Life of Georgia Building Not So Lively, To Be Demolished

Today the AJC reports that yet another historic Atlanta building is in danger of being razed.

Let’s ignore, for a moment, the irony concerning the destruction of the “Life of Georgia” building.  Really, Atlanta?  Again?  Can we just keep something?  Please?

Jim Auchmutey (who is a very nice man) writes:

Emory Crawford Long Hospital plans to demolish the 78-year-old Life of Georgia building, at West Peachtree Street and Linden Avenue, to make way for a medical complex scheduled to open in 2013.

The Atlanta Preservation Center is already on the case, and you can sign their petition here, if you’re so inclined.  And, by the way, you totally should be.

For one, the Life of Georgia building (also known as the Industrial Life and Health Insurance Co. building) is made of Indiana limestone.  That stuff’s very pretty, in case you were wondering.  Perhaps I am biased, having gone to a pretty college made of said pretty limestone.

For two, why do hospitals in Atlanta (or anywhere, really) have such spotty records when it comes to creating new facilities that so often detract from the environment around them?

I’m sure the insides are top o’ the line.  But in terms of design, it’s like they’re trying to rend the urban fabric and kill any semblance of connectivity or pedestrian inclusion.  Keeping this building would buck the trend, for sure.

So hey.  We can do better than this. Preservation may be expensive now, but tearing down this building will be much more costly in the future.

h/t: Atlanta Intown’s In the Loop, from a while back

Related:

• Life of Georgia Photo Album on Flickr

• Life of Georgia Photos on Atlanta Time Machine

• Atlanta Preservation Center