Atlanta Preservation Center

A grey winter day in the Old Fourth Ward. This early 1900s home is located in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Landmark District and is protected by this City of Atlanta local historic designation. The Atlanta Preservation Center continues to advocate for the preservation and thoughtful reuse of Atlanta’s historic small-scaled housing and multifamily buildings. With a goal of balancing growth and preservation, the APC is collaborating with the City of Atlanta Planning Department on the Future Places Project, City of Atlanta Zoning Code Update, the Atlanta City Studio, and many others.

The APC was on site today at the historic George W. Adair Elementary School in Adair Park to learn more about an exciting and important historic restoration project. This circa 1912 school is being thoughtfully restored and repurposed into residential micro-units, office space, event space, & commercial space, the Academy Lofts Adair Park. More to come soon on this amazing project! Thank you Justin Schaeffer and Stan Sugarman with Stryant Construction and Management for welcoming the Atlanta Preservation Center into this historic space. The APC looks forward to supporting this project and collaborating further in the future.

Abrams Fixture Corporation Building, circa 1920. As we enter a new year, the Atlanta Preservation Center looks forward to continuing over forty-one years of preservation advocacy and education across the City of Atlanta. One project that the APC is fortunate to participate and work on is the Abrams Building in Adair Park. Also known as the J.I. Case Threshing Machine Co./Gate City Table Co. building, Braden Fellman Group is leading efforts to restore and re-activate this hist...oric industrial factory building. In 2020, the APC provided substantive research assistance and letters of support toward the ongoing National Register of Historic Places listing application. In 2021, the APC is excited to partner with Braden Fellman, Professors Ryan Roark and Danielle Willkens and students from the Georgia Tech School of Architecture to develop 3D digital scans of the historic space. The Atlanta Preservation Center is especially grateful for the support of all of our community and institutional partners. We look forward to continuing this collaborative work together in 2021 and wish everyone a safe and happy new year .

Restoration Complete! 1896 Erskine Fountain and Bench. After nearly 100 years, the City of Atlanta's oldest public fountain flows again! This preservation project is the culmination of over 7 years of advocacy, community partnership, and extensive restoration. The 124 year old fountain originally at the intersection of Peachtree and West Peachtree streets but city officials moved the fountain to Grant Park in 1912. For the next 100 years, the fountain and bench were left n...eglected and largely forgotten. On April 18th, 2015, the Atlanta Preservation Center hosted the inaugural fundraiser for the Erskine Fountain Fund at the L.P. Grant Mansion. The night was a great success with over 140 people in attendance and $13,788 raised for the fountain's restoration. A second fundraiser at the APC in 2019 raised further funds for the fountain's restoration. This project included the restoration and repair of the marble and mortar using marble slabs sourced from the same Georgia marble quarry as the original slabs. The metal bowl received a full restoration: peeling paint was carefully removed and repairs are done to prevent future corrosion. Missing bronze pieces, including the upper bowl and decorative fish elements, were recast and rebuilt. Thank you to Friends of Erskine, Park Pride, Grant Park Neighborhood Association (GPNA), Grant Park Conservancy, Carter, Atlanta City Council Member Carla Smith, Zoo Atlanta, Pellerin Real Estate, Adams Realtors, Ria's Bluebird, Full Commission, Mediterranea, City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation, and Fuqua for your role in supporting the preservation and restoration of the historic Erskine Bench and Fountain.

Sledders in Piedmont Park enjoying the snow, 1948. The Atlanta Preservation Center wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season. This year, Atlanta's historic parks have played an especially important role in providing safe spaces to exercise, be closer to nature, socialize, dine, or shop at social distances. We encourage everyone to explore Atlanta's many historic City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation, including Washington Park, Whittier Mills, Cascade... Springs Nature Preserve, Grant Park, Piedmont Park, Adams Park, Mozley Park, Olmsted Linear Parks, and Doctor's Memorial Park. The Atlanta Preservation Center is proud to have a growing collaboration with the Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library. This partnership will ensure that preserving and making accessible collections of photographs, manuscripts, archives and audio-visual media, and digital collections for historic preservation research increase and broaden. : Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library.

In October, the Poncey-Highland neighborhood became Atlanta's newest local historic district. The APC proudly supported the Poncey-Highland Historic District, speaking in favor of the nomination at the Zoning Review Board Hearing and providing letters of support. Congratulations again to Beth Mcdonald, Lisa Malaney, and the Poncey Highland Neighborhood Association, TSW and Caleb Racicot, NPUAtlanta, and the Department of City Planning on this accomplishment.

Join the Atlanta BeltLine this evening for an important community conversation about future plans at historic Murphy Crossing (Old State Farmers Market)! RSVP at the link below. Murphy Crossing is located in the historic Capitol View Neighborhood Association - ATL neighborhood and adjacent to historic Atlanta-West End, Adair Park Today, and Oakland City.

Downtown Atlanta recently celebrated the completion of the Auburn Avenue Historic and Cultural Information Project. The project includes 21 new interpretive and four gateway signs along Auburn Avenue between Peachtree Street and Boulevard and a large-scale mural on the Downtown Connector underpass.

