Nov. 24, 2009

mental_floss magazine joins SCAD’s Ivy Hall Writers Series line up: Margaret Atwood and Joel Cohen also to lecture at SCAD’s Atlanta location
ATLANTA – The Savannah College of Art and Design announces the addition of Will Pearson, president and co-founder of mental_floss, to its Ivy Hall Writers Series. This year’s series has already featured critically acclaimed authors Colson Whitehead, Ray C. Anderson and Augusten Burroughs. Notable writers Margaret Atwood and Joel Cohen are scheduled to speak in early 2010. The series provides an idyllic forum in which the writers present and discuss their work. The events are free and open to the public at SCAD’s Atlanta location at 1600 Peachtree St.

Will Pearson developed and published the first issue of mental_floss with Mangesh Hattikudur while they were both still students at Duke University. The magazine recently was chosen by The Chicago Tribune as one of its "50 Favorite Magazines" and has garnered national recognition from media outlets such as Newsweek, Entertainment Weekly and The Washington Post. Pearson is scheduled to lecture Tuesday, March 2, 6:30-8 p.m.

Margaret Atwood, the Booker Prize-winning author of “The Handmaid's Tale” and “The Blind Assassin,” will discuss her highly anticipated book “The Year of the Flood,” Tuesday, Feb. 23, 6:30-8 p.m. Joel Cohen, the Emmy award-winning writer for the longest-running American sitcom and animated program, “The Simpsons,” will speak Thursday, March 25, 6:30-8 p.m.

A book signing follows each reading. Book sales are available by personal check or cash only. The events are free and open to the public. For more information, call 404.253.2759.


Nov. 2, 2009

SCAD professors featured at the Ivy Hall Lecture Series: Rebekah Adkins, Gabriela Jasin and Bruno Lima to lecture at Ivy Hall
ATLANTA – The Savannah College of Art and Design announces its upcoming Ivy Hall Lecture Series that features a trio of distinguished faculty members, each of whom is an expert in the field of art and design. The lecture series, an extension of SCAD’s outstanding academic program, focuses on a wide range of topics, including fashion, art history, writing, interior design and other subjects of interest to SCAD students, faculty, alumni and the local community. This year’s topics range from tips on recreating new outfits to examining the role of women in 18th--century art. The lectures are at Ivy Hall, the historic Atlanta landmark recently restored by SCAD, Sunday afternoons, 3 p.m., 179 Ponce de Leon Ave., N.E., Atlanta, Ga. All lectures are free and open to the public.

Sometimes it seems like there is nothing in the closet to wear, but by investing money in pieces that are a “fashion must,” a variety of wardrobe options can be created that accentuate one’s own personal style. Sunday, Nov. 8, SCAD fashion professor Bruno Lima will discuss selecting key pieces and how to put the right look together to revamp your wardrobe for different occasions.

Rebekah Adkins, SCAD interior design professor, whose expertise includes exploring personal environmental autobiographies, relates this information to the use and programmatic purpose of interior space. Adkins will lecture on the role of the interior designer in the creation, development and execution of the built environment, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010.

The works created by 18th-century French artists reflected the collective hopes, desires and, sometimes, impossibilities of their contemporary society. SCAD art history professor Gabriela Jasin will discuss two pendant paintings by the artist Jean Raoux, “The Virgins of Ancient Times” and “The Virgins of Modern Times,” and how they pit the ancient vestal virgins of Rome against the young virgins of contemporary 18th-century French society. Jasin will present Sunday, Apr. 18, 2010.

For more information, call 404.253.2759.


Aug. 14, 2009

SCAD showcases award-winning authors during Ivy Hall Writers Series
Ray C. Anderson, Margaret Atwood, Augusten Burroughs, Joel Cohen and Colson Whitehead to lecture at SCAD’s Atlanta location
ATLANTA – The Savannah College of Art and Design announces its upcoming Ivy Hall Writers Series schedule, featuring critically acclaimed authors Ray C. Anderson, Margaret Atwood, Augusten Burroughs, Joel Cohen and Colson Whitehead. The series showcases authors of national and international acclaim by providing an idyllic forum in which the writers present and discuss their work. The events are free and open to the public at SCAD’s Atlanta location at 1600 Peachtree St.

