It's a Big Week for the Ft. McPherson Redevelopment Project

Owned by the U.S. Army and occupied by it from the end of the Civil War until it fell victim to the Defense Department's 2005 cost-saving wave of base closure orders, Ft. McPherson offers a huge opportunity for redevelopment in East Point on the southwest side of town. Proposals were due at noon today from developers seeking to serve as 'master developer' for commercial and residential aspects of a re-purposing of the base's assets and land. And when Governor Deal unveils his 2013 budget later in the week, we should learn how much the state plans to allocate to development of a science and technology park onsite. Converting the 488 acres of land and substantial collection of both historic and more up-to-date structures (it hosted U.S. Army Installation Management Command, Southeast Region; the U.S. Army Forces Command; the U.S. Army Reserve Command; and the U.S. Army Central Command) to commercial uses could create a huge economic driver for both the city and the region. The non-profit entity charged with overseeing redevelopment is certainly up to the task; it's led by Jack Sprott, a veteran of military base re-purposing efforts, notably the well-regarded redevelopment of the old Charleston Naval Complex.