Join the Georgia Tech Library for Preserving Peachtree Center: Historic Preservation and John Portman Tuesday, Nov. 18 from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Scholars Event Theater, located on the first floor of Price Gilbert.
Dean of Libraries Leslie Sharp hosts a conversation with a panel of experts to explore the significance of Peachtree Center and the importance of historic preservation in Atlanta. Join us to uncover the stories behind Peachtree Center’s iconic design, explore why preserving Atlanta’s landmarks matters, and understand how preservation shapes vibrant, connected communities.
Panelists Include:
- Dean Baker, Lead Architectural Historian Southeast and Southwest, Chronicle Heritage
- Jennifer Ball, Chief Operating Officer, Central Atlanta Progress, Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID)
- Alex McGee, Head of Archives and Special Collections & Curator of Defining Skylines
- David Yoakley Mitchell, Executive Director, Atlanta Preservation Center
- Jeffrey Jensen, Doctoral Student, Georgia Tech School of Architecture and Retired Preservation Specialist, General Services Administration
- Danielle S. Willkens, PhD, Assoc. AIA, FRSA, LEED AP BD+C, Associate Professor, Georgia Tech School of Architecture
In 2018, Peachtree Center, a prominent mixed-use district located in Downtown Atlanta, Georgia, known for its distinctive modernist architecture and extensive network of interconnected buildings, was added to the National Register of Historic Places due to its significance under architecture and community planning and development for the work of architect and developer, John C. Portman, Jr.
About the panelists
Dean Baker
An award-winning, internationally recognized expert in architectural history, Dean Baker brings three decades of experience in preservation planning and documentation, with a particular focus on twentieth-century and recent past resources. His expertise spans modern and post-modern architecture, cultural landscape analysis, and community-based historic preservation. Before joining Chronicle Heritage, Mr. Baker served more than a decade at the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office, where he managed large-scale historic resource initiatives, including pedestrian streetscape enhancements and the rehabilitation of historic train depots.
He later established a successful preservation consulting practice, where he advanced the field of recent past documentation by leading the 2018 National Register listing of John Portman’s 1961–1988 Peachtree Center Historic District in Atlanta, then the youngest contributing resources to be listed. Mr. Baker is widely recognized for his work on mid- to late-twentieth-century Modern and Post-Modern resources, an architectural legacy that increasingly defines sun-belt growth-era heritage. He has also held executive, board, and chair positions with nationally significant cultural resource organizations, demonstrating his commitment to advocacy, stewardship, and the integration of preservation within broader planning efforts.
Danielle S. Willkens
Danielle S. Willkens is an Associate Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology (GT) School of Architecture, and the Initiative Lead for Resilient and Informed Communities for GT’s Institute for People and Technology. She is a practicing designer, historian, and FAA Remote Pilot, as well as the author of The Transatlantic Design Network: Thomas Jefferson, John Soane, and Agents of Architectural Exchange (2024) and Architecture for Teens: A Beginner’s Book for Aspiring Architects (2021). She has extensive experience in archives, community-engaged research, and the digital documentation and interpretation of heritage sites. Her research has been supported by the Association for Preservation Technology International, the American Institute of Architects, the American Philosophical Society, Dumbarton Oaks, the National Park Service, the National Center for Preservation Training and Technology, the International Center for Jefferson Studies, and Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation.
She holds a PhD in architectural history and theory from UCL’s Bartlett School of Architecture, a M.Phil from the University of Cambridge, a Graduate Certificate in Historic Preservation from Savannah College of Art and Design, and a M.Arch and BS from the University of Virginia. She is on the Board of Trustees for the Atlanta Preservation Center and the Penn Center National Historic Landmark District, and she currently serves as the secretary of the Southeast Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians.
