The Alpharetta City Council has given the AdvancED school accreditation agency permission to expand its headquarters at 9115 Westside Parkway by constructing a second office building.
AdvancED requested an amendment to part of the Cousins Westside Master Plan to allow construction of a three-story, 40,000-square-foot office building on 5.5 acres, according to a staff report. The council approved the plan, subject to certain conditions.
The new structure would be next to an existing, three-story, 60,000-square-foot building, be connected to it by a pedestrian bridge at the third level and meet LEED environmental efficiency standards.
AdvancED sought a variance to reduce the required parking from 376 to 182 spaces. Staff went along, saying the nonprofit does not function like a typical office user in that most of its people arrive in shuttles.
A company representative also told the Council that 25 to 30 percent of its 75 to 85 staff in Alpharetta is on the road every week visiting schools around the world. The city will require that sufficient land be set aside for 160 additional parking spaces, which would have to be constructed if the building’s use changes.
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