Ormewood Avenue Bridge to be Considered for Historic Landmark Designation

In addition to Smith Farm, the Atlanta Zoning Review Board is considering another non-building as a historic landmark: The Ormewood Avenue Bridge. The massive, arched, Romanesque bridge is would be the first piece of infrastructure to be considered a historic landmark by the City of Atlanta. As recently reported by What Now Atlanta, it would join the Smith Farm (which is also currently being considered for landmark status) as becoming the first non-buildings to be designated an Atlanta Historic Landmark.

The bridge was built by Atlanta Belt Railway Company in 1899, and was operated by Atlanta & West Point (A&WP) Railroad for its entire operation as an active railway. The line came under the control of CSX in 1980, but was retired in 2014. The bridge has remained vacant since 2014, and will soon be converted into the Southside BeltLine Trail.

According to the Atlanta City Planning Designation Report for the bridge, the is particularly significant because of its role in supporting the commerce that defined early Atlanta development. Atlanta’s status as a rail hub since its early days meant that a number of competing lines were developed across the city, including the BeltLine, which was completed in 1902. The BeltLine allowed freight to transfer outside the city rather than in the congested core, and also formed the de facto borders of many neighborhoods. Today, the BeltLine is once again defining Atlanta, now as a bourgeoning transit and active transportation cooridor.

The Ormewood Bridge is also historically significant because of its method of construction. The bridge is one of the first “cast in place” concrete bridges in Georgia, a cutting-edge technique at the time. The concrete construction limited decorative elements, however the bridge does feature a number of Romanesque motifs, a rarity for Atlanta. Furthermore, due to the recent demolition of the United Avenue Bridge as a result of truck damage, the Ormewood Avenue Bridge is now the last remaining historic bridge on the southeastern portion of the Atlanta BeltLine.

As the last major piece of railroad infrastructure that once defined this section of the city, Doug Young, director of the Atlanta’s Historic Preservation Studio, nominated the bridge in the hopes that the recognition will help maintain the bridge as a “gateway’ between the Grant Park and Ormwood Bridge Neighborhoods. David Mitchell, Atlanta Preservation Center Executive Director, told the Saporta Report that the bridge is “zenith example of using a symbol like a bridge to show all the unity that exists” between the two communities.

The application for Historic Landmark Designation was approved by the Urban Design Commission on August 25th, and is now heading to the Zoning Review Board in November. If approved, the Atlanta City Council will ultimately be responsible for approving the final designation.