Invest Atlanta approved another $1 million for the ongoing stabilization of historic Gaines Hall at its Sept. 18 board meeting, and officials said the struggling building is on track to be steady by 2027.
Gaines Hall, built in 1869, was the first permanent building on the Atlanta University campus, now Clark Atlanta University. It was where scholar and historian W.E.B. DuBois lived when he wrote his seminal work “Souls of Black Folk.” But in recent years, the building has faced deterioration and damage from several fires.
It’s also changed hands several times. In 2014, Atlanta bought the property during Morris Brown College’s bankruptcy. Gaines Hall caught fire for the first time in 2015, which kicked off limited stabilization efforts. In 2018, ownership was transferred to Clark Atlanta University.
The university is now leading stabilization efforts. Invest Atlanta gave CAU $3 million in 2020 through a Westside TAD grant to pay for the work. So far Gaines Hall has seen $3.7 million in building repairs, and the university has received a $1.4 million insurance payout from the 2015 fire.
Rising construction costs created a gap in funding, but Clark Atlanta University President George French, Jr. has previously said no cost would keep the school from preserving the historic hall.
“Demolition, for me, it’s not an option for that historic building, it just isn’t,” French said in 2024. “If it takes $8 million or $50 million, and if we can get the right partners, we can still solve it. It’s not an impossibility.”
That’s why Invest Atlanta gave another $1 million in Westside TAD funds to the project. With the additional funds, Clark Atlanta University will continue structural stabilization to “position the building for adaptive reuse and support the broader revitalization of the Westside.”
In 2024, facilities management said the structure appears to have enough structural integrity for repair and reuse. According to Invest Atlanta documents, once the building is stabilized Clark Atlanta will complete an architectural and engineering assessment, and will engage the community in discussions about the property’s future.
Neighborhood Planning Unit L Chairperson Leonard Watkins, who represents the neighborhood Gaines Hall sits in, attended the Sept. 18 meeting and said he’s not opposed to the project but wants to know “what we are doing.” He asked about return on investment and timelines during public comment.
Mayor Andre Dickens told university leaders to work directly with the NPU and Watkins on next steps and get their input on timelines and what they want to see, “just so everybody’s on the same page.”
It’s early, so the university doesn’t have any solid plans for the future of Gaines Hall. But Invest Atlanta President and CEO Eloisa Klementich hinted at a possible vision from the school’s leaders.
“Ultimately, Gaines Hall would serve as a hub for the music department, but also for community programs fostering a deep connection between CAU and the surrounding community,” Klementich said.
She continued, “The initiative really aims to create a vibrant cultural environment and celebrate music and the arts while providing a valuable opportunity for collaboration.”
It’s fantastic to see Gaines Hall getting the attention it deserves! Preserving such a historically significant building is crucial. Ensuring community input, as Mr. Watkins mentioned, is key for successful revitalization. Perhaps the stabilized building could even host events, like a Block Blast competition, fostering engagement? I wonder if there’s potential for grant matching to accelerate the timeline.
This whole thing is such an embarrassment. CAU has a full time police force capable of placing an adequate barrier around the building and installing cameras that could spot suspicious activity long before serious damage could be done. Yet the building has burned three times in recent years! They have the resources to protect the building yet choose not to.
They have also refused assistance raising money that could fund the stabilization and restoration effort. I just don’t understand it.
Gaines Hall is one of the most historic buildings in the country yet its future is precarious. I wish I could believe the words, but I cannot help but believe CAU wants to see the building disappear.
The same is also true for the other tremendous historic artifacts they have on campus and refuse to protect and restore them – and this is not about money. There is money available to restore them and get them back into use.
This was a fun and approachable read, making a complex topic easy to understand.
I appreciate the honesty and openness in your writing.