The Story City program is Historic Atlanta’s in-house planning and policy consultancy that conducts large-scale, high-impact projects that would not otherwise be achieved without charitable intervention.

Our Story City projects are driven by the community’s view of where the biggest preservation planning and policy gaps are, coupled with Historic Atlanta’s unique ability to drill down to the core of an issue, then immediately conceive, plan, and execute a custom solution.

We maintain excellent working relationships with the City of Atlanta and the state of of Georgia, as well as numerous private planning firms, and these partnerships are key to Story City’s success.

Past Story City Project Example: Atlanta LGBTQ+ Historic Context Statement

One example of a past Story City project is the 406-page Atlanta LGBTQ+ Historic Context Statement, prepared by consultants New South Associates in partnership with the City of Atlanta Office of Design.

From the very conception of this project, we were in discussion with the City to make sure that we created the sharpest possible tool for maximal results. We iterated and tweaked our concept, sought and obtained grant funding, and connected with all the right partners, leading to a superb outcome.

Historic Atlanta views this report as an action-oriented tool that allows us to take the next step: to save individual historic places associated with Atlanta’s rich LGBTQ+ history and culture.

This is not only the first such study of its kind in Atlanta, but also the first in the state of Georgia, and likely the first in the entire Southeast region. The Atlanta LGBTQ+ Historic Context Statement was the most expensive and most time- and labor-intensive project that Historic Atlanta has ever undertaken.

We are so proud of the outcome. And we are especially excited for the many special places that will eventually be protected because of this study!

Interested in Story City?

Local governments, government agencies, and community organizations that may be interested in receiving assistance from the Story City program can contact our programs team at programs@historicatlanta.org to inquire about the program.

Explore Recent Story City Projects Below!