GSU's plan to demolish historic building sparks community uproar
Georgia State University's proposal to demolish an old substation within the local Martin Luther King Jr. Historic District is drawing criticism from members of the community who want to see the building preserved.
Why it matters: GSU, which has the largest student population of any college in Georgia, is a major player in attracting people to Downtown, and the school wants to turn its "concrete jungle" into an integrated campus with more gathering spaces for students.
Driving the news: The school hosted a public input session last week where dozens of community members and students could ask questions about the project, which would demolish Sparks Hall at 33 Gilmer St. and the former substation at 148 Edgewood Ave.
The gathering quickly devolved into heated discussions between those opposed to demolishing 148 Edgewood and GSU representatives and students who backed the plan.
What they're saying: Supporters, which included some Black fraternity and sorority students, said removing the building would give Greek life students a communal space to gather.
The 148 Edgewood building is vacant and abuts GSU's Greek Housing area.
Ashleigh Harper, vice president of the Zeta Phi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta at GSU, told Axios that demolishing the building wouldn't diminish Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy in Atlanta.
"It can't be encompassed into one [building]," she said, referring to King's legacy. "I feel like that's doing him a disservice."
The other side: Opponents argued the building is part of Atlanta's history and could be incorporated into GSU's campus.
"The objection to its destruction is based upon facts and experience and the longevity of this area," said David Mitchell, executive director of the Atlanta Preservation Center. "This building … represents an identity and something that's integral to understanding what the city of Atlanta is."
Atlanta City Council member Liliana Bakhtiari wrote a letter in opposition to the plan, as did Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation president and CEO W. Wright Mitchell.
Zoom in: GSU's plan to demolish Sparks Hall and 148 Edgewood is part of its larger, long-range plan to create a " true college town downtown."
Sparks Hall would be torn down and a "Panther Quad" would rise in its place.
The quad would include additional greenspace that would connect to the existing campus greenway.
Plans also call for transforming part of Gilmer Street into a car-free zone, which would provide better connectivity to Hurt Park, said L. Jared Abramson, GSU's executive vice president and chief operating officer.
The Edgewood building would be demolished to create outdoor community space next to the fraternity and sorority housing, Abramson told Axios, adding the building's historic significance would be commemorated.
By the numbers: Abramson said it would cost $12 million for GSU to renovate the Edgewood building, which he said is about 9,000 square feet.
It would cost about $1.7 million to demolish it, he said.
The big picture: Abramson said GSU's plans are part of its overall work to shed its "concrete jungle" image and create a campus that encourages students to stick around Downtown.
"We have determined that this is the type of experience our students need," Abramson told Axios.
What's next: A GSU spokesperson told Axios the university is reviewing the feedback it received from the May 28 hearing.
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