Clayton County | Aiming for New Heights

Clayton County is experiencing a major economic renaissance. Its location – with access to 19 exits and four major interstates (I-75, I-85, I-285 and I-675) – has always brought logistical benefits. Now it’s poised to make a real mark, with investment-driven projects on several fronts.

“When it comes to opportunity here, choosing us is a great choice. I refer to Clayton County as a diamond in the rough,” Clayton County Board of Commissioners Chair Jeffrey Turner said in a recent roundtable discussion with other Clayton leaders. “We’re not what we’re going to be yet, but we’re making great strides as a place that’s definitely not what [it] used to be.”

Making Great Strides: Clayton County Board of Commissioners Chair Jeffrey Turner, outside BlueStar Studios. | Woodie Williams

Business is booming in Clayton, as new industries are moving there or expanding in the county. They are attracted to the county’s logistics and its diversity.

Some examples: GlassesUSA is investing $10 million to move its U.S. headquarters from New York to College Park, adding 75 jobs, according to Clayton Economic Development Officer Erica Rocker. The company says access to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and the Port of Savannah strongly influenced its decision.

Automotive parts producer GSC Steel Stamping added 75 jobs following a $150,000 million investment to acquire the assets of parts manufacturer Dixien. The company says its 200,000-square-foot facility in Lake City is the largest minority-owned automotive stamping plant globally.

TOTO, the world’s largest manufacturer of bathroom fixtures and fittings, invested $238 million and added more than 300 skilled workers to its production floor in Morrow.

“Clayton is the county where products are made and moved, because we’re a pipeline from the airport to the Georgia Ports Authority. … We see these additions as a win and rising tide,” says Rocker.

Legacy Project: Rendering for Harvest Village, a mixed-use development. | Photo credit: contributed

Economic growth spawns new opportunities in Clayton. The $100 million Harvest Village, a 67-acre Jonesboro development brought to life by Bubba Cathy, brother of Chick-fil-A Chair Dan Cathy and executive vice president at the company, and his wife Cindy. The development will include single-family homes, retail, a farm-to-table restaurant, artist studios and a patio for stargazing, among other amenities.

Construction is underway on the Andrew J. Young Foundation Aquaponics Farm, which will produce fresh, organic food in a controlled environment. With aquaponics, fish and plants grow together, sustainably, in recirculating water – without pesticide or fertilizer. The $4 million project will add 18 full-time jobs and 25 part-time internships. And it provides a teaching destination for people from around the world.

Victory Landing Logistics Center, a 90-acre, five-building industrial site just off I-285, will impact how products move in and out of the county. The $400 million project offers 700,000 square feet of warehouse space, with an additional 335,000 square feet under construction.

“As businesses move in, they’ll see a definite benefit of being in Clayton County,” says Turner, the commission chair.

Economically Sound: Valencia Williamson, president and CEO of the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce. | Photo credit: Woodie Williams.

The MARTA Connection

Construction is expected to begin this year on MARTA’s bus rapid-transit expansion in Clayton County, which will make it easier for people to move about the metro area. MARTA expects to spend approximately $338 million on the dedicated bus lanes and permanent stations. The 15.5-mile route will have 13 stations and extend from the College Park MARTA Station to Southlake Mall.

Endless Opportunities: Forest Park Mayor Angelyne Butler. | Photo credit: contributed

“This equates to more people pouring money into Clayton’s economy at Southlake, further solidifying the expansion as a significant, worthwhile MARTA-Clayton County investment,” says Valencia Williamson, president and CEO of the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce.

Its base of operations will be the $150 million Clayton County Operations and Maintenance Facility, created partly out of $33 million in federal funds, two Federal Transit Administration grants, and a $5 million earmark secured by U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock. The facility will also house and service buses that serve other jurisdictions.

Forest Park is a major beneficiary of the rapid transportation expansion – along with Clayton County as a whole, of course. “Collectively, we’re committed to moving the county forward. We’re here to do our part,” says Mayor Angelyne Butler.

In addition to improving public transportation, the MARTA expansion is expected to generate $174,000 in annual revenue through the hiring of hundreds of construction workers and creation of more than 700 permanent jobs. “When I heard about the Operations and Maintenance Facility it made my heart flutter because I knew that the overall impact on Clayton County would be major,” says Butler. “It will reposition Forest Park as a place where the opportunities are endless.”

“Projects like the expansion will change Clayton County’s landscape and have a positive economic and social impact,” Turner says.

