Atlanta's endangered properties: Brookwood Station

Atlanta's endangered properties: Brookwood Station
July 13, 2011
Rhetta Akamatsu
Examiner.com

In its early days, Atlanta was briefly called Terminus, because it was the southeastern terminus for the Western and Atlantic Railroad. The history of the city is entwined with railroads and trains. But now, only one historic station remains in operation as a station, and that is Brookwood, in Buckhead. And as Amtrak has submitted plans to move its operations to Atlantic Station, the future of this historic building is unknown.

The station was built in 1918 by Neel Reid, a well-known Atlanta architect of the time. IN 1996, it was renovated for the Olympics, but the original marble floors, globe lights and wooden benches, as well as the Georgian facade, were unchanged. A new elevator, air conditioning, and ramps for the disabled were added, but the buidling's appearance remains much the same as it was and continues to capture the allure of railroad travel at its height.

Surely, if Amtrak does move operations, the building will find a commercial or civic use, but so many historic buildings have been demolished or allowed to fall into decay. The Atlanta Preservation Center listed it as endangered. My hope is that this series of articles will make everyone who reads them aware of these properties, and that we will all keep a watchful eye on them and help do what it takes to make sure that they are not lost to us.