Set on a quiet winding street in the idyllic Haynes Manor neighborhood, this gorgeous custom home is the perfect combination of privacy, convenience, and accessibility. The hilltop lot offers unobstructed views Atlanta Memorial Park, Atlanta Beltline Trail, and Peachtree Creek just across the street! Atlanta Memorial Park is home to the Bobby Jones Golf course and the Bitsy Grant Tennis Center, as well as the renowned Boone’s Restaurant.
The level secluded backyard includes a no-maintenance turf lawn surrounding an in-ground pool and hot tub. The yard creates the ultimate entertaining space when combined with the living room and family room inside.
Even considering the easy access to many of the best amenities Buckhead and Atlanta have to offer, once you see inside the house you may not want to leave! The lower and main levels are purpose-built for relaxing and entertaining, and 5 bedroom suites provide plenty of room for family or friends.
Climb the unique floating stairs to the wrap-around porch that leads to the double front doors. Once inside you will find large open spaces and endless views. A 2-sided limestone fireplace is flanked by the formal living room and the family room. Each seating area features floor to ceiling glass accordion doors that create true indoor-outdoor living when opened.
The spacious kitchen is open to the family room and dining area, and features ample custom cabinets surrounding a large central island. A convenient powder room and large laundry room are nearby.
Open spaces continue into the dining area that features more large accordion windows. Opening this wall of glass integrates the indoor dining area with a unique outdoor living area that juts out toward the breathtaking golf course view.
This outdoor family room features a limestone fireplace and plenty of room for seating and outdoor dining.
A secluded study and additional powder room round out the common spaces on the main level. The study features tall windows on 3 walls surrounding a limestone fireplace.
The main bedroom suite occupies the remainder of the main level. A spacious walk-in closet has built-in cabinets and drawers, and a morning bar provides a convenient cup of coffee or night cap. The main bath contains all of the amenities you would expect, like double vanities, separate shower, and soaking tub.
Upstairs contains 4 additional bedroom suites, a common living area, and a second laundry area. Each bedroom features a large closet and ensuite full bath. One of the upper level bedrooms has a private sitting area and access to a roof-top patio.
The lower level is definitely not your average basement. A large theater room and adjacent game room provide entertainment options. The built-in wet bar, wine storage, and sitting area create a flexible space for entertaining or relaxing.
You can cancel your gym membership with workout facilities like these. The home gym contains multiple machines and free weights, and includes walls of mirrors and multiple televisions. The connected full bath features a shower and a sauna.
The 2-car garage has room to stor and organize all of your toys.
The home at 1035 Peachtree Battle Avenue has recently been transformed with a to-the-studs renovation designed and overseen by the designers at Studio Entourage. Behind the classic brick facade is a new home with fantastic style designed around a very efficient floorplan. A large front yard sets the home back from Peachtree Battle Avenue, and provides room for the new round-about driveway and an auxiliary parking pad. Sidewalks lead from here directly to Memorial park! The main parking is found behind the home, protected by an automatic gate.
Speaking of the backyard- the large 1+-acre backyard includes a flat yard, and a wooded area beyond. Directly behind the home you will find plenty of room to enjoy the great outdoors comfortably. The expansive wooden deck has three levels with room for grilling on the hard-piped gas grill, a large dining and sitting area, and a third smaller seating area.
It is immediately apparent when you walk through the front door that the interior of the home is brand new. The open layout of the main level allows unobstructed views from the foyer into the dining room, and straight through the family room to the backyard.
The dining room has room for a large dining table, and it is open to the foyer and the butler’s pantry with a wine fridge. You will pass the main floor powder room on the way to the open family room and kitchen. The family room features a stylish feature wall with a fireplace and built-in shelving, and great views of the deck and backyard through floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors.
In the kitchen, two-tone cabinets and stone counter tops surround the large central island with counter seating. The unique layout provides room for a professional gas cook-top, double wall ovens, dual dish washers, a huge pantry area, and TWO refrigerators.
Beyond the kitchen you will find a mudroom with custom storage by the side door, and a generous laundry room with custom cabinetry.
