Westgate mall is getting a $12 million upgrade. Here’s what we know

Georgia’s first air-conditioned, indoor mall is going to be reborn this summer after a $12 million redevelopment.

Ultimate Realty, a New York-based real estate investment management firm, announced Thursday a $12 million redevelopment of Westgate Shopping Center, which is scheduled to be completed this summer, according to a news release.

The company is rebranding the mall, at 2525 Pio Nono Ave., as Middle Georgia Industrial Park. The 395,000-square-foot, six-building industrial park will be Ultimate Realty’s first project in Georgia, according to the release.

“The former Westgate Shopping Mall is in a prime setting for a retail-to-industrial conversion with the new name referring to the optimal location Macon has become for the state of Georgia,” said Joe Sabbagh of Ultimate Realty. “Our unique vision will bring a world-class redevelopment to the market, resulting in the addition of hundreds of jobs in Macon.”

Plans for the project were approved by the Macon-Bibb Planning & Zoning Commission on Sept. 9.

When the shopping center opened in 1961, it had 30 stores under one roof and did well for a decade until the Macon Mall opened two miles away in 1975.

The shopping center was around 86% empty with only a few tenants, such as the Taiwan Restaurant, Shoe Show, Dollar World, United Tax Service and Le Nails, when Ultimate Realty submitted its proposal to the commission.

The company requested to allow for light industrial use, office space, warehouse space and retail to serve the growing need of distribution centers.

This story was originally published April 2, 2020 at 11:36 AM.