- Baltimore Block Historical Marker
- Located at the west end of Baltimore Place (off West
Peachtree) in Atlanta
33.768316, -84.38863
(Text)
- BALTIMORE BLOCK
Baltimore Block was built in 1885
by Jacob J. Rosenthal. Named for the developer's hometown, the
rowhouses were Atlanta's first apartment-type development and
the first to be based on a long-term land lease. Each of the
graciously appointed fourteen original units featured central
heating and gas fixtures, and in accepted Baltimore custom, the
land was leased to homeowners for 99 years. For a quarter of
a century, the elegant rowhouses were home to socially prominent
families and professionals, including the builder himself, who
had settled in Atlanta.
Around 1907, the block began to
fall out of vogue, and during the 1920's, four of the buildings
were torn down. The remaining units were left derelict, a home
to vagrants.
Then, in 1932 came a renaissance,
when artistically-minded Atlantans began to buy and restore the
rowhouses, converting many to smaller apartments. Since that
time, Baltimore Block has been home to artists, writers, journalists,
actors, and even a French countess. Unfortunately, two more buildings
were destroyed in 1954, and renovators mistakenly removed vital
parts of their foundation. During the 1960's, the block became
a mecca for the bohemian set, when a coffeehouse, later a bar,
operated out of two of the rowhouses. Later, offices, galleries
and small shops began to mix in with the residential units. In
1989, the rowhouses, all under a single ownership for the first
time, were renovated for use as office space, and a large L-shaped,
5-story addition was completed.
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