Did you miss Party at Ponce this past weekend? After ages of being one of Atlanta’s most significant unused spaces, City Hall East is officially beginning its three-year transition into becoming Ponce City Market. The building offers over 2 million square feet of space that will become offices, retail, a few apartments, plus a farmer’s market and a possible urban garden. Ponce City Market will be a beacon for the rest of intown Atlanta residents, a symbol of how far the city has come.

But we mustn’t forget that this building in the heart of the Old Fourth Ward is an important part of Atlanta history. In the 1920s, Sears, Roebuck & Company built the structure to house its Southern Regional Catalog Distribution Center. Almost a century later, the mail and catalog sorting rooms remain untouched, filled with old shipping labels, timecards, and Rolodexes. Even when the building was used by the City of Atlanta, two-thirds of the space was never used.

Take a trip into Atlanta history with the following video from 11 Alive, offering a last-chance tour of this historic building before the overhaul begins. Then, check out some of our fantastic, luxurious intown Atlanta apartments, so that you can be where the action is.