ATLANTA — Emory University has completed a major on-campus acquisition, purchasing the former Egleston Hospital site off Clifton Road, a property that served as the long-time home of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta before the pediatric system moved to the new Arthur M. Blank Hospital on North Druid Hills Road last year.

The 7.5-acre site now sits vacant, and Emory officials say the university plans to demolish the two buildings currently on the property while keeping the 840-space underground parking garage. The demolition process is expected to take up to a year and a half.

“The Egleston campus was designed to meet the specific requirements of a children’s hospital and cannot be effectively renovated for our enterprise needs,” says Robin Morey, vice president of campus services and chief planning officer of Emory.

Morey says the building were constructed in 1968 and 2005.

“These properties are in strategic locations in the heart of campus and will provide Emory with the opportunity and flexibility to support key enterprise needs,” Morey says.

For now, Emory says the area will be an open space once demolition is finished. The university has not announced long-term plans for the site.

WSB Radio’s Austin Eller contributed to this story.