Robin Michener Nathan The Times Developer Brad Abernathy, a lifelong Gainesville resident, said he wanted a project he could be proud of. Robin Michener Nathan The Times Candler Park, a new development of town house condominiums on Candler Street, replaced dilapidated homes in the area and is raising property values in the neighborhood. Units sell for about $500,000 each.

Fifty years ago, the tiny houses lining Candler Street in downtown Gainesville were simply modest, middle-income homes.

But over the years dilapidation and neglect set in.

The cul-de-sac, located just off Prior Street near the Brenau University campus, had become a point of disarray for years with two homes that were abandoned, broken sidewalks and trash littering the area.

But today, those little homes have been replaced with 10 "town house condos" with about 20 more planned for the future. The once run-down street has been transformed by the Candler Park development.

"I've lived in Gainesville my whole life ... and what we are doing is something that not only myself and my children will be proud of but that Gainesville will be proud of, too," said Brad Abernathy, Candler Park developer and associate broker at Heritage Coldwell Banker Real Estate.

A few years ago, business partners Abernathy and Richard Bennett decided to make a change for what they said was the good of the older neighborhood.

The two partnered up after knowing each other for 10 years, and bought the 13 properties on Candler Street. Ten of those homes were torn down and three were moved. Originally, the properties together were assessed at $791,000; when Candler Park is finished, the total tax assessment will be around $15,000,000, according to the Hall County Tax Commissioner's office.

Each unit is dubbed a "town house condominium" by Abernathy, which means there are multiple levels (like a town house) but owners can live on just the main level (like a condo).

The Candler Park community was designed for the 55 and older set looking to move to an in-town location.

"We are targeting the baby boomer generation and their parents," Abernathy said. "With the revitalization going on in downtown Gainesville ... there are a lot of folks moving back to Gainesville.

"Gainesville is a great small town; there's a lot of sophisticated things going on in Gainesville, too. We have the symphony orchestra and the Brenau Theater."

Abernathy adds that within a few blocks from Candler Park there is the Northeast Georgia History Center, the Quinlan Visual Arts Center and City Park.

This was one of the selling points for Ron and Carol Stowe, who have a pending contract on one of the units.

"We lived in Gainesville for 27 years in the (Chattahoochee) Country Club area and we moved up here to Achasta (near Dahlonega) seven years ago," Ron Stowe said. "We knew we were moving back to Gainesville and we wanted something in town, but the main thing that attracted us to that project was, No. 1, the area near Brenau ... and two, the outstanding quality of construction and the outside beauty.

"The brick and stone gives it a European look ... it will be like your own little community."

Along with being close to downtown attractions, the Stowes also will enjoy a two-car garage on the main level and a one-car garage on the basement level, as well as granite counter tops in the kitchen and bathrooms. The kitchen features a tumbled marble backsplash with cabinets that resemble handmade furniture.

Another amenity owners of the town houses enjoy is flexibility in their living space -- and, of course, an optional elevator if needed.

"We built these as condominiums designed as town houses," Abernathy said. "If they want a basement they can have a basement. The second levels in about half of the units are just framed, not finished; the second levels in the other half are finished so really you have so many options."

Abernathy added that the cosmetic touches to the units are actually just upgrades he made across the board. For example, the granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances in the kitchen are standard.

"We pre-wire everything for whole-house audio systems," he said. "Turn on the TV from here (the kitchen), you can listen to the TV through the speakers, you can listen to your DVD or iPod."

The town house condominiums sell for around $500,000 with four floor plans to choose from. Total square footage ranges from 3,800 to 5,600, according to Abernathy.

Quite a difference from the small wood-frame homes originally on the site.

Sue Dupree, senior director for Magic Years, a child care center on Prior Street, welcomes the new development to the area.

"The positive part for Magic Years is the cleaning up of the area," Dupree said. "So it did promote a good aspect of cleaning up that area. I do know now that the area seems to be a settled community, one of responsibility ... and safer."

The community feel to the new development is exactly what Abernathy and Bennett had in mind.

"I think we have redeveloped a site that was kind of forgotten," Bennett said. "A dead end street two blocks off of Green Street, and I think we have developed a product to gracious in-town living that is close to the hospital, downtown. (What) I'm the proudest about is how we took a downtrodden area of town and made it one of the nicest places to live."

Phase two of Candler Park is set to begin in November, and Abernathy said he plans to improve on his current product.

"They will be different from what we have done here," he said. "We are trying to take a great product here and make it even better."

Contact: abates@gainesvilletimes.com, (770) 718-3414

Originally published Friday, September 21, 2007