While some deals do still exist, finding a roomy, new-construction townhome around the core of Atlanta in the half-million-dollar range can be next to impossible these days. (Thanks, capitalism.)  

But for townhome hunters willing to venture out (okay, way out), or who might have business in Athens, a boutique-sized project is coming together that builders say doesn’t sacrifice space and walkability for relatively attainable prices.

Wire Park, a large adaptive-reuse project in Watkinsville, has built the area’s first food hall and a unique variety of uses over the past several years. Now its first residential component is starting to come together.

Sales have recently opened at The Towns at Wire Park, and three of its townhomes are either sold are under contract, according to Wire Park Builders, a joint venture between Atlanta veteran homebuilder Monte Hewett Homes and Blue Point Construction Southeast.

New construction visible from the living room of a model unit at The Towns at Wire Park. Monte Hewett Homes

Facades planned for two-story The Towns at Wire Park. Courtesy of Monte Hewett

Once finished, the townhome section of the project will feature 21 units at the 1725 Electric Ave. site, roughly a 15-minute drive to downtown Athens and the University of Georgia.

All Wire Park townhomes will stand two stories, with three bedrooms and three and ½ bathrooms in 2,170 square feet. They’re priced from the high $500,000s, according to Monte Hewett reps.

All three finish packages for the townhomes—the Barnett, Greensboro, and Oconee options—come with smartlocks, Bosch appliances, and a variety of hardwood shades and kitchen cabinet colors, per the homebuilders. 

Inside a Wire Park model unit today. Courtesy of Monte Hewett

The townhomes are expected to join 47 standalone houses at Wire Park from the same development team, which remain in planning stages now. Pricing and floorplans for those have yet to be released.

“We believe that walkability is more than just a convenience—it’s about fostering a lifestyle that allows people to stay connected to their community, their neighbors, and the places they love,” said Monte Hewett, the homebuilder’s president, in a project update this week.

The 66-acre site functioned for more than 50 years as a wire manufacturing plant (thus, the project’s name) called Southwire.

Walkable to quaint downtown Watkinsville, the old factory’s $80-million redevelopment by Athens-based Gibbs Capital has aimed to retain industrial character while appealing to young families, working professionals, and recent retirees as a pedestrian-friendly place to call home. It’s considered the area’s first large-scale, adaptive-reuse venture, as designed by Atlanta architect Dan Osborne and Athens-based E+E Architecture.

Finished social spaces at the heart of Wire Park today. Wire Park

Wire Park

Beyond the food hall, which is called The Grid at Wire Park, the project features an event amphitheater, 225,000 square feet of commercial, office, and retail space (including the Oconee County Public Library), plus a large greenspace and public park with trails.

One unique facet is a roughly 29,000-square-foot indoor baseball training facility called The Yard.  

Movie nights, live music, food trucks, and family events and activities are now common, according to project officials.

Swing up to the gallery for more context and images. 

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