Atlanta Medical Center demolition is coming. What should go here?

More than two years after its sudden closure sent shockwaves through Atlanta, a century-old medical campus’ transformation into something else is set to begin in coming days. Exactly what it may become remains a question mark. 

Preliminary site prep is scheduled to start in early February for the demolition of aging buildings around Atlanta Medical Center in Old Fourth Ward, the property’s redevelopment team recently announced. 

Actual demolition is set to follow in late March, as led by California-based deconstruction experts Ferma Corporation, according to a media release from the former hospital’s owners, Wellstar Health System. 

The demo process, with subcontractors Atlanta Demolition and Trinity Green onboard to assist, is expected to last throughout most of 2025.  

Exactly which structures will have to be razed and which can be woven into new mixed-use development is still being determined, per the redevelopment team. According to Ferma officials, demo will target unsafe facilities that aren’t considered salvageable, such as a circular parking deck near the northern edge of the site. Officials with the project's lead developer, veteran Atlanta company The Integral Group, have said most buildings on the Wellstar campus could be on the chopping block, though that remains TBD. 

At 22 acres—or the size of Centennial Olympic Park, for context—the hospital property is a remarkably large palette for redevelopment in what’s been one of Atlanta’s hottest neighborhoods for real estate investment for a dozen years. 

The Atlanta City Council unanimously approved a land-use plan for the vacated complex in September, with approval from Mayor Andre Dickens. A zoning moratorium on the property—renewed three different times by the city—expired the following month. 

That set the stage for Atlanta Medical Center’s transition to… well, something else. 

Wellstar officials said last year redevelopment plans generally call for “a vibrant, diverse mixed-use neighborhood with affordable housing, residential properties, community, and public greenspace,” plus “neighborhood-level retail, new street access, commercial uses, and health and well-being resources.” That would all be built out over several years, per the hospital. 

A healthcare and well-being component will be included in the project, but exactly what that might entail is pending Integral’s planning and community engagement, Wellstar reps said in October. 

As the AJC has pointed out, development plans previously presented to Old Fourth Ward leadership call for 2.4 million square feet of space total. That would include an undetermined amount of residences, some 240,000 square feet of office space, and 120,000 square feet of retail slots for restaurants and shops. 

Another goal would be to link the hospital property to Freedom Park Trail, the Beltline, Historic Fourth Ward Park, and eventually the downtown Stitch, a highway-capping proposal that’s gaining momentum a few blocks to the west. 

This is what Wellstar had to say about the O4W redevelopment outlook this month: 

“As stewards of the property, [we are] committed to ensuring the redevelopment serves the needs of Atlanta while incorporating input from residents of the surrounding neighborhood.

While additional planning is required to finalize specifics, Wellstar looks forward to partnering with the mayor, city council, the community, and other stakeholders to realize a shared vision for the site. This vision will honor the property’s historical significance while fostering new opportunities for growth, connectivity, and inclusivity.”

That doesn’t exactly paint a clear picture. So let’s ask you, good people of Atlanta, to fill in the redevelopment wishlist blanks. 

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