The former army command center at Fort McPherson was vacated in 2005. Since closing operations on the almost 500-acre property, it has remained unused until the Georgia Research Alliance acquired it. An FDA laboratory was to be established, an initiative that would revitalize the area, create hundreds of high-paid jobs, and position Georgia as a leader in the scientific community.
On behalf of the Fort McPherson Redevelopment Authority and in partnership with Cousins Properties of Atlanta, HOK, and Deloitte, IPG led the redevelopment program and master plan for the master development conversion of the former 500-acre Army Base at Fort McPherson, adjacent to downtown Atlanta, Georgia.
The project team reevaluated previous growth and development assumptions based on current market realities in the effort to create a master plan, both for the employment center and a conceptual plan for the 500-acre site.
In addition to the Master Plan report, a parallel effort focused on a business plan that would fuel further development.
The Redevelopment Authority’s vision of the project was to transform Fort McPherson and its surrounding areas into a nationally-acclaimed community, complete with world-class residential, commercial, recreational, and academic facilities.
The master development needed to be:
Guided by market realities
Adaptable to changing conditions
Focus on knowledge-based industries
Generate many types of employment at multiple income levels
Provide economic stimulus to the region
Enhance community services
Promote learning through all life stages
Apply collaborative processes
Respect the history of the site
Promote responsible environmental concepts and energy efficiency
Provide ample green space
Work with other regional initiatives to strengthen the result
The principles established in phase two provided the framework for the development of theScience and Technology Center and adjacent development districts.
The Challenges
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The historic district needed to remain intact
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The street network had to provide multiple connections to facilitate traffic
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100+ acres of open space was to stand and be established as an amenity
Development constraints analysis, at this stage, was about establishing givens, evaluating the proposed plan against the principles of sustainable urbanism, and examining the project based on current economic conditions in the United States.
Project constraints and challenges included:
The historic district needed to remain intact
The street network had to provide multiple connections to facilitate traffic.
100+ acres of open space was to stand and be established as an amenity and also to support the area’s stormwater strategy.
The Success
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The project enjoyed early success due to the efforts of the IPG development team
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Fort McPherson is now growing and has become the new headquarters for the FDA
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A fully viable redevelopment plan was delivered to the client
The final master development program established both commercial and residential uses.
The total Commercial square footage of 3,557,379 square feet included:
1,072,000 square feet of office space
1,506,379 square feet of research space
560,000 square feet of medical space
75,000 square feet for the VA
164,000 square feet of amenities
180,000 square feet of conference center facilities
Residential uses included:
201 Residential Single Family Houses
229 Residential Townhouse
31 Residential Historic
1040 Residential Multi-Family Apartments
286 Residential HUD houses
Additionally:
A fully viable redevelopment plan was delivered to the client.
Fort McPherson is now growing and has become the new headquarters for the FDA.
Tyler Perry Studios became a primary community-anchoring use in the redeveloped site.
The project enjoyed early success due to the efforts of the IPG development team.
