Coca-Cola eyes big move downtown (Atlanta, Kennesaw: apartment, mortgage, townhome)

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

An important fact to realize is that it sounds like most of these jobs will be coming from the Towers at Wildwood Plaza, which are on Windy Hill Road. I would imagine that most of the employees live relatively close to the area, so MARTA is an unlikely scenario since it would take less time to just take I-75 into town than to deal with the top end perimeter trying to get to a train station.

My guess is that most of the workers won't be happy about this since if they are high paid jobs as the article says, most of the employees are likely homeowners and they probably bought in areas like East Cobb with their big salaries so they could have nice houses in good school districts.

Having said that, the SunTrust tower is my favorite building in all of Atlanta. If someone gave me my choice of any building to work in downtown, that would probably be the one I would pick (just guessing, I've never actually been inside of it).

I don't really get the strategy of moving IT workers into expensive downtown office space, though. If they are able to be remote from the North Avenue building anyway, I would be more inclined to move them into an office park in a cheaper area like Kennesaw or something than class A office space downtown. I bet they are getting a huge deal, tax breaks, etc.

You can still work in the city and raise your family in Cobb, Gwinnett, Fayette, etc. I work in the Legal field downtown, and many of my co workers commute to areas with good school.

[shivtim]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

My guess is that most of the workers won't be happy about this since if they are high paid jobs as the article says, most of the employees are likely homeowners and they probably bought in areas like East Cobb with their big salaries so they could have nice houses in good school districts.

You think they didn't think of this? They did employee surveys about possible relocation options.

[testa50]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

I don't really get the strategy of moving IT workers into expensive downtown office space, though. If they are able to be remote from the North Avenue building anyway, I would be more inclined to move them into an office park in a cheaper area like Kennesaw or something than class A office space downtown. I bet they are getting a huge deal, tax breaks, etc.

Downtown's average Class A rent is cheaper than Northwest Atlanta's, for the record.

http://www.colliers.com/~/media/file...ketreport.ashx

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

I don't really get the strategy of moving IT workers into expensive downtown office space, though. If they are able to be remote from the North Avenue building anyway, I would be more inclined to move them into an office park in a cheaper area like Kennesaw or something than class A office space downtown. I bet they are getting a huge deal, tax breaks, etc.

I'm sure they're getting a good deal. The rent at SunTrust tower is probably less than Wildwood, however.

Oops, just saw Testa's post above. Yeah, downtown has got some great deals going.

[westau]

Originally Posted by shivtim

You think they didn't think of this? They did employee surveys about possible relocation options.

Are you just guessing or do you know this actually happened? I would be very surprised if anyone actually chose downtown. Midtown or Buckhead I could see 30-40% picking but no one wants to be downtown.

[westau]

Originally Posted by StAubin

Coco cola us probably thinking more for the future. Downtown is a great location if they want to attract gen y young professionals who are setting up shop in town.

Until they realize they can't afford to live decently anywhere near the office and be able to raise kids with good schools.

I am 28 and I don't know a single person my age that has any desire to be downtown outside of events at Phillips/Georgia Dome and that is just because they happen to be there.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by westau

I am 28 and I don't know a single person my age that has any desire to be downtown outside of events at Phillips/Georgia Dome and that is just because they happen to be there.

As a 28 year old, 90% of the people I know my age live or want to live in town. Guess we run if different circles or one of us does not get out much.

[westau]

Originally Posted by jsvh

As a 28 year old, 90% of the people I know my age live or want to live in town. Guess we run if different circles or one of us does not get out much.

In town and downtown aren't the same thing. About half my friends live in town and half live in the suburbs but exactly zero live or even go downtown outside of sporting events/concerts.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

My guess is that the vast majority of the incoming employees will not have convenient MARTA rail access so will drive - like most of us around here.

Nobody even has the option to ride MARTA to their current location.

So, what is your point? No more corporations should move to Atlanta because nobody wants to carpool or take MARTA, or choose wisely where to live?

[AtlJan]

Thank you, westau. I live five minutes north of midtown--and downtown is the last place I want to go. And when I do go there, I don't see a lot 20-something young professionals hanging out. Last time I checked, they were wandering around Piedmont Park, hanging out on the Westside, Decatur, Grant Park, in Buckhead maybe, and I've seen a very active bar/restaurant scene in downtown Roswell actually. . .but downtown Atlanta, are you kidding?