SunTrust to leave one of its downtown locations

SunTrust Banks will not renew its lease at 250 Piedmont Ave. downtown, a 330,000-square-foot building the bank has fully occupied for 18 years.

The lease expires at the end of 2010. The move will involve about 1,000 employees.

“We’re looking throughout the city,” SunTrust spokesman Michael McCoy said. “We remain committed to downtown and have by no means ruled out an alternative downtown location.”

SunTrust’s back-office and technology operations are housed at 250 Piedmont. SunTrust employees first started using the building in 1976. The bank’s most prominent location is the SunTrust Plaza skyscraper at 303 Peachtree St.

McCoy said SunTrust is looking for about 250,000 square feet of space.