The Atlanta Preservation Center Celebrates Over 40 Years of Preservation in Atlanta. Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson cuts the ribbon opening the Atlanta Preservation Center's first office in the Healey Building in 1979. Over 40 years ago, on November 5, 1979, the Atlanta Preservation Center declared that the preservation of Atlanta's architecturally, historically, and culturally significant buildings, neighborhoods, and landscapes through education and advocacy, would be our m...ission. After four decades, we have been fortunate to have made a difference in preserving the City of Atlanta’s historic resources: in Fairlie-Poplar, Auburn Avenue, Midtown, English Avenue, West End, Westview, and many more. We have grown to understand our role, to promote the craft of preservation, and that preservation must be more inclusive and a constant part of the discussion of our city. Preservation can - and must - bind us to our past/present and future. The Atlanta Preservation Center is deeply grateful to City Councilmember Amir Farokhi and the entire Atlanta City Council for this recognition, and look at this as both a benchmark and commitment to continue our work together. We are also grateful for all of our dedicated members, volunteers, and community partners throughout the decades for their constant support. We are very proud of what has been accomplished and are enthusiastic about what we can do in the decades to come. Thank you, Atlanta. Photo (left to right): Elizabeth "Liz" Lyon, Eileen Secrest, Mayor Maynard Jackson, Hope Moore, Head of the Community Development Department at the City of Atlanta, Ann Cramer, Dr. Timothy Crimmins, Michael Lomax, City of Atlanta.

Spooky vibes at this 1910 craftsman bungalow style home in historic Inman Park.

One of the purposes of preservation is to ensure access to the past through a sustainable future. Earlier this month, the Atlanta Preservation Center was fortunate to share its space for research with Dr. Barbara McCaskill, Professor of English, and Sidonia Serafini, a doctoral candidate in the UGA English Department. Dr. McCaskill and Ms. Serafini examined and documented nineteenth-century primary sources and material artifacts from Bibb/Jones County, Georgia. The present... seeing itself through the lens of what came before allows an unbiased way to appreciate and understand how we have arrived. We are grateful to Phoenix Flies Partner, the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library of UGA (Richard B. Russell Jr. Special Collections Libraries Building), for partnering with us in this progress. Dr. McCaskill is a Professor of English, Director of UGA's Civil Rights Digital Library, and Associate Academic Director of the Willson Center for Humanities & Arts. Her research focuses on nineteenth- and early twentieth-century African American literature, African American print culture, and literature and film of the twentieth-century Civil Rights Movement. Sidonia Serafini is a PhD candidate and Instructor in UGA's Department of English and a recent recipient of the Hunt Graduate Fellowship. Her research focuses on post-Reconstruction and early twentieth-century African American literature and print culture and multicultural American women's writing.

Built from 1906-1926, Pratt-Pullman Yard encompasses 27-acres and was first home to Pratt Engineering and Machineworks, Inc. From June 1926 through 1950s, the Pullman Rail Car Company used the site as their southeastern repair shop for passenger rail cars. In 1925, African American employees founded the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the very first African-American labor union to sign a collective bargaining agreement with a major U.S. corporation. By the late 1980s, t...he site was significantly underused, and has sat inactive for the last 30 years. Today, the historic site is poised for a rebirth as Pratt Pullman District. Last week, Invest Atlanta announced additional funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to assist with brownfield remediation and restoration work. Once restored, the property will become a mixed-use entertainment and arts district with film production offices, wellness facilities, dining, and open and entertainment spaces. The site is protected as a City of Atlanta (Department of City Planning) designated landmark district. Thank you to Patty Gan, Pratt-Pullman District, and all who attended this weekend's open-air, socially distanced event. Photos kindly provided by Danielle Willkens.

It's Official! Poncey-Highland Historic District. The Poncey-Highland Neighborhood is now officially designated by the City of Atlanta as a local historic district. Through the efforts of the Poncey Highland Neighborhood Association, NPU-N (NPUAtlanta), the Department of City Planning and the Historic Preservation Studio, Caleb Racicot and TSW, District 2 City Councilmember Amir Farokhi, and many others, this historic in-town neighborhood is now protected at the local level... and thoughtfully balances growth and historic preservation. The Poncey-Highland neighborhood represents an exceptional collection of residential and commercial properties tracking suburban growth in northeast Atlanta along Ponce de Leon and North Highland Avenues during the early twentieth century. This neighborhood features a diverse number of housing types and styles, including Colonial Revival, Mediterranean Revival, Neoclassical Revival, Tudor Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman, American Foursquare, and American Small House, coupled with the presence of numerous historic apartment buildings. The district also represents Atlanta's early-twentieth- century emergence as a regional business and industrial center, with the Ford Factory Lofts and the Telephone Factory Lofts as two prominent examples of industrial adaptive reuse and preservation. The Atlanta Preservation Center fully supported the Poncey-Highland Historic District, speaking in favor of the nomination at the Zoning Review Board Hearing and providing letters of support. This new district is an excellent showcase of the larger Atlanta City Studio efforts to meaningfully preserve the City of Atlanta's historic resources, neighborhoods, and housing types.

