Demorest approves Sherwood building conversion into luxury villas

DEMOREST, Ga. — The Demorest City Council has approved a special use permit allowing redevelopment of the vacant Sherwood Clinical building into eight residential luxury villas.

Developers Alan Baker and Philip Smith sought the permit for the 4.14-acre property at 415 Fisk Ave., arguing the project would revitalize a deteriorating structure while preserving surrounding green space.

During a public hearing Tuesday, Smith said the building has suffered extensive interior water damage after frozen pipes burst while the property sat vacant. He also cited erosion issues behind the building and deteriorating pavement and drainage infrastructure.

“This building’s been vacant for quite some time, too long, in fact, and it really needs to be repaired and restored,” Smith said.

Smith also pushed back against perceptions that the project would create a large apartment complex.

“When you say multifamily residential development, on approximately 4.14 acres, what comes to mind?” Smith asked council members. “Generally, for most people, hundreds of units scattered across the landscape with construction, bulldozers.”

Instead, Smith said the proposal calls for converting the existing building into eight residential units.

“We’re constructing walls, inside partition walls inside the structure to make eight luxury-type villas,” he said.

According to Smith, the developers do not intend to alter the building’s exterior or construct additional apartment buildings on the property. He said the proposal focuses on rehabilitating the existing structure and addressing long-standing maintenance issues.

The developers also discussed the possibility of future cottage-style homes elsewhere on the property but emphasized no such construction is currently proposed.
Council approved the special use permit with a series of conditions designed to limit future development. Those conditions restrict the permit to the existing building, cap the project at eight residential units, prohibit short-term rentals and require any future expansion or additional residential construction to return to the council for approval.

Additional conditions require demolition of dilapidated accessory structures, approval of a final site plan, on-site parking, screened trash collection areas and compliance with lighting standards.

The permit will expire if certificates of occupancy are not issued within two years.

The council approved the request following a public hearing during its June 2 meeting.