Before Fort McPherson closed in 2011, retired Air Force member Joe Beasley made use of the base for groceries and to stay active.
So when developer Stephen Macauley announced plans in January of last year for a mixed use development on the 140-acre site, it was welcomed.
Nineteen months later, though, Beasley is still waiting for construction to start.
“I don’t give a rip who’s going to the developing. If it’s Macauley, fine. Just do something. Don’t sit around and just be posturing,” said Beasley.
A group of community activists met at the front gate of the former Army base Wednesday to call for faster progress.
They say the area in Southwest Atlanta is in desperate need of housing and places to shop. The activists invoked the name of movie producer Tyler Perry as someone who could possibly take over development. His studio sits next door on the other 330 acres of what used to be Fort McPherson.
Axel Adams with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition says a change should be made.
“We think that his time is up. Two years should be expiration for him and the city should move on Mr. Macauley and give some other developer or Mr. Perry the opportunity to purchase this land,” said Adams.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution recently reported on Perry’s potential interest in acquiring the remainder of the Fort McPherson property.
Macauley did not respond Wednesday to a request for comment on the status of the development.
