City Hall East's past

Metro Atlanta

City Hall East's past

City Hall East was the former Sears Roebuck & Co., which was built in 1920's. It opened for business August 1926, with 60,000 square feet of retail space.

City Hall East was built nearly a century ago (The photo is from 1953). But, the the municipal center has been run down and is in need of repairs. It will get a new life in part because of its prime location. The massive structure, however, will turn into a 2-milllion-square-foot retail, condo and performance center.

A piazza would be the main entrance to Ponce Park on North Avenue, where people could walk, sit and visit shops.

City Hall East was the former Sears Roebuck & Co., which was built in 1920's. It opened for business August 1926, with 60,000 square feet of retail space.

Sears closed in 1989. Three years later, the City of Atlanta purchased the building from Sears for $12 million, converting it into a center for city offices. Developer Emory Morsberger, who will redo the building, is walking on a staircae.*

The city renamed the building City Hall East and invested $10 million in renovations. Yet, the structure proved unsuitable for city services. This is a photo of the antique air system that was installed nearly a century ago.

By 2005, the building emerged as a prime site along the proposed Beltline transit and development corridor looping around Atlanta's central core. This is a photo of its parking garage.

The development firm of Ponce Park LLC., headed by developer Emory Morsberger, was selected to redevelop the site for $33 million. Take a look at abandoned sinks in the water tower.

This is one of the water tanks for a sprinkler system, inside the water tower structure.

This used to be a cubicle where orders were packaged and distributed for Sears.

Peeling paint on the ceiling reveals its condition.

This rendering shows what the redeveloped City Hall East, called Ponce Park, and Ponce Park South might look like in several years. The proposed Beltline is immediately east of the buildings. Between them runs North Avenue. To the north of Ponce Park is Ponce de Leon Avenue. A 14-story tower (top center) might be built next to the rail line.

President of Jamestown Properties, Matt Bronfman reveals Ponce City Market redevelopment project during a rooftop ceremony at City Hall East Monday, July 11, 2011.

Jamestown Properties assumes ownership of City Hall East, reveals Ponce City Market redevelopment project during a rooftop ceremony Monday, July 11, 2011. It plans to restore the 2.1 million square-foot property as a mixed-used development. Jamestown purchased the property from the City of Atlanta through the Atlanta Development Authority for $27 million, including an initial $15.5 million payment closing.

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City Hall East was built nearly a century ago (The photo is from 1953). But, the the municipal center has been run down and is in need of repairs. It will get a new life in part because of its prime location. The massive structure, however, will turn into a 2-milllion-square-foot retail, condo and performance center.

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