King Center neglect cited; $11.6 million needed for repairs, removing hazards, report finds

The King Center, the final resting place of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and one of the national civil rights movement's most revered sites, is in bad shape and getting worse. The 24-year-old center, part of the King Historic District on Auburn Avenue near downtown Atlanta, needs $11.6 million in repairs, according to a report by the National Park Service. The center's archive building leaks, threatening King's papers as well as other important civil rights movement documents. Electrical boxes are rusted, exposing wiring and creating safety hazards, according to the report. It cites "abandoned" fire protection systems, but the report does not say whether the center has backup systems. Despite the potential fire hazard, the city hasn't inspected the King Center since 1997. Anthony Jackson, Atlanta's chief fire inspector, said city officials thought the center was the responsibility of the Park Service. Jackson said the Fire Department currently is trying to determine whether it is responsible for inspecting the center. The reflecting pool surrounding King's white marble tomb shows signs of distress, with leakage at the pool's base, according to the report. King's tomb, however, appears to be sound. Frank Catroppa, superintendent of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, said he noticed problems at the center last year and suggested an assessment be done. "I was surprised at the extent of the problems," Catroppa said. He gave the center the nine-page report shortly after it was completed in May 2004. The report was obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution through the Freedom of Information Act. Catroppa said he is "disappointed" he hasn't heard from the King family, which controls the King Center through a nonprofit corporation. [more]