Palmer House Apartments, 430 Centennial Olympic Park Drive, Northwest (Originally Techwood Drive), Atlanta

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA-2402. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Palmer House is a three tower, seventeen-story apartment building, consisting of 250 units designed for elderly tenants. Commissioned by the Atlanta Housing Authority (AHA), it was completed in The building was named for Charles F. Palmer, a pioneer in public housing and the first Chairman of the Atlanta Housing Authority. Its significance lies in its "massing, fenestration, architectural details, and ... overall stripped- down appearance" that mark it as an early example of the modem architectural movements that emerged in the PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1.

Date of construction: An application for a building permit was submitted by the AHA on June 11, and the building was completed on June 15, It was designed as housing for the elderly, one of three complexes that were built by the AHA in the 2. Architects: The Palmer House building was designed by an Atlanta architectural firm, FABRAP, an acronym for the first letter in the names of each of the partners - Finch, Alexander, Barnes, Rothschild, and Paschal. FABRAP was formed in and was one of Atlanta's most progressive design firms. The firm built its reputation in the design of industrial buildings and laboratories, schools and sporting venues, health care facilities and corporate headquarters. The design of a senior citizen apartment house seems uncharacteristic in their body of work.

PALMER HOUSE APARTMENTS HABS No. GA-2402 (Page 2) James Harrison Finch and Miller Barnes, both graduates of Georgia Tech, formed Finch and Barnes in Caraker Paschal, also a Georgia Tech graduate, joined the company in and became a partner in when the firm changed its name to Finch, Barnes and Paschal. All three had been under the tutelage of Paul Heffernan, the head of the Georgia Tech Architecture Department and a fierce promoter of efficient and functional design. Cecil Alexander, a graduate of both Yale University and Harvard University, and Bernard Rothschild, from the University of Pennsylvania, formed Alexander and Rothschild in and practiced together for nine years. In Alexander and Rothschild joined with Finch, Barnes and Paschal to form F AB RAP.

This firm embraced the functionalist outlook of the modem movement in architecture, and contributed to the post World War II transition of architectural design to the International Style, also known as Bauhaus Modem. FABRAP designed the Georgia Tech Bunger-Henry Building and the Fred B. Wenn Student Center Among company headquarters designed by the firm were those of the First National Bank (mid-1960's with Emory Roth & Sons of New York), the Coca-Cola Company and Southern Bell with Skidmore Owings and Merrill ofNew York). Another FABRAP project, the Richard B. Russell Federal Building in Atlanta was built in Other projects designed by F ABRAP were the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, MARTA Five Points Station, the Georgia Power Company Office Building, and the Phipps Plaza Shopping Center.

Projects at Georgia Tech included the Chemistry Building and the Chemical Engineering Building as well as the aforementioned Bunger-Henry Building and Fred B. Wenn Student Center. The firm also designed the Urban Life Center at Georgia State University. 3. Original and subsequent owners: The original owner, AHA, still owns the building. Constructed as senior citizen housing, residents now include handicapped persons of all ages. 4. Builder, contractor, suppliers: General contractor for the Palmer House was H. A. Lott, Inc. of Houston, Texas. 5.

Original plans and construction: AHA owns a partial set of the original plans for the Palmer House apartments, prepared by FABRAP and dated February 14, A photographic copy of Sheet 3, the Site Plan, is included as GA-2402-30, and xerographic copies of Sheets 12 and 13 are included as pages PALMER HOUSE APARTMENTS HABS No. GA-2402 (Page 3) 6. Alterations and additions: No major alterations or additions have taken place. B. Historical Context: 1. Charles F. Palmer: Palmer came to Atlanta in in large measure because his wife was from Georgia. He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, attended Dartmouth College and was involved in the real estate business in Pasadena, Santa Barbara, San Diego and Chicago prior to coming to Atlanta.

Once in Atlanta, he founded a realty firm, Palmer Company, and became involved in major real estate transactions in downtown Atlanta. He gained his reputation for involvement in community improvement when he organized the Techwood Homes Project, the nation's first slum clearance project in In a brochure entitled "You and Your City" he described his commute to work through the Techwood slums and the dismal conditions of those crime- ridden neighborhoods. High rents, absentee ownership, and buildings in horrible disrepair were some of the conditions he described. Palmer figured the only way to alleviate those conditions was to demolish and rebuild. He used federal funds, made available by President Roosevelt for this purpose, to initiate the Techwood Homes Project.

