Well-maintained shotgun houses
Towards the beginning of our stroll through Auburn Avenue, we could see well-maintained historical buildings such as Martin Luther King Jr’s house and the shotgun houses seen above. However, as we walked further down the road, more abandoned and deteriorating buildings could be seen.
The stairs of an abandoned building, not very well-maintained at all
The stairs of this abandoned building were worn down and dirty, surrounded by trash and overgrown weeds. This is one example of the city of Atlanta not taking care of this area, which could be thriving if renovations were done.
The Atlanta Life Insurance Company, an important historical building
Another example of the city not taking care of this area is the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, which, as can be seen above, is boarded up with panels that have windows drawn on, and is deteriorating. Although this building has a rich history, it has not been renovated in any way.
An Escape the Room Place, an example of modernization
Contrasting the deteriorating buildings, there are some businesses that have just recently been built, such as this Escape the Room place. As the Escape the Room game is a recent phenomenon, it was a jarring experience to see one of its locations in an area surrounded by so many historical buildings. This is an example of gentrification, as not only is this a place where typically young people go to, but it is also not cheap to go participate in the game.
Auburn Avenue, gentrification is obvious from this angle
This picture was taken at the end of the walk our group took. The renovation and construction of new buildings is obvious from this angle, as opposed to the area further down the down.
Wheat Street Towers, an attempt by inhabitants to revitalize Sweet Auburn
However, also further down the road is Wheat Street Towers, which is an example of the community’s inhabitants trying to renovate the community themselves. Wheat Street Towers is a retirement home that is funded by a church initiative. Rather than the city of Atlanta trying to provide homes for the people living in this area, inhabitants create places for themselves to live. With plans for renovations here, it’s possible for inhabitants of the area to thrive in the future.