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Just over two years ago, the City of Macon launched its Blight Fight initiative with the goal of removing 30 blighted houses in 30 days. That was in April of 2021 and the 30 house goal was completed 9 days ahead of schedule. Two years later, Macon is well past 500 demolitions and still going. The latest started on Thursday when Macon-Bibb Public Works started taking down the former Bibb Mill.

“Blight in one neighborhood impacts every neighborhood, and we made our community a process to attack it more aggressively than it ever has been before,” says Mayor Lester Miller. “This isn’t just a regular demolition; this is one that is opening an area for future development and will greatly impact our already growing tourism industry.”

The Bibb Mill site is a strategic location for opening up the east side of Macon, nestled in the corner where Interstate 16 and Interstate 75 join together and just at the entrance of the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. The property is also adjacent to the Macon Coliseum, the Mill Hill Community Arts Center and Piedmont Macon, a prime spot for redevelopment and new commercial activity.

“Our city has been talking about this property as a gateway into Downtown and into the Ocmulgee Mounds for so many years, and now it’s becoming a reality,” says Trish Whitley, Director of Destination Development for Visit Macon. “With this site getting developed in a way that compliments the Park and supports the growing and strengthening Downtown, as well as the Convention Center and Coliseum across the street, we know it will bring even more people to our community.”

Macon-Bibb owns the 21 acres and is looking for a developer to build a live-work-play kind of development. According to the city, estimates show a potential for $350 million in private investment. As the owner of the property, the community has control over what will be built there and can ensure the development fits the vision for the area. With a potential national park on the horizon for Ocmulgee, the new development will also be in a good position for future visitors.

Much of the revitalization of Macon to date has centered around the core of downtown, led by groups like NewTown Macon, but Macon-Bibb is starting to expand out of that region and is seeing demand for new development. The Bibb Mill area is just a mile from the revitalized downtown region, with numerous restaurants and shops, and the pedestrian friendly Dempsey Park as a boundary.

“With shops and restaurants and entertainment here, they’ll be more easily be able to walk to them, all them to enjoy the same amenities many other people already enjoy,” says District 3 Commissioner Elaine Lucas. “We’ve all worked so hard to make this happen, and I’m so pleased it’s finally taking ship.”