What a magnificent day this Saturday turned out to be. It started with some good times, hanging out with the tennis crowd and capturing a swift victory. It wasn’t me though. I think I need to give almost all of the credit here to Ted. {Who, by the way, runs an exceptional company called North Georgia Windows. If you ever need to get some windows replaced, give Ted a call. His standard for business is above the mark; something that we should all try to apply to our lives…focus on the good, leave all of the bad junk behind, treat people well and always do what you say you’re going to do. This is a solid operation through and through}. After that though, I shot home, got changed and headed downtown for a presentation put on by the ICA&A. It was a spectacular spring afternoon in Atlanta. Such a fine day that I couldn’t help but think how anybody could wantingly move away from this great city. As I turned the corner down a quaint little street in the Grant Park neighborhood, I found cars lined up one side of the road and down the other. Crazy, I thought, for this big of a big turn out on such a beautiful day. Surely people had other things to do. But, this was a much-anticipated event and people showed up. You see, Rick Spitzmiller, principle of Spitzmiller and Norris, was the honored guest and he was giving a presentation on the preservation of his personal home in Columbus, Georgia. It was fascinating. Really cool to see the home through his eyes. Rick had grown up in Columbus and had always personally admired the homes in the area for not only their stature, but also, their livability. As he took us through the slides, we could certainly understand the draw. These homes were stately, but, not overdone. Magnificent in their architecture. Rick expressed how he had been in the market for quite some time looking for precisely the right home to buy. Then he revealed her.
Welcome to the Jenkins Residence
Hmmm??? OK ~ stay with me on this one. Rick proceeded with slide after slide of the original detailing that caught his eye. For most of us, we saw grit, grime, brokenness and overgrown vines, He saw beauty, original intent and material applications. Proportions, specific treatments and historical correctness. It was incredible. Then he took us through the restoration. Starting with the relocation to another site. The careful reconstruction. The procurement of missing elements that fit timelessly to the rest of the composition. And then to the Final Masterpiece:
Welcome to Redland
Absolutely Beautiful!
Side View
They set the Home on an “English Basement”. (Yeah ~ that’s a new term for me too). The basement has 9′ tall walls, yet, sunk 3′ in the ground. Daylight is given to all 4 sides making the entire space very livable. This also allowed him to convert a 4 room structure into a 12 room house. Other than that, he added a rear porch and re-configured the main floor layout, all the while, maintaining the integrity of the original elements. If you ever get a chance to catch this presentation in the future, catch it. From my opinion, it is a must.
The other really cool thing about this afternoon was that the event was held at the L.P. Grant Mansion which is the home of the Atlanta Preservation Center. The APC had bought this home about 10 years ago, saving it from demolition, and they’ve been slowly restoring it ever since.
L.P Grant Mansion
Main Approach
Southern Porch
Stately Entry
Floor to Ceiling Windows
Porch Detailing
Chamfered Bases
Ride Side Elevation
Left Side Elevation
Stupendous Covered Porch
And, now for one of my favorite elements:
A Splayed Boxed Window Bay ~ So sorry the photo is tilted. I know, pretty amateurish.
And, here’s the unit all painted out. Notice the original glass.
I loved hearing the history on the house. And, this home was full of history. Mr. Grant worked for the railroad as an engineer. He was very influential and basically developed the city. As his wealth grew, he began acquiring land, later of which, he virtually donated all away. [ ie. Grant Park] He began building this home just before the Civil War. And at one point Margaret Mitchell even took a keen interest in it and invested a lot in restoring it. My favorite story of all was that at one point Mr. Grant’s grandson owned the home. It was a lot bigger then so they decided to share the home with another couple. The Jones’s. These were the same Jones’ who gave birth to the Bobby Jones while residing here. And for the Grant’s, well, they gave birth to Bitsy Grant. Yep, two of Atlanta’s most influential athletes growing up in the same home. Pretty cool huh.
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Have a Great Weekend
Kyle
Well Composed Homes 
Nice to see you there, thanks for the pictures. I love the place. Rick’s place really rings my bell.
Good to see you as well. I’m already thinking how I can incorporate some of his detailings into my own abode. Catch you at the next one.
Take care,
Kyle