Techwood Homes, Garage Building A-D, Corner of Merrit Avenue & Williams Street, Atlanta

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA,61-ATLA,60B-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Comer of Merritts Avenue and Williams Street Atlanta Fulton County Georgia U. S. G. S. Universal Transverse Mercator Coordinates: Northing Easting Present Owner/ Atlanta Housing Authority Occupant: 739 West Peachtree Atlanta, Georgia Present use: Public housing storage Part of Olympic Housing Impact Area To be demolished

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA,61-ATLA,60B-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Techwood Homes, Garage Building A-D is a contributing building in the Techwood Homes Historic District, nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in The building is significant for its role within the first federally funded public housing project in this country. Garage buildings completed the overall housing block pattern of two or three buildings and their corresponding open space. Garage Building A-D is one of the few garages remaining of the original 11 constructed. As such it illustrates the engineering and fireproof construction techniques used in garages throughout Techwood Homes. TECHWOOD HOMES, GARAGE BUILDING A-D HABS No. GA-2257-B (Page 2) PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: President Franklin D.

Roosevelt dedicated Techwood on November 29, September 1, marked the official opening ceremony of the project and was proclaimed Techwood Day in Atlanta. No information has been found confirming the exact erection date of Garage Building A-D. 2. Architect: Burge and Stevens. The Atlanta architectural firm accepted an contract to design the Techwood Homes complex, of which Garage Building A-D was a part, on May 17, Hip Burge, one of the principals, was an original member of the Board of Trustees which secured federal approval for the Techwood project. 3. Original and subsequent owners: The Housing Division of the Public Works Administration (PWA) of the federal government had original jurisdiction over Techwood Homes.

When the Federal Housing Administration was established in that agency assumed control of the project. The Atlanta Housing Authority was created in June of under the directorship of Charles F. Palmer, Atlanta real estate developer who had spearheaded the drive to make Techwood the first public housing project in the country. In March of the Atlanta Housing Authority took over administration of Techwood Homes under a lease agreement with the U, S, Housing Authority. 4. Builder, contractor, suppliers: J. A. Jones Construction Company of Charlotte, North Carolina built Techwood Homes, including Garage Building A-D, at a total cost of which included purchase of the land at 49 cents a square foot.

No specific information on Garage Building A-D's individual costs, contractor, or suppliers has been located, although the construction project resulted in many local jobs. 5. Original plans and construction: The building remains a one-story concrete and red brick structure of narrow transverse dimension. Original plans are housed in the Engineering and Capital Improvements Department of the Atlanta Housing Authority, 6. Alterations and additions: No alterations or additions have been documented. B. Historical Context: The relationship of Garage Building A-D to its housing block is representative of the original configuration of buildings and functions. The garages were placed at the rear of the housing units, located along perimeter streets. TECHWOOD HOMES, GARAGE BUILDING A-D HABS No.

GA-2257-B (Page 3) PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General statement: 1. Architectural character: Of architectural interest is the fireproof concrete, brick, and steel construction of Garage Building A-D. 2. Condition of fabric: The building appears to be in fair structural condition. It has been repointed poorly and is in need of maintenance and cosmetic attention. B. Description of exterior: 1. Overall dimensions: The building has a narrow transverse dimension of and has stalls measuring wide. It is linear in shape. 2. Walls: The side and rear walls are of 8-inch red brick. 3. Structural systems, framing: The roof is of solid concrete slab construction, 2 1/2 inches thick. It is reinforced with welded wire mesh and is supported on 10-inch steel channels.

4-inch H columns support the roof channels between the garage doors, according to the National Register Nomination. 4. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: A centrally-located metal roll up door and two metal side doors exist in the building's west facade. b. Windows: There are no windows. 5. Roof: a. Shape, covering: The roof is a solid concrete slab 2 thick. b. Eaves: The building has no eaves. C. Description of interior: 1. Floor plan: The garage is a linear box-shape with equal stalls. 2. Flooring: Floor is of solid concrete construction. 3. Walls and ceilings: Side and rear walls of the garage are red brick. The ceiling is solid concrete. TECHWOOD HOMES, GARAGE BUILDING A-D HABS No. GA-2257-B (Page 4) 4. Openings: a.

