Surber Barber Choate & Hertlein

Bass High School Loft Apartments

Atlanta, Georgia

Built in 1923, the historic Bass High School has been given new life as a loft apartment complex located near Inman Park, one of Atlanta's first neighborhoods.

The school building contains 85 loft apartments laid out in the former classrooms and auditorium. To preserve the character of the building, existing floors, doors, windows, and even a number of blackboards were left intact. The school's gymnasium houses 18 larger units, and 30 new units were built on the site. The arrangement of the existing and new buildings creates an outdoor courtyard with a swimming pool for the tenants and their guests.

The goal of the project was to maximize the efficiency of the rentable square footage while preserving the complex's major selling point: its historic character. Accordingly, the renovation has been completed within the guidelines of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, allowing the Owner to receive historic tax credits and property tax abatement.

Client: Winter Properties, Inc.

Completion: 1998

Publications:
   The New York Times, July 19, 1998
   Residential Architect, August 2001

Awards:
   Georgia Trust, Award for Historic Preservation, 1999
   Atlanta Urban Design, Award of Excellence, 1999
   Georgia Chapter, American Concrete Institute, Award of Excellence, 1999

Square Footage: 130,000 (approx. sf)

Images 1-3, 6-7 © Gabriel Benzur Photography
Images 4-5 © Brad Van Donsel