A MacArthur Fellow and Pulitzer Prize finalist, Colson Whitehead’s recently released book, “Sag Harbor,” explores a 15-year-old boy's summer in a predominantly black Long Island, N.Y., neighborhood. In this high-spirited novel, Whitehead focuses on the character’s desperate quest for reinvention. The author of several novels, including “The Intuitionist” and “John Henry Days,” Whitehead also has written a collection of essays about New York City. His fiction, criticism and reviews have appeared in several publications such as The New York Times, Harper's and Granta. Whitehead will speak Thursday, Oct. 22, 6:30-8 p.m.

Noted by Time and Elle magazines as a hero of the environment, Ray C. Anderson presents his upcoming book, “Confessions of a Radical Industrialist,” which focuses on practical ideas and measurable outcomes that businesses can use to improve their bottom lines while being eco-friendly. A sought-after guest lecturer and adviser on environmental issues, Anderson served as a co-chair of the President’s Council on Sustainable Development during the Clinton administration. He recently co-chaired the Presidential Climate Action Project, which presented the Obama administration with an action plan that addressed key issues related to climate control. As the founder and former chairman of Interface, the world’s largest manufacturer of modular carpet, Anderson now serves on the boards of several private and nonprofit organizations. His lecture is Monday, Oct. 26, 6:30-8 p.m.

Augusten Burroughs, The New York Times bestselling author of “Running with Scissors” and “A Wolf at the Table,” presents his forthcoming book, “You Better Not Cry.” The book is a series of seven stories that focus on his Christmas experiences from childhood through today. Twice honored by Entertainment Weekly as one of the 25 funniest people in America, Burroughs chronicles everything that makes the holidays troublesome and magical through his witty prose. Burroughs will speak Wednesday, Nov. 4, 6:30-8 p.m.

Margaret Atwood, the Booker Prize-winning author of “The Handmaid's Tale” and “The Blind Assassin,” follows up her award-winning narrative, “Oryx and Crake,” with the highly anticipated book “The Year of the Flood.” Her latest novel focuses on a group called God's Gardeners, a small community of survivors of the same environmental catastrophe depicted in “Oryx and Crake.” In her 30 years as a writer, Atwood has authored more than 25 volumes of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. She is also the recipient of numerous awards and honorary degrees. Atwood’s lecture is Tuesday, Feb. 23, 6:30-8 p.m.

Joel Cohen, the Emmy award-winning writer for the longest-running American sitcom and animated program, “The Simpsons,” first found success in the corporate world before making a career move into comedy writing. With the “greatest TV show of the 20th century” under his belt, according to Time magazine, Cohen provides a unique perspective to discuss innovation and creativity in business. He will speak Thursday, March 25, 6:30-8 p.m.

A book signing follows each reading. Book sales are available by personal check or cash sales only. The events are free and open to the public. For more information, call 404.253.2759.

Oct. 17, 2008

SCAD receives an AIA Georgia Design Award for Ivy Hall
ATLANTA – The Savannah College of Art and Design received an Honorable Recognition Award from AIA Georgia, an association of The American Institute of Architects , on Saturday, Oct. 4 at the AIA Georgia Design Awards Gala.  

SCAD was commended for its foresight, perseverance and dedication to the preservation and restoration of Ivy Hall, as well as the many other restored structures in Savannah.  The award was open to any individual or organization that made a significant contribution to the profession of architecture and the built environment.

The Peters House, called Ivy Hall by the Peters family, was designed by noted architect Gottfried L. Norrman in 1883 – one of the first homes in Georgia thought to embody the Victorian Queen Anne architectural style. With its rich legacy of historic preservation in Savannah and France, SCAD began rehabilitation of Ivy Hall in April 2007, when the donation of the historic Edward C. Peters House from William Swearingen of S.D.H. Investment Corp. Inc., William Dunaway and Harry Hill became finalized.

Ivy Hall has been restored to its original grandeur and reopened Oct. 3 as SCAD's new cultural arts and writing center book readings and lectures by prominent authors, chamber music concerts and visiting scholars in residence.

Sept. 8, 2008

SCAD announces grand opening of rehabilitated Ivy Hall Oct. 3
ATLANTA - The Savannah College of Art and Design announced the grand opening of Ivy Hall Oct. 3. After nearly two years of rehabilitation, planning and construction, the historic Midtown mansion at 179 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E. will reopen as a cultural arts and writing center.

Rehabilitation of Ivy Hall began in April 2007, when the donation of the historic Edward C. Peters House from William Swearingen of S.D.H. Investment Corp. Inc., William Dunaway and Harry Hill became finalized.

