Enjoy Driving Slow on Ponce - Former Atlanta Highlands Church of Christ

When I'm driving Ponce de Leon these days, I'm going slow, I'm people watching, I'm architecture touring. You too?

Ponce is now a destination rather than a place you just want to get through, a good thing I think. This is how to enjoy your slow Ponce drives.

On Monday night this church conversion caught my eye so I stopped for some pictures. It's the  former Atlanta Highlands Church of Christ at 985 Ponce de Leon. Though I've seen it a thousand times, I liked it Monday night.



It's a condo conversion across the street from the Ponce Library.  See the curvy track lights through the left window? Can you imagine this as the balcony lobby?



I don't know anything about the church, whether it still exists, the building, or the condo conversion but I'd like to.



If Atlanta had a church street, it would be Ponce Leon. Within two blocks are Druid Hills Presbyterian, Druid Hills Baptist, and Druid Hills Methodist. And 18 more churches between the Varsity and Decatur.



Lot's of classical ideas here. Engaged portico with open pediment and giant order columns in antes, lancet windows. Dutch Bond brick pattern.



Got Gothic arches.



Capstone on the shoulders.



Think there was stained glass?



Pretty nice.



Notice the cottage court behind on Blue Ridge on the west wall of Publix?

This is how to enjoy your slow Ponce drives.

My Ponce City Market Tour Report

I still have a crush. I've been partial to the old Sears building on Ponce since 1968. But I haven't had much hope for it. I didn't want to get too attached to a developer's plan. Know what I mean? Kind of like a daughter's boyfriend: if it doesn't work out, you'll never see him again.

But maybe, Ponce City Market isn't impossible after all. That's what I'm thinking after my tour yesterday.


Every architecture tourist will want to tour Ponce City Market. So follow them on Facebook and on Twitter @poncecitymarket, and keep your eye peeled for the next tour.

You have to see if for yourself. It's big. My little camera was so intimidated it wanted to stay in my pocket.


We signed the waiver, donned hardhats, had some snacks and beverages, and headed to the model. From there Jim Irwin led our tour. He's Vice President of Development for Jamestown Properties. He's an Atlantan, charged with getting it done, and he's in love with the place too.


We headed down the ramp. It was like walking towards a mountain.


This part is from 1926. I don't know what to tell you about inside except that there is a lot of "inside" inside. Sears operated out of here until 1989. Spaces like this will become offices and retail.


We went on the roof. I want to live on the roof.


Changed my mind, I want to live in the tower.


It's an Atlanta landmark. I never dreamed I'd get close enough to see these details.


I didn't know there were swags!


Towards the south, looking snappy in matching hardhats.


Over there: condos. They are restoring the metal windows and installing new glass, 10's of thousands of window panes.


This is where Ponce City Market meets the Atlanta BeltLine. If all goes to plan, you'll be able to ride your bike from the BeltLne right into the building and take a shower.


From the Beltline you can see the tile medallions on the Ford Factory Lofts.


We ended where we started at the new @PonceCityGoats patio for more free snacks and beverages. We needed it. We'd covered a lot of ground.

Thanks to everyone for the tour.


Thanks to tour buddies Todd @tdominey, Me @terrykearns, Chris @guerciotti Anna @PonceCityMarket.

@nfreader and @feldhaus were there too and tweeted some pictures, wish I'd met them - next time.

Thanks to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

Candler Mansion repurposed - St.John Chrysostom Melkite Church Atlanta

This is Asa Candler's 1916 Mansion on Ponce. It's been a church since 1957 - the St.John Chrysostom Melkite Church.

This is my 6th of 23 in my project to visit and blog all the churches on Ponce de Leon.


This was the home of one of the most important men in Atlanta. In 1887 Asa Candler bought the formula for Coca Cola from its inventor John Pemberton. Mr. Candler did well with it. This was his home from 1916 until his death in 1929.


Today it works very well as church. It's one of the "church-mansions" on Ponce de Leon.


I toured it last Sunday during their annual Middle East Food Festival. I suggest you put it on your calendar for next May. One visit is not enough. I'll be there.


The Druid Hill section of Ponce de Leon is lined with mansions but this one stands out, less because of size, more because of its style and siting on a 2 acre hill top.


I enjoyed the view from the portico.


The church installed the stained glass and there is plenty of it.


Not over the top.


But not modest.


Important.


Between the portico and porte-cochere I was a happy architecture tourist.

I can only give hints at the inside.


This is the porte-cochere foyer ceiling.


The ceiling of the foyer now the narthex.


This door leads from the narthex to the nave.


The ceiling of the music room. "This music room is now a 'Para Ecclesia' or Chapel." It's a knock-out.


The ceiling of the library, now a heritage room and gift shop.


I don't have words for the nave...


...or the ceiling.


This grand sunken party room is now a church steeped in iconography, the damaged marble now covered in new wood floors and pews, the wall hung with iconographic paintings and stained glass. I'd seen pictures but...


The Holy Alter is in the former dining room.


I think these are drawings are for restoration.

I've shown you almost nothing.

All 96 years from home to abandonment to boarding house to church are still in here. I hope I've encouraged a few of you to have a look.


This is just one of the churches on Ponce.


Drive carefully while you are touring.

We tour the Troy Peerless Lofts and art show.

With this post I'm joining Fifi Flowers' Fashionable Friday because what's more fashionable than a Friday night art show in an Atlanta loft building.

When someone invites your architecture tourists to a combination loft tour / artists show with free stuff food, it's the perfect storm. And it's a very nice Friday evening in Atlanta. If you are already tired of reading this, just skip the bottom to see the slide show featuring the building, the lofts and the art.

Our friend Jerry Miller and his partners help turn derelict in-town Atlanta buildings and neighborhoods into places that attract folks back to in-town Atlanta. One of those areas, the northern most block of Glen Iris Drive, was home to scary, derelict buildings (with a cool hardware store). Thanks to Jerry, the block is now home to people in 3 new condo buildings, the rehabilitated 1929 Troy Peerless Building (and Cactus Car Wash). What a great town.

The 1929 Troy Peerless Building by Architect: Issac Moskowitz, is now the Troy Peerless Lofts. In those days you could expect art deco details on a commercial laundry.

It's a serious hard loft with breathtaking space and sawtooth skylights

Artists:

Nabil Mousa nabil@nabilmousa.com

Vanessa Reilly vanessa@vanessareilly.com

Vickie Martin vickiemartinarts@comcast.net http://www.vickiemartinarts.blogspot.com/

Colton Brown coltonbrown@mac.com

Jef Bredemeier jefbredemeier@gmail.com

Terry Owens terry.owens@earthlink.net

Make the show full screen.