The primary bedroom suite is on the main level. A large walk-in closet has custom built-in storage. The primary bath features dual vanities, a soaking tub, glass shower, and beautiful modern finishes.
There are two additional bedroom suites on the main level. Each bedroom has large windows, a full ensuite bath, and ample closet space.
Downstairs there is room for entertaining and additional living space. A large open area is perfect for a game table or additional dining area, and a second family room will give your family room to spread out.
Just off the family room is the cutest bunk room you are likely to find, with built-in twin-sized bunk beds and a sliding barn door. There is an additional full size bedroom on the lower level, as well as a full bathroom.
The Brandon neighborhood is a prime example of big-city conveniences and private suburban atmosphere Buckhead is known for. Walk to Memorial Park, Bobby Jones Golf Course/Bitsy Grant Tennis Center/Boone’s Restaurant, the BeltLine, or through the gorgeous surrounding neighborhoods. The neighborhood serves as a hub of activity, with privacy for residents living off the main streets.
Classic Buckhead landmarks like the Arthur Blank Family Foundation, Atlanta Girls’ School, Junior League Atlanta, the popular Carl E. Sanders YMCA, and more occupy this neighborhood. In addition, a variety of churches, which include Trinity Presbyterian, St. Anne’s Episcopal and St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, make steeples abundant. In addition to top-ranked public schools, there are many private school options in and near the Brandon neighborhood.
Peaceful winding streets guide you through Memorial Park, showcasing Buckhead’s natural beauty and humble charm. In the park you will find the Bitsy Grant Tennis Center, Bobby Jones Golf Course, Boone’s restaurant and a connection to Atlanta’s pedestrian Beltline! As Atlanta’s third-largest park, Memorial Park is the envy of many who wish for a friendly neighborhood centered around recreational activities. A fantastic location, it’s a straight shot northbound along Northside Drive to Buckhead, or head south and you’re in Georgia Tech and Midtown.
Part of the Atlanta BeltLine’s Northwest Trail now has a tentative route through Buckhead, while a controversial and complicated part at Peachtree Road will undergo months of further study.
The partial route selection, announced in a May 12 virtual community meeting by Atlanta BeltLine Inc. (ABI), means that survey and preliminary design and engineering work will immediately begin on some sub-segments of the trail. Construction would be years away, though ABI has a self-set deadline of 2030.
ABI engineer Shaun Green also said it is possible that, after further study, some segments of the trail may not be built – at least, not as part of the BeltLine. Other parties, such as the City or the PATH Foundation – ABI’s Northwest Trail partner – might fill in such gaps if they happen, he suggested.
The BeltLine is the 22-mile loop of trails, transit and green space being constructed around the city by Atlanta Beltline Inc. The Northwest Trail segment would run roughly 4.3 miles between the Huff Road/Westside Park area and the Northeast Trail, another segment on the drawing boards that would connect in Peachtree Hills. An existing, isolated portion of the BeltLine called the Northside Trail already exists around Atlanta Memorial Park, so Northwest Trail planning involves plugging new trails into the west and east sides of that.
ABI and the PATH Foundation have spent a year studying the feasibility of several alternative routes: four on the west side of Atlanta Memorial Park, and three to the east.
Planners have settled on a west-side route known as Corridor 2. It connects Huff Road and Ardmore Park/Tanyard Creek Park via Blandtown and Loring Heights/Berkeley Park. It would run past the Hemphill Waterworks and cross I-75 with an underpass bridge. A bridge-like segment along a channelized portion of Tanyard Creek is also a possibility.
The east-side route is still undecided. It’s a complicated tangle where planners are still unsure how to cross Peachtree. And local residents are giving heavy resistance to concerns about property and security impacts, as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. ABI says two to three months of further study is needed, with another community meeting coming in August.
However, all proposed east-side routes dovetail to the same area along Peachtree Creek to Kinsey Court in Peachtree Hills. ABI says that sub-segment is certain enough to begin surveying and preliminary design and engineering as well.
