‘New & unique’ to downtown Perry: Upscale, luxury lofts coming with new retail space

A new two-story, mixed use development will bring retail space and upscale, luxury lofts to downtown Perry.

Brought to you by Kathleen-based, family-owned WCH Development, The Chalet Lofts include six prime retail spaces on the first floor and a dozen upscale lofts on the second floor. Two of the retail spaces are suitable for restaurants.

“WCH Development is excited to expand and offer this unique residential and commercial space to the thriving downtown Perry community,” Dylan Wingate, vice president of WCH Development, said in an email. “This upscale, modern space is great for those who want to be in walking distance to their favorite local amenities, restaurants and shops in downtown Perry.

“It also offers prime location space for a business to flourish. The Chalet Lofts is a positive growth opportunity for Perry,” he said.

The project is billed as “new and unique” because downtown Perry currently does not have residential lofts, which are in high-demand in downtown areas across the country including in Macon.

The only similar development downtown is The Commodore Building, a two-store building constructed in 2021 that does have apartments on the second floor, but those are designed for short-term rentals for visitors which first became available in September 2022.

Trattoria di Napoli, a new independently-owned Italian restaurant, is expected to open soon in the first floor restaurant space of The Commodore Building at 904 Commerce St.

The Chalet Lofts are going up at 1009 Northside Drive, which is part of the city’s downtown boundary and within walking distance to the former county courthouse built in 1949. The repurposed courthouse at 808 Carroll St. houses city hall, municipal court and other city agencies.

The historic downtown is host to multiple independently-owned and operated retail shops, restaurants, coffee shops, a wine merchant, an upscale bar, a cookie store and entertainment venues offering live shows.

“This is going to be a first of its kind development for the city of Perry,” said Madison Holland of Landmark Realty. He’s handling the leasing of the lofts. “In addition to that, with it being in downtown, it’s just going to provide a really unique, living experience for people.”

Also, the high demand for loft apartments in neighboring cities over the past decade hasn’t diminished, noted Kevin Harkins of The Summit Group. He’s handling the leasing of the retail space.

A mortgage company and a nail salon already have signed up for two of the six retail spaces and at least four of the 12 lofts have been leased. The estimated time of completion for construction for both residential and commercial is Oct. 1.

The lofts

A mix of one-bedroom/one-bath and two-bedroom/two-bath lofts are available ranging in price from $1,695 a month to $2,950 per month depending on square footage. Only four of the units are one bedroom and one bath.

Each loft includes high-end finishes of LVP flooring, stainless steel appliances, a washer and dryer, and a private balcony. Ceiling fans and window blinds are included.

Also included are complimentary water and trash services and high-speed Internet access. The lofts are smoke-free.

One of each of the four sizes of the units are leased, including one with a wrap-around patio at the front of the building, Holland said.

The retail space

The two front, first-floor spaces are ideal for restaurants with a shared patio for outdoor seating, but strong retail shops also would be considered, Harkins said.

The available spaces range from 2,400-square-feet to 2,263-square-feet and lease for $32 per square foot to $35 per square foot under a Triple Net Lease, or NNN. This typical commercial lease requires the lessee to pay all expenses including rent, utilities and other expenses such as maintenance, real estate taxes and building insurance.

The two retail spaces that have been leased are in the back of the building.

More loft-style apartments coming

WCH Development also is behind a huge residential development near the intersection of Houston Lake and Lake Joy roads in Perry.

The Encore is expected to include town homes, bungalows and loft-style apartments, according to Staley Bell, marketing coordinator for WCH Development.

The Encore is expected to include a 14,000-square-foot lifestyle retail center positioned at the front of the development, which is expected to include 280-plus units, according to The Summit Group.

The development, which is expected to include a 14,000-square-foot lifestyle retail center at the front of it, is near the a Publix that anchors the Paradise Shoppes of Perry at 275 Perry Parkway.