Vol 30 No 3, Preservation Times, Winter 2011/2012

Preservation Times, Winter 2011/2012, Volume XXX, Number III

Winter 2011/2012 Volume XXX, Number III Sidney Lanier Monument Restoration

In February 2012, the from Oglethorpe, he served in the Civil War but died of Atlanta Preservation tuberculosis at age 39. In addition to his work as a poet, Center will cap a two- critic and musician, Lanier taught and practiced law and is year effort to restore the credited by his alma mater for bridging Southern romantic bronze bust of Georgia literature and 20th-century realism. poet Sidney Lanier in Piedmont Park. Four events are planned to celebrate:

In partnership with the An invitation-only black tie cocktail and dinner party will Piedmont Park Conser- lead the weekend’s events on Thursday, February 2, 2012. vancy and Oglethorpe To be held at the Piedmont Driving Club, this evening will University, a restored include cocktails, dinner and a performance of Lanier’s monument will be un- music and poetry with comments about his life and work. veiled in a public cere- mony at the park on Candice Keach, flautist, and Marty Willet, actor, will pre- February 4, 2012. The sent a recital of the music and poetry of Sidney Lanier Current configuration of recast of the original bust preceded by the commentary of Paul Hudson, historian monument will be placed in the and Oglethorpe alum and professor. The recital will take marble niche designed place at Oglethorpe University’s Lupton Hall on Friday, for it by the noted architectural firm of Carrère & Hast- February 3 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets for this recital are $15. ings, the same firm that designed the Peachtree Heights West neighborhood in Buckhead. Richard Guy Wilson, noted architectural historian and Commonwealth Professor in Architectural History at the “The is a major monument by a significant architectural University of Virginia, will give a lecture on Saturday, Feb- firm, but the bust has been out of the park for 27 years,” ruary 4 at 1:30 p.m. at Mag- said Boyd Coons, APC’s Executive Director. “Something nolia Hall in Piedmont Park. needed to be done about it, and we decided to organize He will discuss the work of the effort.” Carrère & Hastings (designers of the Lanier The original bust is on long-term loan from the City to monument), Edward Clark Oglethorpe University, from which Lanier graduated in Potter (sculptor of the bust), 1860. The APC received permission to have the bust re- and Lanier. The lecture will cast in bronze and worked with the Piedmont Park Con- connect these elements, giv- servancy to ensure its maintenance and protection in the ing a picture of the Ameri- park. can Renaissance. Tickets for this lecture are $10. Cherry Lion Sculpture Studio handled the replication of the bust. “This is as exact a duplicate as is possible to Please turn to page 6 make,” said Coons. “Even the patination matches the original.” Bust being prepared to Born in 1842, Lanier grew up in Macon. After graduating make mold www.PreserveAtlanta.com 1 Preservation Times, Winter 2011/2012, Volume XXX, Number III

Discovering Atlanta: APC’s Summer Camp This past June, students filled the Grant Mansion with their en- Where better to get a feel for Atlanta’s Livable Art than in the thusiasm as attendees of APC’s annual Summer Camp. The Grant Mansion’s Front Hall where the students were treated to a youngsters participated in activities both at the Mansion and at presentation by architect and APC Trustee, Brandy Morrison and other sites, all of which helped them discover fun and historic then created their own city? facts about our City. The schedule included field trips to: Under the guidance of APC’s Director of Education, Paul Ham- x Turner Field and the Braves Museum to discover where mock, with assistance from Intern Ellen Cody, and volunteer baseball came from and what Jennifer Sherrock, children from members’ families and from the Native American game was Atlanta Mission made for a lively bunch of future preservationists. played on a field up to several miles long Sincere thanks go to the Camp’s tuition sponsors Jean Astrop, x Martin Luther King Jr.’s Michael Bishop and Shane Thomas, Boyd Coons, George and birth home and historic district Penny Hart and Bill Pennington and to Grant to see how some of the City’s Park restaurants Ria’s Bluebird, Dakota Blue, people lived and to learn of their Republic Social House and Six Feet Under struggles and triumphs for their contributions which made it possible for all camp- x Piedmont Park to experi- ers to enjoy full days and ence how a formerly forested full tummies. site became a major metropoli- tan city Campers at Piedmont Park x Joel Chandler Harris’ Wren’s Nest to enjoy its storytellers and perhaps discover stories inside themselves. Mt. Gilead Camp Ground Thanks to Jeff Harbin, Atlanta resident and Dean of the Atlanta Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (AGO), another important Atlanta site has come to the APC’s attention. Origi- nally, Harbin was contacted by the APC to request that the At- lanta Chapter of the AGO present organ concerts as a part of The Phoenix Flies. During these conversations, he asked for APC’s help in bringing attention to a place that is an important part of his family’s and Atlanta’s history, Mt. Gilead Camp Ground, where his father preached. The camp ground is located in the Ben Hill neighborhood southwest of downtown. The first arbor at the site was built in 1834. More than 150 annual camp meetings were held at the site. These were important summer events that included both feasting and praying. Currently the site is not in use and is no longer owned by the Ben Hill United Mt. Gilead Camp Ground in the 1970s Methodist Church. APC is leading efforts to identify the owners courtesy of Jeff Harbin of the property and to explore possible preservation solutions. APC Member Kimball at Work Along with APC’s Executive Director Boyd Coons, whose radar grounds and better fencing of the house itself. He continues to is always well-tuned to preservation projects, this year we’ve been follow-up with and encourage the current owners to be better fortunate to have significant assistance on a sadly sidelined site stewards of this 1856-1859 home. Hoke has also identified and is from APC member Hoke Kimball. (Yes, he is kin to the Gover- researching several properties in the DeFoor Ferry area that are nor.) Hoke’s interest in the Judge William Wilson House in likely historically significant. southwest Atlanta led to significant clean-up of its immediate

