The Urban Design Commission made a strong statement Wednesday night with its unanimous “no” vote regarding the Integral Group’s demolition permit for the Atlanta Daily World building. Preservationists count 13 buildings that have been lost in the corridor over the past few years; the denial could signal a shift in the way the area redevelops. It wasn’t too long ago that Integral incorporated older structures into its Renaissance Walk mixed-use project a block away, but it looks like facadism might be suddenly passé on the historic thoroughfare. In an official statement, neither buyer or seller plan to appeal the agreement, which effectively nullified the contingent sales agreement that the parties had in place. However, it may not be the end of the road for this controversy, as the statement also mentioned that Integral looks forward to working out a palatable plan for the structure. Let’s see if we can have the best of both worlds: stewardship of our history and an increase in downtown residents.
· Commission denies plan to destroy Atlanta Daily World building [WSB TV]