Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Neighborhoods Residents: Save beautiful, slowly fading former bank on Moreland Avenue
Posted by Thomas Wheatley @thomaswheatley on Tue, Nov 16, 2010 at 8:22 AM
- harold_noe/flickr
Located approximately half a mile south of East Atlanta Village, the circular building built in the mid-1960s has fallen into disrepair and overgrown with kudzu.
Local architecture advocates weary of watching another historic structure disappear — and nearby neighborhood residents who don't want to lose a quirky landmark — hope the remarkable building can be rehabbed and saved. They've taken the cause to Facebook and are urging other supporters to spread the word.
From the group's Facebook page:
Built in 1965 by Kenneth Johnson as C&S Bank's flagship modernist branch, this unique property was and is still considered one of Atlanta's most memorable commercial buildings. Sitting on more than one acre of land with +/- 4000 SF, the round main building encompasses a lush garden and courtyard, a 'floating' vault, and an open air exposure to natural light. Tropical and exotic vegetation wind throughout the many platforms and the floor plan is in place to host a number of possibilities. Moreland Avenue, just north of Custer. Adjacent to Ormewood Park neighborhood and close to East Atlanta Village. Convenient to I-20.Time might be running short, however. The building's listed for sale — and according to DOCOMOMO's Atlanta chapter, it's been threatened with demolition. Anyone got $750,000 sitting around?This intriguing if dilapidated property was a branch of the Atlanta bank back in the day, and was the largest bank in the South in the ‘70s. C&S also seemed to have a thing for round/circular buildings: its headquarters in upper Downtown Atlanta was round, and so was the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium it helped build. Interestingly and oddly, so is this climbing helix structure that we want to save.[...]
Naturally, our neighborhoods would prefer to have it saved, rehabbed and brought up to code and used as a community center, a one-of-a-kind architectural jewel for community meetings… including appropriate branding for aforementioned architectural angels, of course.
Southeast Atlanta has so few public architectural treasures. Wouldn't it feel great to save this one?
You can view up-close photos of the building, plus details of its interesting architecture, here. Tagged Flickr photos can be viewed here.
Comments (18)
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I've long admired this building. I sure hope it can be saved.
My only worry is how these tight spaces can be made wheelchair accessible. I'm sure it can be done -- and it would be unacceptable not to do it (are you listening, Parish?) -- but it will be a challenge.
I'm so old I remember when it was open. C&S had several of these wacky branches. It's very cool, but not good for much except a bank. Maybe a Poster Hut branch. It would really be a shame if a rehab scheme was blocked by the tyrannical ADA.
Didn't Atlanta allow the Terminal RR Station, the Loew's Grand, the Peachtree Arcade, etc. to be torn down? Wasn't the City ready to let the Fox go and isn't Gerogia Tech still trying to tear down a beauitful, historic building near its campus? Will the non-existent or moribund Atlanta preservation community arise to save this banking shrine?
@oydave- There is actually an extremely strong and active historic preservation community in Atlanta- you must not know much about preservation if you assume that the failures you list, significant as they may be (and over 40+ years of radically diverse municipal leadership, population, growth patterns, etc.), mean that no one is trying. You forget about private property rights, local political will, or lack thereof (as designation as a local landmark is the ONLY designation that can prevent a building from being demolished or altered beyond recognition), limited resources (volunteer time, interested and capable buyers, and most of all, funding)- all the realities of real estate in our world. As you can see on the group's Facebook page, DOCOMOMO-GA has been advocating for this building. And this article itself is a fantastic example of what preservation absolutely requires- a strong grassroots interest, to generate awareness. B/c of just such an effort, the Crum and Forster Building, the "beautiful, historic building" near Georgia Tech's campus that you cite in your post, was designated a local landmark last year, despite owner opposition, and the GA Tech demolition permit was denied. Of course, it can always be appealed- that's the law. But people do care, and they are trying. For evidence, check out the Fox Theatre, the Peters Mansion on Ponce de Leon, Inman Park, Druid Hills, the Chandler Building, City Hall, Rhodes Hall- there are many, many success stories too. But we could always use another passionate supporter....hint,hint....
Whoops- my apologies, oydave! My comment below was of course meant for "question man." Sorry about that!
SC-F: Is it possible you misunderstood my comment? Didn't I imply displeasure with Atlanta's failure to respect and conserve its built environment? And didn't I intimate a hope that someone is out there who will try to protect the precious little of the past that is still standing in Atlanta?
Thomas, you are a sweetie for highlighting our cause! And wesleywhatwhat, this part of the South Moreland Corridor may be less than perfect, but I can assure you the the surrounding neighborhoods -- Ormewood Park, Woodland Hills, Benteen Park, Boulevard Heights, and McDonough-Guice -- just may be Atlanta's best-kept secret. BTW, how can you fault any area that boasts the fabulous Starlight Drive-In??? (Finally, wesleywhatwhat, if you have deep pockets and a love for this kind of building, forget everything I said & CHEERS!)
This building was another victim of Inman Park Properties who had at one time purchased and neglected several of Atlanta's unique properties. For example: Fort Peace (The Castle), The Clermont Hotel, John B. Gordon School along with a few other East Atlanta properties. Most of their properties have been through foreclosure, and some, like the Wrecking Bar in Little 5 Points have found new life with new owners. Due to the high debt on the properties, the foreclosure prices have remained high. I agree with JohnP, this would be a sweet house; the raised structure would provide adequate protection from the local zombies.
I grew up in the 80s and it was a treat to go to this bank every week with my grandmother. For anyone who has never had the priviledge of experiencing it, it was very beautiful and futuristic-looking back then. The interior was unlike any other banking experience. This post actually brought back memories from that time period. I would love to see this place renovated. It truly is special
I used to live right behind the bank, on Woodland Ave. It was for it's day absolutely unique. Very, very "green", before we knew what that was! Right next to the bank, was Sunshine Plaza, which featured a Sunshine's dept. store of course, and also a Big Apple grocery store.
Just south of it, was a Lum's restaurant. The building now houses a mexican joint, that got something like 46 on it's health inspection. Up from it, where the car parts store is, used to stand a Burger Chef. Just south of The Starlight, is Moreland Shopping Center. It used to be home to a Kroger, Grants, Kresgees, Western Auto, Walgreens, Winn Dixie, and many small, family owned businesses, when there were such things. One of the biggest draws, was the L&M cafeteria which boasted real southern cooking from scratch.
Now the shopping center has junk stores, roaches the size of VW's, and plenty of gangsters. Real shame. About the only thing remaining from the days of my youth, is the Zesto at Moreland & Confederate, and the Starlight. One thing that is gone, that I don't miss at all, is the Thomasville Heights Housing Project. It basically single-handedly ruined the schools, the neighborhoods, and the shopping. A little bit of black history month there.
"intownwriter", no deep pockets to be found here but i do have an appreciation for the neighborhood. i spent almost every sunday of my childhood visiting my grandparents who lived a 1/4 mile from the bank's location.
i always liked the building. and the neighborhood has a lot potential. good luck with your efforts.
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