A pair of Henry County natives have earned statewide honors for their efforts in development and revitalization in Georgia.

  John and Nathan McGarity of McDonough, principals of Greensboro City Development LLC, recently received the Georgia Cities Foundation’s 2019 Renaissance Award. The father-son duo garnered the accolade during the Georgia Municipal Association’s Annual Convention in Savannah on June 23.

  “We were shocked,” said John McGarity, 72. “We didn’t even know we had been nominated for it, but we were extremely honored to go to the GMA convention and receive the award.”

  The McGarity family’s roots in McDonough date back to the late 1830s. John McGarity served as the developer for Lake Dow and continues to work near the McDonough Square in an office building that was built in the 1890s. 

  In recent years, the McGaritys have made a significant impact through their development efforts in Greensboro. Those efforts include the Oconee Brewing Company, a craft brewery and event center.

  In addition to the brewing company, the duo redeveloped an old cotton mill into a $12 million loft apartment project.

  “Greensboro is such a small town that, on a per capita basis, we have generated more renovation than construction,” said John McGarity. “Most of the buildings we have bought have had roof problems. They have been dilapidated, and people said they should be torn down. But we can see the end result on these things.”

  Nathan McGarity, 36, is a graduate of Henry County High School. He said he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of developing a brewery in McDonough, similar to the one he and his father brought to Greensboro.

  “I think McDonough is ripe for a brewery now,” said Nathan McGarity. “We’ve been looking for potential partners to explore that. The great thing is, we’re already here. I’d love to sprinkle some magic dust over McDonough.

  “The brewery happening in McDonough is a real opportunity,” he continued. “That’s a pretty quick no-brainer to me.”

  The Renaissance Award recognizes an individual or organization that has contributed strongly to the revitalization of one or more of Georgia’s cities. Nathan McGarity said his company’s partnership with the city of Greensboro has yielded achievements on par with Ponce City Market in Atlanta.

  “We’re quite honored to receive the award,” said Nathan McGarity. “Bringing capital to rural Georgia is very challenging.”

  Georgia Cities Foundation Vice President Pam Sessions touched on these and other accomplishments during the award presentation. She commended the McGaritys for their commitment to historic preservation.

  “John McGarity often jokes that if the roof of a building is beginning to collapse, then it’s ‘our kind of building,’” said Sessions. “Where others might view dilapidated buildings as too risky or too costly to rehabilitate, John and Nathan McGarity see them as opportunities.”