The Peters House, called Ivy Hall by the Peters family, was designed by noted architect Gottfried L. Norrman in 1883. After Swearingen and Dunaway purchased the building, it was converted into The Mansion restaurant in 1973. After a debilitating upper-level fire in 2000, it remained vacant and unused until it was donated to SCAD.

Under the leadership of SCAD historic preservation specialist Bob Dickensheets, SCAD's adaptive rehabilitation of the home as a cultural arts and writing center for the college and the community has taken shape.

"This project was different than previous SCAD rehabilitation projects in that we are restoring not only a residence, but, in a way, the memory of one of Atlanta's earliest and most industrious families," Dickensheets said. "Ivy Hall will provide a very stimulating environment for learning. The residence will prove an excellent space for student and faculty interaction and an ideal setting for visiting authors and artists to share their professional experiences."

The opening celebration of SCAD's Ivy Hall will be generously sponsored by The Providence Group.

May 15, 2007

Savannah College of Art and Design receives grant for rehabilitation
of Atlanta’s historic Peters House
SCAD-Atlanta recently received a third grant for the rehabilitation of Atlanta’s historic Edward C. Peters House, formerly known as The Mansion restaurant, located in midtown Atlanta at 179 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E.

The Price Gilbert Jr. Charitable Fund donated a grant in the amount of $5,000 for the restoration of the Peters House. The Price Gilbert Jr. Charitable Fund was established in 1973 under the will of Price Gilbert Jr., a retired Coca-Cola executive, to benefit charitable and educational institutions in the Atlanta area.

Article by Leslie King, Director of Public Information, SCAD-Atlanta

April 6, 2007

SCAD rehabilitation of Atlanta's historic Peters House begins
The donation of midtown Atlanta’s historic Edward C. Peters House to the Savannah College of Art and Design has been finalized. Formerly known as The Mansion restaurant, the Peters House was donated to SCAD by the property’s most recent owners, William Swearingen of S.D.H. Investment Corp. Inc., William Dunaway and Harry Hill. Under an agreement, SCAD has agreed to rehabilitate the Peters House, one of the first homes in Georgia thought to embody the Victorian Queen Anne architectural style, and surrounding acreage for use as a cultural arts center. The rehabilitation is expected to take 18 months to two years to complete at an estimated cost of $2.2 million.

Meanwhile, Jolly Develop­ment plans to construct condominiums on the land surrounding the home, which is located at 179 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E.

“I am so happy that we’ve been able to work out something that saves the Peters House and also makes sense for the city and the developers. I don’t know of any better situation than to have SCAD restoring this property,” said Swearingen.

In March 2005, Swearingen of S.D.H. Investment Corp. Inc., Dunaway and Hill signed an agreement to donate the facility and surrounding acreage to SCAD, contingent upon the donors’ ability to develop the outer property as residential. SCAD historic preservation specialist Bob Dickensheets is project manager for SCAD’s planned adaptive rehabilitation of the home as a cultural arts center for the college and community.

“Thanks to the vision of SCAD President Paula S. Wallace, one of Atlanta’s few remaining historical structures will become a community asset and an architecturally significant home will live on,” said Dickensheets. “SCAD has a proud record of distinction in architectural preservation, restoration and adaptive reuse. Our thanks [go] to the many individuals and organizations who helped make this project a success, including William Swearingen, S.D.H. Investment Corp. Inc., Jolly Development, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, the Atlanta Preservation Center and Home Depot.”

Atlanta-based Jolly Development plans to construct Ivy Hall Condominiums on the land surrounding the historic home. The Providence Group LLC is the builder partner of Jolly Development Corp. Inc. Founded in 1986 by Pete and Warren Jolly, Jolly Development and the Providence Group specialize in building for a contemporary lifestyle in prime locations throughout metro Atlanta. Livable and unique floor plans, stunning exterior designs and premier locations are trademarks of homes built by the Providence Group.

“Ivy Hall is a result of the hard work and cooperation of many dedicated individuals, without whom a project of this complexity would never have happened. To be able to blend new construction with historic architecture and retain a significant Atlanta landmark makes this opportunity unique and exciting,” said Warren Jolly.

