Sanctuary Pointe to seek “rustic elegance”

Nearly 250 people squeezed into the South Union Baptist Church for the first public meeting on the Sanctuary Pointe project in southern Oconee County. Developer Elmon Henry, identified as one of the five principals in the project, explained his group’s master plan during a 90-minute meeting, the last part of which was devoted to a lively q-and-a with the audience. A development of boat facilities, golf course, restaurant, and two hotels make for a game-changer at exit 1, I-85. And Henry used college basketball’s March Madness as an analogy to describe the stage of the project. He said his development group has made it to the Sweet Sixteen, but there’s a good way to go before the championship or the finish line. In answer to a question, Henry said the first visible signs of Sanctuary Pointe will be converting what is a logging road into a tree-lined entrance to run two miles deep into the Lake Hartwell peninsula. While the entrance road is built, Henry says his group will be actively pursuing a four-star hotel, which the development group believes will be a magnet for I-85 motorists between Atlanta and Charlotte.