Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
25-27 Auburn Ave. Center for Student Success
Constructed in 1907 and 1922, the 25-27 Auburn Avenue buildings, the historic “Bell Buildings,” now house GSU’s new National Institute for Student Success. These century-old buildings, once the Southern Bell telephone exchange center, now serve as a central, one-stop hub for student-focused services. Nearly all of the student-facing Student Success services have been relocated here from various spots across the Atlanta campus. This allows students to attend to their academic, financial, and career preparation needs in one place. Georgia State’s Student Success services have become a national model for eliminating achievement gaps and the school plans to share their model with other institutions across the country. The school intends for these buildings to be an important destination on their campus for educators and administrators everywhere.
Atlanta, GA
Architecture, Historic Preservation, Historic Structures Report, Interiors
75,000 sf
Renovation, Adaptive Reuse, Historic Building, Learning Spaces
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
Lofty goals for the project included the desire to improve student experience related to matriculation and interaction with the University. The priority focus was on offices that work with students most frequently. To serve as a hub for a growing staff, The National Institute for Student Success has grown from 150 (in 2008) to over 1,000 faculty previously located in in at least seven other campus buildings.
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
The buildings at 25-27 Auburn Avenue were once the largest employer of women in Atlanta and introduced revolutionary machine-switching technology to the city. GSU’s foundation acquired the buildings in 2006, and they sat vacant until the beginning of the renovation. Deterioration was so great that the buildings were once slated for demolition until GSU’s president came up with a vision for their use to house The National Institute for Student Success. The architectural team were able to successfully integrate modern functions and systems into 25-27 Auburn Avenue.
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
“There’s a tremendous upside that we can take an asset that has been sitting vacant and deteriorating for decades and now make it a destination. We get to take a building that was an eyesore and convert it into something positive. In fact, it will be a destination. Literally teams from around the world will be coming here to learn from Georgia State.”
— Quote from former GSU President Mark Becker to Maria Saporta (Saporta Report: May 17, 2021)
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
Photo: Jonathan Hillyer