For planning and construction purposes, the Northwest Trail route is divided into five segments. Segments 1 and 2 are the east-side trail and Segments 3, 4 and 5 are the west-side trail. Three of those segments will go into the immediate preliminary design work:
Segment 2 is the still undetermined route between Atlanta Memorial Park and Peachtree Creek. Segment 4 runs between English Street and Trabert Avenue.
ABI has said the Northwest Trail is the most complicated part of the trail to plan because of the density of existing development and infrastructure that includes highways and railroad lines. “The Northwest corridor is really our final frontier,” said Kim Wilson, ABI’s vice president of design and construction, in the meeting.
As part of its partial route selection, ABI produced a 102-page feasibility report on how the options were vetted. That included many criteria, from funding flexibility and cost to safety and community impact.
Public feedback was another factor, and ABI got a lot of it, especially regarding the contentious east-side trail. Clyde Higgs, ABI’s president and CEO, made an unusual appearance at the start of the meeting to assure the audience its concerns were being heard. He said ABI was “encouraged” by the large amount of feedback, “even those of you who have written to us through their attorneys.”
A question-and-answer session in the meeting included several comments further highlighting concerns that the trail would make homes more accessible to criminals or lower property values. ABI officials variously questioned some of those premises and said there are design mitigations, but it’s too early to go into such details.
Planners understand that “we are changing the status quo,” said ABI engineer Shaun Green. “We are changing the existing condition. That’s our purpose, really. I’m sorry you’re feeling as impacted as you are.” He said more details would come through the process, which will include more public and stakeholder meetings.
As for construction timing, Wilson said it typically takes a year to finish design and 18 months of construction per mile of trail. But she also noted that the Northwest Trail is especially complicated. She said building some of its segments could take two to three years. But it is impossible to know any timeline for sure at this early stage.
Even less certain is the light-rail portion of the BeltLine, which has not been built anywhere yet and faces even more complex challenges in the Northwest quadrant. ABI has said it is committed to transit and hopes to build it in partnership with MARTA by 2050. The Northwest route mostly would not match the trail and instead would have to go along existing railroad corridors, said Green.
Meanwhile, Buckhead’s portion of the Northeast Trail is also in a planning stage and also facing complicated streets and infrastructure. That trail will connect the Lindbergh Center MARTA Station to Piedmont Park. A segment is under construction between the park and Plasters Avenue where a preliminary, unpaved trail runs.
For more details, including the meeting video and presentation, see ABI’s website.
Buckhead’s Atlanta Police Department precinct is seeing a changing of the guard as its current commander has received a promotion to deputy chief.
Andrew Senzer, who has led the Zone 2 precinct since November 2019 with the rank of major, will head APD’s Strategy and Special Projects Division, he announced at an April 7 meeting of the Buckhead Public Safety Task Force.
Major Ailen Mitchell, who has served as Senzer’s assistant since 2020, will be the new Zone 2 commander, Deputy Chief Timothy Peek said in the meeting.
The transition will happen on April 14, according to APD. The current head of the Strategy and Special Projects Division, Deputy Chief Darin Schierbaum, is being promoted to the vacant position of assistant chief of police.
Senzer was Buckhead’s police commander through the historic COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying crime spike, including the May 2020 rioting and looting in local business areas that spun out of Black Lives Matter protests about the Minneapolis police murder of George Floyd.
He also led through the beginning of the Buckhead cityhood movement that based itself on crime concerns. While crime spiked, Senzer took a zero-tolerance approach and Buckhead continues to have the city’s lowest crime rate.
“It really has been an honor to serve as the commander of Zone 2,” Senzer said in the task force meeting. “In my 26 years [in policing], this has probably been the most challenging assignment I’ve had.”
He said his new role will be “a little behind the scenes” but that he will “not be a stranger” in Buckhead.
Peek said APD is “ecstatic” about Senzer taking on the deputy chief role.
Mitchell, according to his APD biography, has been with the department since 2006. He previously commanded the SWAT team and, like Senzer, once served on the Red Dog unit, an anti-drug squad disbanded in 2011 after controversial incidents like an illegal raid on the Atlanta Eagle gay bar. Among his other work was the Gang Unit and the Auto Theft Task Force.
