Just giving the address 943 Ellis St. might leave a puzzled look on someone’s face. But mention that it’s the building with the “Augusta, I Love You” mural, and eyes light up.
That’s the way Chloe Donahue refers to the former handkerchief factory her father, Mark, transformed into industrial apartment units. Two units in the building will be part of the 17th annual Historic Augusta Downtown Loft Tour Oct. 1-2.
MORE: Historical Factory Renovated into Loft Apartments Nearing Completion
“A lot of people are used to cookie-cutter apartments,” she said.
Not that there’s anything wrong with a standard apartment unit, but that’s something people won’t find in that particular building. Each of the apartments is unique, and the building is different from any of the others Mark Donahue has restored. His other buildings have an emphasis on the craftsman wood, but 943 Ellis St. has lots of steel.
That worked well during the pandemic when lumber shortages and high prices drove the economy, said Michele Meehan, property manager.
The building was part of the loft tour two years ago. Since then, the former owner, Bryan Haltermann sold it, and Donahue transformed it. In less than 30 days after it was completed, the space was filled with tenants.
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Meehan said they were shocked with how quickly it filled.
A dozen buildings are on the tour. Some buildings such as 943 Ellis St. have more than one unit on the tour. Two of the locations are only part of the tour for one of the days. Aces and Eights Tattoo at 584 Broad St. is on the tour just Friday, and Kahr’s Grocery at 401 Greene St. is on the tour Saturday only.
Erick Montgomery, Historic Augusta executive director, said the tour began as a way to highlight some of the historic buildings in the downtown area.
“Downtown is a very historic area of the city,” he said.
Many of the downtown buildings served two purposes. Businesses were located on the bottom floors with business owners living on the upper floors. As people moved to the suburbs and businesses went with them, the lofts became vacant.
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In the early 2000s, Historic Augusta wanted to showcase the living quarters that people didn’t realize existed and established the tours,
It’s also a way to highlight historic preservation and show how some buildings can be repurposed.
The former handkerchief factory is one of those, Montgomery said.
It wasn’t originally designed as a residence, but it was transformed into one.
One of the buildings on the tour is undergoing rehabilitation. Kahr’s Grocery at 401 Greene St. was built in the 1850s and was a corner grocery store. Nicholas Kahr operated his business on the first floor and lived above it.
It was a grocery store for about a century and later became a laundromat, but it has been vacant for many years.
“It was in terrible shape,” Montgomery said.
Still, it retains some of its original features including pocket doors on the upper floor and beautiful woodwork, he said.
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The JB White’s Building will be the tour headquarters. Other structures on the tour include 935 Jones St., the Marshall House at 901-903 Broad St., Unit B; E.M. Andrews Furniture Co., 941 Ellis St., Units 103 and 206; the Cobb House, 1001 Greene St.; The Claussen Building 1002 Broad St.; the Morgan building, 204 13th St. Unit. 302; 1131 Broad St. Unit 1; 212 Seventh St. No. 201 and 608 Broad St. Unit B.
Masks are recommended.
The event will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 on the day of the event. For more information, call (706) 724-0436.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com.
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