By Henry Bryant
Charles Alfred Greiner passed away on June 25. Born on October 14, 1942, Charles came to Atlanta to attend Georgia Tech with only enough money for one quarter of tuition. With staying power he continued towards his career goals, finding a job at Heery and Heery Architecture firm in Midtown. Not much later, he went on to establish and build his own firm, Costing Services Group, playing a significant role in Atlanta’s booming construction industry.
Charles also went on to become significant in the Porch Press neighborhoods, first as a resident of the Benteen community, becoming a founding member of the SAND organization. In 1973 he purchased the second Grant Mansion at Sydney and Hill streets. In 1975 he moved his young family to Grant Park and became a member of The Association to Revive Grant Park (which eventually became the Grant Park Neighborhood Association). He served as the president not only of that organization, but also the newly-instituted Neighborhood Planning Unit–W (NPU-W).
Charles continued growing his business as well as his personal interests. He went on to earn a degree in Quantity Surveying from the University of Reading in the UK. He then became a member of the Royal Institute of Surveying and was selected as a fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. In the U.S. he became a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and the Society of Value Engineers.
Charles’ kindness and generosity were forever demonstrated while working tirelessly in the community and for political causes and candidates that he believed in. Left to mourn him are Anita, his wife of 56 years, and their three children, Charles, Amy, and James, as well as eight grandchildren, three siblings, and numerous friends and associates across the globe. He was put to rest on June 29 at Westview Cemetery in Atlanta.
