Medical Arts Building (Atlanta, Georgia)

Medical Arts Building in Atlanta, GA - 2008/03/14

The Medical Arts Building is a Beaux-Arts style building located at 384 Peachtree St NE at the northern end of Downtown Atlanta. The 12-story brick and limestone building by architect G. Lloyd Preacher, also designer of Atlanta City Hall, was constructed in 1927.^[1] In additional to its medical facilities - deemed as some of the most modern and well-equipped when it opened, the building once featured a cafeteria, drugstore and telegraph office. It was also amongst the first to have a covered parking garage.^[2][3] However, its nearly 89,000 square feet (8,300 m²) of space have been vacant since 1995.

Recent history

In 2001, the building was included on the Atlanta Preservation Center's List of Endangered Buildings.^[2]

In 2002, an ordinance was proposed before Atlanta City Council to designate the building as a Landmark Building.^[4] The ordinance was passed in October 2005.^[5]

In 2003, Crow Hospitality Investment Group had the building under contract with plans to convert it into a small hotel.^[6]

In 2004, a business owned by record producer Dallas Austin was in negotiations to buy the building for possible conversion into a boutique hotel from then-owner Harold Gelber, a Miami businessman who had owned the property since the 1970s.^[7] Later that year, the building was purchased for $5.25 million by a group of local developers.

On the morning of July 2, 2005, the building suffered damage from a four-alarm fire.^[8]

In July 2009, large advertisements for Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express were placed on two sides of the building although there was no intention of either hotel occupying the building.^[9] The advertisements were eventually removed and were replaced in January 2010 by signs for MetroPCS. In May 2010, an advertisement was posted for Crown Royal Black whisky.

The building is the only one of 10 structures on Central Atlanta Progress's 2003 list of downtown “eyesores” that has not been renovated or repurposed.^[10] Therefore the building remains on the updated list released in December 2009.^[11] The building is included on The Georgia Trust's list of 2011 Places in Peril.^[12]

References

1. ^ New Georgia Encyclopedia: G. Lloyd Preacher
2. ^ ^{a b} Atlanta Preservation Center - 2001 List of Endangered Buildings
3. ^ "Q&A on the News", The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, July 10, 2007, B2
4. ^ Proposed Ordinance - 2002
5. ^ Atlanta Substitute Ordinance 02O0181
6. ^ Three Boutique Hotels Being Developed in Downtown Atlanta
7. ^ Plans to convert Medical Arts building fall through
8. ^ "Vacant office tower burns - Investigators look into how blaze got started", The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jul 3, 2005, D14
9. ^ Huge hotel billboard on Medical Arts building is illegal, panel says
10. ^ New purposes for Atlanta's old eyesores
11. ^ Top 10 Opportunities for Redevelopment in Downtown Atlanta
12. ^ 2011 Places in Peril

Coordinates: 33°45′55″N 84°23′10″W / 33.7652°N 84.3862°W / 33.7652; -84.3862