Rehabilitation of the Peters House will begin immediately, with restoration and stabilization of the exterior facade, the slate roof and masonry. The Peters House, called Ivy Hall by the Peters family, was designed by noted architect Gottfrid L. Norrman in 1883 and is Atlanta’s oldest, most complete and single most important residence from the city’s “New South,” post-Civil War period, according to Boyd Coons, executive director of the Atlanta Preservation Center. When completed, the facility — which will again be known as Ivy Hall — will serve as a cultural arts and writing center where students and community members can gather for poetry and book readings, seminars and lectures by prominent authors, as well as chamber music concerts. Many authors already have visited the college’s Savannah and Atlanta locations, including Tama Janowitz, Robert Hicks, Maya Angelou, Edward Albee, Roger Ebert, Augusten Burroughs and Tom Wolfe. Ivy Hall will also house an artist in residence.

The Peters House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and was designated an Atlanta Landmark Building by the Atlanta Urban Design Commission in 1989. In 2001 and 2003, the Atlanta Preservation Center listed the house among the most endangered buildings in Atlanta.

In Savannah, SCAD has rehabilitated four other Norrman-designed buildings for college instruction and administrative space, including the 1892 Henry Street School, the 1896 Anderson Street School, the 1906 Barnard Street School and the 1895 Citizens Bank.

The college has been internationally recognized by organizations such as the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, the Art Deco Societies of America, the American Institute of Architects, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the International Down­town Association for its rehabilitation efforts throughout the southeastern United States.

Undergraduate and graduate students from the SCAD historic preservation program, one of the college’s first programs to be offered as a major, have contributed crucial research and analysis to the rehabilitation effort. SCAD students will continue to have the opportunity to assist with the Peters House rehabilitation through the duration of the project. The college has provided many similar “living labs” for historic preservation students to gain hands-on experience.

On Feb. 17, SCAD-Atlanta hosted the 30th annual Beaux Arts Ball for the first time, following the transition of the Atlanta College of Art into SCAD in June 2006. The ball had been a longstanding tradition of ACA. This year, proceeds benefited the renovation of the Peters House. Approximately 350 guests attended a black-tie gala and watched a video presentation profiling the Peters House rehabilitation effort. The event also included dinner, dancing and musical performances by SCAD students. Patrons and guests were also treated to two special exhibitions in the college’s newest Atlanta gallery, Gallery See: a series of 10 specially commissioned paintings by outstanding SCAD alumna Rose Casterline that were inspired by historic photographs taken of the Peters House at the turn of the 20th century, and a collection of historic photographs and artifacts from the Peters House.

In 2006, SCAD was awarded two grants to help fund the restoration of the Peters House. The David, Helen and Marian Woodward Fund awarded SCAD $100,000. The Woodward Fund was established exclusively for the benefit of nonprofit institutions and associations that are located in Georgia or one of its neighboring states and are organized and operated exclusively for religious, educational, charitable or scientific purposes. The James M. Cox Foundation also donated an additional grant in the amount of $25,000. The foundation was formed in 1957 from the estate of Cox, founder of Cox Enterprises. The foundation makes grants to organizations involved in arts and culture, environment, health, human services or education that are located in areas where Cox Enterprises operates a business.

The Ivy Hall property was originally acquired by Edward Peters’ father, Richard Peters, who, along with a friend, helped rename the tiny Marthasville settlement Atlanta. Richard Peters is remembered as a multifaceted industrialist and financier; he was credited by a friend with Atlanta’s first telegraph, its first flour mill, its first banking building, its first family residence and its first Episcopal church.

The Peters family was responsible not only for the shaping of midtown Atlanta but also for the creation of the Peters Park area, a 200-acre tract that Edward Peters eventually donated for the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Peters served on the city council for decades and also served as a county commissioner and alderman. He supported the extension of Atlanta’s city limits in 1904 from Sixth Street to 15th Street and was instrumental in the city’s purchase of Piedmont Park.

After Edward Peters’ death in 1937, the house became the property of his only son, Wimberly. Wimberly’s wife, Lucille, inherited the home after her husband’s death in 1948, and she continued to live in the house until her death in 1970. The house was nearly demolished in 1971 but was saved through its designation on the National Register of Historic Places. Ponce de Leon Investors Ltd. bought the property in 1971 and converted it into The Mansion restaurant. The owners remodeled the building in 1973 and commissioned Alan Salzman to create an addition, which won the Atlanta Urban Design Commission Award. Fire damaged the upper floor in November 2000, and the house was abandoned shortly afterward.

The adaptive rehabilitation by SCAD will not only restore physical aspects of the Peters House, but it also will ensure that the historic building remains a vital part of the Atlanta community.

Article by Leslie King, director of public information, SCAD-Atlanta

©2007-2009 Savannah College of Art and Design | Contact Us