Atlanta, GA

Originally constructed in 1927, this former Atlanta home of the eponymous insurance agency had been repurposed a number of times and survived a partial demolition before its current return to office use.

The existing historic exterior was cleaned and repainted, including the restoration of the building’s signature cast iron entry chandelier. A new exterior egress stair was added—located behind the historic building to reduce visual impact, it uses existing openings and anchors through mortar joints in order to disturb the least amount of historic fabric and allow easy removal if future use changes again.

The building has been made accessible via a new entry and bridge connection to the neighboring CODA building plaza, as well as the addition of a new elevator. The interior common spaces were repaired and restored including the original plaster walls, terrazzo, and marble floors of the lobbies and interior stair, and new code-compliant restrooms were added. The remainder of the spaces were modernized for future office use including all-new building systems.

Photo Credits: Scott Chester, Super Crispy