ATLANTA—Call it part of a widespread movement in the office sector. 7000 Central Park, an 18-story office tower located in the Central Perimeter district, is working to provide tenants with a modernized experience.

CBRE recently unveiled plans to energize the workplace with major renovations that call for coworking spaces, special events and entertainment options. GlobeSt.com caught up with Jeff Keppen, SVP at CBRE, to learn more about the office building's metamorphosis in part one of this exclusive interview that focuses on the TAMI—technology arts, media and information technology—aspects of the marketing strategy.

GlobeSt.com: Why is 7000 Central Park targeting tenants from the TAMI sector? How do their needs correspond to the ongoing renovations?

Keppen: CBREGI believes the renovations will be attractive to all industry types. Our renovations include spec suites designed with open layouts, an outdoor living room, new fitness offerings, and event programming to invite collaboration. These amenities will be attractive to any company looking to attract talent and improve their experience at work.

TAMI sector tenants place increasing value on work spaces that promote a creative, entrepreneurial mindset. Atlanta has been undersupplied with creative space for years, and 7000 Central Park helps fill the void by offering the type of design that fits the needs of emerging TAMI companies.

However, our model works for many other companies as well. The next crop of young talent across the board has expectations that are not compatible with a lot of existing office product, whether they work for a small financial firm or Fortune 500 company.

Today's office tenants want workspace that optimizes employee engagement, and our 5-Star Worldwide program offered at 7000 Central Park does just that. The numbers tell the story on why engagement matters. Employees who report high levels of workplace engagement demonstrate a 240 percent boost in performance-related outcomes, make 37% more sales, have a 21% higher productivity rating and take 46% fewer sick days.

The Kingsley Index, a nationwide benchmark for property management excellence that measures key factors like employee engagement, found that 94% of CBREGI tenants would recommend the property to someone else. So there's a clear tie-in between the types of programs we offer and their demonstrated success in generating the workplace results that today's office tenants seek.

GlobeSt.com: What does CBRE GI hope to ultimately achieve through the revamp of 7000 Central Park? Can you provide a few specific examples of how certain improvements tie into the overall vision?

Keppen:CBREGI is always focused on buying well located class A buildings and improving them to be the best buildings in their respective markets. It is important that our buildings not only offer first class finishes that fit the market trends, but also offer spaces and programming that can help companies attract and retain the best talent. The changes coming to 7000 Central Park are all about creating energy and collaboration.

A great example of this is the open layouts with high-end finishes found in our revamped spec suites. The recently designed suites offers flexible space and inspire collaboration and productivity, allowing our tenants to thrive and compete for top talent. And it's not just inside the office. Sometimes the best ideas are hatched outside the office doors.

Our outdoor, waterfront living room provides gathering space for working lunches, cocktail hours and other special events, and creates the relaxed, creative environment that more and more professionals are gravitating towards for business purposes. Significant improvements have also been made to our tech-enhanced conference rooms and shared meeting spaces, which are part of CBREGI's comprehensive “5-Star Worldwide” package that attracts and retains top talent through a range of professional services and activities within a community-driven setting like 7000 Central Park. Lastly, our reimagined café area fosters the ideal backdrop for a casual, non-traditional work setting that strengthens collaboration and enhances the overall dining experience for our tenants and office visitors.

Is the office even necessary any more? Here's one take.

GlobeSt.com: Why is 7000 Central Park targeting tenants from the TAMI sector? How do their needs correspond to the ongoing renovations?

GlobeSt.com: What does CBRE GI hope to ultimately achieve through the revamp of 7000 Central Park? Can you provide a few specific examples of how certain improvements tie into the overall vision?

Is the office even necessary any more? Here's one take.

Instant Insights /

Why One Landlord is Targeting the TAMI Sector

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