ASSEMBLY | DORAVILLE – Schmit+Associates

ASSEMBLY | DORAVILLE

OPPORTUNITY

Reimagine the former General Motors Assembly Plant as a transformative, mixed-use destination—one that could serve as a cultural, economic, and residential hub for Doraville, Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia, and the broader region. The vision was to convert an obsolete industrial site into a forward-looking, connected community rooted in sustainability and long-term value.

APPROACH

Schmit + Associates partnered with The Integral Group to guide the master planning and early-stage positioning of this transit-oriented redevelopment. With access to multiple regional transportation systems, the site offered a rare opportunity to anchor a highly connected urban environment.

The planning framework brought together arts, civic services, housing, retail, technology, and transportation into a cohesive, walkable district. Equal focus was placed on preparing the site for long-term success—aligning entitlements, infrastructure, and vision to attract a catalytic end user capable of realizing the full potential of the property.

1,500

JOBS CREATED

4 MILLION SQ FT

OF STRUCTURES REMEDIATED

150,000 TONS

OF MATERIALS RECYCLED

$53 MILLION

IN PUBLIC PROJECTS

ROLE

Over nearly a decade, Schmit + Associates served in a critical owner’s representation and development leadership role—guiding the site from legacy industrial use to a development-ready asset while protecting the long-term vision of the project.

S+A coordinated contract negotiation, master planning, plant decommissioning and material recycling, environmental and brownfield management, zoning and land use code development, infrastructure design, utility capacity planning, and construction property owner association management. Throughout, the team aligned stakeholders, mitigated risk, and ensured continuity across public and private interests.

This disciplined oversight positioned the project for a successful transition—culminating in the sale to Gray Media. Today, the site is being realized as Assembly Atlanta, a major film and television production campus that anchors economic growth and brings new energy to the region.