Briarcliff

Emory purchased the 42-acre Briarcliff property in 1998.  The site, located about a mile from the Druid Hills campus on Briarcliff Road, includes the historic Candler Mansion; an archival library facility jointly serving Emory and Georgia Tech; and the former Georgia Mental Health Institute.  

The property is unique in that it includes significant acreage with future development potential, but also a site in the DeKalb County Historic Preservation District bound by established residential neighbors, and with limited access off of a heavily traveled Briarcliff Road.  

In recent years, film and television productions have used the property for shows such as CBS’s ‘MacGyver,’ the popular Netflix series ‘Stranger Things,’ and ‘Doom Patrol’ on HBO Max. 

In the spring of 2022, Emory announced that it would work with Galerie Living, a Georgia-based senior living community developer and operator, to develop most of the Briarcliff property into a senior living community.  Emory intends to enter a long-term ground lease for Galerie to develop approximately 32 acres of the total 42 acre property.   The Candler Mansion would be included as a part of the senior living community, and renovated extensively. The former mental hospital would be demolished for the new community. The Library Service Center, and adjacent acreage on the rear of the site would not be included in the lease.  

The Galerie Living development would include renovation of the Candler Mansion.   The project would include fewer than 500 senior living units and new retail geared towards the senior community residents.  This retail would be located near the main entrance off of Briarcliff Road.   The second existing entrance off of Briarcliff Road (the ‘Family  Entrance’) would also provide access to the mansion and surrounding grounds. DeKalb County is also requiring a third new entrance be added, which will likely be at University Drive and Villa Drive.   

The project is currently going through review by the DeKalb County Historic Preservation Commission and by the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners.

The Candler Mansion, built in the 1920’s for Asa Candler, Jr., would be restored.

New senior residential units will be built on the site, along with limited retail geared to the needs of senior residents.

The property around the mansion and the senior living would include green space for use by residents and the general public.

The Library Service Center (shown above) is a joint archival facility with Emory and Georgia Tech. It will remain at the rear of the Briarcliff property.

You can watch the community meeting on this project.

Community Meeting on New Senior Living Community at Briarcliff (June 28, 2022)