Following the Techwood Homes Project, Palmer continued his involvement in the public housing arena. He served as Chairman of the AHA from until when he was drafted by the newly organized National Defense Advisory Commission as their Housing Coordinator. During his travels around the country and abroad, he met President Roosevelt, who named him Special Assistant. After Roosevelt's death, Palmer continued his travels around the world in an advisory capacity. In he published a book, Adventures of a Slum Fighter, in which he documented his slum clearing activities.

When the Palmer House, a senior residential apartment building commissioned by the AHA, was officially dedicated in downtown Atlanta in it was the time such a building had been named after a living individual - a remarkable honor in recognition of his contributions to the city. Palmer stayed involved in affordable housing and the downtown real-estate business in Atlanta for the remainder of his life. Charles Palmer died in June at the age of 80 years after more than fifty years of living and working in Atlanta. 2. History of public housing in Atlanta: Charles F.

Palmer's background and business associations in the real estate market made him a strong proponent of the philosophy that by clearing slums, the value of surrounding properties would improve dramatically and therefore help stimulate the economy. He was proven PALMER HOUSE APARTMENTS HABS No. GA-2402 (Page 4) correct when, after completion of the Techwood Homes in surrounding land values rose by per cent. During the same time period, in September the federal government passed the Wagner-Steagall Bill, a milestone in public housing. The bill established the U.S. Housing Authority (USHA), which would fund local projects through local housing authorities. Federal funding could only be received after a local housing authority had been established.

The first attempt to establish a local housing authority in Atlanta passed the City Council in but was vetoed by Mayor Hartsfield. Shortly after, a major fire near Grady Hospital wiped out large areas of slum housing, resulting in increased demand for new public housing. On May 19, 193 8, the Atlanta Housing Authority was created, and Charles F. Palmer was appointed its first Chairman of the Board. One month later, the AHA received nine million dollars from the federal government. The first "twin" project of slum clearing and building replacement with low-cost housing was Clark-Howell Homes. By the the AHA had become a firmly established organization responsible for planning public housing programs, requesting funds from the federal government and expending the allocated funds.

Eight projects comprising units had been completed by At this time Georgia led the Southeast, which led the entire nation, spending one-third of all funds appropriated for slum clearance and construction of public housing by the government. After World War II, the economy boomed, and the need for public housing slowed down. By the early sixties however, the situation changed again. By this time, public housing was seen as only part of a total effort to help individuals. Other programs such as food stamps, the Head Start program and school integration became equally important in the push for improvement for minorities.

In May some twenty-seven years after the boom in the early only five additional projects for families, with a total of units, plus three facilities for the elderly comprising 977 units, had been added. The three facilities for the elderly were: Antoine Graves 1 white 219 non-whites John 0. Chiles Home 247 whites 11 non-whites Palmer House 269 whites 0 non-whites PALMER HOUSE APARTMENTS HABS No. GA-2402 (Page 5) PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement 1. Architectural character: The Palmer House Apartments building is an early example of the modem architectural movements that emerged in the The building is a three tower, thirteen- to seventeen-story complex consisting of 250 units designed for elderly tenants.

The building has forty-nine efficiency units, 199 one-bedroom units, and one each two- bedroom and three-bedroom units. The original cost of the building was and the cost of the land was 2. Condition of fabric: According to a Obsolescence Report prepared by Praxis3 Architects, "the facility appears to have been very well maintained." However, they determined that the cost ofrenovating the existing building to current standards would amount to or more than a new facility. B. Description of Exterior: 1. Overall dimensions: The building has an irregular footprint. It consists of three towers, which radiate from a central core that houses a staircase, and the elevators and mechanical rooms.

