Photos: Underground Atlanta through the years

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Photos: Underground Atlanta through the years

Underground Atlanta, the famous shopping mall in the heart of downtown Atlanta, has seen the city through many historical events.

Underground Atlanta is the famous shopping mall in the heart of downtown Atlanta. It is both at-times revered and reviled, and has been at the core of the city's most famous historical episodes, from Freaknik to New Year's Eve to Black Lives Matter protests.

Atlanta, Ga - Looking west toward the Broad Street bridge. Late 19th century photo. Current site at the end of the 20th century is the location of Underground Atlanta.

Atlanta, Ga - Early 20th century photo, circa 1915, of the Whitehall St. (now Peachtree St.) viaduct. Lower level along train tracks is now Underground Atlanta. The old Atlanta Journal newspaper building can be seen in the background.

1939 - Atlanta, Ga - Looking down the railroad tracks before the construction of a building above the tracks at the Whitehall Street Viaduct. From to back, the bridges are Broad, Whitehall, Pryor, Central Avenue and Washington viaducts. Area is currently the site of the Five Points MARTA Station and Underground Atlanta.

March 1969 -- A streetcar is moved to Underground Atlanta in preparation for the Dogwood Festival. On April 8, 1969, Underground was officially opened. Development of the project started in 1967 and construcction began in November 1968.

1974 -- With other metro areas relaxing their restrictions on alcohol consumption in the early '70s, Underground faced competition as Atlanta's nightlife hub and its clientele became less high-end.

1975 -- Old-style gas lights flicker on a street in Underground Atlanta. During its most profitable year, 1972, Underground Atlanta boasted 3.5 million visitors and $17 million in sales.

1979 -- Although patrons still visited Underground Atlanta by the end of the '70s, the shine had worn off the downtown attraction as crime raged and the area was considered dangerous. After being closed in 1980, Underground Atlanta was abandoned in 1982.

1978 -- Former Georgia governor Lester Maddox, one of the state's most controversial figures, ran a souvenir store in Underground.

Dante's Down the Hatch, restaurant and bar in Underground Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, 1980s.

Man eating tacos on upper floor of Underground Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, 1980s.

Dante's Down the Hatch, restaurant and bar in Underground Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, September 9, 1981.

Dec. 14, 1982 - Atlanta, Ga.: The railroad gulch between the Marta Five Points Station and Pryor St., look toward Pryor. This location is currently site of Underground Atlanta.

November 1987 -- Then-Mayor Andrew Young arrives for the celebration ceremony of phase two for Underground Atlanta. Upon taking office in 1982, Young vowed to re-open Underground. In June 1989, Underground re-opened to major fanfare in a new guise as a combination shopping mall / nightlife district. But as the '90s wore on and the 2000s dawned, Underground still found itself struggling to draw visitors and produce revenue.

African American college students outside of Underground Atlanta during Freaknik, Atlanta, Georgia, April 23, 1994.

Cheerleaders hype up the crowd and lead a pep rally in support of the Olympic bid in Underground Atlanta, July 4, 1990.

Crowd gathers for a pep rally for the city's Olympic bid on July 4, 1990.

Marching band performs at an Olympic pep rally in Underground Atlanta, July 4, 1990.

Kirby Freeman, promotional assistant at Underground Atlanta, helps take the plastic cover off the peach that will be lowered at midnight on December 31, 1989 to ring in the New Year.

Crowds line up outsidce the Speedo store at Underground Atlanta on Saturday afternoon, August 3, 1996 for Speedo's clearance sale of Olympic items at the Olympic stadium during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

Aerials over Atlanta on Jan. 12, 1999. Peachtree St. looking from downtown to Midtown.

After the Rich's department store building closed in 1991, the tree moved to Underground Atlanta.

Despite strong name recognition stemming from the original destination, attempts at resurrecting the downtown shopping and eating complex have fallen flat. But new plans for redevelopment also mark Underground as potential game-changer.

Darius McKinney kisses Danielle Washington, both of Atlanta, as 2015 arrives with the Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta on Wednesday, December 31, 2014. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

The crowd begins to build early night to get their spots at Underground Atlanta for Peach Drop 2014 in downtown Atlanta on Wednesday, December 31, 2014. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Invest Atlanta on Thursday signed off on the sale of Underground Atlanta to South Carolina-based WRS Real Estate Investments. The company offered a glimpse of its vision for the site in this rendering.

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Underground Atlanta is the famous shopping mall in the heart of downtown Atlanta. It is both at-times revered and reviled, and has been at the core of the city's most famous historical episodes, from Freaknik to New Year's Eve to Black Lives Matter protests.

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