Emory University building featured in "Stranger Things" torn down for new senior living community

A building owned by Emory University that was made famous on "Stranger Things" has been torn down to make way for a new senior living community. 

Briarcliff Building A was built in the 1960s and used as a mental health treatment center before Emory University acquired it and other buildings on the 42-acre property on Briarcliff Road in 1998.

The building, known for its expansive interior and brutalist exterior, was featured in many film and TV productions, including "Hidden Figures," "First Man," "WandaVision," "MacGyver," and "Doom Patrol." On "Stranger Things," its tunnels served as the site of the show's Hawkins Lab. 

A previous listing on the school's film locations website described the five-story building as including "lobbies, conference rooms, offices, auditoriums, lab and clinical spaces, and a basement with underground tunnels."

In 2022, Emory announced a partnership with Galerie Living to develop most of the property into a single-living community. While many of the buildings that were on the site of the planned 32-acre facility would be demolished, the historic Candler Mansion would be renovated. 

Last year, 19-year-old Leah Palmirotto died after officials say she fell through the roof of the building while exploring the area,

Authorities say the building has been vacant since 2024, and the entire property has been fenced off.