Means Street Landmark District approved by Atlanta City Council

Score another one for Atlanta preservationists.

On Monday afternoon, the Atlanta City Council voted unanimously to create the Means Street Landmark District, encompassing a collection of old brick industrial and commercial buildings to the west of Georgia Tech.

The move comes after six months of advocacy by locals interested in the preservation of the district, which grew along the railroad tracks in the early 20th Century.

The initial impetus for the district’s creation was the threatened demolition of the old Engineer’s Bookstore, but the protected area is planned to be broader. Buildings that would fall under the designation will include the Hotel Roxy, the Allied Building, the Block Candy building, and Carriage Works — all structures built before 1945.

However, the district excludes a large collection of brick warehouse facilities that fill the east side of the street. Those structures were removed from the designation following outcry from building owners concerned about what the status would mean for the future of their properties, according to WABE.

The non-designation of the five buildings is a victory for some, but others worry it sets a dangerous precedent of the city backing down on preservation due to pressure from building owners.

Now, the next step is for Mayor Kasim Reed to sign the legislation, protecting the buildings on Means Street — or at least some of them — for future Atlantans.

via Atlanta Preservation Alliance

• Proposed Means Street Historic District Sparks Debate [WABE]