Title: Larkin on Memorial
Location of Proejct: 519 Memorial Drive SE, Atlanta, GA 30312
Project Completion Date: September 22, 2018
Firm Name: ASD|SKY

Short Description: Through select demolition and thoughtful new construction, our design team reinvigorated this industrial site into a community-centric retail, office, and dining environment. Originally constructed for the Larkin Refrigerator Coil Company in the early 1900s, the site later became Habitat for Humanity’s Atlanta headquarters. Today, the site is a vibrant neighborhood gathering spot with convenience retail and services. At the center of the site, is the original 1910 brick structure, which had previously been covered by subsequent renovations. Today, Larkin on Memorial celebrates its history while embodying a new life.

Architect's Statement: Originally constructed in 1920 for the Larkin Refrigerator Coil Company, the site endured a number of modifications over its 100-year history. Over time, the original, historic brick structure remained, yet was hidden beneath newer, generic warehouse structures.

Years after Larkin Refrigerator Coil Company moved on, the site sat vacant until Habitat for Humanity chose the location for their Atlanta headquarters. In the mid-2010s Habitat had announced their relocation to a new ground up structure down the street, opening up the opportunity for the site’s reimagination. Paces Properties purchased the 4-acre site situated between the Grant Park Historic District and Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta’s oldest public park and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

From the onset, our team sought to highlight the site’s history and eclectic buildings and transform the site into a welcoming, neighborhood focused district. The challenge was uniting the buildings’ diverse styles from different time periods into a cohesive and energized property.

As a result of the significant renovations, additions, and modifications that occurred throughout the site’s history, walking the interior of the building(s) at the start of design was like navigating through a labyrinth with varying finish floor elevations, random stairs, ramps, and sloping floors. The goal of the project was to deliver an intuitive finished complex without diminishing the site’s history.

The solution thoughtfully incorporates a range of historic periods and artifacts, beginning with the original 1920s warehouse, select buildings from later additions in the 1960s, and now incorporating new construction. Industrial elements including a boiler and elevator winches harken back to the site’s historic roots, while the roof supports of newer structures were incorporated into the final design to provide context while opening up the site. These existing steel beams and trusses from the former roofs between the buildings frame new exterior courtyards, acting as a reminder of what was once there.

Through select demolition and overall restoration, the historic 1920s brick structure was uncovered and became the central feature of the development with retail space on the ground-floor and creative office above.

A prime example of the synergy between old and new construction was the restoration of the original boiler building. Now home to the local restaurant, Full Commission, the original building had been overshadowed and consumed with newer additions. The historic building was an essential component of the original site, so it was critical that its legacy be preserved. As a result, the design team reconstructed the existing structure from the ground up. Other new construction onsite borrows from the same historical structure palette but utilizes new materials.

Located along a fast, redeveloping corridor less than a mile from Georgia’s state capitol, Larkin on Memorial sits at the center of over 3,000 new residential units and more than 600,000 SF of new commercial space in development (through 2019); accounting for over 1 Billion in total development impact.

Larkin on Memorial bridges the gap between the adjacent, historic single-family residential neighborhoods as well as the adjacent multi-story new development, both in scale and use. The 63,000 SF finished project delivers both high-end dining and useful day-to-day retail to a part of Atlanta that lacked these resources despite the buying power of the surrounding neighborhoods. Grant Park Market, Ace Hardware, and Primrose School are perfect examples of businesses that fill gaps not previously served.

The entire team worked together to successfully achieve this project by developing a creative design strategy, cooperation, and patience in overcoming environmental contamination issues; reconciling issues raised by the surrounding residents and working through challenges arising from this historically sensitive location.

Larkin on Memorial has set a standard for future projects in the area, reducing car trips and the impact of parking on site through a shared parking agreement with Lumen (the new multifamily property next door).

The market acceptance of Larkin on Memorial is a testament to the design strategies to preserve our city’s physical heritage, offers a compatible balance of old and new through the transformation of vacant industrial buildings into a vibrant, active, neighborhood destination.