Major factory redevelopment brewing near Atlanta airport, I-85

Josh Green

Mon, 12/16/2024 – 08:04

A planned factory redevelopment that could have major economic implications for ITP cities near Atlanta’s airport is starting to rumble to life.

City of East Point officials recently announced they’ve partnered with McDonald Development Co. to transform a long-shuttered glass bottle manufacturing facility at 3107 Sylvan Road into a variety of uses, including a jobs hub.

The 55-acre property, formerly home to Owens-Illinois Inc., includes 800,000 square feet of empty industrial space today. But according to city officials, existing structures are in unsafe condition and will have to be cleared before development can move forward, though some features of the site will be retained.

Owens-Illinois, the world’s largest glass container manufacturer and a partner for many top food and beverage brands, closed its Atlanta plant in 2018, which had employed 250 people. The site’s been idle since.

The 3107 Sylvan Road site in relation to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Google Maps

Entry to the former Owens-Illinois plant, as seen last month. Google Maps

The location today counts “exceptional accessibility” being adjacent to Interstate 85 and within a few minutes of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport—selling points for a potential development with regional impact, per the city.

The old plant is immediately south of a large new covered airport parking facility along Sylvan Road, with Hapeville’s city limits across the street.

The potential redevelopment is just entering conceptual phases now, but East Point’s vision generally calls for a lively mixed-use hub with an emphasis on technology and creative industry uses.

Other aspects could include a mix of housing options for both long and short-term stays, hotel space, greenspaces, and a communal public area that would function as “a destination for entertainment, dining, and shopping, attracting both local and regional visitors,” per East Point’s announcement.

Overview of how the 55-acre East Point property could be reused. City of East Point/FB

McDonald’s development team plans to work with officials in both East Point and Hapeville while hosting public meetings to gather community input that will help shape the site’s future, per East Point city leadership.

McDonald, which is based in Atlanta with offices dotted around the Southeast, has developed more than 50 million square feet of real estate. Around Atlanta, the bulk of that has been office parks and shipping facilities, according to the company’s portfolio.

In terms of next steps, city officials say demolition plans will be put forward soon to take down hazardous structures at the factory site while keeping “key historical elements” intact.

Plans then call for refining the redevelopment vision over the next eight to 12 months.

Condition of the site today, next to Sylvan Road. Google Maps