1930 Garage Transformed into Urban Meditation Center

A Historic Inman Park automotive garage built in 1938 that once housed AAA Electric Motor Service will soon be transformed into a modern meditation center.

Kadampa Meditation Center Georgia has purchased 741 Edgewood Avenue and has begun renovation plans with the help of two award-winning teams, architectural firm Gamble and Gamble Creative, and construction firm Nicholson Contracting, LLC.

“Gamble and Gamble Creative is delighted to be engaged in the Kadampa Meditation Center,” said Michael Gamble principal of the firm. “The project will be developed around an architectural typology that most architects dream of.” "Our strategy is the thoughtful adaptive reuse of an existing tool shop on the edge of Inman Park, via an understanding of how natural light creates different atmospheres within the space and how recycled and sustainable non-toxic materials can be conceived of in a way that creates comfort, economy and delight, while respecting the needs of the spiritual community and the neighborhood,” said Gamble.

Gamble and Gamble Creative received an Award of Excellence from the Atlanta Urban Design Commission for its renovation of the historic Daily World building in early 2015.

The new center will offer daily meditation classes, day courses, study programs and retreats for all levels of practice. Its main focus will be providing accessible meditation techniques that can have a peaceful influence over our modern, busy lives. "We offer many scientific methods to solve our modern human problems and find peace of mind in a challenging world. This reveals a boundless source of happiness from within. In this way we can make our daily lives more fulfilling and meaningful, improving all our relationships," says American Buddhist Monk, Gen Kelsang Mondrub.

Design plans include a meditation space for 80 people, a gift shop and bookstore for the sale of meditation-related items. Kadampa Meditation Center Georgia is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization run entirely by volunteers and established in Atlanta since 1998. It is a member of the New Kadampa Tradition and the International Kadampa Buddhist Union. Previously, their volunteers ran the World Peace Café in Sandy Springs from 2007 to 2013. The new center is expected to open in the first quarter of 2018. In the meantime, classes and events are scheduled around various locations in the Atlanta Metro area.