CLARKESVILLE – The former Habersham County Courthouse will take on a new life as a residential, multi-use facility in the next year or so, according to plans for the developer who has agreed to purchase it.
Wayne Enterprises South LLC will pay the $1-million purchase price for the building, located at 555 Monroe St., on the downtown square, in an agreement approved by the Habersham County Commission Monday night.
“They’re going to use the existing building, and the developer is going to invest additional resources into rehab of the facility, including a major external facelift,” said Commission Chairman Stacy Hall. “The county wins because it gets rid of an eyesore, frankly, but the developer wins because it’s a great piece of property in the heart of Clarkesville – and it’s going to meet a very bad need in the community, which is additional housing.”
Hall said the developer’s plan is to include 20 to 23 one- to two-bedroom rental units in downtown Clarkesville.
“It really will meet a great need,” Hall said. “The building will undergo a major external facelift and significant internal rehab to get to the point where he can start renting it.”
Hall said he also anticipates the development will include a restaurant of some sort and possibly a couple of retail units.
Because of the property’s location, Hall said county leaders worked with their counterparts in the City of Clarkesville to ensure the development is good for both entities.
“I’m very proud of the fact that even though the county owns the property it’s still inside the city limits,” Hall said. “From the very beginning, we thought it was important to include the city hand in hand throughout the process, so the mayor and the city manager have been involved in that process. I think this is a really good deal for the city and the county as a whole.”
The sale is scheduled to close within six months.
“It’s probably going to take a year or so on construction,” Hall said.
