clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

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

New, 86 comments

The 118-year-old buildings, after updates, will aim to pay homage to days of old

A rendering shows how the old buildings could be reimagined as office space.
The vision for the former Masquerade music venue, as seen along North Avenue.
Images: Smith Dalia Architects, via Southeastern Capital Companies and Coro Realty

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.

A rendering shows what could become of the former mill’s interior, with wood framing and an open floor plan.

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.

A photo of the building’s interior shows old, raw wood and large windows.
The work in progress.
A photo of parts of an old pulley system.
Some aging hardware from the property’s history is expected to remain.

“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.

An exterior photo shows the large windows that will welcome natural light into the new office space.
A rendering shows what the open office space could look like.