There are many reasons why people want to save historic places.  For most of us, historic buildings create an emotional bond to a unique place.  Macon has a beautiful, varied and copious inventory of historic buildings throughout eleven historic districts.  Historic Macon Foundation was founded to protect historic buildings: it is our mission.  As the inheritor of the legacies of the Middle Georgia Historical Society and the Macon Heritage Foundation, our organization has advocated for Macon's history for more than four decades.  Today, we try to take a proactive approach to protecting our heritage.  We facilitate market-based solutions that find viable long-term uses for Macon's historic buildings and districts.  We also keep our members informed about the threats and opportunities in our community.  When it comes time to advocate for historic buildings, our members are on the front lines making phone calls, writing letters and educating our elected officials to save historic places.  Do you know of a place that needs our help?  Contact us today.

Current Advocacy Issues

Atlantic Cotton Mills

On April 6, 2010, Macon City Council and Bibb County Commission both passed resolutions to submit an application to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for a loan fund to enable the rehabilitation of Atlantic Cotton Mills!  This vote is the culmination of months of hard advocacy work for our Trustees and volunteers.  Thank you to all of you who donated your time, letter writing, phone calls and personal visits to encourage the passage of this legislation.  Thank you also to our City Council representatives who also took time to visit the site, learn about the project and take advantage of a second chance to save this building.

The Middle Georgia Regional Commission will now finalize the grant application and file it with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.  The Commissioner, Mike Beatty ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ), and his staff will consider the grant application over the next several weeks.  Mayor Robert Reichert has put his support behind the application, visiting the Commissioner personally to lobby for this project.  Hopefully, the grant will be awarded and rehabilitation of the site will begin in the next several months.

Please take a moment to thank the Mayor, City Council members and County Commissioners who worked hard to make this project possible.  As always, I will keep you up to date with all new developments with our grant application and the redevelopment of the Mills.  Thank you again for all your volunteer advocacy and support.

Project Specifics:

• The potential developer is Landmark Development (www.landmarkdevelopment.biz) out of Winston Salem, NC (Map and photos at bottom). 
  
• They would like to turn the Mills into 103 units of loft housing, by far the highest and best use for the facility. 
  
• The developers are seeking assistance in the form of a low-interest loan. 
  
• The grant would capitalize a low interest revolving loan fund and the initial loan would be made to Landmark to rehabilitate the historic mill. 
  
• As it is repaid, the funds will be redeployed to enable other projects. 
  
• The most exciting prospect is saving the historic mill complex, which dates from 1882 and is in almost all-original condition. 
  
• The developers have proposed a rehabilitation plan which adheres to the Secretary of the Interior's standards for rehabilitation. 
  
• Almost as exciting, the developers are financed with a $8.7 million traditional mortgage and $2.2 million in historic tax credits. 
  
• They are ready to start work.  The total amount that they would spend in Macon is almost $13 million.
  
• Property tax revenue would increase from $3,000 currently to almost $200,000 per year.   In a time when we desperately need economic stimulus and jobs, this project is necessary.