Historic Atlanta Eagle, first gay landmark in Southeast, devastated by massive fire

ATLANTA - Officials are assessing the extent of the damage to the historic building which once housed Atlanta’s first gay nightclub. A massive fire tore through the Atlanta Eagle on Thursday evening. 

While the nightclub has relocated post-pandemic, the historic significance of the building left vacant, is not lost on the LGBTQ+ community. 

Historic Atlanta Eagle nightclub 

"It has a lot of history for us. It was the first building to be designated as a landmark for the gay community in the Southeast," said Richard Ramey, owner of the Atlanta Eagle. 

The building that housed the Atlanta Eagle until November 2020 dates back to 1989, while its neighboring Kodak Building boasts a history stretching back to 1905. Both structures were originally part of an expansive residential property before being converted for commercial use by the 1950s. 

The Atlanta Eagle, located at 603 Ponce De Leon Avenue, gained a one-story brick facade in the 1960s. Opening its doors in the summer of 1988, the Atlanta Eagle became the city's first true gay bar, taking over the space previously occupied by Renegades, a country-western club that had opened just a year earlier. The establishment quickly became an iconic landmark within Atlanta's LGBTQ community. 

"It was Renegades for one year, a country-western bar, and right before that, it was called the Celebrity Room and that’s where RuPaul started dancing. He danced in a cage, and we still have it at the new Atlanta Eagle location," said Ramey. 

In 2009, the Atlanta Eagle made headlines following a controversial police raid by the now-defunct APD "Red Dog Unit," a SWAT-like force typically targeting high-drug trafficking areas. Although none of the 62 patrons present during the raid were arrested, eight employees faced charges. Most of these charges were later dropped or resulted in acquittals. The raid sparked lawsuits and eventually led to the dismantling of the APD specialized unit. Many in the LGBTQ community drew comparisons to the 1969 Stonewall Inn police raid in New York, which had ignited a riot and galvanized the gay rights movement. 

The Kodak Building, initially constructed as an Italian Renaissance house, underwent commercial alterations in the 1940s with the opening of Star Photo. This building holds historical significance for its role in the rise of commercial amateur photography in the mid-20th century and served as the campaign headquarters for Shirley Franklin, Atlanta's first female mayor. Despite being vacant, a large Kodak sign remains as a sentinel over the location. 

Preservation efforts, including those spearheaded by The Georgia Trust, have been ongoing for several years. However, volunteers highlight that the continued vacancy of these buildings remains a significant hurdle to their restoration and revitalization. 

"This was a significant place for the LGBTQ+ community because, for about 30-35 years, this was a safe place for them to party, to entertain. RuPaul had one of his first performances there. It is a legacy landmark, historic designation in the city, and we want to make sure it’s preserved," said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.  

The Atlanta Eagle reopened two years after its closure at a new location in the Ansley Square shopping center on Piedmont Avenue. 

Atlanta Eagle fire under investigation 

"It’s very seldom for a fire that you see the mayor, a fire chief and chief of police, all together. It really meant the world to me that they were all here," Ramey said. 

"Firefighters were putting it out, they had three ladder trucks, we had about five engines," said Mayor Dickens. 

Firefighters battled the massive blaze Thursday evening for several hours after getting multiple 911 calls shortly before 8 p.m. The intersection of Ponce De Leon Avenue and Argonne Avenue was closed as first responders began to attack the blaze. A towering plume of smoke was visible across the city. 

Atlanta Fire Chief Roderick Smith reported that firefighters began focusing their efforts on the historic section of the building. The fire engulfed the more than 100-year-old, two-story structure behind the street-level facade. Due to the intense flames on the second floor and the building's age, firefighters evacuated as a precaution. 

Three ladder trucks were deployed, pouring thousands of gallons of water onto the inferno. Chief Smith confirmed that there were no water supply issues. 

On Friday, arson investigators from both the state and city were at the scene combing over evidence of how the blaze started. There were concerns about the fire being set intentionally, especially with this fire happening less than two weeks after a small blaze happened at another iconic Atlanta gay bar, Blake's On The Park. That bar remains closed.

Chief Smith noted on Thursday evening that a fire occurred in the neighboring old Kodak building. That one was believed to have been caused by vagrant occupants. 

"June is Pride month, and we were looking into if there was malicious intent… Is someone trying to interrupt Pride month? Investigators say no, it was not arson, but we are going to continue to stay vigilant and look at it," the mayor added. 

While Atlanta celebrates Pride in October, there are still many activities and events which correspond to the nationwide celebration. 

The fate of the building remains unclear.