Once home to the Masquerade, historic Old Fourth Ward structures becoming offices

Neighboring the ever-bustling Ponce City Market and a new Beltline-connected grocery store that replaced infamous “Murder Kroger,” a new office complex is being molded from the former Masquerade music venue.

Development firms Southeastern Capital and Coro Reality are converting the 118-year-old Excelsior Mill buildings into the neighborhood’s next high-end office project—a shift from earlier mixed-use plans.

The developers purchased the site in 2016, and the joint venture aims to bring new life to structures left standing after the Masquerade relocated to downtown’s Underground Atlanta.

Architects with Smith Dalia are spearheading the adaptive-reuse design efforts, and officials say the finished product should pay homage to the buildings’ past.

“The adaptation of the buildings combines contemporary and historical narratives,” according to a Thursday press release. “Exterior steel cladding was custom-milled to reproduce the original historical pattern.”

Once dark and damp—at least during the music venue’s tenure at the space—the revived development is expected to brighten the aging buildings’ insides.

“The reopening of large windows has brought daylight deep into the previously darkened interior spaces, while offering dramatic views of downtown Atlanta and [Historic] Fourth Ward Park,” per the statement.

Plenty of the original construction, though, is slated to remain. Expect old wooden posts, beams, and trusses to offer reminders of the former mill.

Additionally, “much of the manufacturing equipment will remain in place, including an extensive heavy-duty gear and pulley system originally used at the property.”

All told, the former mill is projected to feature more than 30,000 square feet of office space.

Like an opening date, potential tenants have not yet been announced.