Seven Cotton Docks Doors on the BeltLine

It's a good look: an old warehouse with fancy doors.



The Virginia Cotton Docks are on Atlanta's BeltLine in the Old Fourth Ward. The loading docks served a railroad siding of the BeltLine.

I understand it was a warehouse for the huge Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill about a mile south. That's about all I know.



The Old Fourth Ward is popular these days in part because of spaces like this and the smallish mill houses in the neighborhood. It's late to the gentrification party.



Sometime, somebody converted it to work / live / gallery / gym / warehouse / who knows what lofts.



The conversion included fancy doors, every one unique.



These face the BeltLine proper between Highland Avenue and Irwin Street at the east dead end of John Wesley Dobbs. (Map)



They are hard to see unless you are on the BeltLine.



That would be tough today because BeltLine construction is making a big mess.



But you can see them from the Kevin Rathbun Steak parking lot.

I took these pictures from the back patio of square feet studio.



The door may be open by the mystery abides.



This used to be a gym for aerial silk dancing but I think they moved to Delalb Avenue.



Just inside the door was a balcony with a commanding view of the gym with silk hanging everywhere. Would you have guessed?





I'm partial this this one.



The transom, glass doors, lanterns, urns, trees make it a total package.



The dock itself is a giant covered porch. It should be a prime people watching spot as the Beltline progresses.



There are a bunch more doors at the docks.


This was the BeltLine before, less than a year ago.


This was the dock-of-the-7 doors before.


The green-on-pink door in festive dress was a good place to hang.


This the the BeltLine construction mess today. The 7 doors on the right, Kevin Rathbun Steak, square feet studio building on the left.

See: "Virginia Cotton Docks - Sampson Street, Atlanta" for more.

Delightful Dancing in a wonderful Dump: Noelle Stiles at Mint

Noelle Stiles danced Saturday night at Mint Gallery presented by Dance Truck and Mint in the Old 4th Ward.



"MINT Gallery and Dance Truck team up to present Portland dancemaker Noelle Stiles! Noelle Stiles makes her debut in the SE at MINT Gallery, with a multi-media performance designed for Dance Truck." from the Mint Blog.


Mint is in the industrial heart of the Old 4th Ward, smack on the west side of the Beltline. It's just south of Atlanta's Virginia Cotton Docks. You wouldn't know it's there, between Jack's Pizza and Studioplex.


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There is no heavy industry there anymore. The area features arts, artisans, entertainment, hospitality. I presume that even Sampson Street will shed is low rent soon and the artists will move elsewhere if they haven't already.


For now the setting remains industrial, dumpy, a bit dangerous, non-commercial, not a destination for most. The crowds are young, seeking something edgy; they are infallibly polite (to this old man), committed to Atlanta's art scene, and ready to enjoy themselves in the process.


Noelle Stiles' stage was a small flat-bed. Her work, "Here Begins a Region of Eclipse," seemed to be about the world between sleeping and waking.


There was sound and silence.


She danced with swimming elephants and without.


I'm with the crowd on the concrete in the dark. I don't think we all know what to make of the dance. But we do share a magic moment; we connect without speaking.


It was over in 20 minutes.

It's better than watching TV on Saturday night.


Here is Malina Rodriguez, the force behind Dance Truck. She's explaining that after a Dance Truck performance, people dance! Malina is one of the folks who make non-commercial art happen in Atlanta. I'm delighted to know her just a bit, to run into her from time to time.

After music, dance, a bit of magic, I headed into the gallery.


Mint trades in energetic art.


Art pieces on art walls.


My eye kept returning the the pyramids in desert colors.


I can't resist graphic fish shapes.

Meet some of Atlanta's modern archtiects

We met a bunch of Atlanta's modern architects at Modern Atlanta 10. If you read to the bottom, you'll find the horse lamp. This is an LED chandelier:


In the order of my picture taking.

This is Johnna Barrett of Barrett Design International, LLC. She designed "Spring Creek" which was on the tour.


We met Peter S.K. Yeung, A.I.A at the Eames Demetrios event. He was a fan (and architecture tourist) just like us.


Here are husband wife architects, Jose Tavel and Cara Cummins of Tac Studios. They designed the tour's Harris/Carroll residence shown in the picture. In the small world category: they live and work next door to my son.


We met architect John Bencich of Square Feet Studios (center) whose "Bencich Residence" was on the tour. On the right is builder Robert Soens of Pinnacle Custom Builders (right). Robert has done a number of modern houses including Decatur's RainShine House and the tour's Harris/Carroll residence.


Vivian Bencich is Principal, Interior Designer at Square Feet Studios. They designed the footbridge over the railroad at White Provision, one of the my very favorite structures in Atlanta.


In the center is architect Bryan Russell of Dencity Design who the did the

Liotta Residence on the tour. (If you are getting all modern'ed out, see the Dencity house at Alys Beach.) On the left is Clair Bannerman host of "Our Coastal Art Scene with Claire Bannerman" on 30-A Radio. On the right is Kara Thomas, designer with Habachy Designs who worked on the Liotta house.

This is architect, Joseph Dreher, responsible for the new "bridge" and major renovations of the tour's Wollaert Residence. Joe is an alumni of Peter Block Architects.


I'd like to thank my fellow Sunday Docents Christy Nixon, Rochelle Cole, Caitlin Henry, and to Matt-Dahlhauser from Cablik Enterprises, builder of the Liotta Residence. And thanks to the the owners who allowed us to spend a wonderful day enjoying their house.


I'd like to say hello to fell docent Allan Price, architect at Pieper O'Brien Herr Architects. Wish I'd gotten a picture.

Terry

I promised a horse lamp:

Artists: 2009 Telephone Factory Art Show Atlanta

I'm participating in Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch. Thanks to Susan! This used to be a telephone factory and it was built to last. Now it's an art, design, and coolness factory. Once a year we get a look inside. Design fans, you'll want to see the a few pictures of a French style collection in the postscript.

Fun art...


In this beautiful industrial building:


In lofts like this:


I did the Telephone Factory Art Show on Sunday. (I did the Fulton Cotton and Bag Mill tour on Saturday). Mark your calendar for next year: First weekend in December, great loft buildings, great lofts, great art, great people, great time.

Demone Phelps


Bradley Wade




By Matthew Mayes: end of hall Zen View


Matthew Mayes:


Artist / photographer Susan Poindexter showed photographs printed on a variety of fabrics. Recognize Rhodes Hall?


by Susan Poindexter:


By Mary Klein, a founder of the Telephone Factory Art Show


Alex Leopold


by Alex Leopold


Clay artist Gwen Fryar


by Gwen Fryar


Clay artist Lori Buff


Sir Fred Gear and his polar bear band


Jennifer Henley


by Jennifer Henley


Thanks so much.
Terry

P.S. A few design pix from Caryn Grossman - cg creative interiors to compliment Claire Watkins Interior Design's High Gloss Blue post. You need to click the pictures and make them bigger so you can see the details.











Thanks to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.