2 www.PreserveAtlanta.com 3 Preservation Times, Winter 2011/2012, Volume XXX, Number III

Crum and Foster Building APC is closely following the situation involving the fate of the “It’s difficult to tell how much of the building would be left,” said Crum and Forster Building. As previously noted, the APC has led Zoeckler, “but the Tech Foundation is saying it will leave the front the effort to protect the historic structure from demolition by the facade and demolish everything else.” Georgia Tech Foundation. Rumors have come from various “We have been involved with Crum and Forster since we did the sources that the GT Foundation work to obtain its Landmark status two years ago,” said APC Ex- intends to have the building’s ecutive Director Boyd Coons. “The City’s Board of Zoning Ad- Landmark status revoked and justment case has been in court almost constantly since. What that meetings to that end have we’re doing now is getting the word out that the building is still at been held with City Council offi- risk.” cials and the Mayor. If the Land- mark designation is removed, it The debate over the building’s future has wound its way through would mark the first time the the demolition permit process and is currently being appealed in City has done so on any struc- Fulton County Superior Court. The basis of the appeal is a re- ture. quest by the GT Foundation to overturn the earlier decision by the BZA that denied a demolition permit. The court has set an April 2012 date to hear the appeal. Mean- Following the denial, the City granted the structure Landmark while, the APC will continue to status. However, Robert Zoeckler, the APC’s attorney for the case, monitor the fate of the building. recently reported that the GT Foundation’s website has a render- Please be prepared to help by Detail of the Crum and Foster ing of a proposed building on the Crum and Forster site that in- contacting City officials. APC Building cludes partial demolition of the Landmark building. will advise. Advocacy Updates The APC’s Advocacy Committee, co-chaired by Trustees Brandy Court for the Medical Arts Building on Peachtree Street. Morrison and Rodolfo Castro, meets regularly to help fulfill our Thanks to Kyle Kessler and Keep Atlanta Beautiful’s Peggy mission of promoting the preservation of Atlanta’s architecturally, Denby who have spent countless hours in City Hall and Court historically and culturally significant buildings, neighborhoods and hearings in addition to their on-the-ground work for this landscapes. Following are some updates from this work. Landmark site. x The Advocacy Committee presented the inaugural Sacred x Reports of plans for the relocation of the Cyclorama from its Spaces Tour the last weekend in September. The event pre- long-time site in Grant Park resulted in the creation of an on- sented six sites and was well received by attendees. line petition by neighborhood leaders and other persons interested in keeping the building with its iconic diorama at its x The Committee regrets to report the loss of several entries on current home. A final decision on this possible relocation has the Endangered List, including the C&S Bank on Moreland not been publicized. Avenue and Hirsch and Feebeck Halls on the Grady Hospital campus. APC is thankful for these volunteers who continue to work to ensure that our City’s x Addressing the renaming of some of past remains for future generations. downtown Atlanta’s historic streets occupied much of many advocates’ x Court records indicate that the foreclo- time. Special recognition goes to the sure sale of the Rufus Rose House on Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Peachtree Street, the former home of Association, downtown residents Jeff APC, has been recorded. Neither the Lam, Muhammad Rashid and Kyle APC nor the Atlanta Urban Design Com- Kessler and Lain Shakespeare, Tom mission has had contact with the purchaser Haney and Wright Mitchell. of record. It does not appear from its exte- rior that any work has been done to secure x APC is among the interested parties the building since the July 2011 auction.

