Empire Manufacturing Company Building, building in Atlanta, Georgia, United States
The Empire Manufacturing Company Building is a factory constructed in Art Deco style in Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward in 1939. The structure features large open interior spaces made possible by a special truss system that spans 95 feet without supporting columns.
The building was constructed in 1939 for the National Linen Service Corporation and played a role in Atlanta's industrial history. The original company merged with Zep in 1962 to form National Service Industries, and the structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
The building takes its name from its original operator, the National Linen Service Corporation, which produced laundry services here. Today it stands as a visible reminder of how the Old Fourth Ward has shifted from a purely industrial area to a mixed-use neighborhood.
The building is easily accessible from nearby streets and sits in an area with other historic sites and modern developments. Walking around the site works best to observe the architectural details and how the neighborhood has changed over time.
The building uses a rare clear-span truss system from the 1930s that allows for a 95-foot-wide open interior space without center columns. This construction technique was advanced for its time and remains a notable example of engineering from that era.
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