Pythagoras Masonic Temple Building's Street-Level Retail
July 3, 2008 | 9:19 am
Next Stop…Decatur notes the old look of the Pythagoras Mason Temple Building at the northeast corner of Clairemont and Ponce included street-level retail (specifically Glenn’s Pharmacy). This is actually the original layout/intent of the first floor, and a look at the current building (in a pic found in Next Stop’s post) shows that it would not be too difficult to revert the exterior of the building’s first floor back to street-level retail. The interior is probably another story.
I can only assume that the city would fully support such an initiative (especially if the change didn’t alter the exterior), but it’s probably up to the building’s owners (the Mason’s) to make the change.
As Next Stop notes, it would be a great extension of street-level retail along Ponce and Clairemont. Now…what to do about that really unfriendly Emory Clinic building on the northwest corner.
I think that building would make a great boutique hotel with retail on the bottom level. I bet the building has some great architectural features underneath all of that 1960’s drywall.
Nothing against the Holiday Inn on Clairemont, but I think Decatur is ready for an upscale, European style botique hotel. And with so much going on here in Decatur and it’s proximity to the Marta line, I think someone could make a go of it.
Agreed. On a related note…does anyone know when the Candler Hotel was torn down?
More hotels in Decatur, please!
Decaturguy: “Nothing against the Holiday Inn”? Have you stayed there? It is an absolute embarrassment and a horrible face of the city. We need quality hotels here so that people don’t have to stay at Emory. We finally had an opportunity for a boutique hotel at 315 W Ponce, but now we will simply have potentially hundreds of apartments instead.
I agree with Carl and others…our city needs a new hotel…and as soon as we learn to tie our wagon to Emory the better…that is a driving economic/cultural/business force. Half of Decatur works for Emory. Putting Emory visitors at Holiday Inn doesn’t show our progre4ssive city very well.
Just trying to be nice, Carl. People rarely accuse me of that.
My parents have stayed at the Holiday Inn several times and while I know it isn’t great, it must be servicable enough that they don’t complain. We deserve a better hotel.
And as far as the potential hotel at 315 W. Ponce, I hope that somehow it gets back into the plan, but I’m afraid that the neighbors, being so much against density and mixed use on that property, killed any chance of that.
Decaturguy,
I don’t know of any area residents who had a problem with the proposed boutique hotel on the 315 property (in fact many of us have asked “what happened?”). It seems as if the Hotel was removed from the plans in order to include the ponce-facing portion of the residential.
My parents will no longer stay at the Holiday Inn – between the smoking and what were described as “hookers” on the property during their last stay here – frankly I think the boutique hotel was the best thing the initial 315 proposal had going for it.
We need at least ONE decent hotel in Decatur.
Agreed…Decatur needs a decent upscale hotel. The Holiday Inn is a horrible hotel. I’ve had friends and family stay there before. The rooms are disgusting and the service is questionable at best. I would never put any friends and relatives in that place again. I’ve heard nothing has changed about that place over many years. Decatur is transforming and that hotel is a black spot on the city.
As the ‘new guy’ in the Masonic Lodge building I would LOVE to see an upscale hotel go in there. I just opened my frame shop and gallery (Rose Squared) in their small retail space on the backside of the building between Julie’s Cafe and Emile Baran. You may remember that my frame shop was housed inside Rue de Leon before it closed its doors. A hotel would only add to my profile and especially to the downtown Decatur area.
Does anyone know if Decatur has made any formal assessment of its hotel needs? Are there no other hotels because there wouldn’t be enough business to support it or is something else happening here?