Doorways and doors: A centrally-located metal roll up door in the front of the building which faces west and two metal side doors exist in the building's west facade. b. Windows: The building has no windows. D. Site: 1. General setting and orientation: Garage Building A-D faces west toward the three-building block of apartment houses it served. It is accessible from Merritts Avenue, N. W. and was originally also accessible from Williams Street, which no longer goes through following the construction of Interstates 75 and 85. A "Y" entrance driveway originally connected the garage group to Williams Street. 2.

Historic landscape design: The original landscape plan featured Elaeagnus (Elaeagnus pungens) and a variety of other shrubs, possibly for screening purposes between apartment buildings and the garage units. No recognizable pattern of original landscape plantings remains. PART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION A. Architectural drawings: Several sets of drawings are available, including: original drawings drawings dated February 15, Atlanta Housing Authority site plan, comprehensive modernization drawings by Allain and Patterson, Photographs of selected examples of original drawings are included in the submittal for HABS No. GA-2257-C, as follows: planting plan and plant list (photo # GA-2257-C- 15) and plot and roof plan {photo # GA-2257-C-16).

Original drawings are housed at the Engineering and Capital Improvements Department of the Atlanta Housing Authority. B. Historic views: Historic photographs are archived at the Atlanta History Center. A number of newspaper articles and other sources listed in Part III.C include historic views. TECHWOOD HOMES, GARAGE BUILDING A-D HABSNo. GA-2257-B (Page 5) C.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA,61-ATLA,60B-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

1. Primary and unpublished sources: Atlanta Urban Design Commission, files. Atlanta History Society, vertical files, newspapers, historic photographs. Atlanta Housing Authority, files. Atlanta Preservation Center, file. University of Georgia Hargrett Library, Athens, vertical files, books. 2. Secondary and published sources: "A Housing Project at Age New York Times, 21 August "Alderman Blocks Creation of City Housing Authority." Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, City of. Planning Atlanta Atlanta: Department of Planning, . Social Report on Neighborhood Analysis. Atlanta: Community Council of the Atlanta Area, nd. Atlanta Housing Authority. Atlanta Rebuilding: Bulletin of the Housing Authority of Atlanta. 1, 1 (April . Rebuilding Atlanta: Second Annual Report.

Atlanta: Housing Authority of the City of Atlanta, . Steps Towards a Brighter Future. Atlanta: Housing Authority of the City of Atlanta, nd. . Miscellaneous untitled documents. Atlanta: Housing Auth. of the City of Atlanta, . Techwood Homes: 50. Atlanta: Atlanta Housing Authority, Blackmon, Douglas A. and Lyle V. Harris. "Measure Creates Special Tax Zone for Techwood." Atlanta Journal and Constitution. 16 December 4 Denberg, Jeff. "Techwood Project Comes Full Cycle: From Slum to Slum." Atlanta Journal, 19 September 1 Durcanin, Cynthia. Georgia Ties Paved Way for First Housing Project." Atlanta Journal and Constitution. 17 March 6 (A). TECHWOOD HOMES, GARAGE BUILDING A-D HABS No. GA-2257-B (Page 6) Durcanin, Cynthia and Bert Roughton, Jr.

"An Option for Techwood." Atlanta Constitution, 10 September 1 (A) and 17 (A). "Elderly Housing Dedicated." Atlanta Constitution, 1 January Tenant Signs Techwood Lease." Atlanta Constitution, 3 June Furman, Lee. "Life Goes on at Enjoyable Pace for 800 Youngsters at Techwood." Atlanta Constitution, 27 March Gilreath, Frank C.( Jr. Housing Project for Negroes Is Announced." Atlanta Journal, 5 March 1, Green, Luke. "British Expert Praises Techwood as One of Best Designed in U. S." Atlanta Journal, Greer, Richard. "Techwood Foot Patrols Switch to Night Hours." Atlanta Journal, 18 April Harris, Lyle V. "Techwood - ACOG Deal Ok'd by FEDS." Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 29 May 10 (I). . "Techwood Residents Of Plan for Games." Atlanta Constitution, 27 May 1 (A) and 8 (A).

