The DeKalb History Center arranges it so you don’t have to engage in any breaking-and-entering to see the inside of one of Decatur’s most cherished downtown buildings.  However, you gotta make a reservation!

Have you always wanted to peek inside the Pythagoras Masonic Lodge in downtown Decatur? Here is your chance! Join the DeKalb History Center for a rare opportunity to tour the interior of this historic Lodge designed by architect William Sayward and learn about the building and the Mason’s history in Decatur.

Location: 108 E. Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, Georgia 30030.

November 18, 2009 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Members: Free / Non-Members: $5.00

Reservations Required

To go along with the Masonic Temple building, which once sported street-level retail, but no longer does, it seems that One Town Center (at the northwest corner of Ponce and Church) also was originally designed to incorporate street-level retail.

From the Town Center Plan Goals Page…

“The Candler Hotel block was developed as proposed and includes two new office buildings and retains the block of retail properties that house Mick’s, By Hand South and the Masonic Temple building. The office building was designed to have retail use on the ground floor in the future. (1985)”

I wonder what city-wide rents/demand would have to be to motivate these property owners to make the necessary renovations so we could have one continuous thread of retail along Ponce all the way from Clairemont to Church.

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.