It happened once before. It can happen again.
Georgia State University announced plans in 2014 to tear down the historic Bell buildings on its campus as part of its master plan to transform the area east of Woodruff Park. The plans called for turning the site along Auburn Avenue into a surface parking lot.
But an uproar ensued as preservationists launched a “Save the Bell buildings” campaign complete with petitions, a letter-writing effort combined with extensive public pressure.
It worked And GSU saw the light.
The urban university announced in 2021 that it would renovate the buildings and turn them into the new headquarters of the National Institute for Student Success — a $30 million project that received a $15 million grant from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation.
Fast forward to now.
GSU has announced plans to tear down a decorative and historic building at 148 Edgewood Ave. — one that was built in 1926 — and turn the site into a “Fraternity and Sorority Life Plaza.”
How short-sighted.
Tearing down 148 Edgewood would be a mistake for so many reasons. To begin with, there’s no question about the building’s historic significance.
Since 1989, the former Georgia Power substation has been a contributing structure to the City of Atlanta’s Martin Luther King Jr. Landmark District. In 1992, it was included in the national Martin Luther King Jr. Preservation District.
And in June 2024, the state’s Historic Preservation Division determined the building was eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Even GSU’s own Campus Historic Preservation Plan of 2014 stated that 148 Edgewood – which the university has owned since 1966 – was “worthy of long-term preservation and investment.” The plan further stated the building was “highly valued by the institution” and that it could be “adaptively used to meet the Institute’s educational mission.”
Wright Mitchell, president and CEO of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, wrote a letter to GSU President Brian Blake stating that demolishing 148 Edgewood “would be particularly egregious” given the sound condition of the building and GSU has not seriously considered adaptive reusing the structure for its mission.
“Just a few blocks from this property, Georgia State’s commitment to preserving the historic Bell Building provides a prime example of how the University can honor the broader history of its campus while creating space for modern academic resources,” the letter continued.
Kyle Kessler, a historic preservationist and an architect who is also the policy research director of the Center for Civic Innovation, said 148 Edgewood has even more reasons to be preserved than the Bell buildings.
“The Bell buildings had roof issues and water damage throughout the buildings,” Kessler said. “The Bell buildings had no [historic] designation either locally or nationally, while 148 Edgewood has both local and national designations. It should be a foregone conclusion that 148 Edgewood should be saved.”
Reminiscent of the campaign to save the Bell buildings, Kessler said a Change.org petition has been created to save 148 Edgewood. Already, more than 1,170 people have signed the petition.
Even more importantly, tearing down 148 Edgewood could jeopardize the status of the national King historic district, where 47 percent of the area has already been lost. David Mitchell, executive director of the Atlanta Preservation Center, said tearing down a contributing building could threaten the status of the entire district.
“It’s important to preserve what’s left,” David Mitchell said. “That building is absolutely fine. GSU has yet to explain the validity of demolishing this building.”
Both he and Kessler said there are plenty of vacant properties or surface parking lots that GSU owns in the area that could be converted into a plaza for Greek life.
“The Bell buildings illustrate that Georgia State has the capacity to do something extraordinary,” Mitchell said. “They have brought back to Atlanta a piece of its past that will influence its future.”
A public presentation of GSU’s plans for the property was made on May 28, but people present said it did not meet the standard of a public hearing — a necessary step before GSU can demolish the building. Unfortunately, because the building is owned by the state, GSU likely can proceed with demolition.
But Georgia State’s role as an urban university gives it even greater responsibility to make sure the institution enhances its neighborhood and contributes to Atlanta’s physical environment.
As a proud GSU alumna with a master’s in urban studies, I have great confidence that the university wants to be a constructive force in our central city as it has done with the Bell buildings a few blocks away.
Just because GSU has the right to tear down 148 Edgewood, doesn’t make it right.
As David Mitchell said: “I’m very optimistic that Georgia State will realize the importance of 148 Edgewood and include it in its masterplan rather than removing it.”
To sign your name to the Change.org petition, click here.
I thought GSU was trying to create a space for historically black fraternities and sororities in this space. This doesn’t have to be an either-or proposition, but where are the ideas for creating a much-needed gathering space for the students who need a physical space to support their community?
Georgia State’s role as an urban university gives it even greater responsibility to make sure the institution enhances its neighborhood and contributes to Atlanta’s physical environment.
It’s important to preserve what’s left,” David Mitchell said. “That building is absolutely fine. GSU has yet to explain the validity of demolishing this building the baby in yellow free.