I am a native Atlantan, so visiting 200 Peachtree this week on Tuesday was not just a job, it was like stepping into a time machine for me.

When Allison Schultz, the Social Sales Manager of the new 200 Peachtree, contacted me for a photo opportunity, she told me they would be giving tours to the local Atlanta FROG chapter (Facility Rental Operators Group) of the site, I was there in a heartbeat. What I didn’t know was where the construction was in the process!  I arrived on Tuesday with my gear, as always prepared to shoot whatever, and Allison had me don a hard hat for my personal tour.  OH!  It’s still under construction!

My first view of the soon to be Grand Atrium:

Oh wow!  Still under construction and at a mind-boggling pace, the first event is to be held here on June 5th!  Allison showed me all around and explained the enhancements and preservation going on here simultaneously.  They are preserving the marble floor and filling in damaged areas and patching areas that used to have counters for products.  The plywood on the floor is to help preserve what is not damaged while construction continues.

To be able to see the progress of this space and soon-to-be-venue was an incredible opportunity.  Here I was standing in a very historical place – a building 83 years old this year, it used to be the old “Macy’s” department store of Atlanta and many “firsts” were noted in between it’s walls.  Macy’s finally closed their doors here in 2003 and it has been waiting since then for new life.  The “deconstruction” began just over a year ago, January of 2009, and now the reconstruction is at a blindly rapid pace as the crews work overtime to meet their deadlines.

As the focal points of the Grand Atrium, the 14 foot chandeliers will lend a regal sophistication to this space usually reserved for palaces!  The chandeliers originally hung in the Herald Square Macy’s in New York. They were removed and stored during WWII to conserve energy and then restored and hung in the Atlanta Macy’s store in 1985.  I cannot WAIT to see these beauties lit up!  I’m imagining all sorts of shots by the twinkle of their crystal light…

Of course, I quickly became obsessed with the golden stained glass windows.  I am hoping that there will be SOME access to getting up close to them since I’ve already envisioned amazing silhouettes in front of them.

And then we ascended to the second level.  The escalators -which were the first ever escalators in a retail building – are not functioning while construction is going on so it was quite eerie (and VERY dusty) holding on to a still escalator covered in plastic (and dust).  As we climbed levels, Allison tells about the restoration and duplication of the signature balcony railing.  They will keep the original railing and have it recreated to contain the other two sides of the balcony as well.  While shooting this section, I began to feel a deja vu…

It’s not like I’ve actually been on the Titanic of course, but remembering the scene from the James Cameron movie where you see the railing of the ship in “life” and then the frame morphs into the shot of the railing under water, I felt sort of like that was what I was looking at – a land version of the Titanic being raised from the depths of history.   Here is one of the signature medallions up close.  Perhaps the last time I will see it before it undergoes restoration.

This is the [restricted] view from the side balcony where the signature railing will be replicated and added.

Now it was time for the tours to begin!  Put on your hard hats!

I toured several more times that day – so that I could even answer questions from the group! 

It was also fun looking at all the interior design boards that mocked up the look and texture of the new spaces. This venue will have a bridal suite that is to die for!

This will be THE premier venue of Atlanta and a shining star of sustainability, too.  They will be able to host a 1,000 person seated dinner!  It is HUGE – with three spaces and thousands of square feet to accommodate the largest of events, I’m sure I’ll be recommending 200 Peachtree to many of my clients and friends looking for an event space on a grand scale.  Definitely contact Allison Schultz for more information.  I can’t wait until my next visit to see what progress has been made!

You can click HERE to see my whole album from the tours that day!