Porsche unveiled its new Atlanta headquarters yesterday to hundreds of guests, and the building is just as sleek as the company's cars. International architectural powerhouse HOK designed the 260,000-square-foot facilty, which sits on 27 acres adjacent to Hartsfield-Jackson. Constructed at a cost of $100 million (aka the price of 118 Porsche 918 Spyders), the building represents the automobile manufacturer's largest investment outside of Germany. Governor Deal hailed the company's HQ as "a showcase for Georgia" in opening remarks covered by the AJC. It is just the beginning of what he and Mayor Reed hope will be a burgeoning "aerotropolis" — a commercial hub near the Atlanta airport.
Porsche Cars North America has called metro Atlanta home since 1998 with headquarters in Sandy Springs along the north-end Perimeter. The move to the new facility has been a long time coming, with plans beginning to materialize in the years following the closure of a Ford plant on the site in 2006. The realization of the project now allows five divisions of the company to work under the same roof, while the location in the airport's flight path helps with visibility.
Although about 450 employees will eventually work from the new headquarters, the building serves as much more than an office space. It also features a gallery with classic cars, a conference center and a fine dining restaurant. Adjacent to the facility is a 1.6-mile test track where visitors can take a Porsche for a spin for a mere $300 — a small price to pay compared to buying your own. Porsche anticipates 30,000 visitors a year.
· Building the Porsche Experience [HOK]
· Porsche HQ: Catalyst for airport area? [AJC; subscriber]
· Porsche opens new HQ, experience center in Atlanta [Autoblog]
· Curbed Awards 2012: Hottest ATL Controversies [Curbed Atlanta]
· Airport Cities Are Hot- How is Atlanta's Coming Along? [Curbed Atlanta]
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