House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice

"It feels like you've entered another time and place when you walk through the front door,” the listing agent says.

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House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice
This traditional brick house with a slate roof dates back to 1910. Its three finished levels come in at 5,400 square feet, with features such as covered parking and an elevator.

Photograph by Barto Lotti

With its classic architecture and enviable location among the Midtown skyscrapers, this circa-1910 house for sale in Ansley Park epitomizes the best of old and new Atlanta. “This is one of the original homes built in Ansley Park, so it feels like you’ve entered another time and place when you walk through the front door,” says Jason Cook with Ansley Real Estate, who is the listing agent for the property. The listing price is $3.4 million.

The brick house is on 15th Street, widely known as a prestigious address in the historic neighborhood. Cook says that famed architects Philip Trammel Shutze and Norman Askins were both involved with renovations over the years, adding to its architectural integrity. The first floor is full of traditional details: a large formal entryway and living room, 12-foot ceilings, original fireplaces and molding, a charming library, and hardwood floors. Five bedrooms and bathrooms are up-to-date and spacious, with built-ins and other old-house features.

House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice
The spacious entryway includes a wide hallway, grand staircase, molding, and hardwood floors.

Photograph by Barto Lotti

House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice

Photograph by Barto Lotti

House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice
A cozy library goes bold with painted walls the color of a sunset, and paneling with built-ins.

Photograph by Barto Lotti

House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice
Transom windows in this sitting room contribute to the abundance of natural light in this house.

Photograph by Barto Lotti

What particularly distinguishes this house, though, is its yard and gardens, an almost-half-acre of brick walls and pathways lined with professionally landscaped plants and flowers. The lush back yard also has nearby office buildings looming over the trees as a reminder of how close the house is to Midtown.

“Ansley Park has always been a desirable place to live because of the walkable location and strong sense of community,” says Cook. “The arts district and parks are literally outside your door.” There are five parks within the neighborhood, but verdant attractions such as Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens are nearby, as well as Woodruff Arts Center and the restaurants in Colony Square.

House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice
A formal dining room includes built-in display cabinets and an elegant chandelier.

Photograph by Barto Lotti

House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice
A large kitchen includes an adjacent eat-in area.

Photograph by Barto Lotti

House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice
A supplementary room off the kitchen can be used as a breakfast room or sitting area. Its built-ins and views and doors to the back yard make it a prime spot in the house.

Photograph by Barto Lotti

Even though the neighborhood is now in the heart of commerce and cultural activities, it was developed in 1904 as a “suburban” enclave north of the city by Edwin P. Ansley. According to the neighborhood association’s history page, “Ansley envisioned a new motorcar-oriented suburb of wide winding streets and green parks designed to attract Atlanta’s wealthiest and most prestigious families. In fact, Ansley Park was home to Georgia’s Governor’s mansion for many decades.”

House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice
A handy butler’s pantry facilitates entertaining.

Photograph by Barto Lotti

House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice
A fireplace and walk-in closets is part of the primary bedroom’s charm.

Photograph by Barto Lotti

House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice
A wallpapered hallway links the primary bedroom and bathroom.

Photograph by Barto Lotti

House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice
The primary bath includes a double vanity and stand-alone tub.

Photograph by Barto Lotti

Cook notes that the civic association is still active, and a reason the neighborhood continues to thrive. Activities such as a garden club, book club, dinner group, holiday events, and cultural events are year-round, and the association also oversees private security. The neighborhood’s architecture has expanded to include contemporary houses, something the real estate agent sees as a plus. “Personally, I love the eclectic styles of architecture and deep-rooted history of the neighborhood,” says Cook. “It feels suburban with all the large trees, and then you look up and see the skyline. There’s no other neighborhood like it.”

House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice
A flat yard—itself often a rarity in Atlanta—of almost a half-acre offers a garden oasis in the city, with grassy areas, brick pathways and planting beds, and landscaped grounds.

Photograph by Barto Lotti

House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice
Seating areas in the back yard outside the main living areas are convenient for morning coffee.

Photograph by Barto Lotti

House Envy: Historic elegance and a Midtown skyline make this Ansley Park mansion twice as nice
Tall trees in the back yard provide privacy but still allow a peek of Midtown high-rises.

Photograph by Barto Lotti

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