It was a dramatic moment.
During an interview at his official residence on Monday, Clark Atlanta University President George T. French Jr. was asked about the status of a structural engineering report on the historic Gaines Hall — one of the most significant and oldest buildings in the city.
In real-time, French called Bonita Dukes, CAU’s vice president of facilities management, who told him the report was complete and that she would call back to share the executive summary.
A few minutes later, French’s phone rang, and the president put Dukes on speakerphone.
“The executive summary says it’s their opinion that the existing brick wall structure appears to have enough structural integrity for repair and reuse,” Dukes said. “Is that good?”
“Thank you. That’s the bottom line,” French said. “That’s great news!”
Gaines Hall, which has been damaged by several fires in the past decade, has been the focus of preservationists, who have worried about the future of the 1869 structure that served as the first permanent building on the Atlanta University campus. It also was where W.E.B. DuBois, a scholar and historian, was living when he wrote the “Souls of Black Folk.”
Gaines Hall is perched on one of Atlanta’s highest peaks, Diamond Hill, a place that also houses the neighboring Morris Brown’s Fountain Hall (formerly Stone Hall) and CAU’s Furber Cottage, where home economics was first taught to African Americans.
Diamond Hill is now in the spotlight. Direct Invest, a developer from New York, signed a 99-year lease with Clark Atlanta to redevelop about 10 acres the university owns, including. Furber Cottage, which also has been damaged by fires, and the Herndon/Morris Brown Stadium in the Vine City community. Direct Invest’s 10 acres does not include Gaines Hall, which is under…
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