Construction began earlier in the fall to further expand the Georgia Institute of Technology's footprint in midtown Atlanta.
The two multistory towers that make up Tech Square Phase III are going up in the shadow of such facilities as Coda, Centergy and the Technology Square Research Building, evidence of Georgia Tech's success in cultivating one of the country's fastest-growing business and technology ecosystems.
This third phase of Technology Square will add more than 400,000 sq. ft. of new space for research and collaboration, the university announced. Work began at the northwest corner of West Peachtree and Fifth streets, across the street from The Biltmore.
The project's scope will include an underground parking deck and a large plaza with street-level retail, Urbanize Atlanta reported.
The online news source also noted that to set the stage for Tech Square's growth, a pair of low-rise buildings fronting West Peachtree Street were demolished in 2021 for an interim parking lot. The eastern side of that block was converted into a temporary campus "flex area" for added parking and greenspace to host outdoor concerts, food trucks and pop-up restaurants.
The primary Tech Square buildings now under construction on the site will be named for philanthropists who have played a vital role in advancing Georgia Tech's mission of progress and service.
One tower, named for principal donor Ernest Scheller Jr., will be the new home of graduate and executive education programs of the Scheller College of Business. The second building, named George Tower, honors Bill and Penny George, and will house the nation's top-ranked industrial and systems engineering program.
Several Large Tech Firms Operate Nearby
Georgia Tech transformed abandoned and blighted areas across the Midtown/Downtown Connector to open the first part of Technology Square in 2003. The 21-story Coda Building, making up the second phase, opened in 2019 and has drawn more top-tier technology companies to work as close to Georgia Tech's campus as possible.
"A successful innovation ecosystem requires not just good hardware — the right buildings in the right locations — but also good software, [meaning] the right talent and programs, and a culture of innovation," explained Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera during the groundbreaking ceremony for Phase III in October.
Georgia Tech graduate and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens joined him to launch the transformative project.
"Metro Atlanta's diverse and thriving tech industry is the envy of many, and Tech Square has helped make that a reality," Dickens said.
Since 2021, companies including Microsoft, Google, Cisco, Micron, Airbnb and Nike have made significant investments to expand their presence in the neighborhood.
"Having this collaboration here between companies and one of the world's great academic institutions and different departments is critical," said Bill George, a graduate of Georgia Tech's industrial engineering program.
The university's business programs have been growing and expanding, consistently ranking among the top 20 nationally, according to the school.
"The new facilities of Tech Square Phase 3 will offer our students the ability to learn, collaborate, and develop in a new, innovative environment," added Maryam Alavi, dean of the Scheller College of Business. "Thanks to the generosity and support of our community, we are now better positioned than ever before to fulfill our mission of cultivating principled business leaders who thrive in a tech-driven world."
Jeb Stewart, a Georgia Tech graduate, and son of Milton H. Stewart, the namesake of Georgia Tech's school of industrial and systems engineering, recognized the positive momentum the newest phase of Technology Square's construction stands for.
"Hope can start with things like education and opportunity — things that are going to happen in these buildings," he commented.
In addition to the academic facilities, Tech Square Phase 3 also will include a large outdoor plaza with street-level retail and an underground parking deck.
Project partners include two architectural firms, Atlanta's Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio (RJTR), and Eskew Dumez Ripple in New Orleans, in addition to New York-based Turner Construction.
Tech Square Phase III is scheduled to open in 2026.
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