Preservation Online: Preservation 911

From Preservation Online, the online magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

www.preservationonline.org

Old Atlanta at Risk

Readers seek help for preservation emergencies / Feb. 11, 2003

Dear Preservation 911,

In recent years, the city of Atlanta has been striving to reestablish their downtown. I work in a firm that has contributed to a great deal of that. It has been a struggle, but I believed that downtown Atlanta was on the rise.

That just might not be the case. I recently heard that the downtown Macy's department store will be closing its doors in April. This store is so recognized by tourists and by the people that live here, especially for all who live and work downtown.

I come from Alabama, and I moved to Atlanta almost eight years ago. I had visited the city throughout my life prior to moving here because my father had grown up here. Because of that, I have watched the city grow and change in good ways and bad.

When I used to visit the city with my family, we would always come to the downtown Macy's to visit my grandmother, who worked there for many years. It was called Davidson's then, and it had a different name before that. I remember walking into the store and thinking how glamorous it was because of the huge chandeliers, gold, and marble. It was gorgeous!

Since I have been working downtown, I have noticed that the store windows are frumpy and not as appealing as I remember them. And the inside is somewhat of a disappointment too: The chandeliers and marble are still there, but the store lacks the elegance that it once had. I believe that is due to the fact that no one cares anymore, which is why it will be closed.

Well, I do. If downtown Atlanta loses its Macy's, I fear what will come. I think it will hurt the development and revitalization of downtown that so many people have worked so hard to regain.

I wanted to express my concern. I don't know if anything can be done. If anyone has ideas or opinions, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Ashley Adams
Atlanta, Georgia

E-mail the writer with advice, comments, or commiseration.

Got a 911 in your town? Send us an e-mail.

Preservation 911 is a message board open to all readers. While National Trust staff will respond to the extent feasible, this will not be possible in all cases. We encourage other readers involved in state or local preservation to respond with advice or assistance. To contact either a regional office of the National Trust, a statewide or local nonprofit organization, or your state's historic preservation office, click here for a state-by-state list.

The National Trust's regional and field offices bring the programs and tools of the Trust to communities across the country. They offer technical assistance through consultations and field visits and financial help through small grants. They hold educational programs for professional preservationists and work to foster policies that help historic places. They also provide leadership on issues that concern entire regions, such as saving historic schools, fighting sprawl, and revitalizing cities.