Georgia Aquarium set for Atlantic Station ATLANTA (WABE) - Atlantic Station developer Jim Jacoby of Jacoby Development and The Marcus Foundation said the Georgia Aquarium will be built on the west side of the $ 2 billion Atlantic Station project.
The site is a 14-acre tract plus parking located on the west side of the Atlantic Station development on the 16th Street extension close to the Northside Drive planned intersection.
The Marcus Foundation, the organization spearheading the aquarium effort, will donate up to $200 million for the Georgia Aquarium. Atlanta-based Heery International Inc. is the construction manager for the aquarium.
The 250,000-square-foot aquarium project will be one of the world's largest and most expensive aquariums. It will contain 5 million gallons of freshwater and saltwater.
Marcus has tapped former Atlantan Jeff Swanagan to run the new aquarium. Swanagan comes to Atlanta from the Florida Aquarium in Tampa and worked previously at Zoo Atlanta.
For its expected impact on the Atlantic Station development and its role in shaping growth on Midtown's west side, the Georgia Aquarium won Best Overall Deal of the Year in Atlanta Business Chronicle's 2001 Best in Atlanta Real Estate Awards.
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