With construction beginning in 1906, historic Pratt-Pullman Yard today is poised for rebirth and a new chapter as Pratt Pullman District. In 2017, the City of Atlanta designated Pratt-Pullman a landmark district. Experience this historic space on Saturday, October 24th from 4-9 pm for free general admission to an open-air food market. Masks are required and guests are asked to follow all social distancing guidelines in place. Special tickets are available for purchase at http://www.chefsmarketatl.com/ that includes a behind the scenes hard hat tour of the historic property (hard hat included). Use the code "PRESERVE" at checkout as a portion of the proceeds will be used to support historic preservation efforts throughout the City of Atlanta.

Jay Jackson and Richard Dunn outside the Preston Arkwright School adaptive reuse project: RYSE Creative Village. The Preston Arkwright School - located in the Venetian Hills Neighborhood of Southwest Atlanta is now in the process of a renaissance. Opening in 1955, the school has been closed since 2004. Today, Richard Dunn, Jay Jackson, and others are leading redevelopment efforts to adaptively repurpose this historic school into a new dynamic content production studio and de...velopment incubator: RYSE Creative Village. The school was originally named for Preston Arwkwright, Georgia Power's first President. Arkwright was buried in nearby Westview cemetery. The 40,000 square foot school space features a cafeteria, auditorium with stage, a library, and at least 15 classrooms and offices. These historic spaces will once again serve as a space of inclusivity, creativity, and learning. The circa 1955 school will be a space for aspiring and early-stage content creators, filmmakers, artists, and gamers: a 40,000 SF playground for the artistic mind in Southwest Atlanta. Equally, this space will serve as a resource hub for its community and for those seeking entry into this city and states many expansive creative industries. The Atlanta Preservation Center is very excited to partner with and support RYSE ( https://rysecreativevillage.com/ ) on this project. About RYSE Interactive: RYSE is a minority-owned media and communications company committed to helping their clients authentically connect with the hearts and minds of niche audiences. Since 2011, their seasoned team of storytellers, creatives, and strategists have worked with some of the nation’s most notable brands to develop highly targeted media and marketing campaigns that reach an emerging market of consumers who are rapidly transitioning away from traditional forms of media.

This past Saturday's virtual tour of Piedmont Heights is available for viewing online at the link below! The Atlanta Preservation Center is grateful for the opportunity to join Piedmont Heights Civic Association, ATL for a virtual tour of this historic neighborhood along with Easements Atlanta, Inc., the Atlanta History Center, Atlanta School of Photography, and Docomomo Georgia.

These Atlanta restaurants are "striving to keep the longtime character of the city alive." Have you been to any of these longtime Atlanta establishments, many located in historic spaces, including: ~ Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar - Virginia Highland, established in 1922.... ~ Colonnade Restaurant Inc, opened in 1927 and relocated to Cheshire Bridge in 1962. ~ The Varsity ~ Little's Food Store, established in 1929. ~ The Majestic Diner, established in 1929. ~ Zesto's Little 5 Points, opened in 1949 in Atlanta. ~ Mary Mac's Tea Room, established in 1945. ~ Busy Bee Cafe ATL, established in 1947. ~ George's Bar & Restaurant, established in 1961. ~ moe's & joe's tavern, established in 1947. ~ Manuel's Tavern, established in 1956. ~ The Silver Skillet, established in 1956. ~ Swan Coach House, opened the 1960s. ~ Murphy's, established in 1980. ~ Fat Matt's Rib Shack, established in 1990. ~ Daddy D'z BBQ, established in 1993. See more

Today marks the 54th anniversary of the signing of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The NHPA authorized the establishment of the National Register of Historic Places and has supported preservation efforts across the country. Check out this National Trust for Historic Preservation article from the 50th anniversary on the legacy of the NHPA.

Smith's Olde Bar in Piedmont Heights. Established in 1994 in the Piedmont Heights neighborhood, Smith's Olde Bar is located in a circa 1925 commercial row. Piedmont Heights is one of Atlanta's oldest neighborhoods, with development dating to the mid-nineteenth century. This historic commercial row, the Morningside Shopping Center, originally had eleven stores, including "a florist, grocery, hardware store, bakery, organ company, and a Masonic Lodge." The Masonic Lodge once ...included a restaurant, 'Gene and Gabe's,' on the second floor that became a favorite dining spot for President Jimmy Carter. Today, the historic space at Smith's Olde Bar is a beloved neighborhood and city business, having hosted some of the most prominent names in music including David Bowie, Janelle Monae, Train, B.o.B, among others. Learn more about the history of Piedmont Heights this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. for a special virtual tour with Piedmont Heights Civic Association, ATL. The Atlanta Preservation Center is grateful for the opportunity to participate in this virtual event. Register for this virtual event at the link below: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/secret-garden-iconic-bank-pied

The circa 1900 Kriegshaber House, well known as the Wrecking Bar Brewpub in the Inman Park | Atlanta, GA/Little Five Points area (Little 5 Points Alliance). In the early to mid-2000s, the Atlanta Preservation Center, community partners, and immediate neighbors prevented demolition and advocated for the successful preservation of this historic building. Read more about this historic landmark in the Atlanta INtown article below!