The Bottleworks Timeline
1906 - L.C. Brown founded Athens Coca-Cola Bottling
1927 - Walter Sams became the first president of Athens Bottling Plant
1928 - Prince Avenue site purchased from owners of Roseland Apartments
1937 - Land to the east of plant bought from Leroy P. Percy
1945 - Additional land to the east bought from Leroy P. Percy
1955 - Land west of the plant purchased from the City of Athens Board of Education
1955 - Finley Street moved to present location
1979 - Athens Coca-Cola purchased the Camak House
1985 - Athens Coca-Cola Bottling acquired by Coca-Cola Enterprises
2000 - Coca-Cola moves to new warehouse
2000 - 297 Prince, L.L.C. purchases old Coca-Cola complex
2001 - Construction begins at The Bottleworks on Prince
2008 - Prince Avenue, LLC & McChesney Investment Advisors purchases existing mixed-use development
History
The Bottleworks on Prince is a local landmark. Located in the downtown business district and
a rich history as the local Coca-Cola Bottling Company, it is “a masterpiece of historical preservation.”
A visionary renovation transformed The Bottleworks into Athens’ premier upscale
residential, offi ce, shopping, dining and entertainment destination.
Structural history of the property dates back to the late 1800’s when Building B was constructed.
Building C was built between 1918 and 1926. Both buildings are the only remaining on the property
that were not built by the Athens Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Where Building A is now
once housed the four-unit Roseland Apartments. The Bottling Company purchased the Roseland
site in 1927, demolished the apartments, then built Buildings A and D.
The Athens Coca-Cola Bottling Company hired Captain J.W. Barnett to design its new buildings.
Captain Barnett, city engineer of Athens from 1889 to1930, played a pivotal role in the physical development
of Athens. The contractor was W.W. Ferqueron; and
the president of the company, Walter Sams, supervised
the construction.
Additional property was purchased from individuals
and the city over the years, including part of the old
Athens High School site, which was formerly the Clarke County Courthouse. These acquisitions
required Finley Street to be reconfi gured and placed on the western boundary of the property.
In the 1960’s a second story and westward expansion on the Prince Avenue facade were completed
on Building A. While a warehouse and loading dock were added along Finley Street. The
Bottling Company enclosed most of the property in 1981 to create a large storage warehouse.
By the mid 1980’s the Athens Coca-Cola Bottling Company had been acquired by Coca-Cola
Enterprises, as were other Bottling Companies in towns across America.
As the facility was closed and local Coca-Cola distribution operations moved to a modern warehouse,
the vacant property was purchase by Smith Wilson and Pam NeSmith.
Their company, 297 Prince, LLC began the redevelopment construction in 2001 and the property
was subsequently sold to McChesney Investment Advisors in 2008.
