Harry Norman, REALTORS速 Presents
The Facility
123 Private Drive | Tifton, GA. 31793
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A ST E P BAC K I N T IM E At first impressions, it looks like any other commercial site. Situated in a rural part of Georgia but within ten miles of the interstate, the “Bunker” is located on a 32+ acres patch of land surrounded by trees and two perimeter fences. As you approach the main compound gate, one notices the increased security. A camera stares down at the visitor with an intercom located outside a very secure locked gate which is covered in material to prevent unwanted looks into the compound. Built in 1969 at a cost of $7 million and recently renovated for a further $2 million, the site is now valued at between $5 million and $50 million, depending on what an investor thinks its worth. It’s the ONLY fully renovated nuclear hardened underground bunker in southern United States. How does one value such a property? “Above ground buildings of 2000 sq. feet and a further 14,000 sq. feet, 45 feet below ground.” “The present day cost of re-building would be $65 million.” “The underground structure can withstand a 20 kiloton nuclear blast, with three foot thick re-enforced walls”. The apartments which vary from 450 sq. feet to 650 sq. feet offer luxury to any person staying there. Each apartment has two full bedrooms, a kitchen/dining area, a living room with TV and internet and a large bathroom. Each apartment has its own environmental controls and offers total privacy to its occupants. Once admitted to Level One, through yet more doors, a long, wide corridor extends in front of us. On the right are two large conference rooms, a first aid nurses room, two business centers and a CCTV security office. Power is supplied from one of three sources. The “on grid” local power company transformer supplies 3-phase 208VAC industrial power. Just outside the kitchen area I spot a strange device sitting on the floor. It turned out to be the original nuclear biological filter and the only remaining one of its type. Old typewriter and other artifacts are discretely placed around the facility to remind visitors of the origins of this massive place. This is an amazing place and a step back into history. The renovations make the place a very comfortable residence or training facility for up to 30 people who can stay on-site in luxury. As a potential home, 16,000 square feet of living areas (14000 sq. feet below ground) make this a “must have” unique home. You get, eleven bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a home theater and lots of space. Forget hurricanes, tornados, flooding (elevation is 450 ft above sea level) , burglars and even the occasional zombie infestation. In this home you are safe from all disasters. You can watch the complete property from any point on the planet using your smart phone. As a getaway “man cave” or a vacation home, it is un-paralleled and the local fishing and hunting is second to none. There is room to land two helicopters in the adjacent area to the building.
THE FACILITY Facts & Info • 10 miles from I-75, 2hrs from Savannah, Atlanta • 31.5 acres with fenced compound, renovated caretakers house, above ground buildings and then the bunker below • Built during the cold war between the Soviet Union and the USA to preserve vital • communications between military bases • Built in 1969 at a cost of $7m ($100m in today’s money) one of a handful of hardened • underground structures and the only one in South-east USA. Cost to rebuild today would be between $65-100m. It is the only such fullyrenovated hardened communications bunker in private hands on the East coast. • No harmful chemicals or EPA problems like other bunkers, meets all EPA standards. Bunker was fully abated and cleared of all Lead paint • Above ground 2,000 sf, 14,000 below, surface-tobasement floor =45ft deep • Can withstand 20 kiloton nuclear blast • 3-ft thick reinforced walls, 4000-6000 PSI hardened concrete • Decontamination showers, fully renovated • New secure air intake system that uses .3micron HEPA filter • 3 luxury apartments, self contained 450-650 sf w/2 bedrooms, kitchen/dining, living room, tv, internet, large bathroom, and its own environmental controls plus 1 large luxury apartment with one bedroom • 2 large conference rooms • First-aid nurses room • 2 business centers or additional bedrooms • Currently 2 dsl broadband lines with static Ip addreses, but can be upgraded to Igb lines