Mitchell became Zone 2’s Criminal Investigations Unit commander in 2018 and its assistant commander in 2020.
Zone 2 is headquartered at 3120 Maple Drive in Buckhead Village.
Update: This story has been updated with information from APD about the transition.
Springtime in Buckhead highlights some of our favorite parts of the community. Our staff has long celebrated the green spaces and outdoor activities that make Buckhead such a unique collection of neighborhoods. As the warm weather encourages us to get out and explore with family and friends, we are delighted to share our top 5 favorite places to enjoy springtime in Buckhead.
Bobby Jones Golf Course has been a Buckhead staple since 1932. The course features two 9-hole courses, each with multiple tees and double greens. The different tee and pin combinations provide golfers a unique experience each time they play.
The Murray Golf House at Bobby Jones Golf Course is more than just a clubhouse. It is home to the Ed Hoard Golf Shop, Boone’s Restaurant, and the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame. Don’t miss the state-of-the-art Grand Slam Golf Academy to take your game to the next level!
Atlanta Memorial Park has a lot to offer non-golfers as well. The Bitsy Grant Tennis Center boasts the largest grass-roots tennis organization in the country. Atlanta Memorial Park winds along the southern bank of Peachtree Creek on the west side of Northside Drive. You’ll find lots of picnic tables near the large playground, and plenty of room to play and explore along the creek.
The Northwest Beltline Connector trail connects Atlanta Memorial Park to Tanyard Creek Park and Ardmore Park, where it intersects with the Atlanta Beltline Trail.
The East Palisades section of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area provides Buckhead residents with a truly unique hiking experience without driving out of town. The Indian Trail parking lot is just 15 minutes from the Buckhead Village District!
The East Palisades includes more than 10 miles of hiking trails along the bluffs and shoals on the Chattahoochee River. Highlights of the trail system include an overlook deck with panoramic views of the river, and ruins of riverside settlements. If you take the trail far enough north along the river you will find the famous bamboo forest.
The trails along the river are generally easy, but you will find some fairly strenuous climbs between the river’s edge and the top of the bluffs. The Indian Creek parking lot is at the top of the bluffs, so you will be working your way down to the river from there.
The Whitewater Creek parking lot is on the river. You can go on short hikes along the river from here without much climbing, but you can also access the entire trail system if you like. The Indian Creek parking lot can get crazy on warm weekend days, so keep the White Water Creek parking lot in mind as an alternate.
Chastain Park is a 260+ acre park with something for everyone. The walking trails around the park include a 3.4 mile loop and a 2.7 mile loop, and they are usually busy with locals exercising, chatting, and enjoying the neighborhood. The trails and the Chastain Park playground are just the beginning of the activities at the park.
Northside Youth Organization (NYO) operates basketball, baseball, softball, and football leagues at the park. The Chastain Park Tennis Center offers individual and league play. The North Fulton Golf Course is a public course that occupies much of the park. Chastain Arts Center provides classes, summer camps, and gallery space to Buckhead’s aspiring artists.
Chastain Horse Park is a unique community resource. The horse park offers horse boarding, riding lessons, and summer camps. Therapeutic riding and Hippotherapy programs provide multiple equine-assisted activities for a variety of physical and speech-pathology therapy.
Spring is the beginning of the concert series at Chastain Park Amphitheater. Music lovers are treated to 40-45 concerts between April and October each year.
PATH400 has quickly become an integral part of Buckhead’s daily life. The path is a great way to get some exercise and explore the community without sitting in traffic. You’ll find lots of art installations along the path, and you will be treated to unique skyline views and serene wooded sections along the way.
The current route of PATH400 begins at Peidmont Rd. and Adina Dr. at the south end, and follows GA400 to Wieuca Rd. The southern end includes an easy connection to the South Fork Trail at the Confluence Bridge, and a future connection to the Atlanta Beltline at Piedmont Rd. The next phase of the Path will continue north from Wieuca to Mountain Way Common, and then continue north to meet the Sandy Springs path system.
