Former Georgia Mall Revived by Pickleball

Macon-Bibb County is converting the largely defunct commercial center into a civic complex with county offices and recreation facilities.

1 minute read

March 6, 2024, 6:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Macon Mall sign outside of low-rise building in Macon, Georgia.

MikeKalasnik, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Macon Mall, Macon, Georgia

A defunct mall in Macon, Georgia will get a new life as a civic center complete with government offices and an outdoor amphitheater, reports Nate Berg in Fast Company.

The mall’s owner donated most of the property to the county in exchange for a tax write-off. “In exchange for an estimated $70 million in property tax credits, Hull Property Group would donate the excess land it had since demolishing much of the mall, as well as about a third of the mall building that remained.” 

Now, the county is transforming the space. A two-story sports complex with pickleball courts —potentially the world’s largest indoor pickleball facility — has already been built. “Some local government departments and offices have already moved into the mall, and the others will have relocated by the end of April.” 

As Berg explains, former malls are often redeveloped by private entities. “Taking mall properties into their own hands, cities can be a bit more expansive in their thinking than private developers about what new shape the buildings can take.”

Thursday, February 29, 2024 in Fast Company

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

July 6, 2025 - Next City

Tunnel for pedestrians, bikes, and buses in Lyon, France lit up with purple lights.

The French Solution to Congested Tunnels: Make Them Car-Free

Bay Area transportation officials keep expanding car capacity. Lyon’s Croix Rousse Tunnel offers a different way.

6 hours ago - Streetsblog San Francisco

Missouri state Rep. Chris Brown speaking in government chamber.

Missouri Governor Reverses Anti-Discrimination Housing Policies

A new state law bars cities from prohibiting source-of-income discrimination against tenants using Section 8 housing vouchers.

6 hours ago - Missouri Independent

Pedestrians crossing a rainbow painted crosswalk in New York City.

USDOT Launches Unfunded 'SAFE ROADS' Program

The program targets “distractions” and “political messages or artwork,” and paves the way for autonomous vehicles.

7 hours ago - Urban Milwaukee