THE FACILITY Facts & Info • Water and sewage treatment room via 2 systems and emergency water drainage system in case of leaks or unlikely event of flooding from burst pipe • Workshops, with tools • Home theater with HD projector & bose sound system • 40 rooms total can accommodate 20 people for a year, or 40 for shorter periods • 6 HVAC underground, two in offices above ground, one in house. Without HVAC temp is 68-78 year around due to insulation of the earth above the facility. • Water from 300-ft-deep well in Florida/Georgia aquifier, with 1,000 gallon storage tank for constant water supply, and new compressor system for pressure and large water heater • Power from 3 sources: “on grid” local power that supplies 3-phase- 208VAC industrial power, Second source is solar powered 9KWatt supplying 50KWatts of power each day. Unused power is sold back to power company under agreement through net metering.3rd- Gas powered generator for emergency use or failure of other 2 systems. Modernized commercial sized kitchen with dual stoves, refrigerators, freezers, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances • Spring system throughout the building designed to shake and absorb part of blast from nuclear explosion, 4,000 PSI concrete w/shock protection. • 100 yard outdoor firearm range for 4 people
COMPARISON OF OLD NUCLEAR SITES FOR SALE OR LEASE ON THE INTERNET When considering an investment in any old Cold War bunkers, potential investors are cautioned about facets of such buildings that either render them unusable or extremely expensive to own and maintain. Obviously, any building dating back to the 1960’s and especially if underground, will present unique problems. These problems can involve •water damage, flooding, •rusting of essential infrastructure, •exotic chemical contamination, •old electrical systems, •weakened concrete infrastructure, •out of date engineering and equipment, • abatement of chemicals, asbestos and lead paint •Meeting local code requirements for any change of use. •Most banks will not finance these older (underground) structures, making future sales problematic.
TYPES OF STRUCTURES CURRENTLY FOR SALE IN THE UNITED STATES. ATLAS, NIKE, TITAN MISSILE SILOS OR COMMAND CENTERS. Atlas-E (1961-1965), Atlas-F (1961-1965), Titan I (1961-1965), Titan II (Mid 60s-Mid 80s), and Minuteman(1962-1975) missiles. These older silos were built from 1950’s to the 1960’s. Usually built in very remote locations on large tracts of land. They are built underground to varying depths and were designed to primarily hold missiles (not people) in hardened structures. Materials used were primarily corrugated steel and some concrete. Over the years, the corrugated steel has rusted and caused leaking or weakness in the structures Water, sewage and living facilities were minimal by today’s standards and very difficult to retrofit. The expected staff requirements for each site varied but did not exceed ten trained personnel in a “lock down” mode. Once surplussed in the 1980’s & 1990’s they fell quickly into disrepair. Some were purchased as homes and others as storage. At some sites, exotic chemicals were used to flush the missiles and this caused EPA to close many of the sites. Many were not properly abated of asbestos or lead and this is a problem waiting to catch any buyer. Cost of renovation can be excessive. After an initial government sale of such sites, it was decided to halt further sales due to these problems and further facilities were imploded by the military to prevent future use. The government no longer sell such properties into the private market.