The newest section of PATH400 stretches from Miami Circle to the Gordon Bynum Pedestrian Bridge at Lenox Square. This section features a large mural by local artist, Jonesy, and a wetland area that is home to wildlife that you would probably not expect to see along GA400! If you haven’t explored PATH400 in a while, you will probably be pleasantly surprised when you get out on the path this spring.
If soaking up the springtime sunshine next to a picturesque duck pond is more your speed, then the Duck Pond is for you. This serene 7.5 acre park is nestled within the Peachtree Heights East neighborhood, just a few blocks from Peachtree Road. Bring a picnic lunch and some good friends for the best results.
The pond is definitely the main attraction of the park. The park is named for the distinct Muscovy Ducks who inhabit the pond, and you will find Canadian geese and other visiting ducks depending on what time of year you visit. Look for turtles sunning themselves on sunny days as well. The meandering path around the pond provides a nice walk, as well as access to the numerous fields that are perfect for picnicking. The flock of ducks that lives in the park has seen reduced numbers over the past few years. A few concerned residents informed us that visitors feeding the ducks inappropriate food (like bread) has been detrimental to the flock. Peachtree Heights East residents are happy that visitors love their little park, but they ask that you respect the rules when you visit. That means no fishing, no grilling, and please don’t feed the ducks.
Part of the Atlanta BeltLine Northwest Trail’s proposed routes through Buckhead have run into “issues” and “challenges” that have caused planners to propose a new alternative and extend a comment period through Jan. 31.
The BeltLine is the 22-mile loop of trails, transit and green space being constructed around the city by Atlanta Beltline Inc. The Northwest Trail segment would run roughly 4 miles between the Huff Road/Westside Park area and the Northeast Trail, another segment on the drawing boards that would connect in Peachtree Hills.
ABI its partner, the PATH Foundation, have been studying the feasibility of several alternative routes for the Northwest Trail: four for connecting the Westside to Atlanta Memorial Park on partly overlapping routes, and two for connecting Memorial Park and the Northeast Trail. A public comment period about those options was to end last month with an eye on a preferred route, or “alignment,” being revealed in February.
But planners have run into problems with the proposed routes between the park and Peachtree Hills, according to a Jan. 20 email circulated by Nathan Soldat, ABI’s community engagement manager.
The two original options are called “Corridor 5” and “Corridor 6.” Corridor 5 would run along Peachtree Creek and cross Peachtree Road beneath an existing bridge. Corridor 6 would run along Bennett Street and Peachtree Park Drive, crossing Peachtree Road beneath another existing bridge by following a railroad line. Both options dovetail at Peachtree Creek and follow it toward the future Northeast Trail.
Soldat’s email said that planners are “seriously considering concerns and issues raised regarding Corridor 5,” but did not specify what those concerns and issues are. Comments on an interactive map indicate concerns with flooding, tree loss, effects on the adjacent E. Rivers Elementary School property and general residential privacy.
As for Corridor 6, Soldat wrote, it “may also pose significant challenges due to grade changes created by the ridge at Peachtree Road, as well as the possibility that CSX railroad may not allow the trail to pass under the Peachtree Road bridge within their right of way.”
The new alternative is called Corridor 7. Its location is similar to Corridor 5, but largely on the opposite side of Peachtree Creek, and with a middle section that would run along Peachtree Memorial Drive and Peachtree Road before passing under the creek’s bridge. Like the previous options, it would continue along the creek to the Northeast Trail area.
Corridor 7 has been added to ABI’s interactive comment map online. Hours after Soldat’s email, the new alternative had several comments: a couple in favor, and several opposed.
The ABI website also has extended the deadline of an online survey about the Northwest Trail through Jan. 31.
The new option and extended deadline could mean the next community meeting about preferred routes will be delayed to March to allow evaluation time, according to an ABI spokesperson.
Still in a preliminary study phase is the light-rail transit portion of the BeltLine, which likely would run on at least partly different routes that the trail elements in the dense and complicated Buckhead area.
For more about the BeltLine, see ABI’s website.
Update: This story has been updated with ABI information on the possible next community meeting timeline.
