House of the Week

A Neel Reid eclectic style house built for Jesse Draper in 1922. It is a next door neighbor to this house of the week from two weeks ago, and is a combination of the Neocolonial and Greek Revival styles.








The floorplan:







Hope you all had a relaxing Labor Day weekend!

House of the Week

The obsession continues....which one you might ask? Neel Reid, or white houses with black shutters? Both of course!

This house was built for Henry Newman in 1921-22. The design of the house is credited to the firm of Hentz, Reid and Adler. The facade was drafted by AEC (documents do not tell us who AEC was), and the garden design is by Neel Reid. Every mention of the house I could find (in my Neel Reid books, Atlanta architecture books and online sleuthing) gives design credit to Neel Reid.

See the resemblance?

Yesterday, the Devoted Classicist pointed out that the parti, or big idea for the house, of the HOTW is similar to the Neel Reid Adair house. Since I have photos of the Adair house I thought it would be fun to show you the two houses together. The massings are a lot alike and the interesting dormers are a prominent feature on both houses also. Devoted Classicist,anything to add? Hat tip to you for letting us know the similarities!





Detail of the dormers

House of the Week

Neel Reid, Druid Hills 1914-15

House of the Week

Designed by Neel Reid for Sigmund Montag, this Druid Hills house was built in 1915. According to the book Architecture of Neel Reid in Georgia
the house is reminiscent of 17th century French architecture. However, the entrance doorway is late 17th century English. I think the quoins and window jack arches in redbrick make an interesting statement.







Click on any image to enlarge.

©2011 Whitehaven

Buckhead in Bloom - April 15 & 17

Want to go on a great house tour this weekend? Here's one not to miss!



The Neel Reid house above is on the tour. The tour starts at The Lodge in Buckhead. Please see the press release below for more information and history.



Atlanta Preservation Center’s Buckhead in Bloom Celebrates a National Register Historic District

Atlanta – March 31, 2011 - The Atlanta Preservation Center’s Buckhead in Bloom celebrates the 100th anniversary of Peachtree Heights Park West, the only known neighborhood planned by the outstanding early 20th century architectural firm, Carrère & Hastings. The celebration includes two events; an opening lecture on Friday, April 15, 2011 at 8:00 pm and a home and garden tour on Sunday, April 17, 2011 from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm. This event is sponsored by Harry Norman, Realtors along with Bone’s Restaurant and Blue Ridge Grill. Proceeds support the work of the APC.

Tickets for the home and garden tour are $30 for Atlanta Preservation Center members and $40 for non-members. They are available in advance through April 15 by calling APC at 404-688-3353 ext. 11 and through April 16 at the following ticket locations: Boxwoods Gardens and Gifts, Cathedral Bookstore, Habersham Gardens and the Swan Coach House. Day-of sales are available on Sunday, April 17 from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm at 8 Peachtree Battle Avenue (The Lodge at E. Rivers Elementary School).


Enjoy a lecture by distinguished author and preservationist, William “Bill” Mitchell on Friday, April 15 at 8 pm in the Gould Room at the Cathedral of St. Philip. Mr. Mitchell is a cultural historian and a founder of the Southern Architecture Foundation. He is author of many books including J. Neel Reid, Architect; Landmark Homes of Georgia and The Architecture of James Means, Georgia Classicist. Tickets are $10 and are available via phone at 404-688-3353 ext. 11 and at the door.

Then be a guest of some of Atlanta’s finest homes and gardens and enjoy the splendor of an historic neighborhood during the Buckhead in Bloom House and Garden Tour on Sunday, April 17 from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The tour will begin at the Lodge located at 8 Peachtree Battle Avenue.

The Lodge was designed in 1910 by Carrère & Hastings as the neighborhood real estate office of Eretus Rivers Realty Company, developer of Peachtree Heights Park, an early suburb developed beginning in 1910 on the former 500-acre estate of Wesley Grey Collier. The picturesque cottage provides the effect of a gatehouse at the entrance to the subdivision and, in the words of E. Rivers, “an interesting and a desirable resting place, a visiting point where Atlantans and their friends will at all times be welcome.” (Atlanta Constitution 1911)



That welcoming spirit was boosted by the Joseph Habersham Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, which formally opened the Lodge on June 19, 1911, with a receiving party to greet and serve refreshments to “automobilists and people enjoying a drive.” Newspaper accounts from that summer related activities of the chapter serving refreshments to visitors at the “tea house” and hosting a July 4 celebration on the grounds. Whether called the Lodge, the tea house or the road house, the little house on Peachtree Road just above the creek bridge grew in popularity each day. (Atlanta Constitution 1911)

In 1930, Rivers permitted teacher Mary Hardwick Bloodworth to rent the building for use as a kindergarten. In 1937, he deeded to Fulton County for $1.00 the Lodge property with these restrictions: “The above property shall be used only for museum, monumental, educational, park or other like purpose…” Mrs. Bloodworth’s kindergarten educated the children of the community until 1952. Today, the building is used by E. Rivers Elementary School for meetings and community events.

The tour following this unique beginning will include four early 20th century houses that will display the architectural work of P. Thorton Mayre, Neel Reid and Philip Shutze and the landscape architectural work of Robert Cridland and Reid.




This event is a great opportunity to enjoy one of Atlanta’s beautiful historic neighborhoods and to support the work of one of its leading preservation advocacy and education organizations.


Contact:
Carolyn Stine McLaughlin
phoenixflies@preserveatlanta.com
www.PreserveAtlanta.com
327 St. Paul Avenue, SE
Atlanta, GA 30312-3129
404-688-3353

House of the Week

Charles Case House - architect, Neel Reid




This house could be considered many people's favorite house in Atlanta. It was my grandfather's favorite and is often called The Eagle House because there are eagles on the stone wall at the entrance to the courtyard. It was built from 1919-1921 for the Charles Cases and was called Somerset. In designing the house Neel Reid was inspired by Tintinhull in Somerset, England.


image via Architecture Tourist





























It's one of Neel Reid's best in Atlanta. Perfect in scale and size...not too big, not too small, just right as Goldilocks would say.

House of the Week

Another Neel Reid Druid Hills house. This one is across the street from last week's house of the week. It was built in 1917 for the Louis Regenstein family and is Italianate in style.



From J. Neel Reid Architect , by William R. Mitchell : "Characteristic of Reid's work was the concentration of a few boldly scaled ornamental elements at focal points on otherwise comparatively plain facades. There is often a hipped roof, villa-like rectangular horizontality, a central block with side porches, sometimes wings, placed in landscape garden settings reached through french doors, very much in the manner of 'casual classicism' of Charles Platt. ...nearly always with the Italian Renaissance villa set in the back of his mind." (pg 74).



The house was for sale recently, here are interior photos from that listing.