Commuters coming into downtown Augusta from Calhoun Expressway have driven by them for years, but their blighted condition has allowed them to go largely unnoticed -- until now.
The Robert B. Heath and Stovall-Barnes houses are getting a complete makeover. Several local business owners and historical enthusiasts have purchased the homes and are returning them to their original luster.
The houses sit just off the expressway on Greene Street. They are the last of several historic homes that once occupied the street's entire 1200 block.
Last year, Historic Augusta Inc. placed the homes on its annual list of endangered properties. The city demolished several other homes on the block because they were becoming havens for homeless people and drug deals.
"They were diamonds in the rough for some time, but thankfully we were able to find someone to save them before they were lost," said Erick Montgomery, Historic Augusta's executive director.
The Heath house dates back to the early 1900s, when Robert Heath, a clerk with the railroad, bought the land to build the home.
The task of restoring the house falls on Brad Cunningham, who bought the house to live in once the repair work is completed.
"I want to be part of making this place come back alive again, and if people like me don't do that, then these places will continue to decay," he said.
The restoration hasn't come cheap for Mr. Cunningham; he has spent more than $189,000 of his own money to save the house.
Both houses are certified rehabilitation projects, according to the secretary of the interior's standards for rehabilitation, which qualifies the builders for tax incentives to help cover restoration costs.
Mr. Cunningham is restoring the Heath house in three stages, with the first nearing completion. He estimates it will take as long as four years to complete the project.
While he was researching the history of the house, Mr. Cunningham said, he never found a picture that predated 1938, nor has he come across any ghost stories.
"Somebody hanged themselves from a second-story porch from one of these houses, but I researched that and just couldn't find anything that said that," Mr. Cunningham said.
The Stovall-Barnes house is being restored by Rex Property and Construction Management Co., which also restored the Levy House at 1107 Greene St.
"This is a hobby run amok," said Paul King, who runs the company. "I've been doing this since 1983."
Bolling Anthony Stovall, a cotton broker, built the house in 1860. In 1873, the family sold the house to George T. Barnes, who would later represent the district in Congress.
Mr. King, who worked with Tennett Houston and Thomas Robertson on the project, is converting the house into six apartments.
"The only way to truly save a building is to give it a use," Mr. King said.
Once finished, the houses will overlook one of the busiest intersections in downtown. Mr. King said this was a chance for people who commute in and out of downtown every day to see what city living is all about.
"These are very prominent buildings, right at the gateway to downtown," Mr. King said. "When these houses are saved, the history that goes with them will be saved as well."
Comments
My home was built in 1913 or 1917. can I get tax exempt? I live at the bottom of the hill right along the edge of Summerville. Its a beautiful home columns on the inside separating the living room from the dining room but its all one big room.Columns in the long hall. It also has a butlers pantry that we've put the fridge and freezer in.
Msdaisy according to the article:"The restoration hasn't come cheap for Mr. Cunningham; he has spent more than $189,000 of his own money to save the house. Both houses are certified rehabilitation projects, according to the secretary of the interior's standards for rehabilitation, which qualifies the builders for tax incentives to help cover restoration costs." Are you still interested in rehabing your house? Does it qualify?
More homes in the Harrisburg area would be saved if landlords would be very careful and rent to more upwardly mobile tenants. Section 8 WILL NOT BRING IN UPWARDLY MOBLILE TENANTS Contact us through email at www.hongkongaugusta.org or call 706 399 4580 if you want help finding more upwardly mobile tenants for your Harrisburg properties.(This is a free service to help better our community)
I don't live in Harrisburg, but I recently became a widow and have no good income and my home does need some fixing up on the outside and inside some. I love my home and want to stay here. I'm not to happy how the neighborhood is going tho.
Is this the same city that hosts the SUPER BOWL OF GOLF? Augusta is a diamond in the rough! Resident’s attitude is keeping it from its potential! Stop being so negative, work together!
The Riverwalk is a beautiful location not living up to its potential!
RENOVATE, BUILD,EXPAND INTO THE FUTURE!
WAKE UP AUGUSTA BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!
its already getting to late. people are moving out of augusta so fast to columbia county. as far as me if i have to move its to n augusta which is becoming quite a nice little town.
msdaisy nobody from augusta is moving to columbia or north augusta. Augusta lost 11 people. And richmond county didn't lose any it gained over 200 thanks to hephzibah and blythe.
Actually, over 2,469 residential properties were purchased in Richmond County in 2007, and that doesn't include properties sold for sale by owner or commercial properties. Augusta is a great place to be and we have so much potential! We just need to take pride in our community and come together to make it better. Something I see as a problem is that landlords around town don't do enough to keep up their properties, especially in Summerville. There are owners in Summerville that do all they can to preserve their homes and rotting rentals next door just diminish everyone's property values. It's very frustrating.
Wait until gas hits seven dollars or higher - then people will discover the joys of living close to their neighborss, who may or may not look and think like they do, even as they reconcile themselves to owning, frankly, smaller houses in place of the poorly built vanities they've bought and don't need but feel entitled to keep. Barring Columbia County developing its own industry, mass transit, etc - Augusta will rebound - if anything in the area does. The average income in Columbia County is 90,000 - many people will not be able to afford to live the way they believe they're entitled to in the asphalt wilderness - and they will move. One of the greatest idiocies of modern living is giving over two hours or more of one's day to the daily commute. Even better for the area, the suburbs in many larger urban areas are already envisaged as tomorrow's ghettoes. I drive through the areas where I grew up and already see the rot. Another irony of Augusta/Columbia County - the entire area is dependent on government spending for its livelihood, but local Republicans preach the value of small government even while they're hard up as pigs to swill on government scratch. Please.
Filled up last night teacher and Hi test was 3.86. I hope it goes down more.
msdaisy, it certainly wouldn't hurt to check if you are eligible for any sorts of benefits - there's lots of money available for such restoration projects and too few people take advantage of it.
Thank you Brad. I see that you do a lot of the work yourself, seen you sanding, painting. That sure takes commitment. I appreciate what you've been doing. I remember you working to save a house at McDowell and Highland years ago while you were in college. It's a nice little jewel in that neighborhood now, it has been kept up and I saw improvements in neighboring houses after that. Your work was apparently inspiring to the neighbors. I'm glad to see you doing something you love that also benefits Augusta.
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