Vine City dilapidated building transformed into a martial arts studio

An exterior photo of the former Ashby Street Learning Academy building that was transformed into The Welch Center. (Courtesy of The Welch Center)

Sometimes it’s hard for others to see a vision, but for Sule Konata Welch, it didn’t matter when he discovered a dilapidated building would become the new location for his martial arts studio.

The building, which is two buildings combined, holds a historic place in Georgia and Atlanta’s Vine City neighborhood. Welch discovered the bigger brick building had a historic tie to education. It once housed the Georgia Teachers and Education Association, an organization for Black educators. It also served pre-K and kindergartners for the Ashby Street Learning Academy.

However, it’s been difficult to determine the exact year the three-story facility was built, but Welch suspects sometime in the early 1960s. At that time, the building would be constructed right next to what was either a former church or home residence. Welch believes it was built in the 1930s.