Georgia-Pacific Tower facts
133 Peachtree Street NE, Downtown Atlanta
Construction finished: 1982
Floor count: 52
Building uses: office, residential
Structural type: highrise
Architectural style: late-modernist, modern
Materials: glass, granite
Height: 697 feet (212 meters)
Architect: Skidmore, Ownings, and Merrill
Thirty-five years ago, Georgia-Pacific began construction of a tower in downtown Atlanta to house its corporate headquarters. Three years later, the architectural standout was complete.
At 52 stories and 697 feet, it is the 6th tallest building in the city.
Before the six-year era of tall skyscrapers to be built in Atlanta, it was Atlanta’s second-tallest building from 1982 to 1987. During that time period the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel was the tallest building in Atlanta. It has a stair-like design that staggers down to the ground, and is clad in pink granite quarried from Tate, Georgia.
Those who appreciate architectural design often marvel at the unique look of the “stair step” feature that makes the massive structure appear thinner when viewed from various angles.
The tower is on the former site of the Loew’s Grand Theatre, where the premiere for the 1939 film “Gone with the Wind” was held (133 Peachtree St. NE, near intersection of Peachtree and Forsyth streets). The theatre could not be demolished because of its landmark status; it burned down in 1978, clearing the way for the tower.
On March 14, 2008, the tower sustained minor damage when a tornado tore through downtown Atlanta. A number of windows were blown out. It was the first tornado to hit the downtown area since weather record keeping began in the 1880s.
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