With Kell Hall out of the way, construction crews are nearing completion on the first phase of the greenway, Georgia State's future gathering space at the center of the Atlanta
Above, The view from Peachtree Center Avenue looking southeast toward Collins and Courtland streets with Arts & Humanities (left), Sparks Hall (left center), Library North (right center) and Langdale Hall (right).
The demolition of Kell Hall and the eastern half of Library Plaza began last April. Workers hauled away the last chunks of concrete in October and have since installed new façades on Langdale Hall and the Arts & Humanities building where they once adjoined Kell Hall. Construction has also started on the lighted walkway that will soon cross through the greenspace connecting Collins Street to Peachtree Center Avenue.
Crews are also building two new staircases. One will connect the Courtland Street bridge to a revamped ground-level entrance to Sparks Hall, and the other will link Langdale Plaza (the remaining section of Library Plaza behind Langdale Hall) to the greenway down below.
By April, crews should begin landscaping the greenspace itself. The university hopes to open a portion of the greenway, including the walkway, by June. However, because the next construction phase calls for a new ground-level entrance to Library North, complete with exterior improvements and a sizable addition, the portion of the greenway that lies south of the walkway must remain closed to allow work to proceed.
The Library North renovation is expected to take about eight months, and the rest of the greenway should open to the public by the end of the spring 2021 semester.
Rendering by Pond & Company
For more on the legacy of Kell Hall, read "Razin' Kell," an oral history from our spring 2019 issue.
For even more on the old garage, visit “Kell Hall: Capturing the Legacy,” a digital exhibit featuring 3D models, historic photos, exclusive stories and more.
Below, watch a time-lapse video of Kell's demolition.
Video by William Davis (B.A. '11) and Riki Prosper Kujanpaa (B.A. '17)