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Kirkwood’s Pullman Yard moving toward historic designation. And possible sale?

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The largest tract of undeveloped land in Kirkwood could draw plenty of interest from developers

Pullman Yard, a long-abandoned rail facility owned by the State of Georgia just east of Little Five Points, could soon become a protected historic district. And the timing could be relevant.

According to Saporta Report, the Atlanta Urban Design Commission is exploring the creation of the Pratt-Pullman Building Landmark Site. The designation would make it difficult for future developers to demolish buildings on the property, some of which date back to 1915.

The 26.8-acre site houses 11 buildings, including five century-old warehouses, and represents the largest undeveloped tract of land in Kirkwood — and one of the biggest undeveloped slices on this side of town.

Pullman Yard has been the apple of many-a moviemaker and developer’s eye — as recently as last year, Atlanta ContactPoint released hypothetical plans for the site, which contrast a mixed-use vision with townhomes put forth by a group called Historic Pullman Development LLC that’s gained neighborhood backing.

But the state has held the property and hasn’t publicly entertained the thought of a sale.

If the site were to be sold, a lot of work would lie ahead; recent photos of the site show the buildings in major disrepair.

However, sources indicate that a sale could soon be on the table, prompted by the state’s desire to offload what’s viewed as a major liability, following the tragic death of a 19-year-old Dunwoody man who fell 40 feet through a roof on the property in May.

Competition for the land would likely be high, given the area’s desirability and the potential for adaptive-reuse of the remaining facilities.

This is the latest draft proposal put forth by Atlanta ContactPoint:

And this was a proposal brought by the development group in early 2014: