Pullman Yard
Pullman Yard Cleanup Loan
Project Overview
The Pullman Yard property owner, Atomic Entertainment Development, LLC (Atomic), has submitted a loan application to the City of Atlanta/Invest Atlanta Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to pay for the cleanup of hazardous building materials at the former Pullman Yard Railroad site. The Brownfield Program is funded with grants from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
History
The Pullman Yard, located at 225 Rogers Street, consists of 26.84 acres and includes 12 buildings. The site has a long industrial history in connection with the railroad. In the early 1900s it operated as Pratt Engineering and Machinery Company which tested chemical process equipment. In 1926 the property transferred to the Pullman Company, a manufacturer of passenger railcars. Pullman developed a train yard in order to manufacturer and repair deluxe passenger railcars.
In 1955, Pullman transferred the property to the Second American Iron and Metal Company, and it continued to manufacture and repair railcars until the 1980s. In 1990, the Georgia Building Authority acquired the property and the rail line was abandoned. The site has mostly remained untouched until June 13, 2017 when Atomic purchased the property.
Identified Hazardous Building Materials
Starting in 2017, numerous investigations have been conducted to assess the 12 on-site buildings for hazardous materials. Asbestos containing materials (ACM) have been identified in various building materials including:
- Roofing materials, including sealant, flashing, felt paper, etc.
- Window caulking/glazing
- Fire doors
- Vinyl floor tiles
The following surfaces were identified as containing lead-based paint in various buildings:
- Steel columns and beams
- Yellow hand rails
- Steel hoists
- Metal walling
Cleanup Documents
As part of Brownfield Revolving Loan process, several documents, which are available for public review and comment are prepared. These are:
- Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA),
- Cleanup Work Plan, and
- Site-Specific Quality Assurance Project Plan (SSQAPP).
The Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA) includes a review the facility’s history, location of identified materials, and redevelopment plans to determine the most effective cleanup option. The most effective cleanup option to limit the impacts to human health and the environment is to abate the identified asbestos and lead-based paint
The Cleanup Work Plan documents the asbestos and lead-based paint (LBP) abatement activities planned to facilitate building repurposing.
The Site-Specific Quality Assurance Project Plan (SSQAPP) outlines the participants involved and their roles in the cleanup, cleanup activities to be conducted, data quality objectives, sampling design, analytical sampling methodologies, and quality control/quality assurance (QA/QC) requirements.
As the Pullman buildings are identified as historic under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), all abatement activities will comply with the Georgia Historic Preservation Division (HPD) requirements, with the primary focus of keeping the buildings in similar historic condition. All abatement work and cleanup costs will be approved by the City of Atlanta’s Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP) and completed in accordance with approved EPA work plans.
Community Involvement
Comments and questions regarding the Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA), Cleanup Work Plan, and Site-Specific Quality Assurance Project Plan (SSQAPP) as well as general questions can be sent to CommunityPlans@atlantaga.gov or by contacting Jessica Lavandier at 404-865-8522 or Nate Hoelzel at 404-330-6724. The official 30-day public comment period is from May 9 to June 8th.
For additional information please click the links below.