An 18-story glass office tower in Chamblee once proposed for 289 apartments is scheduled to come down Saturday, Oct. 24. For neighbors around Century Center, the immediate change will begin an hour before the blast, with road closures and restrictions on entering the surrounding area.

Atlas Demolition plans to implode the building at 1800 Century Boulevard at 7:45 a.m. Road closures are scheduled for 6:45 a.m., with reopening dependent on safety clearance.

What neighbors need to know Saturday

A 750-foot restricted area will take effect at 6:45 a.m. Property owners and occupants within that radius should stay indoors during the restrictions. Anyone who needs to leave should do so before 6:45 a.m.; re-entry will be prohibited until restrictions are lifted.

Atlas expects roads and restricted areas to reopen at 8:15 a.m. That is an expected time, rather than a guaranteed reopening: the city requires the site to receive safety clearance first.

Residents with questions about the blasting project can contact Atlas at 770-966-9751. Chamblee Deputy Director of Planning and Development William Robbins is the city liaison and can be reached at 470-395-9338.

A housing conversion that never reached construction

The demolition ends a proposed second life for a familiar tower near Clairmont Road, between Interstate 85 and Buford Highway.

Highwoods Properties and Brand Properties had pursued a $91 million conversion into apartments. In December 2024, Decide DeKalb approved a $6 million property tax incentive for the project. Plans included 289 homes, ranging from one-bedroom apartments to three-bedroom townhomes, with an adjacent dog park, food truck park and small amphitheater.

The developers then expected to secure financing by the end of 2025 and spend 15 to 20 months on construction.

By September 2026, Highwoods had confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the conversion was no longer active. The approved tax break was contingent on the conversion proceeding.

The Georgia Department of Revenue, the tower’s longtime occupant, left in 2024. It now operates nearby at 2595 Century Parkway.

The work continues after the blast

Crews have removed windows and gutted the interior in preparation for demolition. Atlas expects a loud blast and a substantial dust cloud, followed by roughly nine weeks of debris removal.

The building’s footprint is planned to become a detention pond, at least temporarily, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reported. Saturday’s implosion will remove the vacant tower; it will not deliver the apartments once envisioned for the site.

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