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36 l MACON MAGAZINE FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013 by jennifer mayer SHOWHOUSE IN APRIL In addition to the loft project, Historic Macon is gearing up for its biennial Decorators' Showhouse, which will take place in April and showcases a beautiful historic home and the talents of area decorators. The home, located at 1120 Georgia Ave., will be open for daily tours April 18-28. Historic Macon will host the pre-construction Hard Hat Party on Feb. 7 at the showhouse. This event gives attendees the chance to view the home before renovation and decorating. The Top Hat Gala, the preview party for the showhouse, will be held on April 17, the evening before the home opens for daily tours. Guests will see the beautiful work of the decorators and enjoy an evening of food, drink and fun. A catered dinner and an open bar will be included. The Top Hat Gala will take place at the Woodruff House while the showhouse is open for viewing. A trolley will run between the two locations throughout the evening. Be sure to read the Historic Macon update in the April/May issue of Macon Magazine, which will include more information about the home at 1120 Georgia Ave. For more details about Decorators' Showhouse events, as well as sponsorship and ticketing information, visit www. historicmacon.org or call (478) 742-5084. LOFTY GOALS Historic Macon Foundation's first downtown loft project is under way. Thanks to the support of The 1772 Foundation, The E.J. Grassmann Trust and the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, Historic Macon has completed fundraising to meet the challenge from the Peyton Anderson Foundation to establish a $500,000 revolving fund for downtown Macon. Historic Macon's preservation committee identified a derelict building at 551 Cherry St. as the first property for this fund. The building is in a prime location. It's between Cherry Street Hookah and the Rookery. Its back wall adjoins Downtown Grill, a well-known dining spot that faces Mulberry Street Lane. Loft residents will be in walking distance from Macon's restaurants, nightlife, museums, entertainment and health care. Historic Macon now owns the building and is currently reviewing architectural proposals for the 3,600-square-foot loft project. Construction will begin in the next few months to convert the building into three to four residential lofts and one commercial storefront, all to be sold to owner-occupants. Historic Macon's hope is to establish a core of homeowners in downtown Macon and to entice private developers to produce owner-occupied housing for the long-term stability of downtown revitalization. Historic Macon