Former site of Gwinnett County’s 1st library sold to City of Norcross after eminent domain dispute

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A historic building that once housed Gwinnett County’s first library has been sold to the City of Norcross, months after the city attempted to condemn and take it through eminent domain, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation announced Tuesday.

The Trust said it sold the building to Norcross, “with local historic district protections,” for $450,000 on Tuesday, Dec. 17.

The property was previously donated to the Trust by the Norcross Woman’s Club. The Trust said it was the most valuable property ever donated to its Revolving Fund program, which works to save historic buildings across the state.

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“From our initial involvement with the Norcross Woman’s Club, our primary goal has been to ensure the legal protection and necessary investment in the property to preserve the history of the building for another 100 years,” Georgia Trust President and CEO Wright Mitchell said in a statement. “The Georgia Trust is pleased that the City Council agreed to incorporate the property into the local historic zoning district. That the council has committed to spending $230,000 in 2025 towards appropriate rehabilitation is another step toward our desired outcome.”

Mitchell, however, added that the Trust had wanted to sell the building to the city “subject to a preservation easement to be monitored in perpetuity” by the Trust, but city leaders wouldn’t agree.

“Unfortunately, the city would not agree to such an easement, but we are pleased that the building will be placed under the purview of the Norcross Historic Preservation Commission, which has responsibility for making sure that the building is properly rehabilitated and maintained,” Mitchell said. “It is now up to the citizens of Norcross to hold the Mayor, City Council and Historic Preservation Commission accountable for the long-term preservation of this important landmark. We are grateful to the Norcross Woman’s Club for donating this building to the Georgia Trust so that it may be protected for future generations to visit and enjoy.”

Located in downtown Norcross, the Norcross Woman’s Club building was built in 1921 by the Woman’s Club as the first library in Gwinnett County, with architectural plans approved by mogul Andrew Carnegie.