Photo Courtesy of the AJC

The AJC reports that this house, which abuts Druid Hills High School property on Westminister Way, has been bought up by the school as it plans a $21 million expansion.  This move has residents understandably worried about the school’s future plans for the site, but the school system isn’t saying much.

And just an item of clarification….The article states that the neighborhood is a National Register district, but that residents are worried that the school system is “exempt” and could tear the house down to build a road or tennis courts.  Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a National Register district doesn’t physically protect anything in a district.  All it can do is throw up a whole lot of red tape around any project that receives federal funding.  Most often this applies to DOT.  If you want blanket physical protection from anyone, you have to be a local historic district.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this project (regardless of whether it happens or not) prompts the creation of a local district in this neighborhood posthaste.

Photo Courtesy of The Emory Wheel

The Emory Wheel leads with a eye-popping proposal being considered by Emory administration officials to consolidate the university’s medical school onto one campus by moving all medical facilities from Clifton Road to the Clairmont campus.

The proposal, which would need to be approved by the University’s Board of Trustees in the spring, is a significant departure from the original master plan for campus remodeling, which did not include any changes to Clairmont. Emory’s administration is placing portions of its master plan on hold for three months to evaluate the idea, which was disclosed to the Wheel on Friday.

University officials say the switch might be the best option for Emory and its Strategic Plan, which calls for the expansion of Emory’s health care arm. Doing so on the crowded stretch of buildings on Clifton Road would end up being costlier than relocating to Clairmont, officials say, notably because Emory would need to build an underground parking deck at Clifton at a cost of about $50,000 a space.

But more importantly, according to Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Mike Mandl, the change could bring about higher patient satisfaction and a more cohesive undergraduate experience.

This initial explanation seems to have its merits, though a transfer of this magnitude is obviously a major undertaking. North Decatur traffic is terrible, due partially to the comings and goings of hospital workers throughout the day. Anyone commuting from Decatur to I-85 has to be concerned about the impact this would have on the Clairmont commute.

UPDATE: A Wheel staff editorial supports the plan.