Odd Fellows Building and Auditorium
Why it's listed
Rising from Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, this complex pairs a six-story office building with a two-story auditorium and store building. Both are steel-frame structures faced in dark red brick, with stone and terra cotta trim in a modified Jacobethan style. The office building follows a Sullivanesque skyscraper form, and its most distinctive features are stone and terra cotta heads with clearly Black features. Construction began in 1911 for the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, using money raised from Odd Fellows lodges across Georgia. William A. Edwards drew the plans, and Robert A. Pharrow's Black-owned contracting firm built it. The auditorium followed the next year and later housed a movie theater. The drug store on the corner was one of the city's oldest Black businesses. The complex anchors the Auburn Avenue business district, known as "Sweet Auburn", and reflects the pride and enterprise of Atlanta's Black community in the early twentieth century.
Significance in brief: The complex stands in the heart of Atlanta's historic black business community on "Sweet Auburn" and symbolizes that community's achievements. It was designed by a white architect, built by a prominent black contractor, and funded by Odd Fellows contributions across Georgia. Terra cotta and stone heads with clearly Black features on the office building express racial pride at an early date.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75000594, listed May 2, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 228-250 Auburn Ave., NE, Atlanta |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | May 2, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000594 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912, 1913 |
| Architect / builder | Architect William A. Edwards; built by Robert A. Pharrow's company |
| Architectural style | Modified Jacobethan (Jacobethan Revival) commercial style with Sullivanesque skyscraper form |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and in fair condition; the original roof garden was destroyed by fire in 1934. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 33.75571, -84.37950 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75000594.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7077339
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.