Atlanta History Center opens 33-acre campus to neighbors’ use; gains approval of special use permit

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The Atlanta HistoryCenter intends to tear down the fence barricades to create an open 33-acre campus environment, sothat neighbors can walk on the grounds and use it anytime free of charge whilealso expanding its present physical facilities and offerings.

Above is the site plan presented to NPU-B by the Atlanta History Center,
which shows present facilities and future planned development. The grey
elements presently exist or were approved in previous site plans. The
green areas were those presented for amendment to the site plan, with
striped green indicating possible future development. 

It is all part of theHistory Center’s new 20-year master plan, for which the premier Buckheadcultural organization sought approval of an amendment to its development planbefore Neighborhood Planning Unit-B for a special use permit for a “communitycenter.”
Representatives for theHistory Center, who explained the present and projected future expansion plans,received unanimous approval from the NPU-B Zoning and Development &Transportation committees on Oct. 30 and again by the full NPU-B board onTuesday, Nov. 6.

History Center President
and CEO Sheffield Hale

What the History Centerrepresentatives explained to the NPU-B committees Oct. 30 was that this is an“attempt to make the History Center and its grounds more appealing to allpeople in a family.”
Among the new elementsbeing added to the site plan, along with a new façade and expanded exhibitspace to the main building, will be “a rope course, a historic cabin, achildren’s area and underground parking.
NPU-B chair Sally Silverpraised the work of the History Center’s new President and CEO  Sheffield Hale and his staff and lauded thequality of the center and its 33-acres of green space in the heart of Buckhead,at 130 West Paces Ferry Road.
NPU-B Zoning Committeechair Bill Murray thanked Hale and the other the representatives of the HistoryCenter “for being a true gem in Buckhead.”

The above rendering was part of the winning presentation
in the design competition held last year by the center and
shows a potential new facade for the main building.  Photo
below shows planned addition to the existing main History
Center building in brown., including a new facade. 

What the History Centerrepresentatives announced they already have begun to do is to remove thechain-link fencing along West Paces Ferry Road and other parts of the center’sproperty borders and replace it with landscaping with a series of easy accesspoints onto the property.
Access to the groundswill be free and easy, while access to the exhibits within the History Center will stillrequire purchasing tickets for admission.
The NPU-B committeemembers were presented with a proposed development site plan for the center,which included the addition of the underground parking area, children’s area,the rope course, new historic cabin and proposed additions to the presentmuseum building over the next few years, as well as a completely new façade onthe existing center building and entranceway. 
The history center has selected an architectural firm to work with improvements to the center that are part of the present $27.4 million capital campaign being spearheaded by Hale.   

Jackson Mc/Quigg, vice president of properties for the History Center, attended Tuesday night's NPU-B board meeting in case there were questions that came up. 

BuckheadView asked him when when work would begin on the center's new facade. He said when the capital campaign goal is reached--hopefully in early 2014--because it more than just the facade, it is a major renovation of the existing main building that is involved.  
Oct. 30 marked the firsttime the Zoning and Development & Transportation committees of NPU-B had ajoint meeting. The two committees are now scheduled to meet jointly on the lastTuesday of every month.