Avondale's 'Erector Set' Eyesore Is No More

AVONDALE ESTATES, GA -- The Avondale Estates “erector set” has tumbled to the ground.

The unfinished structure at the corner of East College Avenue and Maple Street has been demolished this week, and crews are continuing cleanup work on the site, which promises to be a more attractive development in the future.

For almost five years, the steel skeleton of what was supposed to have been a residential and business building has stood in downtown Avondale as a constant reminder of shakier economic times.

In 2008, a permit was issued for construction of the building. But soon after that, with the economy in the midst of a downturn, the project was abandoned.

After what the city describes as a multi-year foreclosure, Euramex bought the property at the end of 2014. The company plans what the city calls “a positive quality redevelopment” on the site.

Last month, the city asked Euramex to go ahead and get rid of the “erector set” and a demolition permit was granted.

The demolition comes during an upswing for development in Avondale. A handful of businesses, from Pallookaville Fine Foods to a refurbished Avondale Towne Cinema, have brought business back to downtown.

And, earlier this month, South City Partners approached the city for permission to develop a 3.17-acre parcel just a couple of blocks away from the “erector set” site, with plans for a mixed-use retail, restaurant and residential area.