Augusta University to sell Twin Gables

Augusta, Ga. — Twin Gables, the home to the Augusta University president, will soon be listed for sale.

“Tammie and I have treasured the opportunity to live in Twin Gables and to host so many faculty, staff, alumni and friends there,” said Augusta University President Brooks A. Keel, PhD.

“We have been committed to being a good neighbor and a good steward of the house and grounds. However, over the past several months it has become clear that it is not fiscally responsible for the state to bear the significant costs required for the upkeep of this historic property.”

Several structural improvements were made to the home last year, but additional renovations and repairs are needed to protect the home.

“It is our hope that Twin Gables will go to someone who will love the house and grounds as much as we have and who will be a true steward of the property,” Keel said.

The home, located at 920 Milledge Road, was purchased in 1984 by the Medical College of Georgia and was home to five presidential families, including Keel and his wife, Dr. Tammie Schalue.

In addition to being a president’s residence, the 14,856-square-foot property served as event space for visiting dignitaries, alumni, faculty, students and community supporters.

The nine-bedroom house was built between 1910-11 by Chicago businessman Francis A. Hardy as a winter retreat. It’s named for the distinctive, front-facing gables typical of the Dutch Colonial Revival style of architecture. A one-bedroom garage apartment and a one-bedroom cottage are also located on the property.

Landscape architect Julia Lester Dillon, a Georgia resident and scholar of Columbia University and Harvard College, helped design the nationally-recognized gardens surrounding the home.

“Twin Gables is an important part of Augusta and Augusta University history,” Keel said. “Our hope is that the historic home will continue to be a part of our city’s landscape for years and years to come.”

The University System of Georgia will handle the sale of the home. Keel and Schalue will relocate to a private residence in Augusta.