Railroad Yards Reborn as Business Park

In a $30-million business park development, vestiges of Atlanta’s halcyon railroad era will be transformed into offices for high-tech and telecommunications firms. Northyards Partners, a partnership of Hawkins Cos. and Seed Partners is scheduled to close October 1 on the purchase of 16 acres in Northyards Business Park. The total 45-acre site, intown, across Marietta Street from the headquarters of the Coca-Cola Co. and near Georgia Tech, is being developed to attract new industry.

This first project, by Northyards Partners, will feature a conversion of the historic roundhouse, according to National Historic Register standards, and existing warehouses into 275,000 sf of office space. The space will include high-tech offices, telecom switching and call center operations. The going rental rate in the area is $16 to $18 per sf.