They took down the Stop Work Order. I'll bet demolition will continue on Wednesday, January 2. See "Permit? I Thought YOU Got the Permit" from December 29, 2102.
The order said: "NO PERMIT + PLANS NO PRE CONSTRUCTION MEETING" 12-28-12, Friday
There is no demolition permit for 109 Seventh Street, the address of the J. A. McCord Apartment.
But there is a permit issued 2012-12-17 for 867 PEACHTREE, the address of the Starbucks next door that fronts Peachtree. Maybe the lots have been bundled already, if that's the term. You can see the permit online: Record BB-201202081 Commercial Demolition 867 PEACHTREE, summarized:
DEMOLISH COMMERCIAL BUILDING DEMOLISH AND REMOVE (2) BUILDINGS FROM SITE ALL COMPONENTS (THREE STORY BRICK W/BASEMENT-EXISTING 6-UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING)-RESIDENTIAL
Stop work orders are common. In my neighborhood a contractor can go to court for leaving too many dirt clods on the street. They keep their eye peeled for little white pickups with a city logo. But I think the contractors on this demolition are too experienced to make this mistake.
This demolition has been going on for 10 days.
The sign was there from the beginning, December 18. I mean from the beginning of the end.
There are done now and this is what we got. View east on Ponce de Leon.
I'm not going to rehash all the controversy but you can rehash all you want. View south on Juniper.
Not every angle of the old Gulf Building was magnificent; not everybody loved it.
The developers saved the marble and built an homage to the old building and put the pool on top. Bathers will have a great view of the Midtown skyline. View west on Ponce de Leon.
I was most concerned about St. Paul's Presbyterian, a one-of-a-kind that I fear is a white elephant for which which we must hope. I don't think "131" leveraged St. Paul's beauty though. The block looks like a mess from this angle too.
They scraped off the Gulf Oil Building, a former office furniture store, and parking lots, a little more than 2.5 acres. View east from the top of the Ponce Apartments.
I give credit for building on one of our most road-isolated blocks. Juniper (bottom of picture, one-way right) has five one-way lanes south, Piedmont (bottom of picture, one-way left) has four one-way lanes north. Six lanes each on North and Ponce de Leon. It's busy and fast on these streets.
I walked counter-clockwise starting at Ponce then south on Juniper.
The Gulf Oil Building gave Juniper a cold shoulder. View south on Juniper.
The Juniper side felt comfortable to me, from here it seemed like an apartment building. I felt safely buffered by a green strip and protected by a row of poles and trees. I wasn't expecting comfort. Walking here has never been so good. View south on Juniper.
Emory's new Proton Therapy Building (the beached white whale) is a lot less inviting. View Northwest from North Avenue.
From the corner of North and Juniper I could see the whole new composition without the Pei homage or the church. It's what I imagine the Khumbu Icefall on Everest looks like. My eye couldn't get a grip on it but I did see balconies. View east on North Avenue.
The North Avenue Side.
Here's the view from North and Piedmont. My eye didn't get it except for the balconies.
It kind of woks as the foot hills protecting Peachtree Ridge and the Midtown skyscrapers. You might think of it as a fortified line. This could be the most picturesque building on Ponce between North Avenue Presbyterian and Highland School Lofts. View west on North Avenue.
The Ivy Hall Apartments on the right are a bit more traditional.
I'm most interested in the Church, in making sure it survives. I hoped the new apartment would leverage it, compliment it.
I'm not sure it does.
It needs help.
The green corner makes a difference. Go have a look.
Georgia Tech has bought (or were gifted, I'm not sure how it worked) and renovated the Historic Academy of Medicine at Georgia Tech and offers it as an event facility. That is a very fine thing for architecture tourists and for everyone else.
In 1968 all I knew is that it was a classy building with a front yard on West Peachtree. I lived across the street from the Academy of Medicine (1941) my senior year at Tech. I saw it every single day. I hadn't the slightest idea what they did in there or what it looked like inside.
I was fortunate to attend the grand re-opening on December 15, 2011 and took a few pictures.
This is a per-renovation picture.
Event planning staff and volunteers from Tech showed us around.
I think the "sparkling clarity" is back. Don't you? Who managed the restoration? I hope to find out.
The clerestory windows from outside. "...square tower containing coffered semicircular skylights."
I don't know my terms. Aren't these Acroteria?
The entrance hall / foyer / rotunda is uncanny. It feels colossal yet cozy, grand but comfortable, elaborate but reserved. To me a great place can impress without making me feel small.
A little panorama from the rotunda. Eyes up yet again.
The auditorium is to the east, nice place for a wedding.
Columns in antis frame the stage.
From the stage looking towards the rotunda.
Detail of the mirrored sconces and wallpaper in the auditorium. Do you suppose Shutze designed these?
I'm looking across the rotunda towards the north wing and north entrance. There is a library down there, a good place for the bridesmaids to hang out, also a parlor for the bride.
The north entrance from the outside. It rocks.
I'm standing in the library, looking across the hall into the parlor.
Panorama of the library with its fine furnishings. Not a spec of dust.
The stair is in the north wing too. It delighted every glance.
It's just a few steps from the rotunda yet seems part of an immense space.
It's u-shaped with curves galore.
Downstairs is a bit more modest with meeting rooms. Ample space for the groom's party and more. Look in the mirror.
The south wing is a large hall, suitable for the wedding reception and dance. It has this bodacious highly-modeled painting. My other pictures didn't come out very well.
Do you recognize the artist? We don't know.
How about a few outside pictures.
The portico overlooks the only lawn on West Peachtree.
Severe detailing.
Right now you can see the Cavalia tent framed by Midtown highrises.
The north side has a sunken patio for the reception spillover.
It's enclosed with a view of the midtown skyline.
The north entrance again, the parlor is on the right, the library on the left.
The entrance to the rusticated terrace level has plenty of charm.
The auditorium bumps out of the east facade.
The back door with the transom would enter the stage.
Stairs and a ramp lead to the sunken patio.
Now that I've convinced you, I hope you'll invite me to the wedding.
