Box 13, Folder 3, Document 96

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tt] MULDAWER & PATTERSON
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suite 103 / seventy-five eighth street, n.e. \
atlanta 9, georgia / phone trinity 2-1427 hs

October 24, 1966

Honorable Ivan Allen, Jr.
Mayor

City of Atlanta

City Hall

Atlanta, Georgia

Dear Mayor Allen:

Please accept my apologies for missing the meeting between you and the Atlanta Civic
‘Design Commission committee to study the potential of the “Atlanta Underground", for
which | feel so strongly. I had been looking forward to seeing you and expressing my
ideas on the project, but communication became confused when the original meeting
date was changed.

| believe the restoration and reactivation of this area will help make Atlanta one of the
unique and exciting urban areas in the country. It can:

4 Provide a historic area, which Atlanta is lacking.

- Philadelphia's Independence Mall generates $400,000,000 a year

2. Give the city a tourist attraction second to none.

- St. Louis has "Gaslight Square"

- Chicago has "Old Town"

- New Orleans has the "Latin Quarter"
- Los Angeles has "Ports O Call"

- Nashville has "Printer's Alley"

3. Provide an exciting, all-weather entertainment and restaurant center for local
businessmen as well as tourists.

= It is convenient to downtown, including Rich's, First National Bank, Georgia
State College, the Governmental Center, the Stadium, and motels in the
Butler Street area.

- lt will support convention facilities

- It can have an unique atmosphere day or night




Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr.
October 24, 1966 Page 2

The Underground could be transformed into a place of fantasy and excitement offering a
wide variety and choice of activities. There could be restaurants, saloons, night clubs,
gift shops, gourmet shops, antique shops, one-of-a-kind shops, studios, galleries and
small theatres. There could be a complete restoration of the Victorian store fronts and
interiors, horsedrawn surries, gas lights, cobblestone streets, policemen in old-time cos-
tumes, an old-time steam engine on the tracks could be used as a restaurant, and more.

The city can assist in:
- supporting the idea,
taking action to declare this area a historic area, thus controlling design,

including the area as part of the city beautification program and possible
urban renewal program.

The city could provide public improvements in order to spark private enterprise to do the
bulk of the development.

After Reece Cleghorn's editorial was published, we received a rash of calls and letters,
including individuals who wanted to invest in this project. Enclosed is some correspon-
dence indicating the interest already generated.

We feel that this project would be good for the city financially as well as image wise. It
has great popular appeal and could be accomplished relatively inexpensively and in a short
period of time.

We hope you will give this idea your full consideration and support. If | can be of any
further assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call.

Sincerely,

aud

Paul Muldawer
Chairman, Terminus Committee
Atlanta Civic Design Commission

PM:nm

Encl.


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