advocating in Atlanta’s Municipal Feebeck Hall during demolition

www.PreserveAtlanta.com 3 Preservation Times, Winter 2011/2012, Volume XXX, Number III

Volunteer Profile: Bob Caine “It was all rather difficult to learn,” he admits. “I used my notes a lot in the beginning, but these days, I concentrate on doing storytelling.”

“I get a good, positive response from the people I meet,” he said. “One day it may be a reunion class from Grady High; the next, it’s a group of out-of-towners.” Caine says that he finds the different crowds he meets the most satisfying part of being a guide.

Caine, who lives in Lake Claire, isn’t partial to either of the neighborhoods he tours. “They’re both very different,” he said. “Also, Ansley isn’t scheduled as often; it doesn’t occur on a Caine at the Botanical Garden site where he weekly basis the way Inman played football as a youth Park does. But I enjoy doing both of them.” Atlanta native Bob Caine is a self-described history buff. It’s an affinity he draws on as a part-time sociology teacher at Clayton He may have just a bit more State University, as well as the Guided Walking Tours he conducts in common with the Ansley of two historic neighborhoods for the APC. neighborhood. His tours there include showing atten- “The historic perspective is very much interwoven with sociology,” dees a 1948 Atlanta Journal he said. “It’s all about how people change.” that depicts three children from the local nursery school. Explaining how two of the City’s premier neighborhoods have changed is the goal of his tours of Inman Park and Ansley Park. “And right there on the front Caine has learned all the details that tour-goers want to know, as page is 3-year-old Bobby This was on the front page of the well as the fun facts that keep young walkers entertained. He’s Caine in a sandbox,” he said Atlanta Journal on April 27, learned the minutiae by heart since starting the tours eight years with a laugh. “That’s why my 1948. Bob uses this article to give ago. mother saved it.” a personal touch to his Ansley Park tours.

The Staff &Trustees of the Atlanta Preservation Center Wish You and Yours a Healthy & Prosperous New Year!

4 www.PreserveAtlanta.com Preservation Times, Winter 2011/2012, Volume XXX, Number III

CIRCA Goes Behind the Scenes

For some passionate supporters of tour, we’ll have any- historic preservation, it’s just not where from 15 to 60 enough to take the usual tours or show up. What draws attend the occasional lecture. They people to the group is want to experience Atlanta’s his- its ability to get be- tory in person and, by joining the hind-the-scenes in APC’s auxiliary organization, some unusual places,” CIRCA, they can. said Watkins.

This active group meets monthly “For instance, if we’re for behind-the-scenes tours of se- going through a build- This Midtown Victorian was the fea- lect historic sites in Atlanta and ing like Rhodes Hall, tured site for CIRCA’s November tour nearby areas. They’ve taken hard-hat tours of sites under we can get on the roof, renovation and then seen the completed projects in detail. out on the turret and into the basement where the public In addition, there’s a social component that draws a range can’t routinely go,” he said. “There have been some amaz- of ages and interests. ing tours over the years, usually given by someone who has a close connection to the building or space.” “I’ve always been interested in history and architecture,” said four-year member Jeff Clemmons, who is also an APC In addition to enjoying unique tours and events, CIRCA tour guide and developed and leads the Guided Walking supports the work of the APC. Members present an event Tour of Midtown’s Commercial District for APC. “I wanted during the annual The Phoenix Flies: A City-Wide Celebra- to get more involved and have a social outlet as well. tion of Living Landmarks. Membership dues are used for CIRCA lets me explore both with a very informal group.” member activities, sponsor- Clemmons pro- ship of Phoenix Flies and fessed that he to the Building Fund for has been on so work at the LP Grant Man- many unusual sion. CIRCA tours that it’s difficult CIRCA meetings are usu- to say which is ally scheduled for the sec- his favorite. ond Tuesdays of the month. Some events are “We’ve gone scheduled for Saturdays to Y inside the accommodate busy sched- Ponce de Leon ules. Membership to Apartments at CIRCA is $15, with APC CIRCA’s June location was a Lustron home in Ponce and membership requisite. Join Decatur. Pictured here are the homeowner, Peachtree and CIRCA via the APC web- Mark Watkins and Jeff Clemmons. had a huge site, www.PreserveAtlanta turnout,” he .com or by phone, 404-688- LP Grant Mansion’s Front Hall said. “We got to go through the old dining room, see the 3353. decorated for the holidays Tiffany dome and go up to the roof. We’ve also done different houses; my first was Patterson’s Spring Hill, where CIRCA will next meet on January 10th at 7:00 pm at the LP the chapel is phenomenal. But we’ve also toured Ivy Hall, Grant Mansion for a New Year’s celebration and to plan the Rufus Rose House, the Castle and plenty of churches.” activities for 2012. There will hors d’oeuvres and cham- pagne. CIRCA President Mark Watkins has been a member for 15 years. “We have about 125 members and, on any given

