APC Comment Letter in Concern to Demolition of Friendship Baptist Church

May 8, 2014

Via Electronic Mail:  media@gwcc.com

Georgia World Congress Center

Attn:  Administration/EER

285 Andrew Young International Blvd., NW

Atlanta, GA 30313-1591

Re:  Comments on demolition of Friendship Baptist Church

To Whom It May Concern:

The Atlanta Preservation Center is writing to express its concern over the fate of the historic Friendship Baptist Church.  As this very significant historic resource is now the property of the State of Georgia, it is our feeling that the State has a responsibility for the building’s preservation.  Friendship Baptist Church was listed on the National Register in 1976 as a contributing property to the Atlanta University Center District as detailed in a report by New South Associates.  The significant history of this property is well known.  Community support for the preservation of this building has been demonstrated.  The Atlanta Preservation Center urges you to consider alterations in planning to include the survival and adaptive reuse of this historic building.  The design of the new stadium complex would be much enriched by inclusion of historic Friendship Baptist Church, which would give context to the new project.

We appreciate your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

F. H. Boyd Coons

Executive Director

Cc:  Kyle Kessler, via email

Kevin Duvall, Chief Operating Officer, GWCC, via email

Frank Smith, Deputy Executive Director, State Properties Commission, via email