Techwood Homes, Building 4 is a contributing building in the Techwood Homes Historic District, nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in Techwood Homes is associated with events, agencies, and individuals significant to the history and design of public housing, both nationally and locally. Techwood Homes was the first federally funded public housing project in the United States to reach the construction stage. As the first of 51 "demonstration projects" developed nationwide by the Housing Division of the Public Works Administration (PWA), Techwood Homes served as an experimental model for interpretation and implementation of design standards established by the Housing Division.
The project drew immediate praise for its sturdy construction, fireproof materials, natural lighting and cross-ventilation, ample open space and recreational areas, and community-oriented amenities. Development of this landmark project in Atlanta reflected the planning and lobbying efforts of prominent local citizens. Its development provided many benefits locally, including clearance of one of the city's worst slums, employment of many workers and professionals, creation of new housing for over 600 limited-income families, construction of a much-needed dormitory for Georgia Tech, and establishment of local support for the subsequent creation of the Atlanta Housing Authority. TECHWOOD HOMES, BUILDING 4 HABS No. GA-2257-G (Page 2) PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1.
Date of erection: Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on September 29, with Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes initiating the dynamiting of wooden shacks at the site. Actual construction began in February of 1 and was nearing completion when President Franklin Roosevelt dedicated the project on November 29, Housing units were opened for occupancy in mid- August of and the official opening ceremony was held on September 1, Specific dates of construction for Building 4 are not known. 2. Architect: Burge and Stevens (now Stevens and Wilkinson) of Atlanta was awarded the design contract for Techwood Homes on May 17, Flip Burge, one of the firm's principals, was an original member of the Board of Trustees that secured federal approval for the project.
Burge and Stevens received for its design services, an enormous job that sustained the firm through the Depression and helped to secure the firm's place in Atlanta history. 3. Original and subsequent owners: Techwood Homes was originally owned by the Housing Division of the Public Works Administration (PWA). When the U. S. Housing Act of created the U.S. Housing Authority, that agency assumed control of Techwood Homes. The Atlanta Housing Authority was created in June of and, in March of took over operation ofTechwood Homes through a lease agreement with the U.S. Housing Authority. 4. Builder, contractor, suppliers: J. A. Jones Construction Company of Charlotte,' N. C.
was awarded a general construction contract of in February of The Techwood Homes project received a PWA allotment of over $2, Specific construction costs and suppliers for Building G are not known. 5. Original plans and construction: The building remains a primarily three-story concrete structure with a basement level partially below grade. The building stair-steps down grade to the west, toward Techwood Drive. Original plans are housed in the Engineering and Capital Improvements Department of the Atlanta Housing Authority. 1 As reported in Engineering News-Record (4 July _and the Atlanta Journal (28 July other sources, including the National Register nomination, state that work began in late probably in reference to site clearance. TECHWOOD HOMES, BUILDING 4 HABS No. GA-2257-G (Page 3) 6.
Alterations and additions: The buildings has undergone one significant period of alteration. In the the Atlanta Housing Authority obtained a million grant from HUD through the Comprehensive Improvement Assistance Program. This grant, shared with Clark Howell Homes, was used to upgrad~ bathroom and kitchen facilities. All kitchen cabinets were restained and painted inside; they were replaced where needed. Bathroom accessories were replaced as needed as were ceilings and ceramic tile areas over tubs. Marble thresholds replaced as needed as were ceilings and ceramic tile areas over tubs. Marble thresholds replaced the wooden ones' in all bathrooms. Grab bars and handheld showers were installed in all HDC units.
The grant was also used to install vinyl flooring, new windows, and roofing, to modify closets, add bookshelves, and washer alcoves, and to insulate vent stacks. It provided electrical work, exterior door replacements, and interior painting. Also the steam boiler/electric baseboard heating system was replaced with an energy efficient, gas-fired hot water circulation system (Atlanta Housing Authority Allain and Associates and James Patterson Associates were the architectural firms who drew the plans for the comprehensive modernization of Tech wood Homes. Newcomb and Boyd Engineers of Atlanta did the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical renovations.
Ray Gustafson and Associates were responsible for the civil engineering, and Harry Baldwin, landscape architect, also from Atlanta; relandscaped the property. B. Historical Context The first hundred days of President Franklin Roosevelt's administration brought sweeping social and economic legislation to revitalize a nation ravaged by the Depression. Landmark legislation included the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) of which empowered the President to establish the Federal Administration of Public Works (later called the Public Works Administration, or PWA) and spend over $3 billion on construction projects.
