A cherished architectural relic and can’t-miss renovation project in downtown Decatur is getting its flowers from Georgia’s leading preservationist organization.
The Blair-Rutland Building was one of 10 projects honored with Excellence in Rehabilitation awards at Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation’s 48th annual Preservation Awards ceremony in Brunswick on Saturday. It was the only project to be so recognized in metro Atlanta’s core counties.
The rehab accolade spotlights projects that make “compatible use of a building through repair, alterations, or additions while preserving features of the property that convey its historic value,” per Trust officials.
The 1939 Streamline Moderne building—one of just two surviving Art Deco structures in Decatur—is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and still represents the era’s distinctive modern design for commercial buildings, per the Trust. It’s functioned as an office building for more than 80 years.
Distinctive Church Street facade of the 1939 Streamline Moderne building today. Courtesy of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation
Atlanta commercial real estate veteran Gene Kansas purchased the 85-year-old landmark in summer 2021 and set about a renovation that bucked the building’s original color (drab grey) in dramatic fashion. The decision to coat The Blair Building, as it’s called, in a color called Cinder Rose took 10 months, lots of debate, and no shortage of time spent culling inspiration from the Accidentally Wes Anderson website, as Kansas previously told Urbanize Atlanta.
Streamline Moderne architecture is a sub-genre of Art Deco inspired by 1930s planes, trains, and automobiles. As the Trust notes, renovations to The Blair Building went beyond aesthetics; the foundation was stabilized, interiors were revamped (including replaced or repaired windows and ceilings), and asbestos-containing floor tiles were removed.
The Blair Building’s transition from one bold color choice to the next, as seen in 2022 along Church Street in downtown Decatur. Courtesy of Gene Kansas Commercial Real Estate
A historic photo of the Blair-Rutland Building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Courtesy of Gene Kansas Commercial Real Estate
Today, the two-story, 12,500-square-foot Blair Building stands next to a Decatur food and beverage staple in Twain’s Brewpub and Billiards. Over the decades, it’s been grey, purple, pink, and faded versions of each.
“Now functioning as a collaborative office space,” notes the Trust, “the building retains its original purpose and iconic features, reflecting Decatur’s architectural and commercial heritage.”
The Trust, founded in 1973 and considered among the leading U.S. statewide nonprofit preservation organizations, is also known for publishing its annual Georgia “Places in Peril” list. The organization manages two house museums in Atlanta (Rhodes Hall) and Macon (Hay House).
Courtesy of Gene Kansas Commercial Real Estate
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