When people think of the area in southwest Gwinnett County that surrounds Jimmy Carter Boulevard and I-85, most would not expect to see stars of the big and small screen at work. Luckily, there are two groups that envision a vibrant community with the makings of something truly unique not only to the metro Atlanta region, but to the Southeastern United States.
Everyone is familiar with the story of Gwinnett’s boom, as the county moved from a population of 70,000 in 1970 to over 850,000 in 2013. The Gwinnett of today looks totally different than in the 1970s and ’80s. Gwinnett, and specifically southwest Gwinnett, is among the most diverse communities in the Southeast. It provides a unique international work force and a population that mirrors what America will look like in 2040.
Enter into the conversation a group of very different businessmen. One is Jim Jacoby, an experienced brownfield developer responsible for Atlantic Station and, some would say, much of west side Atlanta’s success. The other is a group of brothers in the business of distributing beer. Both have decided to capitalize on the momentum Georgia has in the entertainment industry and woo production teams to their respective sites in Norcross. That makes Jimmy Carter Boulevard “ground zero” for the state’s booming entertainment industry.
As a matter of back story, the Economos brothers moved their beer distribution operation, Eagle Rock Distributing, to the former Kraft production facility off Jimmy Carter in Norcross. The building was much bigger than was needed, but from an access standpoint, the benefits outweighed the costs.
Around this time, the brothers established a relationship with a TV production company that started using their old facility to film ABC’s “Resurrection.” This spurred the idea of adaptive reuse of the excess space in their new facility as a permanent TV production studio. Construction is underway on four sound stages to open in April 2015. It is among the largest collection of TV sound stages under one roof in the state.
Separately, Jacoby has proposed a 105-acre mixed-use redevelopment of the OFS fiber optic site at Jimmy Carter and I-85. Plans call for Class A office space, hotels, residences and educational facilities — all anchored by one of the largest movie studios in the United States. Films about to be released, “Fast and Furious 7” and “Hunger Games,” have already used the facility for large portions of their productions, and demand is high for upcoming productions at the site.
That these two sites in Norcross are within walking distance of each other helps create a concentration of production facilities that can support the relocation of other, ancillary media businesses (and essentially create a whole new submarket for Atlanta). That kind of halo effect is something urban planners dream of.
With 30,000 entertainment professionals who call Georgia home, and the film and TV industry having had a more-than $4 billion economic impact on the state in 2013, the future is bright. Gwinnett and the Atlanta region are ready for our close-up and to capitalize on the benefits of this flourishing industry.
Chuck Warbington is executive director of the Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District.
