Atlanta's Historic Waluhaje Apartment-Hotel Highlighted in Preservation Presentation

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The Atlanta Preservation Center is hosting a presentation that will explore the history of the Waluhaje apartment-hotel, which opened in Atlanta in 1952 to provide temporary and semi-permanent housing for Black residents during a time of limited accommodations. The massive brick building also served as an important community gathering space during the volatile Civil Rights era until its closure in the mid-1960s. The presentation will trace the building's history from construction to current preservation efforts.

Why it matters

The Waluhaje was one of the first apartment-hotel buildings of its kind in the country, catering to the housing needs of Atlanta's Black community during a pivotal time in the Civil Rights movement. As a symbolic structure that provided essential community space, the Waluhaje's preservation is seen as important to honoring that history and legacy.

The details

The Waluhaje apartment-hotel opened in July 1952, offering temporary and semi-permanent housing for Black residents in Atlanta at a time when such accommodations were scarce. The massive, modern brick building was one of the first of its kind in the country, and it went on to serve as an important community gathering space during the volatile Civil Rights era until its closure in the mid-1960s.

• The Waluhaje apartment-hotel opened in July 1952.
• The building served as an important community space until its closure in the mid-1960s.

What’s next

The Atlanta Preservation Center's presentation on the history and preservation of the Waluhaje apartment-hotel is part of the organization's annual Phoenix Flies event series highlighting historic sites in the city.