The overall dimensions of Towers A, Band Care 46' 8" x Dimensions of the core area are 46' 3" from west to east on the north side, 28' 4" from north to south on the east side, 40' l" from east to west on the south side, and 28' 4" from south to north on the west side with a 6' 2" jog to the west about halfway. Overall dimensions of the building are approximately x Tower A is seventeen stories high, Tower Bis fifteen stories high, and Tower C is thirteen stories high. An external, open concrete staircase, located at the end of each tower, gives them a strong vertical thrust. These stair towers are 1O' 3" deep on all towers; they are 17' 6" wide on Towers Band C and 15' 6" wide on Tower A. 2. Foundations: The foundations are concrete piles with caps. 3.

Walls: The exterior combines red brick with white concrete. Exterior walls are a combination of exposed concrete and brick cladding. Each tower has a band of concrete, two floors high, breaking the monotony or simplicity of each shaft. 4. Structural system, framing: The structural frame is cast-in-place concrete. 5. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The main entrances to the building are on the first floor and are accessed from the terrace between Towers A and C. Doors and PALMER HOUSE APARTMENTS HABS No. GA-2402 (Page 6) adjoining window systems are aluminum storefronts, probably replacements. A smaller entrance into Tower A is located on Parker Street. b. Windows: The fenestration in the building is regular; the windows are placed in checkerboard fashion.

Exterior window air-conditioning units protrude from the facade below the windows. The windows are aluminum framed casement style. Windows vary from 3' 4" to 5' 2" in height and are either single or triple. 6. Roof: The roof is a concrete slab, clad with bitumen roofing. C. Description of Interior 1. Floor plans: a. First floor: On the interior, the first floor houses the lobby, offices, day and meeting rooms. A central elevator and stair core connects all floors. Each tower has a central corridor on each floor connecting the elevators to the external staircase. The lobby is located on the first floor of Tower A. The driveway to an interior parking area bisects the first floor of Tower B. b. Second floor: Apartments occupy the second floor of Towers A and C.

The second floor of Tower Bis bisected by the upper portion of the driveway and houses more mechanical equipment. c. Upper floors: The upper floors of all three towers are devoted to apartments. The apartments are located on either side of the corridor. The living spaces, kitchens and bathrooms in the apartments are extremely small. 2. Stairways and elevators: In addition to the two side-by-side elevators there is an enclosed fire stair in the central core. Each tower has an external open concrete stair, which is a major decorative feature of the building. 3. Flooring: Floors are covered with linoleum tile. 4. Wall and ceiling finish: Walls throughout the building are of concrete masonry unit construction. Walls are painted concrete block.

Ceilings are suspended ceiling tiles on the ground floor and painted concrete on the upper floors. 5. Openings: a. Doorways and doors are extremely simple. Doors to apartments are flush with the corridor walls. All doors are solid; doors inside the apartments are painted. b. Windows: Aluminum casement windows are furnished with venetian blinds. 6. Mechanical equipment: a. Heating, air conditioning, ventilation: Each apartment is served by a wall- mounted heater, which is connected to the domestic hot water system. PALMER HOUSE APARTMENTS HABS No. GA-2402 (Page 7) Central air-conditioning does not exist; air-conditioning is provided by units inserted in the wall under the windows. Casement windows are operable and provide ventilation. b.

Lighting: Lighting in the corridors, stairs and apartments is provided by ceiling fixtures. On the ground floor, where dropped ceilings have been installed, lighting is recessed. Conduit runs exposed. c. Plumbing: Some galvanized metal piping exists, and bathroom fixtures are out-of-date. D. Site 1. General setting and orientation: The site of the Palmer House Apartments is located just north of downtown Atlanta. The building occupies an entire block and is bounded by Centennial Olympic Park Drive on the east, Hunnicut Street on the north, Lovejoy Street on the west and Parker Street on the south. A ground- level terrace is located where Towers A and C intersect, and provides outdoor seating space.

A service court provides a facility for delivery and housekeeping needs between Towers B and C. Limited parking is accessible via a drive-through under Tower B. as well as controlled access from Hunnicut Street. 2. Historic landscape design: A xerographic copy of the original planting plan is attached as Page 14. It shows relatively easy-care plants such as Hollies, Mahonia and Ivy in beds around the buildings and bordering the terrace. Small trees such as Dogwood and Japanese Maple were also included in the initial plantings. PART Ill. SOURCES OF INFORMATION A. Architectural drawings: A partial set of the original blueprint plans for the Palmer House is owned by the Atlanta Housing Authority. Dated February 14, they consist of Sheets 12 and 13.

