Techwood Homes
Encyclopedia
Techwood Homes was the first public housing
project in the United States
, opened just before the First Houses
. Located in Atlanta, Georgia
, it replaced a shantytown known as Tanyard Bottom
or Tech Flats. It was completed on August 15, 1936, but was dedicated on November 29 of the previous year by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
. The apartments included bathtubs and electric ranges in each unit, 189 of which had garages. Central laundry facilities, a kindergarten and a library were also provided. Techwood was intended to eliminate the slum
s that the poor
had been living in, but eventually became one itself.
It was designed by Georgia Tech
alumnus and architect Flippen David Burge. The name came from Techwood Drive, in turn named for nearby Georgia Tech
. The project included a 300-student dormitory for Georgia Tech, McDaniel Dormitory, commonly referred to as Techwood Dorm. It was run by the Atlanta Housing Authority
. Throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s the area was synonymous with urban blight in Atlanta.
The neighboring Clark Howell Homes was built in 1941 in a less institutional style. A. Ten Eyck Brown
was the architect. Clark Howell was reserved for whites only until 1968, with an all-black counterpart at the University Homes project (built 1938) near Atlanta University Center
.
Except for a few historic building
s, Techwood Homes was demolished in 1996 before the 1996 Summer Olympics
. It and neighboring Clark Howell Homes are now a mixed-use area called Centennial Place. The first phase opened in 1996 just before the Centennial Olympics, hence the new name. Former residents were relocated to other areas, and given Section 8
vouchers to pay part of the rent
. Many moved back in to Centennial Place, though it had far fewer subsidized units than Techwood Homes.
Public housing
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
project in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, opened just before the First Houses
First Houses
First Houses is a public housing project in Manhattan in New York City. The project consists of 122 three-room or four-room apartments in 8 four-story or five-story buildings, and is located on the south side of East 3rd Street between First Avenue and Avenue A, and on the east side of Avenue A...
. Located in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, it replaced a shantytown known as Tanyard Bottom
Tanyard Bottom
Tanyard Bottom, also known as Tech Flats, was a shantytown just south of Georgia Tech along Techwood Drive. It was replaced in the 1930s with the Techwood Homes, America's first public housing project....
or Tech Flats. It was completed on August 15, 1936, but was dedicated on November 29 of the previous year by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
. The apartments included bathtubs and electric ranges in each unit, 189 of which had garages. Central laundry facilities, a kindergarten and a library were also provided. Techwood was intended to eliminate the slum
Slum
A slum, as defined by United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security. According to the United Nations, the percentage of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in the...
s that the poor
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
had been living in, but eventually became one itself.
It was designed by Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
alumnus and architect Flippen David Burge. The name came from Techwood Drive, in turn named for nearby Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
. The project included a 300-student dormitory for Georgia Tech, McDaniel Dormitory, commonly referred to as Techwood Dorm. It was run by the Atlanta Housing Authority
Atlanta Housing Authority
Atlanta Housing Authority is organized under Georgia law to develop, acquire, lease and operate affordable housing for low-income families. Today, AHA is the largest housing agency in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, serving approximately 50,000 people.-AHA model:In 1996, AHA created...
. Throughout the 70s, 80s, and 90s the area was synonymous with urban blight in Atlanta.
The neighboring Clark Howell Homes was built in 1941 in a less institutional style. A. Ten Eyck Brown
A. Ten Eyck Brown
Albert Anthony Ten Eyck Brown was an architect active in Atlanta, Georgia and other areas. Brown was born in 1878 in Albany, New York. He studied at the Academy of Design in New York.His works include:* St...
was the architect. Clark Howell was reserved for whites only until 1968, with an all-black counterpart at the University Homes project (built 1938) near Atlanta University Center
Atlanta University Center
The Atlanta University Center Consortium is the largest contiguous consortium of African Americans in higher education in the United States. The center consists of four historically black colleges and universities in southwest Atlanta, Georgia...
.
Except for a few historic building
Building
In architecture, construction, engineering, real estate development and technology the word building may refer to one of the following:...
s, Techwood Homes was demolished in 1996 before the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. It and neighboring Clark Howell Homes are now a mixed-use area called Centennial Place. The first phase opened in 1996 just before the Centennial Olympics, hence the new name. Former residents were relocated to other areas, and given Section 8
Section 8 (housing)
Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 , as repeatedly amended, authorizes the payment of rental housing assistance to private landlords on behalf of approximately 3.1 million low-income households...
vouchers to pay part of the rent
Renting
Renting is an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property owned by another. A gross lease is when the tenant pays a flat rental amount and the landlord pays for all property charges regularly incurred by the ownership from landowners...
. Many moved back in to Centennial Place, though it had far fewer subsidized units than Techwood Homes.
External links
- Techwood Homes New Georgia Encyclopedia
- Techwood history at artery.org
- Techwood Homes (Public Housing), Bounded by North Avenue, Parker Street, William St, Atlanta, Fulton County, GA: 4 drawings, 30 photos, 46 data pages, 6 photo caption pages, at Historic American Building Survey (extensive documentation of Techwood Homes is available at HABS)
- Techwood Homes, Building No. 1, 575-579 Techwood Drive, Atlanta, Fulton County, GA: 6 drawings, 24 photos, 13 data pages, 4 photo caption pages, at Historic American Building Survey
- Clark Howell Homes (Public Housing), Bounded by North Avenue, Lovejoy Street, Mills Str, Atlanta, Fulton County, GA: 54 photos, 28 data pages, 8 photo caption pages, at Historic American Building Survey (extensive documentation of Clark Howell Homes is available at HABS)
- Clark Howell Homes, Anne Wallace Branch Carnegie Library, 538 Luckie Street, Atlanta, Fulton County, GA: 16 photos, 13 data pages, 3 photo caption pages, at Historic American Building Survey