Does anyone know the story behind this building? (Atlanta, Forsyth: living, architecture)

[ATLTJL]

For as long as I have lived in Atlanta, which is over 15 years, this building has been empty.

I've heard all kinds of things about who owns it and why it is empty, but nothing solid. It's actually a cool old brick building. It used to have plywood in the windows, but they have replaced the plywood with cinder block on the reachable windows because I assume people were squatting inside.

I'm sure it's a complete disaster. It literally has trees growing on the roof.

I'd like to know if anyone knows what this building was, who owns it now, if there are any plans for it, etc. I hope they do something with it before it has to be torn down.

I'm talking about a red brick building on the corner of Alabama St. and Forsyth St. downtown. It's right across Alabama from a McDonalds and across Forsyth from the 5 Points MARTA station.

Anyone know anything?

[Mishap]

Used google maps to convert the intersection to an address and that into a Google search turns up this:
Atlanta Preservation Center

So it's been empty since '72 but they keep trying to redevelop it.

[Mgyeldell]

I think you are talking about the Atlanta Constitution Building


I don't own the pic got from Google Earth

Atlanta Constitution Building - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[johnatl]

And prior to being the Constitution building, it was the longtime HQ's of Georgia Power.

Pretty cool example of art moderne architecture, but yeah - it's been rotting away like that for years.

[ATLTJL]

Yes, that's the one!

For years I have asked about this building and people knew what I was talking about, but nobody knew the story. It's been vacant since before I was even born, so I guess to most people it has just always been vacant.

I'm glad to hear they are planning to redevelop it. I hope it isn't too horrible inside. It seems like it might make some really cool living space if done right.

I'd love to do some exploring inside before they renovate it, I bet it's totally weird and creepy inside.

[johnatl]

When the multimodal terminal gets going, hopefully it will be incorporated into whatever Cousins/Forest City/Integral has planned there for the gulch.

[SW30303]

I knew the AJC was there many years ago before I saw it occupied.

Wow, so empty since '72? - amazing, such a long time.

[MathmanMathman]

It's also a cause of Docomomo

Atlanta Constitution Building

But the building looks too far gone. I'm guessing it'll be torn down when the Multi-modal Terminal is built. By that time the Constitution Building might have crumbled.

[ATL Budget Examiner]

I would love to see the inside too before it's either restored or torn down. That's a beaut!

[Nast]

Creative Loafing did a cover story back in November on the decay of the overall area, with the old Constitution building as a prominent symbol:

South downtown must be fixed for Atlanta to thrive | Cover Story | Creative Loafing Atlanta.