AT&T surplussed Facilities: •Above ground long line Microwave relay stations.(some with masts) •Partially below ground or covered communications centers •Fully below ground hardened communications bunkers During the early 1960’s the US government initiated a secret plan called “Continuity of Government and communications”. This created the need for a secure method of maintaining essential communications throughout the country. Designed by the Army Corps of Engineers and private architects, these facilities were run by trained AT&T staff (originally Bell systems) until they were removed from service in the 1990's. The greatest percentage of these facilities were either un-hardened or above ground facilities and not at all suitable for use as a secure facility. PLEASE REMEMBER. Making a facility from concrete or placing it underground does not make it a hardened structure that will withstand either an explosion or natural disaster. Some such buildings will collapse after such an event and bury its occupants in a “Hardened grave”. The fully underground and hardened facilities were very limited and today less than five exist on the open market. Of those only two exist on the east coast. The only sites suitable for conversion are those in this category. Sizes of such facilities vary from 3000 square feet to over 30,000 sq feet. The best ones for renovation are in the 6000-20,000sq foot size. I again, remind you, that most of these facilities were designed to hold ten people or less and their infrastructure will not support many more than ten unless expensive modifications are carried out It should be noted that the cost of renovation can be extreme due to issues with age and specific materials used in construction. Some of these costs are: •Ensuring that the property does not flood (it’s an underground tank) •Replacing old hydraulic doors and hoists. •Replacing the old electric systems and installation of new power substation. •Cost of lighting (24 hours) and pumping systems for water and sewage. •Replacing water supply system and filters •Replacing HVAC and Air handling systems. (do not use old filters in place as some contain blue asbestos) •Replacing old sewage system. (these were originally designed for just a few essential staff and are already over 40 years old) •Removal of non-essential old equipment. Remember the facilities are up to 45 feet underground with limited access. Although scrap value will help cover some cost, the labor costs of removal will be double or treble any gains. •Removal of old diesel generators & fuel tanks that no longer meet Code. •Cost of rebuilding in an underground environment. This will treble the average local cost of building. The same cost multiplier applies to HVAC, Plumbing and electrical work. •Simply trying to drill through 40 year-old reinforced concrete walls can be a costly challenge. •ANY cracks or leaks will render the property totally unsafe and un-useable. •Obtaining permits to allow the property to be used to house people. Consider, Fire safety, OSHA, ADA, and local codes.
COMPANIES AND GROUPS OFFERING DOOMSDAY PROTECTION AND SHELTERS. There are, no shortage of companies willing to sell, rent or build you a Doomsday bunker. Most of these people have no experience in the World of survival, disaster preparedness, or security. Some are just companies that are capitalizing on the current “doomsday Prepper” phenomenon or have a more sinister ambition. We cite just one example of such a glitzy company with a cool web site that wants to put up to 200 people in an underground bunker designed for 10 people.!! We found this review written by a university researcher in 2010. Caveat Emptor. VIVOS (http://www.terravivos.com/) This extract from Apocalyptic architecture: cold war bunkers, reuse and the everyday landscape by erin Schneider 2010© “Currently being built in between Los Angeles and Las Vegas outside of Barstow, California is a doomsday bunker called The Terra Vivos complex. Utilizing an old bunker built by AT+T in the 1960s, founder Robert Vincino is building the ‘luxury complex’ in preparation for events to come with the conspiracy theory of 2012. While Vincino doesn’t know exactly what will happen, scenarios include natural disasters, terrorism, nuclear or bio war, and anarchy, reminiscent of the fears that promoted bunker building during the Cold War. On the website homepage, there is a countdown to the date of December 21, 2012 next to a link to apply for membership to the Terra Vivos complex. Each site costs $10 million and costs $25,000 per person, with down payment of $5,000. Membership is selective, though it states that some selected members will be admitted free of charge, depending on their survival skills. On the application form is a checklist with various professions or skills that would lend themselves to shelter living. Membership seems to aimed towards people who already have or are interested in owning personal backyard shelters, with the added value that hardened Vivos structure will be safer, in a top secret location designed for long term collective occupation. They claim to have received over 1,000 applications from people all over the world. Not dissimilar to messianic beliefs of doomsday cult leaders, Vincino hopes to build a coalition of people who will inherit the challenge of repopulating the world after their survival. Along with elements such as entertainment centers, the site will have a freezer of DNA samples and a detention room to hold misbehaving occupants. The same qualities of bunker mentality and control rampant during the Cold War can be seen in Vincino’s controlling and selective ideas within the complex. Despite the grand master plans, the complex has not been built and the illustrations are mostly renders, resembling the suppressed architecture of a cruise ship. The original plan is to create a network of shelters across the nation: he has six more under contract in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, two in New York, and two in the Midwest. These other locations are undisclosed to ensure that they will be kept secret for 2012. The Terra Vivos complex is a current version of the Cold War bunker, retaining the hidden qualities and original purpose of the underground structures. Vincino and his complex are a testament to the continuing paranoia of today” This extract is offered to you without comment or judgment, but indicates how careful one must be in selecting a suitable site or structure.The views expressed are not necessarily those of the author.
