Crews battle blazing fire at historic building, across from where iconic Krispy Kreme burned down

ATLANTA — Atlanta fire crews are battling a blazing fire at a historic building near downtown.

Video from a viewer shows flames that appear to be coming from the old Atlanta Eagle and Original Kodak Moments buildings on Ponce De Leon Avenue Northeast.

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According to Atlanta police, officers responded to the area of Ponce De Leon Avenue NE and Argonne Avenue NE about a building fire.

At this time, no injuries have been reported. Officers are helping with traffic control in the area and several lanes are blocked off.

The old Atlanta Eagle and Kodak Buildings were constructed in 1898 and 1905.

According to The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, the Atlanta Eagle Building was altered for commercial use in 1949 and eventually became a place of prominence in the LGBTQ community, significant as a site for public social interaction.

On Thursday afternoon, Mayor Andre Dickens released the Mayor’s Division of LGBTQ+ Affairs Biennial Report in light of National Pride Month.

“Atlanta serves as a gleaming model of how a municipality can advance equity for its LGBTQ+ residents, visitors and employees through best-in-class practices, humility training, employee resources and overall inclusion and representation,” said Mayor Dickens.

The Kodak Building is historically significant for its association with the rise of commercial amateur photography in the mid-20th century, it also served as the campaign headquarters of Shirley Franklin, Atlanta’s first female mayor. It was originally constructed as an Italian Renaissance house but underwent a commercial alteration in the 1940s with the opening of Star Photo.

The Georgia Trust also stated that the structures suffer from a lack of maintenance and they are a direct threat of demolition. The Atlanta Eagle announced plans to close due to financial hardship brought on by the pandemic.

The buildings are located near the iconic Krispy Kreme, which reopened last Fall after burning down.

According to investigators, the business was closed in Feb. 2021, when the store was intentionally set on fire along the exterior of the building.

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At this time, there are no details on what caused the fire.

Channel 2 Action News reached out to the Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department and we are waiting to hear back.

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