As the Great Depression devastated Atlanta, construction of the Federal Post Office Annex boosted the local economy and civic pride. Supporters applauded the employment of 300 to 400 construction workers from 1932 to 1933 to build the $8 million postal facility, an equivalent of approximately $193 million today.
Civic leaders described the Federal Post Office Annex as “state of the art,” equipped to receive and distribute regional mail through underground tunnels connected to the now demolished Terminal Station. Project contractor, Great Lakes Construction Company of Chicago, praised the complex as “one of America’s finest public buildings” in a 1933 Atlanta Constitution advertisement.
Atlanta architect Anthony Ten Eyck Brown (1878-1940) designed the Federal Post Office Annex in a stripped-down, modern Classical style in contrast to the ornate classicism of his design for the Federal County Courthouse (c. 1911-1914). The architect softened the strong, sculptural building form with elegant entry doors, carved eagles, and Art Deco style detailing. Converted into federal office space by the General Services Administration (GSA), the Federal Post Office Annex became the first federal building named for Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1988.
Atlanta-based design firm Lord Aeck Sargent (LAS) led the rehabilitation of the MLK Jr. Federal Building as GSA’s Southeastern headquarters from 2000 to 2010. Lord Aeck Sargent’s involvement with the building spanned back to the early 1990s, with Susan Turner as Principal-in-Charge. LAS Historic Preservation Principal Karen Gravel recalls the state of the building then as “weathered, yet well designed.” All 6,000 façade stones on the building exterior were removed and reinstalled to address water infiltration, insufficient structural support at windows, and poor masonry joints. Six hundred exterior windows were stripped of lead-based paint, repainted, and sealed.
The architects diverted building materials from the landfill; restored light fixtures, decorative wall carvings, and other historical components; and added modern building features to achieve Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) Gold-Level certification for this landmark. New glass wall systems brought natural lighting into building interior spaces. Modern features and furnishings fit effortlessly with the ambiance of the historical building. Lord Aeck Sargent received local, state, and national awards for their extraordinary rehabilitation work on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Building.
This year, the federal government placed and later removed the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Building from the list of buildings that could be sold or leased by the private sector. This designation could have placed the building’s future at risk. At a time when buildings are often built to last for only 20 to 30 years, LAS President Joe Greco notes the durability and craftsmanship of this landmark, saying, “They don’t build buildings like this anymore.”
Thankfully, the 100-year-old Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Building continues to be valued as an asset for our country as well as Atlanta.
For more information about the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Building, tune into the Uplifting Places podcast hosted by Melody Harclerode on Spotify.