A former UPS distribution hub in South Fulton is slated for demolition to make way for a nearly $79 million Caterpillar power systems campus that backers say could employ 457 workers. The project, known as Project Bulldog, has already won preliminary approval for a $3.3 million tax break from local officials, though the incentive still needs a second vote before it's finalized.
Austell Dealer Behind the Site Swap
The company driving the redevelopment is Yancey Bros., an Austell-based dealer that primarily sells and services Caterpillar equipment, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Yancey Bros. acquired the former UPS facility in South Fulton and plans to redevelop the site as a campus for assembly, service and testing of Caterpillar power systems, the paper reports. The project is planned for the former UPS site, according to the same report.
The South Fulton Development Authority has given preliminary approval for the $3.3 million tax break tied to the project, per the AJC's reporting. Project Bulldog carries a tax abatement, the outlet notes.
Training Programs Part of the Package
Yancey Engineered Solutions' Griffin Operations Yancey Engineered Solutions, a subsidiary of Yancey Bros. Co. that operates as Caterpillar's licensed dealer in Georgia, runs an existing factory, testing and service center in Griffin, Georgia, the trade publication notes.
Yancey Engineered Solutions is separately planning to spend $5.7 million renovating a former Big Tex factory in Cordele, Georgia, into a new power-generation packaging-systems plant, per Plant Services. That Cordele facility is expected to employ 300 people once fully operational, the outlet reports.
South Fulton's Industrial Corridor Keeps Growing
Project Bulldog lands amid a string of large industrial proposals reshaping South Fulton. Project MAPCO, a separate $220 million development led by KMT Partners, LLC, calls for 1.6 million square feet of logistics and light manufacturing space on 160 acres at Old Senoia Road and Spence Road, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. That project is expected to create up to 2,000 jobs, including 1,500 permanent positions and 500 construction jobs, the station reports. The Development Authority of Fulton County had considered Project MAPCO as a proposed $220 million, 1.6 million-square-foot industrial development in South Fulton back in April, estimating tax savings of $9,269,582 over its 10-year incentive period.
Also in the mix is the SoFu Commerce Center, a $28 million project planned at 4105 Roosevelt Highway, according to Fulton Neighbor. That development would deliver a 213,580-square-foot facility for distribution, cold storage and light manufacturing, creating an expected 150 permanent jobs and 150 temporary construction jobs, the outlet notes. Fulton Neighbor reports the SoFu project is projected to generate more than $3.1 million in new property tax revenue over its 10-year incentive period, with project leaders saying leasing absorption has removed most competition and new industrial construction is down more than 40% from its peak.