www.PreserveAtlanta.com 5 Preservation Times, Winter 2011/2012, Volume XXX, Number III

Activities & Progress at the Grant Mansion The APC staff, great granddaughter of Col. including Agnes Grant. Dunbar the Pres- ervation Cat, is We continue to add to the excited about Library display with “yard- ongoing recon- ifacts” uncovered during construction and struction and house memora- improvements at bilia donated by Kevin Hud- the 1856 Lemuel son and others. Pratt Grant house, headquar- The next interior construction ters for the or- project will include rough-in ganization. After electrical installation for light- Guests of the Grant Park Candlelight Tour completion of the ing in the Drawing Room, enjoy the exhibit in the Library recreated front Library and Bobby Jones porch made even Conference Room, followed more inviting with benches and gliders, work shifted to replacing by ceilings and floor treat- the house’s back porch. With ceiling fans and a chair lift, the ment. The original stucco Original oil of Laura L. Williams, porch utilizes its predecessor’s footprint while showcasing its only over brick interior walls will the first Mrs. L.P. Grant remaining original pier. Rear yard hardscaping and a physically remain exposed for enjoy- accessible parking pad bring APC closer to a final Certificate of ment and education. Occupancy. The Grant Mansion was honored to be included on the 2011 On the grounds, Chris Hastings of Arbormedics has recently pro- Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes in early December. With fessionally evaluated and pruned two mature trees in the rear yard. lighted topiaries and period-appropriate greenery, the house was This was made possible by a festive and inviting for tour-goers. donation from Marge and Steve Hays. The camellia bushes are bursting with buds and the pecan tree has pro- duced prolifically this year.

Inside, the new HVAC sys- tem that was made possible by the generosity of Patricia and Gerry Hull makes for a toasty workplace. The original 1856 portrait of the first Mrs. Grant, Laura L. Wil- liams, is now complemented by a giclée of Colonel L.P. Grant’s 1856 portrait. The Reconstructed rear porch with new sidewalks New giclée of Lemuel P. Grant portraits are on long-term and parking area loan from Ginny Rather, the

Sidney Lanier Monument Restoration (continued from page 1)

The public unveiling of the restored monument will be held Satur- by the Poet Laureate of Georgia, David Bottoms. This event is day, February 4 at 3:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the free and open to the public. public. The monument is located on the eastern side of the Active Oval. The unveiling will include a flute performance of Lanier’s More information about these events and tickets is available at Blackbirds by Candice Keach and a reading of Lanier’s Song of www.PreserveAtlanta.com. Tickets for both the recital and the the Chattahoochee and The Centennial Meditation of Columbia lecture will also be available at the door.

6 www.PreserveAtlanta.com Preservation Times, Winter 2011/2012, Volume XXX, Number III

