VA eyes Macon for new medical clinic complex; UDA to sell historic church

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The Veterans Administration could be building a new medical clinic at 171 Emery Hwy. under a real estate option approved by the Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority.

Credit: Liz Fabian / Macon Newsroom

In just about an hour Thursday morning, the Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority took steps that could lead to a Veterans Administration clinic anchoring a new major development near downtown, sell Macon’s oldest church building, borrow against the old Macon Health Club and enhance Cherry Street sidewalks.

UDA approved a real estate option agreement on nearly 20 acres off Emery Highway with FD Stonewater, (FDS), a Delaware-based development, investment and brokerage company that in 2017 completed the FBI Regional Headquarters in Atlanta, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Coast Guard Air Sector Station in Corpus Christi, Texas. 

During July’s Ask Mayor Miller program, Mayor Lester Miller mentioned the county was in negotiations for a $300 to $400 million project that would bring hundreds of “good quality jobs” to 171 Emery Highway., the site of the former Bibb County Health Department.

The option approved Thursday states the proposed development will include a “Veterans Administration Medical Center” and options for offices for commercial, educational, medical or hospitality uses, or residential units with parking, retail space and a parking deck. 

Although the mayor expected River Edge Behavioral Health Center to vacate the property by the end of the first quarter of 2026, Miller said recently he could give them a little leeway to stay until future development requires building demolitions. Plans for River Edge’s new headquarters complex on Riverside Drive stalled pending securing the necessary funding. 

Under the real estate option on 171 Emery Highway and a smaller parcel at 211 Emery, FDS has 12 months to purchase the property “as-is” for one-half of the appraised value, which will be determined within six months of closing. If FDS does not have a sales agreement within a year, they can extend the option for another six months.   

The developer intends to include “attractive landscape and building architecture, public access, adequate infrastructure and good principals of design,” the option states.

UDA must approve the final site plans and architectural drawings under its mission to improve and enhance the county. 

The VA Medical Center would complement existing and future medical facilities with the Piedmont Medical Center across Second Street and the future Mercer University School of Medicine across Interstate 16 on the other side of the Ocmulgee River.

UDA to sell church, accepts Health Club

The Urban Development Authority also approved the sale of the former Fulton Baptist Church at 506 Hawthorne St.

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Fulton Baptist Church was completed in 1829 for the First Presbyterian congregation and also has been the home to Catholics and Second Baptist congregations.

Credit: Liz Fabian / Macon Newsroom

The modest, one-story, wooden church with a steeple is believed to be Macon’s very first church building completed in 1829 as the First Presbyterian Church, and is definitely the city’s oldest still-standing house of worship. 

The Macon Newsroom extensively researched the building’s history in 2020 when a real estate developer planned to purchase it along with the old Virgil Powers Elementary School to develop apartments in the old classrooms and a community center in the church. Woda Cooper Companies did not secure low-income housing tax credits and abandoned the project.

Chimere Perry and Lillian Lloyd agreed to purchase the architect Elam Alexander-designed building for $180,000 and continue to operate it as a church. 

Over the years, the building was home to multiple congregations including the Catholic Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Second Baptist, and Fulton Baptist, which sold it for $150,000 in 2013 to Bibb County, which then deeded it over to the UDA. 

In 2009, the county paid $1 million for the old Powers school for possible use for a new courthouse or jail expansion. In 2024, UDA sold it for $500,000 to Crisis Line & Safe House for a new Family Justice Center that is still under construction. 

The old Macon Health Club at Cherry and First streets downtown. (Grant Blankenship | Georgia Public Broadcasting)

Thursday’s meeting also brought news of the final transfer of the former Macon Health Club building over to the UDA. In 2023, the county agreed to a property swap agreement with the Bibb County Hospital Authority to acquire the building and an old mid-rise office building across the street at 691 Cherry St. in exchange for parcels along the Second Street Corridor near Atrium Health Navicent. 

UDA was not immediately able to take possession of the old Macon Health Club until the hospital could relocate a data center. 

The county will be working with NewTown Macon to develop additional housing in the Cherry Street property and explore reopening the health club. 

Thursday, UDA authorized adding the property to its long-term assets so they could borrow against its value to fund future projects. 

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The Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority gets an update on the parking program at its December 2025 meeting.

Credit: Liz Fabian / Macon Newsroom

The authority also committed $1,159,839 from downtown parking proceeds and other project funds to contract with Piedmont Construction to redo sidewalks in the 400 block of Cherry Street. 

UDA Director Alex Morrision said Piedmont estimated the project would take six weeks and could get underway after the first of the year. 

“I told them if they cannot be done by March 1, don’t start,” Morrison said. 

The 400 block of Cherry Street features prominently in the opening weekend of the Cherry Blossom Festival which runs March 20-29 in 2026.

UDA also identified a new tenant to take over the former Ambitious Graphics T-shirt printing business plans at 371 Third St. 

The authority agreed to lease the space to Brandon Woodruff of Wisdom Creatives who plans to do screen-printing and other merchandising in the shop, Morrison said. 

— Civic Journalism Senior Fellow Liz Fabian covers Macon-Bibb County government entities for The Macon Newsroom and can be reached at fabian_lj@mercer.edu or 478-301-2976. This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with The Macon Newsroom.