Published Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Why did Southern Living pick Senoia?

The Newnan Times-Herald

Southern Living magazine has been highlighting unique off-the-beaten path southern towns for decades. And now it's Senoia's turn.

The magazine has now officially announced that its newest "Idea House" will be at the old McKnight Gin property.

"With the growing attention on small town life and family-oriented, walkable communities, we set our sights on finding a historic town under revitalization," said Kristen Payne, director Southern Living Homes Group, at a gathering at Maguire's Irish Pub in Senoia.

She described Senoia as "a small Georgia town where the main street looks like a scene out of the movie 'Driving Miss Daisy' -- but look deeper and you will find a community committed to eco-friendly construction right down to the electric cars parked in front of the diner."

"This town is blending the best of today with the nostalgia of yesterday," said Payne. "It's why we chose this location to tell our story with this year's Idea House."

The home in Senoia will be the first ever Southern Living brownstone project. It will be designed by the team of architects at Historical Concepts from Peachtree City.

Senoia will feature one of two Southern Living Idea Houses to be built in 2010. The house will open for tours in early June 2010 with ticket proceeds benefitting The American Cancer Society Cattle Baron's Ball 2010.

Jamie Elliott McPherson of Hearth and Home Interiors of Newnan was selected by Southern Living as the interior designer for the project. McPherson's own home in Roscoe is featured in the current November 2009 issue, "showcasing his nod to comfort, style and a Southern feel," she said.

"His sophisticated style and unique ability to blend antiques with urban style is simply innate," she said. "Jamie's work as a noted kitchen designer has earned him recognition both locally and nationally."

Completing the team is John Bynum Custom Homes, Inc., one of the Atlanta area's premier custom home builders.

The Historic Senoia Project is a downtown redevelopment initiative in the Senoia historic district, undertaken by the principles of RiverWood Studios, who describe the new project as "an in-town urban living, dining and cultural experience that includes shopping, attractions and ambience."

Many of the vacant parcels of land in Senoia's Historic District have been acquired for the purpose of constructing period infill development, designed to blend seamlessly with the town's existing architecture set between the late 1800s and the early 1900s.

Scott Tigchelaar, president of RiverWood Studios, said the Historic Senoia Project's gin property development's recognition by Southern Living is "thrilling."

"You just can't buy that type of exposure," he said. "It should be phenomenal," and could lead tens of thousands of tourists to come visit the site.

"The house has to be done by May 1 so that it can be furnished and photographed in the month of May and opened to the public in June," he said.

The particular structure that will be featured will be one of the brownstones that Tigchelaar hopes to use to attract not only residents but also film production companies to Senoia.

The brownstone will be similar to the brownstones found in New York so that "the town could actually double for New York" or Boston during a film shoot, he said.

The 3,700-square-foot, 3.5-story idea house will be the first of five such luxury brownstones to be constructed. It will feature a courtyard, a plunge pool and a grilling pavilion. It will also feature a rooftop terrace and an elevator. The brownstones will be priced around $600,000-$1 million.

The first brownstone will be open to the public through Christmas 2010, Tigchelaar said.

"Usually these Idea Houses are only open for three or four months, but with all of Senoia's Christmas events and their tour of homes, it would be remiss not to redecorate for Christmas and be open for the holidays," said Tigchelaar.

Senoia City Council waived a variety of water, sewer and building fees for the Southern Living Idea House at last week's council meeting.

The council had been asked to waive certain fees for the townhouse and for the other four units attached to it by Tigchelaar.

Mayor Robert Belisle warned that waiving fees for the other four units would set a dangerous precedent and instead made a motion to waive additional fees only for the Idea House.

Tigchelaar said the magazine estimates that "anywhere from 30,000 to 40,000-plus people" will come to Senoia and tour the home.

"The effect of that on local merchants is significant," Tigchelaar said.