A unique south metro placemaking initiative has taken a key step forward across the street from where a formerly popular mall once operated. 

The Union City Council has selected Tulsa-based Manhattan Construction Company to start building a section of its Reimagine Park Project, a mix of greenspace, an amphitheater, and infrastructure such as parking. 

The project is considered a crucial component of Union City’s effort to develop a landscape for public recreation as part of its R3 Master Plan. (The three Rs are: reclaim, renew, reimagine.) 

The phase-one site is situated near the intersection of Shannon Parkway at Mall Boulevard, just north of Interstate 85 and the former Union Station mall (originally Shannon Mall, when it opened in 1980) site. Atlanta Metro Studios operates on part of the former mall property today, offering 135,000 square feet of soundstages and other spaces. 

According to Manhattan Construction reps, phase one of construction in Union City is expected to kick off in December and deliver in April 2026.  

The Reimagine Park Project site (in red), just north of the former Union Station/Shannon Mall site and Interstate 85 in Union City. Google Maps

The lone available visual for Union City's Reimagine Park Project, with a breakdown of planned amphitheater, commercial, and infrastructure uses. Courtesy of City of Union City; designs, Foresite Group

Plans call for a 15-acre greenspace and a 3,000-seat amphitheater. Both are meant to be anchors for the city’s R3 Master Plan, with park space serving as connective tissue between a future “dense, walkable, and mixed-use urban village which will catalyze future growth,” per a master-plan description. 

Project officials say the amphitheater section will include a bandshell, green room, and standalone buildings for restrooms, concessions, and ticketing. 

Infrastructure near the amphitheater includes more than 700 surface parking spaces, according to site plans. 

The project will “help shape a transformative space that will strengthen the community and set the tone for Union City’s continued growth,” said Jason McFadden, Manhattan Construction vice president, in a recent announcement.  

The Union City site in relation to downtown Atlanta, the airport, and other landmarks. Google Maps

Speaking of growth, Union City reps call the city of roughly 28,000 one of the fastest-growing cities in Georgia—and the fourth fastest-growing suburb in the country. 

“As we continue to grow, we are intentional about creating places that inspire unity, nurture wellness, and honor the beauty of nature,” said Mayor Vince Williams in the announcement. “Together, we’re not just building a park. We’re building the heart of Union City’s future.”

Along with Manhattan Construction (hired as Construction Manager at Risk), the Reimagine Park Project team includes Atlas Technical Consultants (program and project manager), Foresite Group (master planning, site design, and landscape design), and McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture (architectural design leads).   

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