Electric Owl Studios broke ground in November to become the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold-certified studio in the world. The six-stage, 17-acre facility will be located off I-285 south of Memorial Drive near Indian Creek Marta Station. Co-founders Michael Hahn, CEO of Capstone South Properties, and Dan Rosenfelt are bringing their combined experience in real estate and the film industry to Electric Owl Studios. Capstone is leading development of the studio, with Domain Capital serving as the capital partner. $50 million was raised to get the studios off the ground according to Hahn, a real estate developer working with operations specialist Rosenfelt.

The environmentally sustainable studios will have 140,000 in total square footage of stage space, 50,000 square feet of office space and 75,000 square feet in construction and support space. To reduce their carbon footprint, plans include efficient insulation, LED lighting, and 48 electric vehicle charging stations. Solar panels will cover 30% of their energy costs. Rainwater will be captured for use on site. They are installing high-energy HVAC systems, smart thermostats and LED lighting throughout the facility. They anticipate 15 to 20 full-time employees and up to 1,000 people on site when all stages are being utilized.

Rosenfelt explained, “We are large enough for a Marvel-size film but small enough to be considered a boutique property. We can focus on one or two big productions at a time and give them the type of attention and treatment they deserve.”

Electric Owl is slang for night watchmen in a rail yard. “We thought it was a good metaphor for what we do,” Hahn said. “We act as shepherds for productions. And it also has that energy connotation.”