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Break Out the Kleenex: Glenridge Hall a Year Later

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Anonymous explorer checks out the historic site, following its hasty demise

By Michael Kahn
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Remains of the house.
Remains of the house.
Save Glenridge Hall

It was a year ago next month that historic Glenridge Hall was demolished to make way for the development of the Mercedes-Benz North American Headquarters. Ranking as one of the worst moments in the Atlanta development scene last year, the home's demolition struck a nerve with many people — and far beyond preservationist circles. The gorgeous English Tudor-inspired mansion was home to the Glenn family since its construction in 1929 and played host to an array of events and even as a filming site for TV shows and movies like Driving Miss Daisy. Now, thanks to an anonymous photographer who shared photos with the "Save Glenridge Hall" Facebook group, history buffs and gluttons for punishment can get a glimpse of what the site looks like 11 months on.

The chained front entry gate.
Save Glenridge Hall
A bridge carries the driveway into the estate.
Save Glenridge Hall
A cleared slab shows where the house used to be.
Save Glenridge Hall
Outlines on the slab show where walls once stood.
Save Glenridge Hall
Old boilers down a steep set of stairs give a sense of how large the home was.
Save Glenridge Hall
Bricks, tangled wires, and an old window seem to indicate demolition crews were more interested in simply knocking the building down than preparing the site for a new building.
Save Glenridge Hall
A field of bricks marks the trail of destruction.
Save Glenridge Hall
A lone fountain remains amid piles of debris.
Save Glenridge Hall
A small caretaker's cottage still stands.
Save Glenridge Hall

Last week, plans were finally released for the Mercedes-Benz building that's slated to occupy the site, heightening a sense of loss for Glenridge's supporters and reigniting negative sentiments about how the entire series of events that led to the demolition transpired. An extra year for the home, supporters argue, could have meant preserving more of the historic structure, allowing documentation to occur, or possibly even finding a solution to retain the mansion while allowing for development of the rest of the site.

But anyway, for posterity's sake, here's a look back at what is now rubble ...

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Glenridge Hall

, Atlanta, GA 30328

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