Devonia Avenue houses are vivid jewels in lively downtown scene

Known for its public markets and environmental initiatives, the North Limestone community’s latest splash of color is the vibrant green and blue of side-by-side houses on Devonia Avenue.

When realtor and contractor Sam Rock lived in Atlanta, he saw a certain style of house quickly growing in popularity: tall and skinny. When he returned to Lexington and worked to renovate houses around the city, he said he realized he could create a greater product for people at a better price by building new.

“The price per square foot is less than a renovated house of the same size,” he said.

The area—and the lots on Devonia Avenue—possessed an ideal vibe for this new venture.

“I like the change and the energy that’s going on in town here. We’re seeing older buildings being redone, and younger people moving in. They’re living on less. It’s a ‘get back in town and know your neighbor’ feel. I love the diversity of downtown,” Rock said.

He came up with a model that would work for smaller lots, which was a two-story, three-bedroom, two-bathroom home a little over 1,500 square feet. He followed an archetype of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright: design the home so you can use the walls. By installing transom windows in the bedrooms, it frees up wall space for furniture while providing lighting for the rooms. Rock was also sure to avoid “bump-out closets” to keep the walls flat and expansive.

With the two-story model, the bedrooms can be large, and the upstairs landing area feels spacious. It’s also allowed Rock to create an open concept on the first floor.

“You really can’t do that on one floor,” he said. “It gives people a real open feel.”

And the luxury is in the details, too. He installed granite countertops in the kitchen and created an island big enough to seat four. He put down wide-plank bamboo hardwood floors that are rich in color—a lovely contrast to gray walls and white trim. The kitchen’s white cabinets, the trim, the lighting, and the flooring materials were all sourced locally. Other valuable features include HVAC on each level and substantial insulation as well as the use of Hardie board siding rather than vinyl.

Rock was also mindful of functional outdoor spaces.

“I wanted to have nice porches out front. They’re longer and you can get furniture out there,” he said. “There’s a shared drive (between the two properties). That’s very common in town, but you still have off-street parking.”

The houses are in proximity of places like West Sixth Brewing, North Lime Donuts, Broomwagon, and Castlewood Park.

“The NoLi community organization is active in helping develop. There is a lot of movement to really help the area,” Rock said. “I love the park. If you’re going to have a family, you’ve got to be near a park. There’s a pool and tennis courts. You have everything (here); you’ve got food, a coffee shop, you’ve got a park, and you’re going to have an awesome market.”

The Julietta Market is a 23,000-square-foot public multi-vendor market set to open later this year in the former Southeast Greyhound building on West Loudon. The area is also home to The Night Market, an open-air, pop-up street festival designed to promote local businesses and artists. It happens May through December on Bryan Avenue.

He said the happenings draw him back to the Atlanta Beltline, a former railway corridor where efforts have aided in revitalizing old parts of the city.

“They’ve got cool bars and restaurants and yoga studios and breweries,” Rock said.

He started renovating and selling homes there and returned to Lexington in 2014, where he mostly refurbished shotgun-style houses. He’s since taken on several projects downtown, and this his first take on building the two-story, Atlanta-influenced style of house with the help of a booming neighborhood.

“I like these blocks. They’re two-way, and they’re close to the school, so they’re safer. Kids can walk to (Arlington Elementary). There’s more population coming in. All of these around here are single-family dwellings,” he said. “It’s a good family environment.”

This story was originally published March 15, 2020 at 6:00 AM.