Techwood Homes
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Techwood Homes was the first public housing project in the United States. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, it was completed in 1936, but was dedicated on November 29th of the previous year by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was intended to eliminate the slums that the poor had been living in, but eventually became somewhat of one itself.
It was run by the Atlanta Housing Authority. The name came from Techwood Drive, in turn named for nearby Georgia Tech. Throughout the 70's, 80's, and 90's the area was synonymous with urban blight in Atlanta. For a period of time, the zip code 30313 was the most violent zip code in the state of Georgia.
Except for a few historic buildings, Techwood Homes was demolished in 1996 before the 1996 Summer Olympics. It and neighboring Clark Howell Homes are now a mixed-use area called Centennial Place. The first phase opened in 1996 just before the Centennial Olympics, hence the new name. Former residents were relocated to other areas, and given vouchers to pay part of the rent. Many moved back in to Centennial Place, though it had far fewer subsidized units than Techwood Homes.
[edit] External links
- http://www.atlantahousingauth.org/pressroom/index.cfm?Fuseaction=quickfacts
- http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/2002-02-06/hothoods.html
- http://www.artery.org/Techwood.htm
| Atlanta history 1861 Atlanta in the Civil War | 1864 Atlanta Campaign | 1868 Georgia State Capitol moved | 1881 International Cotton Exposition | 1888 Coca-Cola invented | 1890 Grady Memorial Hospital opens | 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition | 1915 Leo Frank lynching | 1926 Candler Field opens | 1935 Techwood Homes opens | 1946 CDC opens | 1960s American civil rights movement | 1979 MARTA opens | 1980 Hartsfield Airport opens | 1988 Democratic National Convention | 1989 Underground Atlanta reopens | 1994 Super Bowl XXVIII | 1996 Centennial Olympics | 2000 Super Bowl XXXIV |