Education’s Impact

While Clayton County is committed to brick-and-mortar projects, there’s a focus on building up its citizenry as well, especially youth and young adults. A snapshot of what’s on the table of the Clayton County Public School System (CCPS) reflects a full plate of investments in human capital.

Building Quality Schools: Clayton County Public Schools Superintendent/CEO Anthony W. Smith. | Photo credit: contributed

The district plans to spend almost a billion dollars to either renovate or replace 36 aging schools, with the help of a $440 million ESPLOST (Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) that voters passed last year. North Clayton High School is one of the schools that will be rebuilt. Plans for the new school include a nine-hole golf course and an indoor track facility.

In 2023, the Urban Land Institute gave the newly rebuilt Morrow High School an award for excellence in civic and institutional development. And in 2021, the Associated General Contractors of Georgia (AGC) recognized Michelle Obama STEM Elementary Academy as a top project in its Build Georgia Awards. The AGC recognized Jonesboro High School for its renovations and additions that same year.

Clayton County is the only location in Georgia with an Adaptive Athletic Complex, giving special needs students a place to showcase their athletic prowess.

“We’re building quality schools and impacting our infrastructure like never before,” says CCPS Superintendent/CEO Anthony W. Smith. “Everything we do is about [preparing for] higher education.”

The new Morrow High School. | Photo credit: Perkins And Will Inc.

The investments are paying off. The Georgia Department of Education recently released its list of schools that need improvement through comprehensive and targeted support, and the number of CCPS schools dropped from 22 in 2022 to four in 2023. Clayton’s high school graduation rate is outperforming the state among three student groups: economically disadvantaged, English learners and Hispanic students. The district says major infractions, like fighting, drugs and gang activity, are also down 75% from this time last year. “We’re trying to create a safe environment that speaks to the future as one comprised of former students that can be trusted to be respectful, responsible members of the community,” says Smith.

Winning Projects: Clayton County Economic Development Officer Erica Rocker, at GlassesUSA. | Photo credit: Woodie Williams

With notable industry partners like Georgia Power, Delta Air Lines, Atlanta Gas Light and Construction Ready, the school system is working towards getting 700 graduating seniors gainfully employed. These partnerships will be instrumental as the district launches its Student Employment Services Division. The goal, says Smith, is to position students, particularly those not going straight to college or into the military, to have a positive economic impact on their families.

CCPS will have a new 8,000-seat graduation facility when the $117 million Clayton County Convocation Center & College and Career Academy opens in 2025. Located at the old Sears building at Southlake Mall in Morrow, the multi-use space will serve as an educational hub and could be used to host entertainment, sporting events and conventions. Smith says the center will generate over 100 jobs.

In addition to improvements in primary and secondary education, the county is also seeing growth and change at Clayton State University. President Georj L. Lewis says the school – which has grown exponentially over the last 55 years since its founding as a junior college – is focusing on academic, social and economic advancement. About 6,000 students from 32 countries and 34 states attend Clayton State.

Graduation Facility: Rendering of the Clayton County Convocation Center & College and Career Academy, which is expected to open next year. | Photo credit: contributed

Workforce-friendly majors like cyber technology and information technology are popular among incoming students, as are nursing and dental hygiene, Lewis says. Clayton State alumni stay close to home, with 92% of them working in Metro Atlanta upon graduating.

Employers and students alike are benefiting from the school’s Launchpad Leadership Academy. The STEM-based initiative provides four-year scholarships, pairs students with corporate partners for hands-on learning experiences, and certifies students who complete the academy as workforce ready.

“Pointing to Clayton State as a community resource is paramount now in Clayton County,” says Turner.

Housing, Water, and Marketing Matters

Academic Advancement: Clayton State University President Georj L. Lewis. | Photo credit: contributed

As Clayton County invests and expands, affordable housing is a priority. Lovejoy is taking critical steps to address that need, says Mayor Marci Fluellyn.

One workforce housing project recently approved by the City Council is expected to get underway later this year, she says. The 400-home site will have a $500,000 playground and include a cul-de-sac with homes for senior citizens.

Such housing is important to keep up with Lovejoy’s recent growth. In addition to its population growing more rapidly than the rest of Clayton County, Lovejoy was also ranked as the 10th fastest-growing city in the state this year by Homesnacks.com, which collates data on U.S. cities, states and neighborhoods.

