Imperiled Locales

Atlanta’s first suburb and a neglected fairground are among the 10 spots on the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation’s Places in Peril list for 2022. Ansley Park, which features homes by Neel Reid and Philip Trammell Shutze, is at risk of losing its National Register of Historic Places designation due to “insensitive infill” in the last decade, according to the trust. If properties that are considered to contribute to the historic district are lost, then the integrity of the district is imperiled. “They’re getting to the point where that’s a real possibility,” says Ben Sutton, the Georgia Trust’s director of preservation. The Georgia Trust advocates for Ansley Park to be designated a Local Historic District by the city, which would create an ordinance to protect against demolition.

Summerour Architects nominated the Georgia Fairgrounds, which was the site of Gay’s cotton gin and peach packing complex. Summerour’s interest in preserving the Meriwether County site and revitalizing the area is reason to be optimistic. “Whether it is a high-style home in Ansley Park or a vernacular fair site, architects have an eye for understanding what can make a place worthy of preservation,” says Sutton.