OUR FACILITY AND HOW IT DIFFERS FROM THOSE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED. •The bastion fully renovated bunker is located in south east Georgia. •Designed by the Army Corps of Engineers and built for $7m in 1969. •It is a truly hardened underground bunker. Total area is 16,000 sq feet. •It is certified to withstand a 20Kton nuclear blast. •Is fitted with three fully renovated heavy blast doors with high security locks. In addition there are “Day doors” used during normal operation. •To access (from outside) the inner apartments during a lock down period, you will have to pass through seven(7) access points with CCTV and secure combination locks at each point. Armed Security guards patrol the premises. •Fully managed and staffed by ex-Special Forces personnel or retired Federal agents. •It is fully renovated to current government standards and accommodates up to 30 people for an extended period of up to one year. (four independent client luxury apartments, plus independent security staff apartments underground) •It has its own 9kw solar array providing 50kw of 3-phase power each day. •It has its own new power sub-station transformer from local Grid. •It has a fully renovated 300 foot well (pump). Water is tested twice a year for ground contaminants •A new internal 1000 gallon water storage tank. •A new industrial water heating unit & tank. •Two new sewage and septic tank systems to provide redundancy.
•Six (6) modern HVAC systems with .3 micron HEPA Air filtration. •12 month supply of food, water and ammunition. •Modern kitchen, bathrooms home theater, weapons storage and classrooms. •Contains renovated decontamination showers •Currently occupied and periodically used as a government training site. •Clients and staff already stay for prolonged periods at this facility without any issues and in some degree of luxury and comfort. •We offer Satellite TV, High speed internet, Wi-fi, library resources. •We offer, secure storage for client’s valuables. •We have a cold war museum on-site , showcasing some of the original infrastructure and equipment. •A 3-ton hoist basket for conveying heavier items into the below ground structure. •Above ground area has been renovated and protected by electronic fences, sensors and CCTV security to government standards. •Our security system is monitored locally and offsite by fast response teams. •A 100 yard outdoor shooting range •Local fishing and hunting is available •Above ground fitness center •Secure parking & storage. •Fully equipped Garage area.
POTENTIAL CLIENTS FOR “THE FACILITY� Potential buyers are divided into the following: Corporate. A corporate client may want a secure location to act as a secure server site. They may want a secure location to store sensitive records or research. It makes an excellent research facility and is fully Rf free similar to a Faraday cage. It makes an excellent emergency management center for any business during a natural or other disaster. It is an excellent corporate training facility An executive retreat.
Music Industry This is an excellent sound studio, secure and private with luxury accommodations. A star retreat Media blitzed people have a location where even the most dedicated paparazzi cant get in. Private parties are PRIVATE. Secure storage for valuables and art work. The facility is temperature controlled and will make an excellent art storage venue. Security is similar to a high street bank and therefore idea for storage of gold, silver etc.
Sports. Team managers can use this as a training base. It can be used as a detox and game prep facility. As a party venue.
A unique home A personal retreat for a family where they can engage in local sports and enjoy the privacy of a luxury venue.
A cold war museum
A government training facility
For More information please visit
theFacility.net
Offered for $17,500,000
SISTER HOOD Mobile: 404-401-1163 | Office: 404-233-4142 Sister.Hood@HarryNorman.com SisterHood.HarryNorman.com
THE BUCKHEAD OFFICE 532 East Paces Ferry Road Suite 200 | Atlanta, GA 30305| 404-233-4142 | www.harrynorman.com | Betsy Franks, Managing Broker The above information is believed accurate, but not warranted. Offer subject to errors, changes, prior sales and withdrawals without notice. Equal Housing Opportunity.