Reed: City to take over Fort McPherson this summer

The post, a few miles south of downtown Atlanta, closed in 2011.

Reed said development at “Fort Mac” could help solve the city’s need for affordable housing.

Reed's comments came Thursday as part of a briefing with local media where he addressed the future of Turner Field, which the Atlanta Braves plan to leave after the 2016 season.

Asked about fears that residents are being priced-out of a strengthening housing market, the mayor said the city owns attractive parcels that could be used as a “hedge” to ensure affordable housing intown.

He included Turner Field and Fort McPherson among them.

“There’s good news because the city has, through a number of mechanisms, a substantial inventory of real estate,” Reed said.

Jack Sprott, executive director of the McPherson Implementing Local Redevelopment Authority, the civilian agency tasked with planning the site’s future, confirmed the acquisition date and said affordable housing is a possibility there. The authority will help try to draw private development to the site.

The post has nearly 500 acres with an adjacent MARTA rail stations.

“Just think of what we could do if we went all-housing on that space,” Reed said, adding that the base “has incredible infrastructure already.”

Reed said he is aware of affordable housing issues in pricey cities such as San Francisco, New York and London.

“We have an opportunity to really kind of avoid a good bit of that. We have to use the city’s assets to do it,” the mayor said.

The city has other high-visibility redevelopment projects ahead, including neighborhoods around the new Falcons stadium, Underground Atlanta and the Beltline, the 22-mile loop of trails and parks.

Forest Park officials recently said they hope to take over a portion of Fort Gillem, the other local Army post closed in 2011, in May. Leaders there want to convert that post into a distribution hub.