Fred Moorman
Owner, Fred's Historic Properties
Athens, GA 30606
Phone (706) 613-2742
Property Types
Office, Multi-Family
Markets
Atlanta
Bio
Lately, some folks have started to call it the Fred Building, after our founder. Times have changed, but much of the inside of the building bears a striking resemblance to its earliest days. Intricately laid tile and hardwood floors remain. The marble walls and stairs - which were quarried, numbered and transported so that the pieces were hung to match up exactly - are still there. To some it's the Southern Mutual Building. Others call it the Commerce Building. Whatever you call the Neoclassical style treasure, it's Athens' first skyscraper and the largest ferro concrete building in the South, according to an article in the Athens Historian by Upshaw Bentley. Jr. Atlanta architect, Haralson Bleckley, designed the building that would become the headquarters of the Southern Mutual Insurance Company. Ask old-timers their memories of the building and they'll likely mention a favorite Southern Mutual tenant: The Costa Family Soda Fountain, which operated from 1908 to 1939. Bentley's law firm Milner, Stephens & Bentley moved into the building in 1952 after waiting for years for a vacancy, they remained there until 1982. The Fred’s Historic Properties apartments occupy the second floor, where many original architectural details remain from what was once the executive offices of Southern Mutual. They include: original light fixtures, heart pine floors, wavy glass, mail shoots and a safe.
