Pope & Land Proposing Massive Retail And Hotel Project In Coweta County
A prominent Atlanta developer is seeking to build a mixed-use campus some 40 miles south of Downtown Atlanta with more than 300K SF of retail space and two hotels.
Pope & Land Enterprises filed a development of regional impact application disclosing the plans for a mixed-use development on more than 40 acres at the intersection of Poplar Road and the Newnan Crossing Bypass in Coweta County, just off Interstate 85.
Pope & Land is looking to build 340K SF of retail and restaurant space, two 175-room hotels and a 13-acre “outdoor amusement" area, all expected to be completed by 2036, according to the application filed with the state by Coweta County. The developer is estimating that the $219M project would generate $8.7M in annual local tax revenues once completed, according to the application.
Pope & Land is seeking to rezone part of the land to allow for three separate outdoor amusement areas totaling more than 70K SF, Coweta County Government spokesperson Briana Gregory told Bisnow via email. The rezoning request triggered the need for a DRI application.
“At this time, no permits have been issued for the Pope & Land’s Poplar project,” Gregory wrote. “Once the DRI notice of decision is issued, the rezoning process will proceed, followed by a development review to ensure compliance with all applicable local regulations, and then the permitting stage.”
Calls to Pope & Land weren't returned as of press time. The firm has developed a number of prominent projects in the metro area, including Atlantic Center Plaza in Midtown, Cumberland Center office park in Cumberland/Galleria and the 423K SF 3630 Peachtree office tower in Buckhead.
The project, dubbed Big Poplar II, is slated to sprawl across 65 acres with more than 1,000 surface parking spaces, 14 retail buildings of varying size — including one that will span nearly 117K SF — and two three-story hotels, according to a site plan drafted by Pope & Land and Kimley Horn and provided to Bisnow by Coweta County.
The site, owned by the family of Duke Blackburn, according to county records, is across the interstate from Pope & Land’s other planned mixed-use proposal, dubbed Poplar Place.
That site, 42 acres across Poplar Road from Piedmont Newnan Hospital, is zoned for more than 500 apartments, a 175-room hotel, 101 townhouses and more than 31K SF of retail.
It’s a site that was first pursued by the late Atlanta developer Hal Barry, who sought to build more than 670K SF of office, hundreds of apartments, retail and 250 continuing care housing units.
Newnan annexed the site from Coweta in 2022, but in March of that year, the Coweta County Development Authority refused to provide Barry with bond financing for the project, The Newnan Times-Herald reported. Two months later, Barry died at the age of 82.
Pope & Land hasn't filed for any permits for Poplar Place since, despite having the necessary zoning for the project.
“I have met with representatives from Pope & Land about their interest in the [Poplar Place] site several times over the past few years,” Newnan Assistant City Manager Hasco Craver said in an email. “I believe they intend on developing the site over time and in general accordance with the plan they had adopted by the Newnan City Council.”