The Phoenix Flies to Celebrate in 2012

For the ninth time, the Atlanta Preserva- In addition to many of our favorite Phoenix tion Center will host The Phoenix Flies: A Flies offerings such as the Insider’s Tour of City-Wide Celebration of Living Land- City Hall by the Atlanta Urban Design marks. The dates for this celebration are Commission and storytelling at the Wren’s Saturday, March 10 through Sunday, Nest, there will be new offerings, including: March 25, 2012. x A new Atlanta Preservation Center The celebration was created in 2003 by the Guided Walking Tour of the Ponce de Atlanta Preservation Center as a way to Leon corridor, th celebrate the 25 anniversary of the dra- x A series of guided bicycle tours of At- matic rescue of the Fox Theatre, an event lanta’s Historic Districts developed and that changed Atlanta’s preservation out- presented by dedicated APC volunteer look forever. Since that time the celebra- Dan Knapp, tion has won an Award of Excellence from The Phoenix Flies logo representing the mythical bird that is able to regenerate itself x Guided tours of Utoy Cemetery which the Atlanta Urban Design Commission, a dates from 1828, and Preservation Award from the Georgia from its ashes x A visit to Atlanta’s longest operating Trust for Historic Preservation, presented over 1,100 events and fire house in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood. provided a better understanding of Atlanta’s history to over 20,000 individuals. These are just some highlights of this year’s celebration which will

feature 175 events and more than 55 sites! Members will receive This year’s celebration promises to be wonderful! There are two their booklet for the event at the beginning of February. Events will interesting focuses for 2012. The first is the addition of performing be posted to the public on the APC website in the middle of Feb- and visual arts to highlight the inspiration from and life in Atlanta’s ruary. historic site. Following are some highlights: x A photography exhibit at the LP Grant Mansion, x Full Radius Dance is being commissioned to create a site spe- cific work at White Provision on the Westside, x The Atlanta Chapter of the American Organist Guild will present both a full evening concert at First Presbyterian and a progressive concert at three of downtown’s oldest churches: the Shine, Central Presbyterian and Trinity United Methodist, and x Historic South-View Preservation Foundation is developing a unique literary tour that will include readings penned by several of its important residents.

The second focus will be on the demonstration of adaptive reuse as a means of preservation. Highlights of this focus include: x A second visit to the Kriegshaber House, now the successful Wrecking Bar Brew Pub and The Marianna, which is host to weddings, community meetings and dance classes, x A guided tour of White Provision. Once a “New Modern Sanitary Packing House and Cold Storage Plant,” it is now home to offices, residents, restaurants and boutiques, and x As the one of the Southeast’s largest commercial buildings, the former Sears, Roebuck and Co. building on Ponce de Leon Avenue will soon be transformed into Ponce City Market. The developer will host a guided tour and discuss the plans to adapt the building’s two million square feet into a mix of retail, dining and residences.

www.PreserveAtlanta.com 7 ExecutivePreservation Director, Times, F.H. Winter Boyd 2011/2012, Coons Volume XXX, Number III Events for Your 2012 Calendar z Board of Trustees z CIRCA January Meeting , January 10, Executive Committee Bryan M. Grant III Grant Mansion, 7:00 pm Arch Davis, President Nowland B. Gwynn II Howell E. Adams III Suzanne R. Gwynn Sidney Lanier Monument Restoration Sally K. Bayless Penny Hart Celebration Rodolfo Castro Robert F. Helget Nowland B. Gwynn II Mary L. Leslie February 2 zParty, Piedmont Driving Penny Hart Rep. John Lewis Club, 7:30 pm Brandy Morrison Elaine Luxemburger February 3 z 170th Birthday Recital, William E. Pennington Belle Turner Lynch Lupton Hall, Oglethorpe University, Leon R. Robbins James McManus 8:00 pm Rainey Rembert Woodward Brandy Morrison Trustees Ralph R. Morrison February 4 z Lecture, Magnolia Hall, Howell E. Adams III Ellen Nemhauser Piedmont Park, 1:30 pm Boyce Ansley Mary Norwood February 4 z Unveiling, Active Oval, Shepard Ansley Neal G. Patton Piedmont Park, 3:00 pm Jean Astrop William E. Pennington Sally K. Bayless Kathy K. Rainer Michael Bishop Ginny Rather z Decatur Old House Fair, February 18 Dameron Black III Leon R. Robbins www.decaturoldhousefair.com Albert Caproni III Ronald W. Rogers zThe Phoenix Flies: A City Wide Rodolfo Castro Alida Cooper Silverman Celebration of Living Landmarks, Timothy J. Crimmins Elizabeth Morgan Spiegel March 10—25 Arch Davis Rebekah Stewart Laura Howard DePree Chrissie Stevens Wayt z Buckhead in Bloom Home & Rawson Foreman Rainey Rembert Woodward Garden Tour, May 4 & 5 Harry L. Gilham, Jr. Mtamanika Youngblood

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