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Randolph-Lucas House Facing Possible Demolition

The 2500 Peachtree Condominium Association has applied for a demolition permit from the City of Atlanta Office of Buildings for the historic Randolph-Lucas House.

Located at the intersection of Peachtree Road and Lindbergh Drive, the Randolph-Lucas House is an elegant Georgian style building that was designed by P. Thornton Marye in 1924.

Historical significance aside, the 2500 Peachtree Condominium Association has applied for a demolition permit from the City of Atlanta Office of Buildings to demolish the Randolph-Lucas House.

The Condo Association claims that the building is unsafe and is an imminent threat to public safety. However, the Office of Buildings concluded upon inspection that the building is structurally sound and not in a condition that endangers the public.

Because of its findings, the Office of Buildings has informed the applicant that the Atlanta Urban Design Commission must review and comment on the demolition application since the house is designated a Historic Building under the City of Atlanta's Historic Preservation Ordinance.

The Condominium Association is appealing the decision of the Office of Buildings.

The issue will be reviewed at the following meetings:

NPU-B Zoning Committee Meeting
June 26, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
Hyland Center, 1st Floor, Cathedral of Christ the King, 2699 Peachtree Road

Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) Hearing
July 12, 2012 at 12:00 p.m.
Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 55 Trinity Avenue, SW

The mansion does need work, Erica Danylchak, executive director of the Buckhead Heritage Society told the Atlanta Journal Consitution recently. However, tearing the historic site down should not be an option.

“It’s the last mansion we have that tells the story of the early development of Peachtree Street” north of Midtown, said Danylchak.

The mansion derives its name from two families that occupied the house for more than 60 years. It was one of many stately residences lining Peachtree in the early years of the last century.

A 1931 map at the Atlanta History Center depicts 61 single-family homes on Peachtree between Peachtree Battle and Piedmont Road, one of which was the Randolph-Lucas House.

Related Topics: Buckhead Heritage Society, Demolition, Randolph-Lucas House, and historic mansion

jeff

11:07 am on Monday, June 4, 2012

we got married in the lucas house before it was moved....

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Michael Packer

11:14 am on Monday, June 4, 2012

Jeff, I'm sure many people have memories associated with the Randolph-Lucas House. Feel free to share those stories here!

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Susan Anderson

10:42 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012

My first home in Atlanta was across the street at The White House on Peachtree. At the time, it was one of many stately old homes on Peachtree. I would really hate to see it go. It would truly be the end of an era!

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Michael Packer

1:10 pm on Thursday, June 7, 2012

Susan, there are many people that feel the same way. I'll be covering this closely.

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Carey Stage

8:06 am on Saturday, June 9, 2012

Another verse to "They're tearing up Peachtree again, again". I was raised in Inman Park, and fought to revitalize it. It's booming now. This is a travesty.

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donna thompson

10:51 am on Monday, June 18, 2012

Trying to remember - didn't the condo association work out a deal when those condos were built that included moving and maintaining the Randolph-Lucas house? I seem to recall that they were trying to get out of the agreement a few years ago.

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Mike Williams

10:22 pm on Saturday, June 23, 2012

When the condos were being built they wanted to demolish the building. They were forced to keep it and it continues to be a requirement, and they continue to want to get rid of it. Their latest scheme has been to neglect to maintain it such that itfalls into disrepair and they can say it's unsafe and has to be demolished. Looks like their bluff has been called on this one. It's an absolute scandal and they should be required to maintain it in good order.

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