The PWA's Housing Division, which provided jobs' as well as much-needed housing, established guidelines to ensure that federally funded public housing would be well-planned, economical, durable, and comfortable. For more information' about the Housing Division's humane and innovative design guidelines, see "Sample Plans" and "Standards for Low-Rent Housing" excerpted in Architectural Record (March NIRA's provisions for slum clearance and low-income housing drew the attention of Charles F. Palmer, a leading Atlanta real estate developer who had long been troubled by deplorable living conditions in one Atlanta's worst slums, Techwood Flats, located between Georgia Tech and the downtown business district.
Palmer had studied slum clearance programs in Europe and realized that the NIRA could provide for similar projects in Atlanta. To pursue this undertaking, Palmer won the support and participation of other prominent Atlanta citizens, including Mayor James L. Key, architect Flip Burge, and Atlanta Constitution publisher Clark Howell, Sr. For more information about Palmer, see Adventures of a Slum Fighter TECHWOOD HOMES, BUILDING 4 HABS No. GA-2257-G (Page 4) Palmer and his associates lobbied the PW A for funding for Techwood Homes, to house more than 600 white families, and also University Homes, to house about 800 black families. In October of the two federally fundecJ..housing projects became the first in the nation to be approved, bringing national attention to Atlanta.
In February of Techwood became the first such project to reach the construction phase. Designed by the local architectural firm of Burge and Stevens, Techwood Homes served as an experimental model for interpretation and implementation of the PWA Housing Division's standards for public housing construction. A total of 50 additional projects were developed under the Housing Division during its tenure, which ended in 193 7 when the PWA turned its housing program over to the United States Housing Authority.
For more information about the objectives, accomplishments, and limitations of the PWA Housing Division, see Chapter 16 in America Builds: The Record of the PWA The entire Techwood project, which included a much-needed dormitory for Georgia Tech, was dedicated in November of by President Roosevelt. In August of the first of 604 limited-income white families moved into their comfortable, all-modem housing units, amid criticism that the project's subsidized rents were too high to accommodate the city's neediest citizens. In its early days Techwood Homes provided a high quality of life th~ !f!.ter described fond!:,' bj many cf its e~rl:r re:;idcu!:;, 1 including Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-Fil-A restaurants.
For more information about the community-oriented atmosphere enjoyed by Techwood residents, see copies of the project's monthly newsletter, The Techwood News, archived at the Atlanta Housing Authority. Shortly after completion of Techwood Homes, public housing underwent several changes at the national as well as local level. The United States Housing Act of established the U. S. Housing Authority, which took over control of all PWA housing projects, including Techwood Homes. The act increased budget allocations for housing project subsidies and also decentralized the federal housing program.
Under the new prograrp, the federal government would make loans and pay subsidies to local housing authorities that would build and operate public housing projects designed to accommodate lower income tenants. In June of the Atlanta Housing Authority was created (with Charles Palmer as its director) and undertook the planning and construction of six new projects, beginning with Clark Howell Homes in In March of AHA took over management of Atlanta's two PWA public housing projects, Techwood Homes and University Homes, under a lease agreement with the U. S. Housing Authority. For more information about the role of AHA as developer and manager of subsequent public housing efforts in Atlanta, see copies of annual reports archived at AHA. TECHWOOD HOMES, BUILDING 4 HABS No.
GA-2257-G (Page 5) PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: Architectural Record (March 193 5) and Engineering News-Record (4 July described the architecture ofTechwood Homes as Modified Georgian, characterized by red brick veneer exteriors, cast stone trim, and flat roofs. The significance of the project, however, lies more with its construction, floor plan design, and site layout than its architectural style. The PWA Housing Division established comprehensive standards to ensure that federally funded public housing would provide well-lighted, well-ventilated living quarters in durable, fireproof buildings, surrounded by ample open spaces and other site amenities that would create a community-oriented setting.
Burge and Stevens met these standards through the development of two-story rowhouses and three-story garden-style apartments of brick and concrete construction, all featuring a narrow transverse dimension to maximize exposure to sunlight and breezes. The buildings covered only about 25 percent of the total project area and were carefully configured to create open spaces for landscaping, children's play areas, and recreational facilities. 2. Condition of fabric: Building 4 appears to be in good structural condition but is in need of maintenance and cosmetic attention. B. Description of Exterior: 1. Overall dimensions: Building 4 is a three-story concrete building with a U- shaped footprint which forms a eastward-facing courtyard space.
The overall dimensions of the north and south wings are x with a x building section connecting the north and south wings. 2. Foundations: The building features poured concrete footings. Basement walls 2 are poured concrete , 12 inches thick. 3. Walls: Exterior walls are faced with four inches of selected common brick, bonded every fifth course and trimmed with cast stone. 4. Structural systems, framing: The floors and roof are of solid concrete slab construction and are supported by 12-inch exterior walls consisting of eight-inch load- bearing tile blocks and a row of interior concrete columns connected by longitudinal concrete beams, as described by the National Register nomination. 5. Openings: 2 As reported in Engineering News-Record (4 July TECHWOOD HOMES, BUILDING 4 HABS No.
