Wellstar Health System announced Thursday it has selected the Integral Group to lead the redevelopment of the Atlanta Medical Center site into a revitalized community with housing, retail and healthcare resources.
The announcement comes nearly two years after Wellstar abruptly closed the 120-year-old hospital in the heart of the historic Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. The announcement also comes as the city’s numerous moratoriums banning new development on the hospital site expired Oct. 15.
The moratoriums were implemented to allow the community and city come up with a vision for the hospital campus’ redevelopment that is “consistent with the character of the surrounding area,” according to the legislation.
Last month, the city council approved the Atlanta Medical Center Small Area Plan as a concept plan to redevelop the 22-acre hospital property.
The concept plan created with input from Old Fourth Ward residents, city officials and other stakeholders, envisions a public green space, apartment buildings, retail, commercial use and medical and hospital facilities.
“For nearly two years, our administration has worked with purpose and intent on a thoughtful plan for the next chapter for this property,” Dickens said in a news release.
“Through direct engagement with the Old Fourth Ward and surrounding stakeholders, we now have an opportunity to create an inclusive, forward-looking and thriving new development that meets the community’s needs for affordable housing, green space and safe streets — while maintaining some medical use and retaining the neighborhood’s unique character,” he said.
Wellstar, owner of the 22 acres of property, said the redevelopment of the site would be “guided” by the city’s concept plan.
The nature of the health and well-being component will be determined in collaboration with community stakeholders as part of Integral’s comprehensive planning process and will include an in-depth analysis of the area’s healthcare needs, according to the news release.
“At Integral, we believe that transforming a community requires more than just development — it requires a commitment to understanding and addressing the core needs of the people who live there,” said Egbert Perry, chairman of the Integral Group, in the release. “This project is a tremendous opportunity to create a lasting impact. It will honor the history of the area while shaping a vibrant, sustainable future.”
The redevelopment will take place in phases over several years with community input at every stage, according to the Integral Group.
Over the next few weeks, the Integral Group will develop an implementation plan and engage with neighbors and community stakeholders to gather further feedback.n Integral expects to apply for permits soon with the goal of beginning demolition of certain aging structures in the first quarter of 2025.
Wellstar will work closely with the city “to build on its revitalization plan and bring to life our shared vision of a thriving, healthy addition to the Old Fourth Ward,” said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System, in the news release.
Atlanta City Councilmember Amir Farokhi said transforming the hospital property “is a long-awaited new beginning for the Old Fourth Ward community.”
“These properties have enormous potential to meet our city’s and the neighborhood’s need for more dense, mixed-use development, including, hopefully, new housing,” he said in the news release.
The Old Fourth Ward sits at a crossroads of the city, said Tom Boyle, president of Old Fourth Ward Neighborhood Association, in the news release.
“This is a vital investment in the growth and advancement of this historic neighborhood for the betterment of all who live here,” he said. “We are ready to move ahead quickly with the next steps for this site and we are eager to work together throughout all phases of this project.”
