Mercer to build new medical school along Ocmulgee River

Mercer University plans to build its new medical school along the Ocmulgee River on land it purchased from the Macon-Bibb Urban Development Authority for $1.9 million, half of its appraised value. 

The announcement comes after nearly three decades of efforts by the city and UDA to develop the land, part of which was contaminated by a former gas manufacturing plant that operated from the mid-1800s through 1950. 

In 2011, former Mercer University President Kirby Godsey bought an option to develop the property from the UDA. Soil was excavated and backfilled in the area of contamination and wells were installed to test the depth of the toxic chemicals. Late last year, Mercer University bought the option to develop it from Godsey.

“The main thing from the medical school is it brings gravity into downtown,” UDA Executive Director Alex Morrison said. “The fact that it’s a consistent educational purpose means there will be a lot more people in that space. That means additional residents, which spurs retail.”

Mercer President Bill Underwood announced plans to relocate the medical school to downtown Macon at a Rotary Club meeting earlier this month. He said the project received a $10 million grant from the Peyton Anderson Foundation — the largest in the nonprofit’s history — as well as $25 million from the state. The Knight Foundation announced a $5 million grant for the project back in September 2023.

“Our board of trustees… made what I think was a good decision that instead of rebuilding on our campus over on the west side of downtown, we would put the new medical school right downtown,” Underwood said. “And in doing it, we would put it in a location where there would be room for positive collateral development around it.”

‘A tiny blotch’

Contamination at the site – a toxic batter of lead, benzene, arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other chemicals – was discovered in 1992. The state identified the responsible parties as Georgia Power, the City of Macon and Atlanta Gas Light. 

Records from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division show the land was remediated to a depth of 15 feet to allow for residential development. It was removed from the state’s Hazardous Site Inventory and the land covenant prohibiting residential development was canceled upon calls for further clean up at the request of UDA, which notified the state of its intent to develop the property.

“It’s such a limited piece of the site that it’s really immaterial to the entire development of the parcel,” Morrison said. “It’s actually just a tiny blotch on the property. It doesn’t limit development or otherwise restrict the entire site. … The developer will be very well aware of those issues and will be able to make necessary adjustments as needed based on the topography.” 

Developing along the river

The sale includes 11 parcels of land, a swath of acreage between Rotary Park and a Burger King, for $1,910,500.

The redevelopment will pair with the future development of 108 First St., where a pile of rubble remains from the recent demolition of the old Crowne Plaza Hotel. 

In a news release from the county, Mayor Lester Miller said the new medical school is the first step to igniting development along the river.

“This will provide much-needed housing in the area and will tie in directly with our work across the street on the site of the old hotel and at the end of Riverside Drive with the East Bank Development,” he said. “Our city along the Ocmulgee River and First Street is about to undergo a major transformation.”

Mercer’s current medical school is 40 years old. Mercer has invested heavily in its medical program over the past decade, with new facilities in Savannah (built in 2016) and Columbus (2022). The Columbus medical school was built along the Chattahoochee River.

Additionally, Underwood said that Mercer plans to expand its rural medical clinic program, which has six locations right now. He said the university is looking at adding 15-20 new clinics in rural communities across the state.

Editor’s note: Melody senior accountability reporter Laura Corley’s position is funded by a grant from The Peyton Anderson Foundation.