From the brand new issue of the Decatur Focus…

One of the biggest announcements is that Pope & Land recently purchased the 1972 glass office building adjacent to the Old Courthouse on the Square. The purchase includes the parking deck behind the building and the retail/commercial spaces below it. Pope & Land is a local Atlanta area commercial developer and property owner with a long history in downtown Decatur. They developed the One and Two Decatur Town Center office buildings in the 1980s, which were the first commercial buildings constructed after the adoption of the 1982 Town Center Plan.

They are working on plans to upgrade the exterior of the building and create a stronger retail focus along Ponce de Leon Avenue. But the really good news is that they have disconnected the fake bird noises that once sounded from the top of the building. If you have been in Decatur for a few years, you know what we are talking about!

The new owners and their design team are working on ideas to bring more life to the plaza area in front of the building and create a stronger connection between the plaza and the courthouse square above it. Plans also include improving the exterior of the parking deck. Thanks to the interest and support of this new owner, this building will soon become more a part of the W. Ponce de Leon corridor and create a stronger pedestrian connection between the square and the retail and restaurant shops to the west.

Look for the Root City pop-up holiday shop in the former Art Institute gallery space through the end of the year, thanks to the support of these new building owners.

We have long referred to this structure as the “Birds from Hell” building, thanks to the angry, recorded raptor calls that emanated non-stop from the roof.  It was supposed to help with birds flying into its endless expanse of glass.  We have long wished they would stop.  Finally!  9 years later we get our wish!

But now I guess we’ll need a new nickname.  Hmm…

Photo courtesy of Google

Rus sends in this pic of the latest crack to appear in the dreadfully noisy DeVry/1 West Courthouse Square building and notes…

Wonder how that could have happened? humm.. let’s see: There are no birds downtown anymore, especially no larger birds that could crack a window and the break is in very unlikely place for a bird strike.
Could it be that my source from the city was right after all and the cracked windows are caused by structural settling and not birds at all?
Can we please turn the recordings off now?!

Agreed.  Enough is enough.  Let’s get to the bottom of this once and for all.

First step…The last time we discussed these recordings a year ago, Carl reported this…

I addressed the City Commission on this issue tonight and learned that in fact no permit has been issued and no decibel tests have been conducted. Commissioner Kemp questioned how the building has been operating for over 40 years without this noisemaker. Ms. Merriss agreed to have the noise levels measured and see what can be done to address this situation.

So first question is, were the noise levels ever measured?