Midtown Atlanta's Egleston Hall named a 'place in peril'

Battle to save historic Midtown church hall

The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation lists Midtown's Egleston Hall as a site in peril as All Saints’ Episcopal Church considers demolition of the 108-year-old landmark.

ATLANTA - The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation is fighting to save a century-old Midtown church building that historians say is at risk of being demolished.

Midtown's historic Egleston Hall faces demolition

What we know:

The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation has officially placed Egleston Hall, located at All Saints Episcopal Church on West Peachtree Street, on its Places in Peril list. Built 108 years ago, the Gothic Revival style sanctuary is one of the few remaining Akron Plan buildings in Atlanta.

Church leaders are currently considering a massive renovation of the property. Wright Mitchell, president of the Georgia Trust, says the building is under an "imminent demolition threat" as development continues to reshape the Midtown block.

What we don't know:

While the building has been flagged as being at risk, there is no clear timeline for when a potential demolition would begin. It is also unclear if church leaders will adjust renovation plans to preserve the historic hall following its placement on the peril list.

Century-old sanctuary hosted music and civil rights legends

The backstory:

Egleston Hall served as more than just a place of worship for the last century. During its history, it functioned as a community gathering spot and a recording studio. Famous acts, including the Carter Family and Blind Willie McTell, performed and recorded within its walls.

In the 1960s, the building also served as a meeting place for prominent civil rights leaders. Mitchell notes that as high-rise buildings continue to go up around the city, the "historic fabric" of Atlanta is being lost.

What they're saying:

"This is the kind of built environment of Atlanta, the historic fabric of Atlanta," Wright Mitchell said. "And once you lose these buildings, you lose the ability to tell the story of all the great things that happened in these buildings."

Mitchell emphasized the rarity of the site, noting, "If you look around, you can see that, you know, Eggleston Hall and All Saints is one of the remaining, only remaining historic buildings on this block."

Big picture view:

Egleston Hall was the only building in Atlanta identified as being at risk by the Georgia Trust in its latest report. Historians argue that without the preservation of such sites, the city stands to lose its unique identity to modern development.