The Shaifers have lived in two homes in Historic Brookhaven with their boys for over 16 years. As a high schooler Adam moved to Brookhaven Drive with his parents after they built their house in 1990. Yet he and wife Cathy joke that despite their long Historic Brookhaven history, their French bulldogs Chubb (three years old and named for the former University of Georgia football player Nick Chubb) and Boss (6) are probably the most well-known of the family.

 

Adam and Cathy now live on Club Drive at the corner of Bellaire Drive. Their friendly pups love to greet passersby from their side yard. “On Bellaire, we have a gate where Chubb can see between the bushes,” says Cathy. “He runs up and down all day and looks for people.”

 

Cathy and Adam are only the fourth owners of their house, which was built in 1938. Prior to moving there, they lived in Club Forest for 14 years. They have three sons. Jack (18) is a freshman at the University of Virginia, where he is on the golf team and studies systems engineering. Frank is a sophomore at The Lovett School and plays basketball for the Lions. Baer is an eighth grader at Lovett; he plays middle school tennis and is in the high school play.

 

While Cathy and Adam attended the University of Georgia and were in the Terry College of Business at the same time, they didn’t really know each other when in Athens. After college, Cathy moved to New York to be a flight attendant and Adam back to Atlanta. It wasn’t until Cathy returned to Georgia and lived on the same street as Adam that they started to hang out together. They were together for five years before getting married 21 years ago.

 

In addition to their Historic Brookhaven home, Cathy and Adam have a home in Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee. The Shaifers love to spend time there playing golf, boating, wake surfing, and hanging out as a family. You might find them watching movies together or playing a game of 5 Crowns.

 

Lake Oconee is also where the family business Piedmont Water Company started. The business has grown from what Adam called a “back of the garage and pickup truck” company with a few community water systems to currently owning 76 public water and sewer systems and servicing over 35,000 customers, including the Ritz at Lake Oconee. Adam serves as president of the water company and its affiliate Fortis Engineering Solutions, which designs and constructs utilities and development infrastructure in the area. Piedmont Water was founded by Adam’s father and first cousin in 1992.

 

At the time, Adam was in college and his parents had recently moved to Brookhaven Drive. While Jerry and Beth Shaifer’s home dates to 1990, the property is part of Historic Brookhaven history. It and one the houses next door were once owned by John Portman, who also held what is now the Wells Fargo property on Peachtree Road. According to Adam, Portman had plans to build a tower on the now-Wells Fargo site and a road connecting Peachtree and Historic Brookhaven where the two Brookhaven Drive homes sat.

 

“The neighborhood rallied and successfully fought it,” says Adam. “Portman was left with two Brookhaven Drive houses and my dad bought one.” The original home was in too bad of shape to fix it up, so the Jerry and Beth tore it down and built a new home.

 

Cathy and Adam’s Club Drive home has history as well. It was built by the Dangars, one of Historic Brookhaven’s early families. Adam, who attended Woodward, says he rode to school with Elliott Dangar when the family lived at the Club Drive home.

 

Adam also grew up playing tennis at the Capital City Club (CCC), where he and Cathy are now members. Cathy plays tennis but Adam gave up the sport and now prefers golf. “I play a lot of golf now,” says Adam. “We play a lot as a family as well.” They also play pickleball together at CCC. Cathy, who is from Marietta, attended Wheeler High School.

 

When not in Atlanta or at their lake house, the Shaifer family enjoys skiing. They try to take a family ski trip at least once a year, and Jackson Hole is their favorite destination. As well as the family trips, Adam tries to fit in an annual heli-skiing trip to Canada with his friends. Heli-skiing is a type of backcountry skiing where a helicopter takes you to remote areas and drops you somewhere.

 

The Shaifers love living in Historic Brookhaven. Cathy walks around the neighborhood almost daily, and she and Adam enjoy weekend walks throughout Historic Brookhaven. Cathy has co-chaired the annual Mailbox Brigade and been involved in decorating mailboxes at Christmas for many years. She is also a member of the Club Estates Garden Club.

 

“We love living in the neighborhood,” she says. “We know so many neighbors and there’s just such a sense of community.”

 

SIDEBAR TO COVER STORY

HEAD = The Shaifers’ Favorite Things

 

Restaurants: Verde Taqueria, Valenza, Avellino’s Woodfire Pizza

 

Vacation spots: Jackson Hole! “Whether it’s winter or summer,” says Cathy. “We love skiing and normally do that at least once a year.”

 

Sports teams: Hawks, Falcons, University of Georgia Bulldogs, University of Virginia Cavaliers (especially basketball)

 

Family activities: playing pickleball at Capital City Club; visiting their house on Lake Oconee and playing golf, boating, wake surfing, and hanging out