Sheet 3, the Site Plan, is reproduced as GA-2402-30. B. Building permit: The original building permit for the building is on microfilm at the Atlanta History Center archives. C. Early views: The Program for the Dedication of the Palmer House on January 25, contains a photograph of the building. Copies are in the possession of AHA and the Atlanta History Center. D.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA-2402. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

1. Primary and unpublished sources PALMER HOUSE APARTMENTS HABS No. GA-2402 (Page 8) Arnold, Peter Edward. "Public Housing in Atlanta." dissertation, on file at Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia. Call Number: Dissertation HD7304.A7 A76. Atlanta Housing Authority. "Rebuilding Atlanta." Housing Authority of the City of Atlanta, Georgia. First Annual Report, June 30, Fulton County Building Permits. On microfilm at the Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, Georgia. Palmer House Subject File. Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, Georgia. Praxis3 Architects, "Obsolescence Report for: Atlanta Housing Authority. Property: Palmer House." 10 page report, November 8, Shirk, Elizabeth. Environmental Review Coordinator, Georgia State Historic Preservation Office.

Description of the significance of the building. Email dated March 13, 2. Secondary and published sources Atlanta Constitution. "WPA Offers 3 Million for 'Odd Jobs' in City." July 2, pp. Atlanta Constitution. "C. F. Palmer named U.S. Co-coordinator of Defense Housing." July 21, pp. 1 and 8. Atlanta Constitution. "A Proud South Boasts of Palmer's Citizenship." October 15, p. Atlanta Constitution. "Charles F. Palmer Dies Here; Was Public Housing Pioneer." June 19, pp. 2 and 4-A. "Bernard Rothschild, Architect." rothchild.htm. Accessed January 9, Craig, Robert M. The New Georgia Encyclopedia. "FABRAP: Finch, Alexander, Barnes, Rothchild, and Pascal." www.georgiaencyclopedia.org. Accessed April 8, Dunn, John. "Master of Modernisn[sic]." techtopics/spr98/finch.html.

Accessed January 9, PALMER HOUSE APARTMENTS HABS No. GA-2402 (Page 9) Palmer, Charles F. The Battle for Housing: Adventures of a Slum Fighter. Atlanta: Tupper & Love, Roth, Leland M. A Concise History ofAmerican Architecture. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, Walker, Tom. "FABRAP, Rosser White merge." Atlanta Journal Constitution, July 16, p. wikipedia.org/wiki/FABRAP. Accessed April 8, E. Supplemental Material Xerographic copies of Drawings, Sheets 12 and 13, ten pages. Xerographic copy of "Application for Building Permit," dated June 11, On microfilm at the Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, Georgia. Xerographic copy of the Dedication Program, Palmer House, Atlanta, Georgia, January 25, Two pages.

Located in the Palmer House Subject File at the Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, Georgia and at AHA. PART IV. PROJECT INFORMATION The recording of the Palmer House Apartments is a mitigative recording as stipulated in a Memorandum of Agreement dated September 19, Signatories were W. Ray Luce, Georgia State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and J. Ron Larkin, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Renee Glover, Housing Authority of the City of Atlanta, Georgia (AHA), owner of the building, concurred. Bamby Ray, Principal of Ray & Associates, was in charge of the project and prepared the paperwork. Marion Ellis of Ray & Associates wrote the initial Historic Structure Report.

Photographs of the building were prepared by Burke Walker, Burke Walker Historic Preservation Photography, Athens, Georgia. Photograph of the Site Plan was prepared by David Russell, Russell Image Processing, Acworth, Georgia, who also printed the photographs. Ray & Associates 328 7th Street NE Atlanta, Georgia March - September PALMER HOUSE APARTMENTS .g -.. HABS No. GA-2402 (Page Jli!lf \ 0 . . APPUCATION FOR IUILDING . . 6/1U64 If. --- ~ TO ntE INSPfC'rolt Of BUILDINGS: PaMIT P9mi1t ,_ $ t: Sir. I he..a., make -'icotlon for pennlt as~ If - Is 9"llttecl I og19 . . _ . , . . . to al ftl9Ulations and City Ordlnancts "'llUloflno - ~ and 1n _ with p1ans LOCATION 430 'fecmood Driftl II, W, ~ OWNER (ProJect GA AIXJRfSS 124 Run Jaildl ~ BUILDER B. A, 1.ott, Iuc. _,AD!>Rftt P.O. . . Sta, D..

