Last month, the Atlanta Urban Design Commission declared Pullman Yard a historic site. The state of Georgia announced in December that the abandoned train maintenance facility in Kirkwood is for sale.
Pullman Yard is located on Rogers Street between DeKalb Avenue and Hosea L. Williams Drive. The 26.8-acre site is loved by locals and urban explorers for its history and colorful graffiti-covered walls.
“Pullman Yard is such a huge part of the community,” Kirkwood resident Martin Maxwell said. “We cherish its century of history. I can’t imagine it not being here anymore.”
Built in 1904 by Pratt Engineering Co, the yard was first used as a parts manufacturer for sugar and fertilizer processing plants. In 1922, Chicago’s Pullman Company bought the 28-acre property and turned it into a rail car repair station that stayed in business until 1954. After the building was passed through many owners, the state of Georgia bought Pullman Yard for $1.6 million in 1992. The five century warehouse was used in many film productions over the years, including the popular Hunger Games series.
In December, the state announced that Pullman Yard would be taking bids at a minimum of 5.6 million through April 2017. For years, many have anticipated that the yard would be sold due to liability for intruders. In May 2016, a Dunwoody man fell 40 feet to his death from the roof of the building. Many speculate this was the trigger for the state to sell the historic site.
The news that Pullman Yard was being sold brought  a storm of concerns from locals and preservationists. The fear of future owners demolishing the yard has been a prominent issue.
“With all the gentrification going on in [East Atlanta/Kirkwood], it’s definitely a fear of ours that Pullman will just become another apartment building,” Kirkwood resident Melissa Hart said. “Atlanta is known for tearing down history, and it’s something we really need to put an end to.”
Atlanta ContactPoint, a nonprofit that encourages children and adults to be active, has already drafted a proposal which aims to preserve the structure while creating townhomes. Other developers have drafted proposals for condominiums.
As April approaches, the fate of Pullman Yard awaits. The rustic walls that echo history prove no doubt that Pullman Yard is the investment of a lifetime.