ATLANTA — Emory University plans to give a "new life" to its Briarcliff property, including the Candler Mansion, they said in a news release.
The home has been abandoned for some time but has made appearances in the popular Netflix show Stranger Things and the mystic CW series Vampire Diaries.
Emory plans to put a senior living community on about 32 acres of the 42-acre Briarcliff property.
“The restoration of the mansion will be extensive,” David C. Payne, associate vice president of planning and engagement at Emory said. “Once it is restored, we are hopeful that there will be opportunity for campus and community use.”
Candler Mansion took over a decade to build; Emory said it was built in the 1920s by Coca-Cola heir Asa “Buddie” G. Candler Jr.
"Over the years, Candler and his wife, Helen, added onto the property, which ultimately included 40 rooms, several greenhouses, two solariums, a ballroom and even a zoo," according to the university. "It is on the National Registry of Historic Properties."
The university said they bought the land in 1998 and had unrealized plans for the property, including a hotel and events center. They said their agreement with Galerie Living allows them to reimagine the property.
“The Candler Mansion was truly elegant in its heyday and should be restored to its grandeur," Payne said. "This plan will do that."
They've entered a ground lease with Galerie Living and are holding a virtual community meeting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. to provide more details on the project. Registration is required.
An in-person meeting is planned for Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the eighth-floor conference room of the Claudia Nance Rollins Building, part of the Rollins School of Public Health complex.
The university said the joint library archival facility for Emory and Georgia Tech, Library Service Center, will stay on the land. They hope to break ground by 2023 or 2024.