A fine mist of rain started to fall as I pulled into the parking lot off Northside Drive. It was my first time seeing the finished Murray Golf House; it does not tower or loom and instead feels rather quaint. If I didn’t know better I might have imagined the building had been there for decades. But no, that is just how delicately balanced this club house was designed to be.
Off to one side, under an awning and through wooden double doors, is Boone’s. Named for Augusta businessman, philanthropist, and golfer Boone Knox, the New American restaurant features a refreshingly modern interior amidst the traditional elements of the Murray Golf House. Metal accents, beautifully upholstered seating, and a sleek semicircular bar give the space a light and comfortable air. Glossy historical photographs of Peachtree, Atlanta’s most famous street, are printed on metal sheets and displayed throughout the dining room. Just outside along the back of the building is an open air cocktail patio and covered dining area with incredible second story views of the golf course stretching out into the distance.
Now, first understand that I am not a golfer. Sure, I’ve played a few rounds at Top Golf and goodness knows I have made a valiant effort to stay under par on putt putt courses, but I have never once played the actual sport of golf. And yet here I found myself transfixed. The natural beauty of the land is like nothing I’ve seen before. Throughout my meal on the patio I was continually distracted by swooping birds, the occasional clack and whizz of a golf ball flying through the air, and the blissfully cool breeze tussling the branches of the massive trees that dot the serene landscape. The misty rain continued for the duration of my visit and gave the scene an otherworldly feel. It was hard to remember that I was still in the heart of the city, mere minutes from the centers of Buckhead, Midtown, and the Westside.
It was on the patio that I met my lunch partners; Bobby Jones Golf Course Foundation (BJGCF) president Martin “Marty” Elgison and Austin Rocconi, Executive Chef. Together we sat and discussed the business, the building, the view, and of course the ever-present challenges faced by local businesses in the midst of a global pandemic.
“When we designed this originally, this restaurant did not exist. It was going to be just a grab and go halfway house that you typically find at any golf course,” explained Elgison. Those plans changed rather far into the development of the Murray Golf House when Brian Conley, General Manager of Bobby Jones Golf Course who had formerly been the Head Golf Professional and Director of Golf at Lake Lanier Islands Resort told them it was ‘crazy’ not to install a full restaurant.
The Murray Golf House was designed by master architect Jim Chapman and the interior design– all that sleek modern vibe with a hint of retro style– was actually thanks to a team of students from SCAD Atlanta. When the Bobby Jones team was working on hammering out the aesthetics of the new club house they approached a design class at SCAD Atlanta led by interior designer Alejandra Martinez Dunphy of A-D Design Firm. The class split into teams and each presented a design which was then voted on by Elgison, Chapman, Chairman of BJGCF Chuck Palmer, Whitney Crouse of Bobby Jones Links, and a fundraising consultant firm. The winning team’s design was implemented, and Elgison brought on Dunphy to oversee the thousands of smaller decisions for the space, covering everything from fabrics to light fixtures.
“We are not fine dining,” said Executive Chef Rocconi when asked about the menu. “We are not trying to be fine dining at all; we are just casual. I feel like we are approachable. You can come in with shorts and flip flops and a ball cap or if you want to come out for a date night, we can hit both of those.” Though the menu features high quality dishes and dinner staples such as proteins with vegetables and elevated hand-rolled, house made pasta dishes, it also features comfort foods like a cheeseburger and seafood mac ’n cheese.
While I was there I sampled the house made saffron tagliatelle with summer vegetables, basil, and Georgia olive oil. Though it was a pasta dish it was refreshing and light thanks to the crunch of fresh vegetables tossed with oil. The meal was fancy enough to order for a date night and also easy enough on the palate to appeal to all kinds of diners. In addition to the main food menu, they are currently developing a lunch menu, dessert menu, and a kids menu, though in their research they found that most kids in the area requested elevated dishes such as sushi and quinoa instead of chicken nuggets. Rocconi’s official stance is one of inclusivity. “Everybody should be able to come in here and feel comfortable.”
