The Fairlie Poplar District is a walkable, pedestrian-oriented business center located in the middle of Downtown Atlanta, with a prevalence in food, shopping, and historic buildings that are concentrated within the heart of Atlanta’s central commercial region. This district and its surrounding areas effectively capture the exciting, diverse, and energetic atmosphere of a bustling inner city, featuring a variety of amenities that authentically serve the Atlanta population. Over the past century, the district as a whole has become a vibrant gathering location for Atlanta residents, with numerous pedestrian friendly qualities that create an inviting space to commence social interaction and establish a greater sense of community in this part of Downtown. While the district has undergone numerous structural changes in recent decades, the area has still managed to remain fairly preserved in terms of vibrance and walkability. Fairlie Poplar’s liveliness is especially apparent in comparison with many other historic regions in Atlanta, which have either been demolished completely or altered to accommodate a car dependent lifestyle. Streets that were once distinguished with unique character and architectural beauty over a century ago have been transformed by contemporary urban design, leaving behind a gray and institutional landscape that has been drained of its energy and culture.

This transformation in the landscape of Atlanta was especially prevalent in lower-income regions throughout the city, which resulted from aggressive political initiatives that would emerge in the mid-20th century. One of the most impactful of these political forces that led to the excessive demolition of Atlanta’s historic areas was the federally sponsored urban renewal program, beginning in Atlanta in 1956. This new process helped cities identify substandard areas and designate them as a slum, allowing the government to acquire and renovate the property. This renovation, in which buildings were demolished and replaced based on changes in land use, was a convenient way to continue relocating African American businesses and residents from the central commercial district, which had been an ongoing process since the beginning of the century. Despite vigorous protests from black residents and business owners, the program continued to “restore” certain areas in the city, affecting low-income neighborhoods such as Summerhill. Decatur Street, a major racially integrated business center for working class Atlantans, was even more severely impacted by urban renewal. Following the expansion of Georgia State College, later renamed Georgia State University, dozens of small white and African American businesses along Decatur Street and surrounding areas were quickly replaced with classroom buildings. By the mid-1970s, the main part of the Georgia State campus had mostly been completed, and the number of restaurants, hotels, and other businesses had greatly declined.1

As the expansion of Georgia State continued to eliminate the economic vitality of Decatur Street and the immediately surrounding area, Fairlie Poplar was still a thriving economic center, and a diversity of small local businesses have continuously dominated the landscape for decades. For instance, in the first several decades of the 20th century, local restaurants, hotels, and businesses lined both sides of nearly every street in the district. Businesses provided basic goods such as clothing, furniture, and wallpaper, as well as essential services such as plumbing, construction, and electric supply. The majority of these buildings were around four to five stories, and nearly all business owners were white.2 While the area was primarily a commercial district, mixed-use development was prevalent; several blocks contain dwellings on one side and businesses on the other.3 Over the next few decades, the district for the most part remained structurally consistent, and the only notable difference in the 1930s and 40s was the introduction of parking. Many parcels of land became occupied by auto parking, as Atlanta gradually transitioned to an era in which automobiles were significantly more common among normal residents.4 As Fairlie Poplar maintained this vibrant status, however, expansions at Georgia State College were intensifying as it continued to establish itself as a separate educational institution. Facilities accumulated nearby Decatur and Gilmer Streets, including notable buildings such as Sparks Hall, Classroom South, the Pullen Library, and the Urban Life Building. In the 1960s and 70s, enrollment of the school, now officially established as Georgia State University, drastically increased as a result of continued expansions.5

Fairlie Poplar District – 1931, map no. 11
Fairlie Poplar District – 1899, map no. 2

By the early 90s, facilities at GSU would finally reach the Fairlie Poplar District immediately following the selection of Carl Patton as president of the university. President Patton was even more ambitious about GSU’s expansion than previous presidents of Georgia State, with a vision to integrate student life with an urban atmosphere. He strongly advocated for the vital importance of having higher education within a downtown community.

Development Activities in Downtown Atlanta – 1992

Starting in 1992, multiple projects in Fairlie Poplar and other downtown areas were already in development. Projects initiated by Georgia State University included expansions in the School of Music and College of Business Administration, which had been relocated completely to accommodate new programs and the massive growth of students in the past several years. GSU also planned a site for student housing in the Northwest corner of the district, which would begin construction later that decade. At this same time, the Fairlie Poplar expansions are accompanied by the development of new facilities nearby the main part of the GSU campus, including the Athletics Center on Decatur Street and the Student Center on Gilmer Street.6 In 1996, facilities such as the School of Music continued their expansion following the acquisition and redevelopment of land. A bachelor of science was offered at the new Music/Recording department in Fairlie Poplar, and the School of Music had plans for a bachelor of music as well as a Master’s in music administration.7 Just two years later, the recently relocated College of Business Administration had been renamed the J. Mack Robinson College of Business, with an MBA ranked 15th in the nation.8 As a result of these sudden changes in the structure of the Fairlie Poplar District and the growth of GSU facilities, the region experienced a cultural shift influenced mostly by the students, who were rapidly increasing in numbers in Downtown. For the most part, the culture and vibrance brought in by the students appeared to be a positive change for the community. While the impacts of students moving into a particular neighborhood of a city are often presented negatively among residents and researchers, they may also bring a positive influence to the community, contributing to a greater cultural diversity and overall increased livability.9

