Atlanta Daily World ‘demolition’ to be voted on today

At 4 p.m., the Atlanta Urban Design Commission is scheduled to vote on whether or not it will allow the demolition of the old Atlanta Daily World building on Auburn Avenue. Regarded as the “first successful African-American paper in the country,” the Atlanta Daily World was founded in the building 1928 moved into the building’s top floor in 1950, and continued to operate out of it until recently. (The paper was founded at 210 Auburn Avenue.)

The Historic District Development Corporation has been a vocal opponent of the demolition, which the developer, Integral Group, subsequently explained would only be a “partial demolition,” explaining that they intend to preserve the building’s facade. Still, the HDDC urged the community to sign a petition to save the entire building, and preserve the “fabric” of Auburn Avenue.

It was initially reported that GSU had submitted the application for demolition so they could construct dorms on the property, but a spokesperson told CL in February, “This is not our project.”

As former CL writer Scott Henry explained, the issue is somewhat more complicated than a big-bad developer wiping out an African-American landmark:
Integral is a black-owned development firm. The Scotts, meanwhile, are Atlanta royalty. W.A. Scott founded the Daily World on this site in 1928, and the family has remained prominent in political and business circles ever since. Yes, the building is important to Auburn Avenue and African-African history as a whole, but who’s going to tell the family that it can’t realize a profit from its property?

The HDDC is encouraging people to attend the Design Commission’s meeting, which takes place at 4 p.m. at City Hall.