Prominent Midtown building on Ponce lists for $2.5M, proposes hotel, office rebirth

Listing says early 1900s Woodruff on Ponce is perfect for condos, a boutique hotel, or high-visibility offices

By Josh Green@JoshGreen1234 Apr 11, 2018, 1:58pm EDT

A 1915 historical building up for sale on Atlanta’s eastside right now. — The porches of the Ponce-facing facade.

Another century-old, architectural fixture on Atlanta’s eccentric Ponce de Leon Avenue is up for grabs.

A lovingly restored landmark at the corner of Ponce and Myrtle Street, the early 1900s building currently called Woodruff on Ponce hit the market today at $2.5 million.

In its present residential use, the 9,000-square-foot building’s tagline is “Living History...” It faces Mary Mac’s Tea Room and the window dining ledge for scarfing Papi’s Cuban sandwiches.

Within the past few years, the building was renovated and configured into six two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments—the front three homes are used as Airbnb rentals now and come furnished—but its C-2 zoning leaves the door open for reinvention, per the listing.

Uses could include office, bed and breakfast, live-work, boutique hotel, condos—basically anything short of intown shooting range or mini Walmart.

“The building is perfect for prestigious, high-exposure offices, and could be converted to residential or commercial condos, or could be profitably run for short-term rentals with legal zoning in place,” the listing asserts.

It certainly has location on its side. The 88 WalkScore takes into account three-block proximity to Peachtree Street and walkability to Piedmont Park, the Beltline, Ponce City Market, and most crucially, Cook Out.

Inside, highlights include period features, stained glass, a gorgeous staircase, and not-shabby porches and sunroom.

There seems to be some discrepancy on when the building was finished, but the listing says well-known Southern architect G.L. Norman wrapped work here in 1907.

Known over the years as the Poinsettia, the Woodruff Inn, and The Atlanta International Hostel, the building has been rumored (like others on Ponce) to have briefly housed Al Capone way back when, and to have functioned as a house of ill repute in the 1960s.

The building’s hostel days ended five years ago, when it fetched $750,000 prior to renovations, per property records.

In coming up for sale, the Woodruff joins another history-rich property on this stretch of Ponce with lodging roots.

Down the street, a circa-1919 mansion that functioned as part of the Shady Rest Inn hotel business in the 1920s—but is more commonly referred to now as The Big House on Ponce, or 368 Ponce—is asking $4.65 million.

Per its marketers, the artsy compound and popular Airbnb tucked off Ponce could also become a swell bed and breakfast—or the site of a condo high-rise.