Saturday, August 31, 2013

Cutting the Crum: Partial Demolition of the Crum and Forster Building (1928) is underway

I don't know how long this will take so you'd better get over there. See the map below.

UPDATE: They will begin demolition with the big machines Sunday at 10am, September 1, 2013.

There is plenty of  "story" behind all this. The short of is here: "Advocacy Was Successful But Recourse Has Sealed the Fate Crum & Forster" documentation from the Atlanta Preservation about efforts to save the building intact.


They've almost completed the cuts.

IMG_4310-2013-08-29-Crum-and-Forster-demolition-south-facade-pediment-volute
This the south side, the service side of the building, west to the left, east to the right. The left part stays.

P1070916-2011-02-21-Crum-and-Forster-West-Facde-in-Sun
The front door faces west, fronts Spring Street. They'll save this part.

IMG_4308-2013-08-29-Crum-and-Forster-demolition-roof-tile-detail
They are salvaging the roof tile.

IMG_4318-2013-08-29-Crum-and-Forster-demolition-roof-tile-removed-and-stacked-detail
I presume this is Ludowici roof tile but probably not made in Ludowici, Georgia. Maybe they'll use it in a new building on this property.

IMG_4309-2013-08-29-Crum-and-Forster-demolition-south-facade-fake-windows-volute-bracket
While it was abandoned, they put up these fake widows. It helped keep squatters out, reduced the fire risk. From a distance it was a good look. Up close it seemed an odd optical illusion.

IMG_4317-2013-08-29-Crum-and-Forster-demolition--peak-inside-drop-ceiling
The interiors might have been impressive in 1928.

IMG_4330-2013-08-29-Crum-and-Forster-demolition-north-east-corner-fascia-and-soffit-removed-detail-flemish-bond
They are removing soffit and fascia. You don't realize how important it is to the design until it's gone. Flemish bond brick work faces the street.

IMG_4332-2013-08-29-Crum-and-Forster-demolition-north-east-corner-fascia-and-soffit-detail-detail
How they built it. Looks like bird nest territory.

IMG_4322-2013-08-29-Crum-and-Forster-demolition-cutting-with-big-saw-detail
They've got some big saws. The right stays, the left goes.

IMG_4324-2013-08-29-Crum-and-Forster-demolition-cutting-with-big-saw-peak-inside-shoring-up-west-section
They are protecting the right side, the part they are saving. They'll saw through everything inside and out.

IMG_4338-2013-08-29-Crum-and-Forster-demolition-cutting-with-big-saw-on-2nd-floor
They've completed this cut as of today.

Go see, you should always go the wake.


View Larger Map


IMG_4341-2013-08-29-Crum-and-Forster-demolition-front-door-metal-work 
Make sure to see the front door.

5 comments:

  1. Torn on this (pun intended). Obviously losing the full architectural intention isn't ideal, but it'll be nice to have this block join the rest of Tech Square's vibrancy. I'll leave final judgement until the new building's complete.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It could have become quite vibrant as the free-standing building it was, if Georgia Tech had actually done something with it. The architecture of the building is not what wasn't vibrant. It was the imagination of the Georgia Tech Foundation that lacked vibrancy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Terry, thank you for posting these photos.

    ReplyDelete

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