"Housing Authority Sponsors Gigantic WPA Survey of Atlanta's Property Values, Rents and Income." Atlanta Constitution, 6 July 1. "Housework will be Easy at Techwood." Atlanta Journal and Constitution. 10 July, Huey, John. "Two Faces of Techwood Homes." Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 27 October Jones, Gregg. "Black Pioneers Defend Project." Atlanta Journal, 24 May 1 (A). . "Techwood Homes: Symbol of Despair. Hope." Atlanta Journal, 24 May 1 (A). . "Techwood Memories Still Linger." Atlanta Journal, 24 May 1 (A). __. "Techwood-Clark Howell Puts on a New Face." Atlanta Journal, 25 May 30 (A). TECHWOOD HOMES, GARAGE BUILDING A-D HABS No. GA-2257-B (Page 7) Lear, John.

"Uncle Sam Uses Atlanta as His Housing Laboratory." Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 28 August "Light Fantastic on Anniversary Aim at Techwood." Atlanta Constitution, 1 September Munoz, Mitchell M. "Dream Vs. Reality? Techwood Turns Atlanta (November National Register Nomination. Techwood Homes Historic District. Atlanta, 29 June Neal, Willard. "A Trip through Atlanta's New Techwood Apartments." Atlanta Constitution. 5 July 1 and 15. "New 3-Million Housing Unit Near Techwood." Sunday American, 12 February 1. Given to City to Clear Slums, Laying Basis for Record Building Boom." Atlanta Constitution. 2 July 1. "Opening of Techwood will be Feted Here." Atlanta Constitution, 6 August 17. "Palmer Awaits Reply to Housing Fund Plea." Northside Press, 17 June 1. Palmer, Charles F.

Adventures of a Slum Fighter. Atlanta: Tupper and Love, Perkerson, Medora Field. "We are Weary of 'Raised Eyebrows' Say Techwood Ladies." Atlanta Journal, 31 October 3 and 14. "Plan to Spare Techwood Homes Area." Atlanta Journal, 27 November Pruitt, Travis and Associates. Boundary Survey for Tech, Atlanta, Salter, Sallye. "Neighbors Hope for Redeveloped Techwood." Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 29 April 1 (A) and 6 (A). Sherman, Mark. "Council President" Tear Down Techwood for Olympic Village." Atlanta Journal, 4 April 1 (A) and 13 (A). "Slum War Spurred." Sunday American. 25 September 1. Steedman, Marguerite. "City Here in a City." Atlanta Journal, 28 July 2 and 17. TECHWOOD HOMES, GARAGE BUILDING A-D HABSNo. GA-2257-B (Page 8) "Techwood's Fete Marks First Year." Atlanta Constitution.

1 September Techwood Homes. Consumer Cooperatives Articles of Incorporation. Atlanta, nd. . Consumer Cooperatives Report. Atlanta, . Techwood Progress II 3 (23 February "Techwood Homes District - National Register District." Atlanta's Lasting Landmarks Atlanta: Atlanta Urban Design Commission, "10 Millions Slum Projects Mapped." Sunday American, 25 September 1 and 5. Warwick, Paul. "Techwood Marks Birthday." Atlanta Constitution, 1 September "Weltner to Head Atlanta Low Cost Housing Project." Atlanta Constitution. 25 September 1 and 4. Williams, Gladstone. "City Seeks Funds to Clear Slums." Atlanta Constitution. 14 June D.

Supplemental material: Following this outline format text are two 8 x 11" sketch drawings, as follows: historic site of Techwood Homes with Garage Building A-D indicated site plan of existing historic district with Garage Building A-D indicated PART IV. PROJECT INFORMATION This HABS documentation packet is being prepared in compliance with a stipulation of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that addresses the impact of the Olympic Housing Impact Area on the Techwood Homes Historic District. The MOA is dated March 19, Parties to the MOA are: the U. S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Georgia State Historic Preservation Officer, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the Board of Regents of the University System of the State of Georgia, and the Housing Authority of the City of Atlanta. Prepared by: Lina L. Cofresi Rosetta Radtke The Jaeger Company 119 Washington Street Gainesville, Georgia July TECHWOOD HOMES, GARAGE BUILDING A-D HABSNo. GA-2257-B (Page 9) HISTORIC SITE PLAN OF TECHWOOD HOMES TECHWOOD HOMES, GARAGE BUILDING A-D HABS No. GA-2257-B (Page 10) SITE PLAN OF TECHWOOD HOMES HISTORIC DISTRICT