They tore down the I. M. Pei designed Gulf Oil Building. In fact they tore down the whole block except for St. Paul's Presbyterian to build 131 PONCE Apartment Homes.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkYInHyuGm4Zv_eEBHiTOc3astVGz6rD0JIHtkXVyJq_u6sV9L3s2IXT1NY9I_jzcRjMhe-kzw6Fm_7z14LftWsEiwIsuGve-CtbrJQ0LWgqZwZ6mL1sicQwBivmmgDdKNQEbByPI_Z7y/s1600/15942094618_e638b85f7b_k.jpg)
There are done now and this is what we got. View east on Ponce de Leon.
![20141228_103550 2014-12-28 131 Ponce De Leon teardown formerly I M Pei Gulf Oil](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8627/16103746226_3c08bc97ab_z.jpg)
I'm not going to rehash all the controversy but you can rehash all you want. View south on Juniper.
![P1150247-2013-01-08-Demolition-131-Ponce-de-Leon-by-I-M-Pei-Gulf-Oil-Building-1949](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8212/8362022883_80052a8d65_z.jpg)
Not every angle of the old Gulf Building was magnificent; not everybody loved it.
![20141228_110132 2014-12-28 131 Ponce De Leon teardown formerly I M Pei Gulf Oil](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7579/15942863908_2ea770037c_z.jpg)
The developers saved the marble and built an homage to the old building and put the pool on top. Bathers will have a great view of the Midtown skyline. View west on Ponce de Leon.
![20141228_105503 2014-12-28 131 Ponce De Leon teardown formerly I M Pei Gulf Oil building Atlanta St Pauls Presbyterian Church Atlanta](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7569/15507960414_dc7ecb4627_z.jpg)
I was most concerned about St. Paul's Presbyterian, a one-of-a-kind that I fear is a white elephant for which which we must hope. I don't think "131" leveraged St. Paul's beauty though. The block looks like a mess from this angle too.
![P1170674-2013-03-16-Ponce-Apartment-Phoenix-Flies-APC-rooftop-view-east-Gulf-Oil-IM-Pei-lot-buffted-post-demolition-detail](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8385/8609088304_6090eef438_z.jpg)
They scraped off the Gulf Oil Building, a former office furniture store, and parking lots, a little more than 2.5 acres. View east from the top of the Ponce Apartments.
I give credit for building on one of our most road-isolated blocks. Juniper (bottom of picture, one-way right) has five one-way lanes south, Piedmont (bottom of picture, one-way left) has four one-way lanes north. Six lanes each on North and Ponce de Leon. It's busy and fast on these streets.
I walked counter-clockwise starting at Ponce then south on Juniper.
![P1160248-2013-02-08-I-M-Pei-Gulf-Oil-Building-Demolition-removing-Marble-panels-West-facade](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8091/8457835822_dce167d7df_z.jpg)
The Gulf Oil Building gave Juniper a cold shoulder. View south on Juniper.
![IMG_5480 2014-12-28 131 Ponce De Leon teardown formerly I M Pei Gulf Oil](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7510/16129397861_dae357f98a_z.jpg)
The Juniper side felt comfortable to me, from here it seemed like an apartment building. I felt safely buffered by a green strip and protected by a row of poles and trees. I wasn't expecting comfort. Walking here has never been so good. View south on Juniper.
![IMG_5493 2014-12-28 131 Ponce De Leon teardown formerly I M Pei Gulf Oil](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7469/16129414861_6b70f6725e_z.jpg)
Emory's new Proton Therapy Building (the beached white whale) is a lot less inviting. View Northwest from North Avenue.
![20141228_104033 2014-12-28 131 Ponce De Leon teardown formerly I M Pei Gulf Oil](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7498/16104469596_5439d2d106_z.jpg)
From the corner of North and Juniper I could see the whole new composition without the Pei homage or the church. It's what I imagine the Khumbu Icefall on Everest looks like. My eye couldn't get a grip on it but I did see balconies. View east on North Avenue.
![IMG_5495 2014-12-28 131 Ponce De Leon teardown formerly I M Pei Gulf Oil](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7549/16129416731_12da41b3c1_z.jpg)
The North Avenue Side.
![20141228_104804 2014-12-28 131 Ponce De Leon teardown formerly I M Pei Gulf Oil](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7555/16128363551_717b3d2502_z.jpg)
Here's the view from North and Piedmont. My eye didn't get it except for the balconies.
![IMG_5499 2014-12-28 131 Ponce De Leon teardown formerly I M Pei Gulf Oil](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7544/16105536446_4c207cb449_z.jpg)
It kind of woks as the foot hills protecting Peachtree Ridge and the Midtown skyscrapers. You might think of it as a fortified line. This could be the most picturesque building on Ponce between North Avenue Presbyterian and Highland School Lofts. View west on North Avenue.
![20141228_104817 2014-12-28 131 Ponce De Leon teardown formerly I M Pei Gulf Oil](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7519/15942963800_1302f3a932_z.jpg)
The Ivy Hall Apartments on the right are a bit more traditional.
![IMG_5504 2014-12-28 131 Ponce De Leon teardown formerly I M Pei Gulf Oil St Pauls Presbyterian Church Atlanta](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8561/15945254759_404b2a6a94_z.jpg)
I'm most interested in the Church, in making sure it survives. I hoped the new apartment would leverage it, compliment it.
![20141228_105039 2014-12-28 131 Ponce De Leon teardown formerly I M Pei Gulf Oil St Pauls Presbyterian Church Atlanta](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7463/15507946524_0eac725fec_z.jpg)
I'm not sure it does.
![IMG_5513 2014-12-28 131 Ponce De Leon teardown formerly I M Pei Gulf Oil St Pauls Presbyterian Church Atlanta stained glass window damage](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8658/16130587122_a48aac509e_z.jpg)
It needs help.
![20141228_105403 2014-12-28 131 Ponce De Leon teardown formerly I M Pei Gulf Oil building Atlanta St Pauls Presbyterian Church Atlanta](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8563/16104496996_af4cdd9f89_z.jpg)
The green corner makes a difference. Go have a look.
Happy New Year.
![20141227_201925 2014-12-27 131 Ponce De Leon complete night](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7551/16123384562_60340c9df3_z.jpg)