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Spotlight on Preservation, Part 1: 648 S. Milledge Avenue and Tom Ellis Construction
Posted on 01/28/2010 by Mary Boyce Hicks |
The Edward Dorsey home at 648 S. Milledge Ave.
Picture an old dilapidated house, slowly falling into disrepair. It has tarps draped over the roof and the paint has peeled off in large sections. There is no landscaping in the yard and it sits as something of an eyesore, especially noticeable since it is surrounded by stately, beautiful houses on Milledge Avenue.
Today, you won’t find that house. Even though the aforementioned once described the Edward Dorsey house, built in 1908 at 648 S. Milledge Avenue, the structure has been fully restored. Athenian Tom Ellis, who builds and restores houses, was the power behind the restoration. It was so important to him to keep the house historically appropriate and his efforts were rewarded when he and the house ultimately won the 2008 Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation Preservation Award for Outstanding Rehabilitation. “It’s a privilege to take a beautiful old home like this and restore it to its original stature and grandeur,” Ellis says.
Inside and out, Ellis and his crew took great pains to keep old pieces, have certain details custom-made to fit the time and essentially reconstruct the house. Today it is occupied by the McKillip Law Firm and is a sight to see on Milledge. Just wait until you see the original stained glass panels and the gorgeous stairs! Check out this video to see some of the details and hear about it from Ellis himself. 648 Milledge
This is the first in a series on local restorations. Keep your eye out for more to come!