Back in the 1920s, Midtown’s Biltmore hotel was the embodiment of Atlanta’s burgeoning relevance in the country, providing a space for the well heeled of the city to entertain and socialize. For its opening in 1924, a train was chartered to bring New York hoteliers to the city to observe the work of New York architecture firm Schultze and Weaver.
The building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, served as a hotel for more than six decades before conversion into offices by Novare before the millennium. While the opulent guest rooms may be long gone, the two grand ballrooms still remain as events spaces.
Now, Georgia Tech has announced that it will acquire the building, with plans to incorporate it into the adjacent Tech Square neighborhood. Al Trujillo, the president of the Georgia Tech Foundation (which orchestrated the transaction) insists "the purchase of this property will not affect the historical status of the building."
The acquisition comes on the heels of the recently announced gargantuan Coda development just a block away — which ironically resulted in the majority demolition of another historic Atlanta building, the Crum & Forster Building. Meanwhile, the residential annex of the Biltmore, which fronts 5th Street, is not part of the deal; it isn’t apparent if the parking deck and service buildings (which include Cyprus Street Pint and Plate) are included in the transaction.
While details about Tech’s plans remain scant, the move highlights Georgia Tech’s push for expansion on the eastern side of the interstate.
- Georgia Tech Foundation to Acquire Historic Biltmore [Georgia Tech]
- Atlanta Biltmore Hotel and Apartment Buildings [National Parks Service]
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