A Reconstruction-era landmark on Canton Street is about to go for a ride.
The Roswell Historic Preservation Commission voted 5-0 on July 8, to approve a plan to physically lift the circa-1870 Ball House at 1076 Canton Street and temporarily move it into its own front yard so crews can tear out and rebuild the deteriorating foundation underneath.
The approval ends five months of deferrals for the project, which first appeared on the commission's agenda in February 2026 and was pushed back at four consecutive meetings before finally winning unanimous support.
A rare move for a rare building
The Ball House, also known as Founder's Hall, is a two-story, 9,558-square-foot Greek Revival I-house with flanking brick chimneys and four Doric columns across the front porch. City planning staff called it "a relatively unique architectural style and build" among Roswell's historic properties, noting that most comparable Greek Revival examples in the district are antebellum. The Ball House dates to the Reconstruction era.
The property sits on 1.73 acres in the Upper Canton Street Character Area, zoned Downtown House.
Applicant Marcus Mello, an architect at Roswell-based Randall-Paulson Architects, wrote in a January 20, 2026, letter of intent that the existing foundation "has experienced significant deterioration, and full replacement is the most appropriate and responsible solution, as opposed to localized repairs."
The plan calls for a specialty firm with experience relocating historic buildings in metro Atlanta to lift the structure and set it in the front yard for roughly 60 days while the new foundation goes in. Once complete, the building returns to its original footprint.
Long road to approval
The application, filed January 15, 2026, was deferred at the February 11, March 11, April 8, and June 10 HPC meetings before the July 8 vote. City planner Shea Dixon presented the case, and staff recommended approval without conditions at each hearing, citing the city's Unified Development Code design guidelines on building relocation.
Commissioner Mary Nichols moved the approval; Commissioner Ron Jackson seconded. Chair Philip Mansell presided, with Vice Chair Mark Donnolo and Commissioner Michael Sutton absent. The meeting at City Hall Council Chambers lasted 52 minutes.
What's next on Canton Street
The July 8 approval is one piece of a larger redevelopment at the site. The commission previously approved demolition and reconstruction of non-historic additions in August 2025 and partial demolition and restoration of the historic portion in September 2025. According to the project's HPC filings, the broader plan envisions converting the property into a private club and boutique hotel with 10 guest cottages, a spa, pool, and gardens.
No start date for the lift operation has been announced.