However, controversies would begin in 1997 following publicly announced plans to construct a new student classroom building, which would later be named the Aderhold Learning Center, on the east corner of Fairlie Poplar. In contrast with other GSU expansions in the district in which only a single building was acquired and repurposed for each development, the Aderhold Learning Center would occupy an entire block of historic buildings.10 Many of these buildings were a part of the original commercial district in Fairlie Poplar, consisting of small local businesses that were beloved by the community.11 As outlined in the campus master plan a year earlier, at least ten buildings were planned for potential conversion, including several blocks designated for student housing. Residents throughout Fairlie Poplar had strong concerns regarding the inevitable displacement of small businesses that this new plan would bring, and many owners had little faith in GSU’s promises to make new retail space available. For the duration of the demolition and construction process over the next three to four years, activists had gathered outside of the construction site to protest this new renovation of urban space.12

  1. Harvey K. Newman. “Decatur Street: Atlanta’s African-American Paradise Lost,” research, drafts, and correspondence, 1989-1999, I, Box: 7, Folder: 10. Harvey Newman papers, Y016. Special Collections. ↩︎
  2. Lynch, M, Atlanta City Directory, (Atlanta, GA: V.V. Bullock and Mrs. F.A. Sanders), p. 236, Internet Archive, (https://archive.org/details/atlantacitydirec1899vvbu/page/236/mode /2up: accessed April 26, 2024). ↩︎
  3. Sanborn, D.A., “Atlanta 1899, map no. 2.” ProQuest, (https://digitalsanbornmaps-proquest-com.eu1.proxy. openathens.net/brow se_maps/11/1377/6152/6515/97070?accountid=11226: accessed April 26, 2024).  ↩︎
  4. Sanborn, D.A., “Atlanta 1931, map no. 11.” ProQuest, (https://digitalsanbornmaps-proquest-com.eu1.proxy. openathens.net/brow se_maps/11/1377/6152/6515/97070?accountid=11226: accessed April 26, 2024).  ↩︎
  5. Merl Reed. “Georgia State University.” New Georgia Encyclopedia, last modified Feb 20, 2017. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/education/georgia-state-university/ ↩︎
  6. Fairlie-Poplar Task Force. 1992. “Downtown Atlanta: Development Activities.” ↩︎
  7. GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY. 1990. Atlanta Daily World (1932-), May 24, 1990. https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/georgia-state-university/docview/491710556/se-2 (accessed April 26, 2024). ↩︎
  8. Ga. state MBA program ranked no. 15th in nation. 1995. Atlanta Daily World (1932-), Jun 15, 1995. https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/ga-state-mba-program-ranked-no-15th-nation/docview/491771859/se-2 (accessed April 26, 2024). ↩︎
  9. J. Allinson. 2006. “Over-educated, over-exuberant and over here? The impact of students on cities.” Planning Practice & Research, 21(1), 79-94. ↩︎
  10. Tinah Saunders, STAFF WRITER. 1997. COMMUNITY GSU’s downtown plans far from being fairly popular death knell: Landowners think college’s expansion will be bad for property values and business. The Atlanta Journal the Atlanta Constitution, Dec 18, 1997. https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/community-gsus-downtown-plans-far-being-fairly/docview/247609690/se-2 (accessed April 26, 2024). ↩︎
  11. Melissa Turner. 1998. Owners to fight ruling allowing for demolition historic building in fairlie-poplar district slated to be destroyed, making way for georgia state classrooms. The Atlanta Constitution, Dec 29, 1998. https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/owners-fight-ruling-allowing-demolition-historic/docview/413792736/se-2 (accessed April 26, 2024). ↩︎
  12. John McCosh. 2000. GSU’s big move downtown university ripping up a block of fairlie-poplar as it continues its expansion into historic district.: [home edition]. The Atlanta Journal the Atlanta Constitution, Mar 04, 2000. https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/gsus-big-move-downtown-university-ripping-up/docview/247242563/se-2 (accessed April 26, 2024). ↩︎