Would you like to buy a Civic Center?

By Collin Kelley INtown Editor

The Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center (most folks just call it the Civic Center) is for sale after the Atlanta City Council voted to put the 380,000 square foot complex on the market. The city expects to fetch as much as $42 million for the 16-acre property.

Built in 1967, the city has decided to divest itself of the property, which loses an estimated $400,000 per year, in hopes that a developer will transform the property into something more useful such as housing, offices or retail. The city also recently bought out the lease on Underground

Atlanta with hopes of doing something similar with the historic Downtown site.

The Georgia World Congress Center has taken over most of the events that were once hosted by the Civic Center, but it still regularly hosts events and is where Steve Harvey tapes the “Family Feud” game show.

The 4,600-seat venue at the corner of Piedmont Avenue and Ralph McGill Boulevard underwent a $2 million renovation in 2001and was the first city building to reach Mayor Kasim Reed’s sustainability goals with energy efficiency upgrades. However, the building is in need of more work, which could run into the millions.