163 Mell Street is here with a new real estate company, new pricing and updates that will appeal to the serious Five Points/University home buyer. This 1912 Historic Mell street house was the second home built on the newly created Street, once property of the Mell family. Esteemed architect, Fred Orr, was commissioned to design this home. So close to Five Points that you can walk to Jittery Joe’s in the morning, then lunch at Add Drugs for one of the finest burgers in Athens, then stop into Hodgson’s Pharmacy for the best deal on an ice cream cone and make it back home before it starts to melt – and you will still be way short on your steps for the day. If you enjoy the sounds of Athens, whether it be hoot of the local owl family the neighborhood has come to know, or the roars of Sanford Stadium’s fans cheering on the NCAA National Champion Georgia Bulldogs football team, then this location is for you. Enjoy all of your senses living in the middle of one of the nation’s top college towns. Fred Orr understood natural lighting as well as privacy as he designed the rooms, from the high window placement in the large dining room, the upstairs windows in the bedrooms, to the well-lit kitchen, the occupants have privacy in their own home and have no need to switch on lights in every room as they flow through the house. This house has five fireplaces, and the one in the entrance room has functioning gas logs. The fireplace tile design that Fred Orr is well known for is a center piece for those rooms, but doesn’t dominate. Your furniture will remain the main attraction enhanced by the fireplaces, windows, heart pine floors and high ceilings. If there is such thing as “enormous modesty” Fred Orr pulled it off here. The majority of the 4620 square feet are on the main floor, making this an easy house to live in. The addition to the rear of the home continued that appropriateness by keeping modest and not overwhelming the historic portion of the house. Like many historic homes, it was not uncommon for residents to add space to accommodate a small family business. A dance studio with oak flooring was added in the early ’70’s. This wide-open space was converted into a master suite with a walk-in closet with dark wood shelving, and a large bathroom. And there is still more living and storage space in the addition with one of these rooms being the perfect home office or art/music studio. Normally only found in new homes, this “Flex-Space” is a rare modern-day bonus in a historic house. The kitchen has been updated with beautiful custom wood cabinets and a pantry plus granite counter tops and bright easy to clean splash tiles. There is even space for a butler’s pantry, wine & beverage room or play room for children between the kitchen and the dining room. There are two bedrooms on the main floor and two large bedrooms upstairs which include a bathroom and kitchenette for convenience. Don’t overlook the updated HVAC, plumbing and electric. The original downstairs cast iron (rounded corner tub) was designed by Kohler in 1910. When saying “hi” to your neighbors and watching friends and students pass by as you enjoy the air and sounds of Five Points on the wrap-around front and side porch isn’t your vibe for the moment, then step outside the kitchen and enjoy your outdoor time on the rear deck while grilling and listening to the owls. The side yard offers a sizable flat lawn for family fun & games or a sunny garden, and is also host to two 100+ year old massive Tea Olive bushes/trees that twice a year fill the neighborhood with its pleasing fragrance. And yes, behind it in fine sight of the house, that is a massive Snowball bush that is the size of a tree as well. You can’t just plant something like these and see it grow this large in one lifetime. This home and its sky-blue exterior cedar siding brings a part of heaven down to earth, which is why the seller calls it – “My Blue Heaven”. Come visit. Horse & buggy or golf carts are welcome.
$1,199,900
From the University of Georgia on Lumpkin go to Fivepoints. Take a Right on Milledge Avenue and go First Right on Rutherford, First Left on Mell, House is on the Right.
