Year in Review: Lavonia Sees Two New Developments Go Up in 2023

In our top stories of 2023, the need for more affordable residential housing saw the City of Lavonia welcome an upscale apartment complex and the start of a new subdivision near the downtown area.

In March, City and County officials attended a ribbon cutting for Phase 1 of a new upscale apartment complex near St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital.

Called Clear Creek Communities officially opened to the public on April 1st.

Also attending the ribbon cutting were officials from the City of Toccoa to get a first-hand look at the complex.

Now that Clear Creek Communities has just about completed Phase 1 of the new upscale apartment complex in Lavonia, other area communities are interested in having them build similar complexes.

At the formal ribbon cutting Wednesday, City officials from Toccoa were on hand to see the development first-hand and get more information.

Former Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse said they’re already in talks with Clear Creek Community officials about building a similar apartment community near the Haystone Brady Industrial Park.

And in October the City of Lavonia also welcomed the completion of the first phase of a new, in-town subdivision called Governor’s Walk.

The first four homes along E. Main St. were opened for a special open house and reception for city officials, realtors, and others.

Built by GDP Holdings, Inc. the new homes are the first of a multi-phase development along E. Main St. Developer Scott Appling is one of the owners of GDP Holdings, Inc.

Appling said they designed the homes to blend in with the existing neighborhood.

The Governors Walk community is so named because it’s being built on property owned for generations by the Vandiver family.

Appling said they also wanted to stay true to the history of the properties.

The four new homes are Phase 1 of the planned Governor’s Walk community and work will soon begin on four more, according to Appling.