Downtown Atlanta Contemporary Historic Resources Survey Final
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Downtown Atlanta CONTEMPORARY HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY REPORT Karen Huebner Morriison Desiign, LLC Attllantta Preservattiion & Pllanniing Serviices, LLC City of Atlanta DOWNTOWN CONTEMPORARY HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY FINAL REPORT Submitted to CENTRAL ATLANTA PROGRESS ATLANTA DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT CITY OF ATLANTA OFFICE OF PLANNING GEORGIA DEPARMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, HISTORIC PRESERVATION DIVISION September 4, 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements iii Introduction Executive summary 1 Project Description 3 Survey Methodology 3 Developmental History of Downtown Atlanta between 1935 and 1985 Introduction 7 Business 7 Government 9 Arts and Recreation 11 Residential 12 Transportation 12 Conclusion 14 Survey Results Survey Areas 15 Construction Dates 15 Current Use of Buildings and Properties 18 Physical Condition and Integrity 20 Survey Character Areas 22 Architectural Analysis 29 National Register Eligibility 37 Bibliography 41 Appendix: Table of GNAHRGIS Identification Numbers 45 ___________________________________________________________________________ Downtown Atlanta Contemporary Historic Resources Survey Page | i ___________________________________________________________________________ Downtown Atlanta Contemporary Historic Resources Survey Page | ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The following individuals and groups have provided invaluable assistance in the execution of the Downtown Atlanta Contemporary Historic Resources Survey. Jennifer Ball, Vice President for Planning and Economic Development, Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, Inc. (ADID), administered the project, and facilitated procedures, communications, and paper flow, ably assisted by Intern Sara Haas. ADID printed this final report. Doug Young, Assistant Director of the Atlanta Urban Design Commission (AUDC), graciously shared historic resources and GIS files, assisted by Paul Young, GIS Manager of the City of Atlanta’s Bureau of Planning. The Bureau of Planning printed this project’s final large-format survey map. Carole Moore, Tax Incentives and Grants Coordinator for the Historic Preservation Division (HPD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, administered the grant, facilitated scheduling and communications, was the liaison with other HPD staff, and patiently answered many questions. Dean Baker, Transportation Enhancements Reviewer for the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, provided substantive information on the architecture of John Portman, and was the liaison with Portman Holdings. Allison Duncan, Senior Planner, and George Rounds, Intern, of the Atlanta Regional Commission, provided National Register and Section 106 GIS map layers. Steven Moffson, former Architectural Historian and Centennial Farms Chair for the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, was the knowledgeable architectural reviewer of the report’s first draft, providing substantial feedback. Anita Russo, Georgia’s Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information System (GNAHRGIS) Application Analyst Specialist for the Carl Vinson Institute of Government’s Information Technology Outreach Services (ITOS), provided timely access to the online system. ___________________________________________________________________________ Downtown Atlanta Contemporary Historic Resources Survey Page | iii The Downtown Atlanta Contemporary Historic Resources Survey and this publication have been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior through the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the Department of the Interior of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial products, or consultants constitute endorsement or recommendation by these agencies. This program received Federal financial assistance for the identification and protection of historic properties. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, gender, or disability in its federally-assisted programs. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to: Office for Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20240. ___________________________________________________________________________ Downtown Atlanta Contemporary Historic Resources Survey Page | iv INTRODUCTION Executive Summary In May 2013, the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID), Central Atlanta Progress (CAP), and the City of Atlanta’s Office of Planning contracted with Atlanta Preservation and Planning Services, LLC (APPS) to conduct a survey of the contemporary historic resources in the downtown area of the City of Atlanta. The purpose of the survey was for city planning purposes, to assist preservation activities, and to augment the Georgia Historic Resources Survey. All resources within the specified geographic area were investigated (see Map 1 on page 3). The survey area comprised 2115 properties, of which 266 resources met the survey criterion of being constructed between 1935 and 1985. Each of these was digitally photographed, documented, and entered into Georgia’s Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information System (GNAHRGIS). GNAHRGIS is the database of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Historic Preservation Division, available online without charge to the public. In addition to the time frame of the survey, several other criteria were used to determine which properties would be excluded from the survey. No parking lots were included, although parking decks and garages were surveyed. Vacant parcels or properties under construction were obviously excluded. The surveyed area of the downtown commercial district encompasses about 508 acres, and contains some good examples of the Art Deco, Stripped Classical, International, Brutalism, and Late Modern styles built between 1935-1985. Predominant building types are tall office buildings, parking decks, hotels, and one-to-five story retail/professional buildings. Exceptional examples include the Olympia Building (1937), topped by the 1948 Coca-Cola sign, the Equitable Building (1968), the Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library (1980), the State of Georgia government building complex (1939-1966), the Peachtree Summit Federal Building (1976), and 40 Marietta (1964). The tallest building is the 73-story Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel (1976), and the deepest is the Peachtree Center Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) station (1982), whose 770-foot long vault is 100 feet below grade. It is difficult to have any discussion of downtown Atlanta’s architecture without manifold mentions of John Portman and the impact of his designs on the city. From the Atlanta Merchandise Mart (now AmericasMart 1) in 1961, through the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in 19851, Mr. Portman’s work dominates the northern quadrant of the survey area. Peachtree Center, begun in 1961, encompasses fourteen blocks. Beyond the survey scope are other Portman creations: the 1989 Inforum (now the American Cancer Society Center), the 1992 1 To mention the earliest and latest Portman creations within the survey . ___________________________________________________________________________ Downtown Atlanta Contemporary Historic Resources Survey Page | 1 One Peachtree Center (now SunTrust Plaza), the 1992 Atlanta Gift Mart (with a west wing expansion in 2008), and the 2000 SunTrust Plaza Garden Offices. Prior to this survey, a number of previous preservation projects were undertaken by various entities involving resources in the area covered by the Downtown Atlanta Contemporary Historic Resources Survey. Most of these projects resulted in publications. 1975: Atlanta Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, The American Institute of Architects Guide to Atlanta. 1976: Lynn Gomez-Graves, “Sweet Auburn Historic District National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form”. 1978: Atlanta Urban Design Commission, Atlanta Historic Resources Workbook. 1981: Atlanta Urban Design Commission, Atlanta Historic Resources Workbook. 1987, Atlanta Urban Design Commission, Atlanta’s Lasting Landmarks, 1987. 1982: Richard Cloues, “Fairlie-Poplar Historic District National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form”. 1984: Darlene Roth, The Heart of Atlanta: Historic Structures Survey. 1992: Isabelle Gournay, AIA Guide to the Architecture of Atlanta. No date specified: National Park Service, Catalog of Historic Structures; Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site and Preservation District. There are four historic districts completely or partially within the survey boundaries that have been listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP): Sweet Auburn, Underground Atlanta, Fairlie-Poplar, and Hotel Row Historic Districts.2 There are only two buildings within the survey boundary that at least partially fall within the survey time frame. The Southern Bell Telephone Company Building was constructed in 1929, but has an eight-story addition on top, built in 1949, and the tower, built in 1963.3 The Capital City