GA-2257-G (Page 6) a. Doorways and doors: There are three double doorways equally spaced on the north, west and south facades opening into entry halls on the first floor, serving as the main entryways into the building. These doorways have stone surrounds and feature three-light transoms above the doorways. On the baseinent level there are five doorways; one on the south facade of the north wing, one on the west facade, and three on the north facade of the south wing, providing access to basement rooms. Door surrounds are of stone, and doors are metal. b. Windows: Regularly-spaced windows are located on all sides of the building. They are of metal, double-hung sash construction and are defined by snap-in mullions. Brick detailing includes single-course brickwork at the base of each window.
The windows above the main entryways are capped with a stone capital. Window openings of vacant apartments are boarded up with plywood panels. 6. Roof: a. Shape, covering: The roof is a solid concrete slab 5 thick. The roofing system involves a flat roof built-up membrane system with a brick parapet capped by a stone molding. b. Eaves: There are no eaves. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plan: The footprint of building 4 is U-shaped. All three floors of the building have the same unit configuration and composition of one and two-bedroom apartments of the A, B, D, and F floor plan types. The present configuration and composition date from the renovation. 2. Stairways: Stairways ascend up two floors from each entrance hallway and down into the basement spaces.
The stairs are of concrete construction; the railings are of / metal. 3. Flooring: Floors are of solid concrete slab construction. 4. Walls and ceilings: Walls and ceilings are of solid concrete construction. The entry hall is tiled. 5. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: Detailed information on interior doors is not available. b. Windows: Refer to Section II.B, Description of Exterior. TECHWOOD HOMES, BUILDING 4 HABS No. GA-2257-G (Page 7) 6. Mechanical equipment: a. Heating: The original steam-generated boiler/ electric baseboard heating system was replaced with a gas-fired hot water circulation system in the Steam was originally piped by Georgia Power Company. b. Plumbing: All pipes were originally copper. Each apartment in the building has a full bathroom and kitchen. ~ D. Site: 1.
General setting and orientation: The building fronts on Techwood Dr. and Pine St. longitudinally oriented and stair-steps down grade west, toward Techwood Drive. Existing landscape elements include a line of water oak trees along Techwood Drive and a line of Chinese elm trees along Pine Street. As a built unit, Building 4 forms a courtyard space on the interior of the block bounded by Techwood Pine and Williams St. The building was originally accessible by Williams St. to the east and Techwood Dr. from the west until the construction ofl-75/85 closed that segment of Williams St. from North Ave. to Pine Street_ 2. Historic landscape design: The original landscape plan included concrete paths connecting entryways to Techwood Dr. and Pine St.
along with paths in the interior courtyard that connected the entrances to the basement. Along Techwood Drive, water oak trees were placed at 54' on-center and Chinese elms were placed along Pine Street with similar spacing. At the southwest and northwest comers of the building white crape myrtle trees (three at each comer) were placed, accenting the Techwood Drive elevation of the building. The interior courtyard consists of a central lawn with two rows of four American elm trees placed along the north and south elevations of the courtyard. To accent the comers and entrances of the building, a variety of shrubs and ground covers were place~ along the foundation. 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, measured drawings, TECHWOOD HOMES, BUILDING 4 HABS No. GA-2257-G (Page 8) Photographs of selected examples of original drawings are included in this package, as follows: HABS # GA-2257-G-38 (Site Plan), HABS # GA-2257-G-39 (Basement Floor Plan), and HABS # GA-2257-G-40 (First Floor Plan) ...Original drawings are housed at the Engineering and Capital Improvements Department of the Atlanta Housing Authority. Measured drawings are included in this package. B.
Historic views: Reproductions of historic views ofTechwood Homes accompany the Addendum to Techwood Homes (Public Housing), HABS No. GA-2257. Original historic photographs are archived at the Atlanta History Center, the Special Collections Department of Robert W. Woodruff Library at Emory University, and the Atlanta Housing Authority (AHA). Photographs appear in many of the AHA annual reports and historic newspaper articles listed in the bibliography below. C. Interviews: The Atlanta History Center has transcripts of interviews of Atlanta citizens (Manuscript Collection conducted irr ~d by Clifford Kuhn and !ater excerpted and compiled into a book, Living Atlanta: An Oral History of the City.
For first-hand accounts of project construction and subsequent living conditions in Techwood Homes, interview transcripts were reviewed for three individuals: architect Preston Stevens, whose firm designed Techwood Homes; landscape architect Edith Henderson, who designed the landscape plan for Clark Howell Homes and Techwood Homes; and Waldo Roescher, Techwood Homes resident from to D.
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