Tallassee Guest House A vision coming to life Story by Carmen Rodgers & Rendering by Steenhaus
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orrie Sid has a bold vision for the historic Guest House in Tallassee, and she’s making extensive progress toward the reality. The Tallassee native purchased the property about a year ago and has begun complete renovations. Her future plans include incorporating an upscale restaurant and an inclusive site appropriate for all events from small meetings up to 300-plus weddings. By the end of 2019, all 10 of the property’s bathrooms, along with the kitchen, were demolished, and the downstairs ceilings were torn out. “This was a critical step toward understanding exactly what we are working with,” said Sid. “Old homes and buildings can give you major surprises. I know, I’ve gutted and rebuilt two historic properties – a 1908 California Bungalow and an 1888 Victorian. Understanding what is behind the walls really helps in planning for what you can and can’t do from a design perspective.” Fortunately, like many old buildings in Tallassee, the structure has good bones. “Turns out, The Guest House was built very well,” Sid said. “There are large steel beams running in between the upstairs and downstairs, and the stone walls look like
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they were built yesterday.” Outside, crews have been busy transitioning the property’s landscape and plotting the land’s topography. “We needed to really see the land to understand what we have to work with outside,” Sid said. “We were looking for areas for parking and naturally pretty areas that can be cultivated into gardens and groves.” While working on the landscape at The Guest House, Sid and her crew stumbled upon a few pleasant surprises, which will help bring the grand concept to life. “We are happy to report that there are about four natural springs producing multiple creeks in the woods; an awesome sun-filled hill that was hiding under decades of kudzu; and some flat areas that would be ideal for parking,” Sid said. She said while the planning has been long, it has been worth the wait because The Guest House could be an exceptional asset to Tallassee. “The building will contain about seven separate spaces that can be rented out for events,” she said. “We will be able to accommodate a meeting for 10 people or a wedding for close to 300 guests. There will be four public restrooms, two upstairs and two downstairs. And we will have a private restroom for our employees.”
ELMORE COUNTY LIVING
