{"74059":{"#nid":"74059","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Historic Academy of Medicine Celebrates 70th Anniversary and Grand Reopening","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EAfter an extensive multimillion-dollar\nrestoration, the Historic Academy of Medicine will be unveiled during a grand\nreopening on December 15. Now owned and operated by the Georgia Institute of Technology,\nthe 70-year-old property will provide a historic venue for the Institute as\nwell as a unique location for private events.\n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe year-long\nhistoric restoration was funded by Georgia Tech Facilities Inc. primarily to accommodate\nthe Institute\u0027s requirements for large and small meetings and events, as well\nas wedding and special corporate or civic events depending on availability. Rental\nrevenues will be used to offset restoration costs and operation and maintenance\nof the building.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe restored\nvenue offers the flexibility to accommodate events ranging from small meetings\nto weddings and special corporate events, according to Shawn Stinson, event\ncoordinator for the Academy. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBecause of\nits proximity to Technology Square, the Academy is very much a part of the\nInstitute\u2019s master development plan,\u201d said Howard Wertheimer, director of\nCapital Planning and Space Management at Georgia Tech. \u201cWe are pleased to play\na role in preserving this important icon of Atlanta\u2019s past while also using\nenvironmentally sound building techniques to make sure the building can be\nenjoyed by generations to come.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOne of the\nfew Atlanta buildings on the National Register of Historic Places and\ndesignated with Landmark status by the Atlanta Urban Design Commission, the\nAcademy of Medicine was designed by renowned Atlanta architect Philip Schutze\nand features neoclassical architecture such as distinctive Doric columns. The 19,000-square-foot\nbuilding also includes a 230-seat theater and six event spaces. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EA focal point\nof the Academy is the entry portico and rotunda, where black and white Italian\nmarble floors are accented by the illustrious Czechoslovakian chandelier made\nfamous after its inclusion on the movie set of \u0022Gone with the Wind.\u0022\nIn addition, the Academy features historic artwork and furniture along with museum-quality\nmedical artifacts on display throughout the building.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAlthough the\nbuilding\u2019s inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places limited\narchitectural changes to the original structure, environmentally friendly\nconstruction techniques were used during the restoration process, with the\nfacility currently targeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design\n(LEED) Gold Certification. The Academy\u2019s restoration was managed by two\nMacon-based firms. Dunwody\/Beeland Architects Inc. led design efforts while\nChris R. Sheridan served as the general contractor. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Academy\nof Medicine represents one of the few nonresidential projects by Shutze, who\nwas responsible for designing homes such as the Swan House. He also holds the\ndistinction of being a member of the first entering class of architecture students\nat Georgia Tech in 1908.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOriginally\nknown as the Fulton County Medical Society, the Academy once served as a\nresource to Atlanta physicians who used the library, meeting space and\ntelephone service center located there. In 1970, the organization changed its\nname to the Medical Association of Georgia. In 1981, ownership was transferred\nto the newly formed Atlanta Medical Heritage Inc. that spearheaded an\napproximate $1 million restoration project.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAtlanta\nMedical Heritage transferred ownership of the historic landmark to the Georgia\nTech Foundation in 2008. The action took place after the nonprofit group faced\nchallenges generating the resources necessary to maintain the venue. The\ndecision to transfer the property to the Foundation was based on Georgia Tech\u2019s\nhistoric ties to the design of the building and because of the proximity of the\nlandmark to the Institute\u2019s Technology Square complex. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia\nTech Foundation accepted the gift on behalf of Georgia Tech. At the time of the\nproperty transfer, the Foundation expressed gratitude and appreciation to the\nmembers of the Atlanta Medical Heritage Board for their partnership and\ngenerous donation. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording to\nthe Foundation, partnerships remain the core of a strong and vibrant university,\nand the Academy of Medicine serves as a reminder of the generosity of\nbenefactors who are extending Georgia Tech\u2019s legacy of excellence well into the\ndecades to come.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIncluded on\nthe Georgia Tech Trolley route, the Academy provides an easily accessible\namenity for the entire campus community. Those interested in learning more\nabout the Academy\u2019s restoration or venue rental can visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.academy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ewww.academy.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E or call 404.894.1414.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Restored Venue to Accommodate Campus Events"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAfter an extensive multimillion-dollar\nrestoration, the Historic Academy of Medicine will be unveiled during a grand\nreopening on Dec. 15. Now owned and operated by the Georgia Institute of Technology,\nthe 70-year-old property will provide a historic venue for the Institute as\nwell as a unique location for private events.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"After an extensive multimillion-dollar restoration, the Historic Academy of Medicine will be unveiled on Dec. 15."}],"uid":"27281","created_gmt":"2011-12-12 20:20:05","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:50","author":"Lisa Grovenstein","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-12-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-12-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"75811":{"id":"75811","type":"image","title":"Historic Academy of Medicine","body":null,"created":"1449178055","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:35","changed":"1475894688","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:48","alt":"Historic Academy of Medicine","file":{"fid":"193817","name":"medicine_chandelier.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/medicine_chandelier_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/medicine_chandelier_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":322704,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/medicine_chandelier_0.jpg?itok=A0xhP4Dw"}},"75821":{"id":"75821","type":"image","title":"Academy of Medicine Auditorium","body":null,"created":"1449178055","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:35","changed":"1475894688","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:48","alt":"Academy of Medicine Auditorium","file":{"fid":"193818","name":"medicine_auditorium.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/medicine_auditorium_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/medicine_auditorium_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":290650,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/medicine_auditorium_0.jpg?itok=q18_me-D"}}},"media_ids":["75811","75821"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.academy.gatech.edu\/Pages\/default.aspx","title":"Historic Academy of Medicine"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7723","name":"Academy of Medicine"},{"id":"2660","name":"events"},{"id":"15334","name":"National Register"},{"id":"15335","name":"venue"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELisa Grovenstein, 404-894-8835\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["lisa.grovenstein@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}