The Atlanta City Council voted at today’s meeting to sell the historic Inman Park Trolley Barn, with Councilmember Felicia Moore being the lone dissenting vote.
The legislation calls for the 126-year-old structure on Edgewood Avenue to be turned over to the city’s economic development arm, Invest Atlanta, to be sold. However, Atlanta and Edgewood Street Railway Company, the nonprofit that currently operates the facility for weddings, parties and events, has first right of refusal to purchase the property.
Councilmember Alex Wan said the nonprofit had stated it was interesting in purchasing the Trolley Barn last year when its lease was renewed. Councilmember Kwanza Hall, who introduced the legislation, said a new appraisal would be sought and the nonprofit has indicated it would buy the property at fair market value.
“I’m grappling with this,” Moore said before the vote. “If the group operating the facility have first right of refusal to purchase why does this need to go to Invest Atlanta?”
The process of selling city-owned property, such as Underground Atlanta and the Civic Center, has gone through Invest Atlanta, but Moore said she was concerned about how this property just popped up on the agenda and wasn’t included on any list of possible city-owned properties up for sale.
“This wasn’t on the short list of properties begin considered for sale,” Moore said.
Since the Trolley Barn, built for the city’s original streetcar line, sits in a historic district it would prevent the structure from being demolished or dramatically altered after the sale.