Indeed, the crowd at Boone’s has been mostly families from the neighborhood and, of course, golfers. “We are probably 75% neighborhood and people venturing in who have been watching us,” Rocconi explained. “The golfers have been waiting for us to open so they can bring their whole family out.” Elgison pointed out that many of their customers walk in from off the BeltLine or the adjacent Bitsy Grant Tennis Center, and noted that there are around 1000 homes within walking distance of the restaurant.
The drink menu features beer from local breweries on tap, a wine list, and tasty cocktails such as their signature cocktail: the Bobby Jones. Inside the dining room visitors might notice some small casks sitting on a buffet table near the bar. At first glance they seem decorative, but no, they are actually liquors that are being infused and aged for custom drinks like the Bobby Jones.
“It’s our signature, it actually predates the Arnold Palmer,” explained Rocconi. “Through some research, this was done back in the ‘20s and ‘30s.” The drink calls for Bobby Jones branded Clover Bourbon which is infused with peaches for five days, barrel aged for three days, and then combined with vermouth peach bitters, lemon, and a splash of tea to complete this signature cocktail. For a whiskey drink it is still light and refreshing, and the tea adds an element of reminiscence – it tastes familiar and distinctly southern. Reminds me of home.
Executive Chef Austin Rocconi grew up with a love for cooking originating from his Italian family heritage. From a young age he witnessed his parents and family devoting a significant amount of effort into creating huge, elaborate hand-made pasta dishes at every holiday. After going to college for hospitality and business management Rocconi went on to work in a variety of restaurants across the country, including local favorites Canoe, Kyma, Paces & Vine, BLT Steak, and Bistro Niko. He brought years of experience and wisdom gleaned from his mentors at these restaurants to help create an innovative, fresh, locally-sourced and seasonally appropriate menu at Boone’s. In addition to being an accomplished chef, he’s also a golf lover who used to play at the old Bobby Jones course weekly, which Elgison says was a factor in hiring him for the role. They play on the course together regularly.
The Murray Golf House is coming along nicely, and I got a sneak peek at some of the other spaces which are in various stages of completion. The Georgia Golf Hall of Fame will serve as the first ever brick and mortar location featuring exhibits documenting the history of great golfers in Georgia. The space, when finished, will be used for events and gatherings and is equipped with its very own catering kitchen downstairs. Down the hall is a conference room with portraits of Bobby Jones, including – believe it or not – one by Dwight D. Eisenhower. Upstairs are offices, and at the other end of the building is the pro shop where you can find all the branded merchandise and swag to complete your golfing ensemble. They are also planning to open a free-standing grab-and-go shop for sandwiches and the like as well as installing a putting green right out front.
While opening a new restaurant during a global pandemic does certainly present some complications, Elgison explains that they never seriously considered a delay to the projected opening of Boone’s. “We had a plan, we had a schedule, we had a budget,” said Elgison. “You know, we are a nonprofit. This entire facility, the golf course and everything except for the tennis center, is run by a nonprofit. So we don’t have investors we could go to and say ‘hey we need to wait 6 months, we need another couple hundred thousand dollars to tide us over.’” Indeed, they had begun hiring and instead focused their attention on how to make the business flourish despite the restrictions of COVID-19 by increasing sanitation measures, enforcing social distancing, and requiring masks for all employees.
Luckily for Elgison and his crew, golfing remains one of the safest sports and forms of recreation as it is done completely outside. Early on during the shutdown they shifted to requiring pre-booked tee times via phone or website which allows golfers to show up and go directly from their cars to the green without entering any buildings or interacting with anyone. That arrangement, coupled with the restaurant’s expansive covered back dining area, makes a visit to the Bobby Jones Golf Course and Boone’s Restaurant a safe and enjoyable way to get out of the house and feel a little bit normal despite these extreme circumstances.
The spirit of Buckhead heads forward. This is the way it has been, and perhaps this is the way it will always be. The spirit of Buckhead points forward. You see it in the way we work, and you see it in the way we play. The reach is always extending further. The search is for excellence and beauty and grace and vibrancy.
We are a community of individuals. We are diverse, we are dynamic, and we are discerning. We are builders. We are connected to one another with a common bond. A common dream. A common quest. Pointing life in one direction. Forward.
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