Couple that with plenty of land to expand, and you have a recipe for success. “Lovejoy welcomes opportunities. We will roll out the red carpet, but be worthy of standing on it,” says Fluellyn, alluding to the high standards she’s seeking for her city.

Clayton County Water Authority CEO H. Bernard Franks notes that there can be no bricks and mortar without water. The water authority is nationally recognized for sustainable practices and has been recognized as a Top Water Wise Community in the U.S. and a Utility of the Future Today by industry peers. The authority employs over 400 workers and is expanding its presence and brand.

Franks says his team is ready to handle where the county is headed. “The Water Authority is critical to Clayton County’s infrastructure,” Franks says. “We’re here in the community as a resource.” Diversifying what the department does is a priority too, says Franks. For example, the department recycles waste at its pelletizing facility – part of the W.B. Casey Water Resources Recovery Facility in Jonesboro – and then sells the sanitized pellets as fertilizer.

Clayton State’s James M. Baker University Center is named after a distinguished 1976 graduate of the college. | Photo credit: contributed.

The authority is also planning to convert thousands of acres it no longer uses into a recreational and educational site called the Huie Nature Preserve. It envisions using some of the area for archery, disc golf, outdoor classrooms and nature trails.

Tourism and filmmaking are also growing, with some 5,700 Clayton County residents working in the tourism industry. In 2022, the Clayton County Convention and Visitors Bureau and Tourism Authority reported the county ranked eighth in the state for visitor spending, with an economic impact of $467 million.

“We are an economically sound community that the numbers support. Clayton should remain that in the foreseeable future, at the rate it’s growing and developing,” the Chamber’s Williamson says.

Fast Growth: Lovejoy Mayor Marci Fluellyn. | Photo credit: Joann Vitalli

There is a renewed can-do spirit among county leaders that they say is rooted in being in accord and operating as a seamless unit. “Recognizing our strengths collectively makes us stronger to compete for anything,” says Forest Park City Manager Ricky Clark. “Working in silos is a thing of the past here.”

“We now have like-minded leaders,” says Williamson. “We intend to be the place where people stop, shop and stay. We will be the place you want to be.”

Local Flavor

A Stellar Transformation

Unique and Convenient: Aerial view of BlueStar Studios, at the site of the former Fort Gillem Army Post in Forest Park. | Photo credit: contributed

WHEN THE PENTAGON ANNOUNCED IN 2005 that it was closing Fort Gillem, locals described it as a blow to the gut. Seven years later, the city of Forest Park purchased 1,170 acres of the former Army post, and there was initially talk of making it a mixed-use development until the focus changed to industrial use. Fast-forward another decade, and BlueStar Studios is bringing another positive change.

It purchased 53 acres of the former Army post, transforming it into a film production campus with two 20,000-square-foot stages and a total of 100,000 square feet of stage, office and flex space combined. The deal was especially attractive to Forest Park because BlueStar agreed to preserve Fort Gillem’s historic 1940s-era buildings.

BlueStar founder and CEO Rich Goldberg says his team “kissed a lot of frogs” before choosing the location, which is about 10 minutes from the airport and a half-hour drive to downtown Atlanta. Because of the unique characteristics that Fort Gillem had to offer, the company decided it was the best place. Goldberg says the state tax credits for film businesses locating to Georgia were an incentive, as well. He says the Urban Redevelopment Authority facilitated the sale along with the offer of a 10-year property tax abatement.

“Clayton County is pro-business,” he says. “They moved very quickly after vetting us carefully, and we were welcomed by the mayor [of Forest Park] and her team. Putting the studio here was the best decision we could have made.”

Forest Park Mayor Angelyne Butler says her town looks forward to productions at BlueStar and the influx of highly skilled professionals.

Matthew Morgenthaler is a unit production manager living in both Los Angeles and Atlanta who recently worked for Netflix on a major film project at BlueStar. He, too, feels BlueStar’s decision was a good one. “It was a great experience working here. [I] really enjoyed working in this facility. BlueStar and Forest Park are a great fit,” he says.

Goldberg is committed to his company becoming a true part of Clayton County. He says BlueStar is connecting with the community by contributing computers to an elementary school and developing an internship program with Clayton State University. In fact, he says two students are currently getting college credit for their work at BlueStar.

For areas trying to get into the film industry, the Clayton County-BlueStar deal is one to learn from, says Goldberg. “This was a win-win. Other cities and counties should use us as a model.” – Clarence W. Thomas, Jr.