Jeffrey Jensen
Jeff is presently in the PhD program in the History, Theory and Criticism of Architecture at Georgia Tech. This is following his retirement after a nearly 25-year career as a Historic Preservation Specialist with the US General Services Administration, first in the Atlanta Regional Office, then moving to GSA's Central Office in Washington DC, working in the Center for Historic Buildings. In his time at GSA, Jeff managed consultation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and advocated for reuse of and investment in GSA's portfolio of historic Courthouses, Custom Houses and Federal Office Buildings. Jeff has a degree in History from Georgia State University where he also completed his Masters in Heritage Preservation.
Jennifer Ball
Jennifer Ball is the Chief Operating Officer at Central Atlanta Progress, Inc. Jennifer’s role with Central Atlanta Progress affords her the opportunity to impact many facets of the people-centered growth of a thriving and economically viable Downtown Atlanta. In addition to supporting business operations, she also directs economic development, urban planning, transportation, and public realm initiatives.
Recent initiatives under her direction include the Atlanta Arts & Entertainment District; stewardship of the Stitch vision; the Sweet Auburn Technical Assistance and Redevelopment Grant Program; the Downtown Atlanta Master Plan; and the on-going implementation of over $40 million worth of public space improvements.
Jennifer holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Georgia Tech College of Design.
David Yoakley Mitchell
David Yoakley Mitchell graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (BFA-96) and studied photography and anthropology. He is the Executive Director of the Atlanta Preservation Center. During his tenure he has been able to participate in the preservation of 229 Auburn Avenue – Atlanta State Savings Bank and 250 Auburn Avenue - the Oddfellows Building. He has also assisted in getting both South View Cemetery and Tuxedo Park on the National Register. Finally, he has partnered in the processes that have seen St. Mark AME Church, Pershing Point Park, Chastain Arts Centre, and the Randolph-Lucas-Jones Home being locally landmarked and protected.
He is also proud of his work with the University of Georgia Special Collections Library, Georgia State Special Collections Library, Georgia Tech Special Collections Library, Mercer University Special Collections Library, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Special Collections Library, North Carolina State University Special Collections Research Center (SCRC), the Auburn Avenue Research Library, the DeKalb History Center, the Alabama Department of Archives and History, Oglethorpe University Museum of Art, High Museum of Art and the Breman Museum and Cultural Center to expand their collections.
He is the Chair of the Penn Center, in Beaufort, South Carolina - which is the campus of the former Penn School, one of the nation’s first schools for formerly enslaved people, and is one of the most significant African American institutions in existence today. This historic and cultural institution is a National Historic Landmark District and comprises two of the four sites in Reconstruction Era National Park, and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
He is also the President of M.H. Mitchell, Inc. - which promotes the understanding of the southeastern region through cultural, social and structural preservation.
Alex McGee
Alex McGee is the Head of Archives & Special Collections at Georgia Tech. She holds an M.A. in history and certificate in public history from Georgia State University and a B.A. in history and women’s studies from the University of Georgia. She is a certified archivist and earned her Digital Archives Specialist certificate in 2020. McGee oversees archives operations, providing leadership to a team of archivists. In addition, she is dedicated to promoting accessibility, research, and instruction through archives and special collections.
About Defining Skylines: John Portman and the Architectural Evolution of Downtown Atlanta
This event is part of the Georgia Tech Library’s exhibit, Defining Skylines: John Portman and the Architectural Evolution of Downtown Atlanta, now on display in Price Gilbert’s first floor gallery through December.
A proud Georgia Tech alumnus, Portman reshaped the city’s skyline with his innovative designs, including the groundbreaking Hyatt Regency and Peachtree Center.
This exhibit offers an exclusive look into Portman’s creative process, architectural achievements, and lasting influence on urban design featuring artifacts from both the Georgia Tech Archives & Special Collections and the Portman Archives.
Explore how Portman’s connection to Georgia Tech helped shape his remarkable career and continues to inspire future generations of architects and designers.
We invite the Atlanta community to join us in celebrating the enduring legacy of one of Atlanta’s most influential figures.