Beall's Hill home renovated for Historic Macon's Design, Wine and Dine festival

After nearly three decades of vacancy and neglect, a house built in the late 1800s was slated for demolition in Macon's historic Beall's Hill neighborhood.

This summer, though, its rooms will be filled with fine furnishings, drinks and food for the Historic Macon Foundation's signature fundraiser.

The house at 1388 Calhoun St. is being rehabilitated for the third annual Design, Wine and Dine festival slated for June 23-30. This year's event will feature wine and bourbon tastings, chef's table dinners, design seminars and celebrities who will share ideas and skills, said Susannah Maddux, co-chair of design for the event.

"It's a seven-day sensory celebration," Maddux said Wednesday afternoon. "It's an occasion for us to break bread with our neighbors, to feel ignited by the talent from various trades and to learn something new that will make our lives better. More than that, it's an opportunity just to show the community what neighborhood revitalization looks like."

Last year's event was held in three lofts at 551 Cherry St., raising more than $62,000 for the foundation's revitalization and preservation efforts. Thirteen designers had a hand in beautifying the condos, which are now owner-occupied, said Emily Hopkins, the foundation's special events and marketing coordinator.

"I think for a lot of people, they have to kind of see how you would make a smaller space work and really have that elevated sense of design," Hopkins said. "I think the Design House definitely helped. ... People envision what they could do with a space like that."

The folk Victorian-style dwelling in the foundation's target neighborhood will be sold after this year's festival, said Ethiel Garlington, executive director of the foundation.

"It will be owner occupied and it will be another addition to the neighborhood," he said.

Work is continuing on the house, which makes it unsafe for tours now, Garlington said. However, a hard hat party is slated for April 7 for those eager to see the progress.

For more information, visit www.designwinedine.org.

To contact writer Laura Corley, call 744-4334 or follow her on Twitter @Lauraecor.

This story was originally published January 13, 2016 at 5:19 PM with the headline "Beall's Hill home renovated for Historic Macon's Design, Wine and Dine festival ."