College Football Hall of Fame takes 2.7-acre space Downtown

By caleb j. spivak + on December 3, 2010

But why does it have to resemble our Home Depot looking Aquarium?

Organizers of the project are said to announce today that the long awaited College Football Hall of Fame will be built on the parking lot facing Marietta Street and diagonal from Centennial Olympic Park, according to Leon Stafford with the AJC.

Stafford spoke with Gary Stokan, president and chief executive officer of Atlanta Hall Management, who said the Congress Center site allows for a 225-space parking lot and low-rise building, which industry leaders say works better than a multi-level facility.

Like the Georgia Aquarium, the building’s interior will have a spoke-and-wheel design that lets visitors decide what part they want to visit after entering a central common area, Stokan said.

The exterior will resemble a football, including its texture, he said. Leon Stafford with the AJC has the full story.

Here are some additional renderings:

Rendering credit: Thomas Wheatley with Creative Loafing

About caleb j. spivak

CJS is the Founder of What Now Atlanta. He was recently featured in The New York Times, Creative Loafing's "20 People to Watch in 2012," named "Lifestyle Blogger You Need To Know" by Rolling Out Magazine and highlighted as Atlanta's Metropolitan Male in fashion magazine, 944. WNA was named "Best of Atlanta" by Creative Loafing and Atlanta Magazine.

7 Comments

JoeATL

December 3, 2010 at 1:49 pm

Caleb- do you know the architect who will be handling this project?
ABC has a newer rendering that reflects the football shape.

Reply
- calebjspivak
  
  December 3, 2010 at 2:18 pm
  
  hi JoeATL, good call! we’ve posted the most recent rendering– thanks!
  
  –cjs
  
  Reply
Darin

December 3, 2010 at 2:15 pm

Glad to see one of the many eyesore parking lots downtown being developed. The design looks nice.

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Skreet

December 3, 2010 at 2:29 pm

It would have been nicer if it was the multi modal transit station.

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frankly

December 3, 2010 at 8:22 pm

TVSA is the architect. The same ones that designed the aquarium. I don’t mind the design but nothing special. I do think that making the building look like a football is too literal and a bit lame. At least it’ll replace a parking lot. HURRAY!

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Mike

December 3, 2010 at 9:47 pm

I like it and it will probably do well. Better than a parking lot… Atlanta needs LESS parking lots Downtown/Midtown!

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Jay

July 6, 2011 at 11:07 pm

Those renderings are based off the old design. The design of the building has been changed and, as far as the exterior goes, looks nothing like what is shown.

Reply