Ansley Park
Anyone who’s ever been lost in Ansley’s maze of winding streets has had time to take in the pocket parks and stately homes of this historic community. And that’s not an accident: As the area was being developed in the early decades of the last century, the goal was to blend landscaping, wide streets and houses together to create the sense of a public park.
Some of the oldest homes have been lost to new construction, including the former Governor’s Mansion that sat on the Prado from 1925 until the present residence was built in Buckhead in 1968. The properties that remain reflect an eclectic mix of styles, including Queen Anne, Colonial and Craftsman. Ansley’s entrance at 15th and Peachtree has been anchored since 1913 by the columned and classically designed First Church of Christ Scientist.
The neighborhood is also home to the Ansley Golf Club on Montgomery Ferry Drive, a private country club that dates back to 1912 and offers members a range of sporting options, including 27 holes of golf.
Mark McDonald, president and CEO of the Georgia Trust, has called Ansley home since 2008. “It’s a great neighborhood centrally located to cultural institutions, schools, parks and businesses,” he says. “It has great architecture, a sense of history and a string of parks for walking dogs, playing tennis and social gatherings.”
Where to eat and shop:
The neighborhood center is the open-air Ansley Mall, 1544 Piedmont Avenue, where the Publix grocery is surrounded by an LA Fitness, always-busy Starbucks and Pier One, to name a few. Foodies flock to Cook’s Warehouse, which is here, for supplies, as well as gourmet treats and hands-on classes. When it comes time to dig in, neighborhood favorites include Bantam and Biddy, Atmosphere and Hob Nob. Cowtippers, noted for its expansive deck, serves up steaks, oversized desserts and more than 100 varieties of tequila. Smith’s Olde Bar draws patrons from around the metro area for the eclectic line-up of live music acts.
