Mechanicsville 2030: An Exhibit of One of Atlanta’s Oldest Neighborhoods

327 St. Paul Avenue Southeast,Atlanta GA 30312

18 November, 2021

Description

The past, present, and possible future of one of Atlanta’s oldest neighborhoods This show features a visual history of Mechanicsville and a series of proposals for both renovation and new construction along Whitehall Street, a two-block stretch adjacent to South Downtown Atlanta and straddling the neighborhoods of Castleberry Hill and Mechanicsville. Bounded by railroad tracks to the north and I-20 to the south, the area is currently comprised of many empty lots and a variety of formerly industrial buildings—some disused, some partially used, and some functioning as residential lofts and warehouses. Whitehall’s development has been speculated for decades but has not yet begun. The work shown began with a senior Capstone studio at Georgia Tech School of Architecture and was subsequently edited, developed, and supplemented by instructor Ryan Roark. The project examines the role of history in architecture and blurs the lines between renovation and “ground-up” construction: even what appears to be an empty site has history, often still evidenced in foundations, material fragments, or even the soil. Reuse, especially in formerly industrial districts, all too often goes hand in hand with replacement of culture and displacement of residents; mitigating this relationship is not simple but was central to the development of the proposals in Mechanicsville 2030, which began with an in-depth study of the neighborhood and interviews with residents. Check out this free exhibit hosted at the Atlanta Preservation Center. We ask for your advance registration to allow for proper distancing. Image: Whitehall and McDaniel Street, 1961 © Georgia State University Library The Atlanta Preservation Center is the City’s private non-profit preservation organization. Founded in 1979, the Atlanta Preservation Center promotes the preservation of Atlanta's architecturally, historically and culturally significant buildings, neighborhoods and landscapes through education and advocacy.