The 'shining star' of Atlanta's Park Avenue celebrates a century hidden in plain sight

1924 was a big year for Atlanta and the architectural firm of Hentz, Reid & Adler. 

They finished two big projects: Rich’s Department Store on Broad Street, and an apartment complex in Ansley Park. 

The Reid House, standing on one full acre, celebrates a century on Peachtree Street this year. 

Located across from the High Museum, on the corner of 16th Street, the building known as the shining star of  “Atlanta’s Park Avenue” has not lost its luster. 

Reid House evokes the phrase “hidden in plain sight." It can be easily seen, but because it is overshadowed by modern surroundings, it is overlooked. 

Caption

"Attention to detail, small and large, is at every turn" in The Reid House.

The architectural masterpiece has been known by an assortment of names throughout the decades — The Garrison Apartments, 1325 Peachtree and 1327 Peachtree. 

The 10-story Reid House was largely designed by Georgia Tech architect Phillip T. Shutze. 

The mythical Neel Reid had his hands in this property design too, before his cancer death at 41, in 1926. 

Reid House is one of four Atlanta apartment buildings designed in part by Reid. The legendary Atlantan never lived here, but two of his architectural partners did. 

“This building is really an upscale fortress,” said Dr. Stuart Noel, Director of the Reid House HOA Board, “If you were to pick the most famous Atlanta names past and present, many have called Reid House home.”

Alston, Candler, Dewberry, Dorsey, Inman, Lanier and Woodruff — a residents' roll call. 

Caption

“The mix of stone and brick, the subtle bow windows and the width of the entry facade gracefully balance the vertical and horizontal dimensions.”

“There are many definitions here,” added Dr. Noel, “but attention to detail, small and large, is at every turn — whether brass mailboxes like in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's, or the top three floor units' [working] fireplaces. This place is amazing.”

Books have been written on the stylish work of Schutze. Elizabeth Meredith Dowling, an architect and longtime professor of architecture at Georgia Tech wrote, “the mix of stone and brick, the subtle bow windows, and the width of the entry facade gracefully balance the vertical and horizontal dimensions.” 

The entry facade of the Reid House has long been one of the familiar generational symbols of Atlanta.

“Lots of Christmas cards, charcoal sketches, watercolors -  always beautiful — celebrating the entry facade of the building,” Dr. Noel added.

Reid House is a rare Atlanta example of a Manhattan-style, "classic six and classic eight," pre-war apartment building.

“There are four stacks of apartments, and each stack has the same, unique floor plan,” Dr. Noel said, “The building is divided in two halves so that each stack shares a formal elevator lobby with only the apartment across; making it semi-private.”

The sunrooms are unique. A signature of another era. 

The building was converted from apartments to condos in 1974, renovated by Ed Barnum, who told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution then, “as a boy I walked to Piedmont Park from the building for the 10-cent pony rides.”

In this centennial celebration year, Reid House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and would still be recognizable to Schutze and Reid. The same can not be said for their hometown of Atlanta. 

Caption

Reid House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.