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Pinch Barne -lothschild P cbal A'>OR~--- I9~ I 0 Jll ERECT O REPAIR 0 ALTER 0 MAKE ADDITION TO 0 WOOD FRAME 0 ORDINARY MASONR:' 0 FIREPROOF 0 SEMl FIRE PROOF 0 I-FAMILY llESID9ICE 0 DUPLEX 0 OFFICE 0 FAClORY XfJ APARTMENT 250 WAREHOUSE 0 PRIVATE GAAAGE 0 AUTO STORAGE " z ~ :s 0 RE-ROOF 0 UNPROTECTED MEl'AL ::J STORE D REl"AIR GARAGE 0 RE-SIDE 0 NON CCIM8USTIBL 0 FENCES 0 SERVICE STATION D DEMOLISH 0 HIAVY TIMBER 0 WAUS 0 ACCESSORY BLOG. 0 MOVE ~nu 0 CHURCH D i~ NATURE OF REPAIRS OR ALTERATIONS:-----oOa-a1-lu APVD. Pl.ANS----~~ ~ Av. 4 per PART a FIN.. a NO. STORIEL..~NO. a ATTIC-uNFIN. a NO. UNl~TOTAL SQ. FT. AREA __size OF W4 ground cover - "-- ----day ... Building permits on microfilm at the Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, Georgia PALMER HOUSE APARTMENTS HABS No.

GA-2402 (Page ).W \ \ THE BUILDING: A J..tower 17 fory complex of 250 units , , .. , ~/mer < !-fouse consisting of 49 eHiciencies, 199 1-bedroom units, 1 2 bedroom unit, 1 3-bedroom unit. Located at intersection of T chwood Drive and Porker Streat, alfanla, georgia THE TENANTS: Population - 269 Average age - 70 Average Annual Income - Average Monthly Rental - Welfare Recipients - 23 Socio! Security Pensioners - 204 Other types of retirement income - 88 1anuarp ARCHITECT: Finch, Aleiconder, Barnes, Rothchild & Paschal General Contractor: H. A. Lott, Inc., Houston, Texas FACTS ANO FIGURES: Cost of building and equipment - Cost of land - All utilities furnished, consisting of electricity for lighting, cooking and refrigeration; hot water; hot water 5poce heating .. ..

Coin laundry and drying foci Ii ties on alternate floors . .. Group meeting areas on other ahernote floors. PUBLIC FACILITIES: Mona9ement Orfice - Maintenance Shop. COMMUNITY FACILITIES: A ts and C alts aom Reading <oom . Health Clinic Golden Age Room Program Director's Office . Auditorium ond Community Kitchen Gorden Terrace with sitting 01'eas, game spaee. A low rent Public Housing Project erected and owned by

Atlanta Housing Authority

Outside fold of the Dedication Program. The Dedication program is in the possession of AHA and the Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, Georgia. PALMER HOUSE APARTMENTS HABS No. GA-2402 (Page~ l program Invocation Fred R. Stair, Jr. Minister Central Presbyterian Church WelcomE> .. f,'dwi11 L. Strrne Chairman Atlanta Houi:;ing Authority Introduction of Speaker .,. l/m1oraldc foan A Urn, Jr. Mayor of Atlanta Dedicatory Address and Plaque Unveiling . Anna Roo.<>r11rlt lfol.<>te1{ ].,me.~ A.) Music .. Third Army Band J nomt J. Cilli.~. Oircclor }ume:r. I/rims, Soloist Benediction Rr1 errnd R. Stair, Jr. -

Open House

Tour of the building conducted by Senior Citizens Services, Inc. under the direction of Carolyn French, Program Director Third US Anny Band will present 30-minute program of patriotic music prior to dedication. Erlc.Guater, De lKntit - Jame Wau, Sculrtor Inside fold of the Dedication Program. The Dedication Program is in the possession of AHA and the Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, Georgia.