Coca-Cola Co. will begin a sweeping renovation project at its North Avenue campus later this year, rehabbing one of Atlanta’s biggest corporate headquarters.
The complex houses more than 4,000 employees, including Coke’s corporate functions and North American teams. It is anchored by the 29-story tower that was completed in 1979 and remains a visible, if less prominent, part of the downtown skyline. Coca-Cola has not announced plans to add new buildings on the site, and it says visitors will see few changes from outside the buildings.
But inside, the company hopes to design spaces that will lead to greater collaboration and productivity, with better technology and more consistency in design. The plan is still being developed, but Coca-Cola predicts changes to common areas will be visible early next year.
Coca-Cola studied its workplace needs and infrastructure last year. Now, managers are gathering ideas by visiting other companies. Julie Seitz, Coca-Cola’s director of the “workplace of the future,” meets regularly with Coca-Cola employees to discuss possible changes, said Coca-Cola spokeswoman Kerry Kerr.
Working with Coke are real estate services company CB Richard Ellis, architecture firm Gensler, and design firm Ideo.
The work is scheduled to continue for four to five years. The company declined to disclose the cost, but it is not expected to be as dramatic as the building wave of 1985 and 1986, which saw the construction of a reception building and new North American offices.
Coca-Cola plans to buy the North American operations of bottler Coca-Cola Enterprises in the fourth quarter. According to a count about a year and a half ago, CCE had more than 2,300 employees around Atlanta. It is unclear how many of them will move to Coca-Cola’s North Avenue complex after the $12 billion-plus deal closes. Coca-Cola says it is too early to speculate on staff movements.
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