s coastal defenses on Sullivan’s Island.

When a property is a town-designated landmark property, the appointed body of architects, interior designers and preservationists evaluate developments to ensure they preserve the historic character of the property.