Advocacy and education to promote the preservation of Atlanta’s architecturally, historically and culturally significant buildings, neighborhoods and landscapes.

The phoenix is a mythical, flying creature that is born from the ashes of its own incineration. Like this powerful creature, so too was Atlanta reborn from her ashes. The phoenix has been a part of Atlanta’s seal and has served as her symbol since 1887. In creating a celebration of Atlanta’s living historic fabric, The Atlanta Preservation Center again looked to this magical creature.

The 2012 The Phoenix Flies: A City-Wide Celebration was an undeniable success. The Atlanta Preservation Center’s annual 16-day celebration presented 170 free events at more than 75 sites of historic and cultural significance throughout Atlanta. These events presented by the APC and 60 Preservation Partners included walking tours, guided tours, bicycle tours, literary readings, exhibitions, music recitals and a dance performance. Attendance to this year’s events was excellent. More than 50% of the events were attended at full capacity. There were ten new Preservation Partners.

The focus on adaptive reuse as a means of preservation brought a new Preservation Partner and a celebration of an ongoing Preservation Partner. Jamestown Properties was a new Preservation Partner for 2011 and presented four tours at two sites White Provision, a very successful example of adaptive reuse and Ponce City Market which is the most exciting adaptive reuse project currently under way in Atlanta. In 2011, the Marianna and the Wrecking Bar Brewpub were in the middle of heavy construction and restoration this year guests were treated to the results of all of that hard work.

The focus on the use of visual and performing arts to highlight preservation was fruitful. The APC commissioned the very well received, Object Permanence performed by Full Radius Dance at White Provision. Events presented in conjunction with The Future is Behind Us, a photography exhibit at the LP Grant Mansion presented in partnership with WonderRoot, were well attended and the show was reviewed by Jerry Cullum, a significant long-time voice in Atlanta’s visual arts community. Historic South-View Preservation Foundation, a steadfast Preservation Partner, created the South-View Anthology: A Literary Walking Tour which gave a unique understanding of its residents. The Atlanta Chapter of the American Guild of Organists presented a very successful organ “crawl” at three Downtown churches, Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Central Presbyterian and Trinity United Methodist. Each organist gave a brief history of the church and then played selections that highlighted the instrument’s unique features, the time period of the instrument and/or the church. The last stop, Trinity, included a tour of the inside of the 100 year old instrument.

Phoenix Flies received wonderful coverage in both print and broadcast media. There were feature articles in Atlanta Intown and Creative Loafing and minor articles in the Atlanta Business Chronicle and Atlanta NOW. Phoenix Flies received coverage from WSB-TV and WABE. Through the generosity of Trustee Penny Hart and George Hart and the folks at WMLB AM1690, Phoenix Flies made its first foray into radio advertising. This successful experiment included 60 second ads, live liners by radio hosts and an interview on Midday Mix hosted by Scott Glazer with Boyd Coons, APC Executive Director and Carolyn Stine McLaughlin, APC Events Coordinator.

Financial support of this year’s celebration was unprecedented. Nearly 70% of the costs associated with producing the program were covered by sponsorships, grants and in-kind donations. APC is very thankful for this support from the Murphy Foundation, the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Georgia Council for the Arts, the Georgia Humanities Council, the City of Atlanta, Office of Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, Lampe-Farley, Jane and Dameron Black, the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, CIRCA, Le Maison Rouge, Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead, Robbins Advertising, Six Feet Under, Whole Foods Market, Waffle House, Liberty Restaurant Group, the Atlanta Events Center at Opera, the Wrecking Bar Brewpub, The Stacks, BurnAway and Binders.

Feedback from both the public and Preservation Partners is extremely positive. The APC offices received numerous calls from members and non-members about how much they enjoyed Phoenix Flies and thanked the APC for presenting the celebration. Preservation Partners also expressed their approval of the celebration when surveyed about their experience indicating that they feel that Phoenix Flies is valuable to them.

The APC is thankful for the Phoenix Flies and the community of individuals and organizations it creates in support of Atlanta’s historic buildings, neighborhoods and landscapes. Having had this opportunity for nine years, the APC looks forward to the 2013 celebration and the 10th Anniversary The Phoenix Flies: A City-Wide Celebration of Living Landmarks, March 9 - 24, 2013.

View a copy of the 2012 Phoenix Flies program booklet here. (PDF)

The Atlanta Preservation Center Thanks the Following for Their Support of The Phoenix Flies.