The Beltline at Edgewood pt 2

Here are a few more photos taken from the Edgewood Avenue bridge over what will eventually become the BeltLine trail. These are facing north towards Irwin Avenue. The view facing south can be seen in this earlier post.

This section of the Norfolk Southern "Decatur Belt" had been abandoned only a few months before this first photo was taken in November 1995. Kudzu had just begun to creep over the rails. In the photo at right, taken February 2012, the rails have been pulled up, the homeless camp cleared out, and the trees have doubled (or quadrupled) in size.

This field was the site of several warehouses of the abandoned South East Atlantic Cotton Compress complex. The warehouses were destroyed in a spectacular fire on July 3, 1991, reportedly started by fireworks. I could see the fire from Doraville! The remaining buildings are now part of the Studioplex lofts and much of the site is now a parking lot. The building at far left is not part of the complex and is still abandoned. Top photo: November 1995. Bottom: February 2012.

Despite the dramatic changes all around it, this view is nearly unchanged in 17 years. Left: November 1995. Right: February 2012.

Here's a 1972 aerial view of the massive triangular warehouse complex that burned down in 1991. The Edgewood Avenue bridge is at the bottom of the photo.

In the 1892 Birdseye View of Atlanta, this was the site of a railroad maintenance facility including a roundhouse, turntable, coaling tower and associated buildings. Inman Park is at far right and a trolley line is shown on Edgewood (at bottom).

Google map of this spot:

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The Beltline at Edgewood

This is the view from Edgewood Avenue facing south towards Cabbagetown. The left photo was taken November 2, 1997 and the photo at right was taken January 25, 2012.

 

This is the southern end of the old Southern Railway "Decatur Belt" which was abandoned around 1995 - 1996. It is now considered one of the prime sections of the ambitious Atlanta Beltline project which will include a network of trails, parks, and transit. Even before the Beltline idea was officially hatched, it seemed likely that the old rail line would be converted into bike trails or new roads. Either way, it was obvious that big changes were on the way so I followed the entire line from Cabbagetown to I-85 near Ansley Park on a beautiful November afternoon in 1997 and took a few dozen photos along the way. Many more to come...

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