How Galleria on the Park is inspiring and energizing the new nature of work — inside and out
By Michael J. Pallerino
Brent Smith, CEO of Piedmont Office Realty Trust, describes Galleria on the Park’s sprawling office complex as the new nature of work; purpose-built to inspire, connect, and energize its clients and visitors alike. Strategically connected to Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta by a pedestrian bridge, the site is surrounded by a six-acre, centrally located park. The skyline views, direct access to I-75 and I-285, and meticulously designed connectivity of it all is a deal closer for current tenants and potential clients.
Smith and his team remain laser-focused on the transformation and repositioning of the 20-acre project which is comprised of 2.2-million-square-feet spread across five buildings and three development sites, creating a mixed-use offering that connects to the vibrancy of the neighborhood with an unparalleled tenant experience.
“Galleria on the Park gives our clients more than just an office building,” Smith said. “The overall experience offers a hospitality-inspired environment with soft touches such as concierge-style security, serene gardens, scented lobbies and music playing throughout the complex. The experience flows throughout the park, the transformed lobbies, and extends into the workplace.”
That connectivity was Piedmont’s key objective. By offering a workplace like no other in the Atlanta area, they not only created a space where tenants could feel at home, but also a space where people who don’t work in the complex also could feel welcomed. The overall transformation includes, but is not limited to, new food and beverage operators like C&S Seafood, Starbucks, Olive Bistro, and Sweet Green Outposts; Ironworx Studio, a 10,000-square-foot, on-site fitness facility; expanded conference facilities featuring indoor, divisible spaces and seating for up to 150; outdoor Upfit collaboration spaces offering 1 gigabyte, ultra-fast Wi-Fi; hospitality-inspired building lobbies and lounges and extensive employee engagement programming.
“The transformation was inspired to provide individual businesses, large or small, the unique work experience employees have on Google or Apple corporate campuses,” Smith said. “We set out to create an unmatched environment that would bring the aspects people love about working at home into a welcoming workplace environment that provides unique spaces for both team collaboration and individual, heads-down work. We ultimately wanted our clients and their employees to arrive at Galleria on the Park and be able to work, dine, socialize, and accomplish daily tasks without ever getting back into their car until the end of the workday.”
After consolidating the ownership of The Galleria — which had never been owned by one group — in 2019, Piedmont set out to energize and reposition the 20-acre project into a mixed-use setting that offered a differentiated nature of work. Acquired through five separate transactions over five years, the puzzle pieces finally came together.
Alex Valente, Piedmont’s Executive Vice President of the Southeast Region, said that connecting the dots included creating a unique atmosphere at each of the five buildings — one that would appeal to various industries and target market segments. “Each building [Galleria 100, Galleria 200, Galleria 300, Galleria 400 and Galleria 600] is roughly equal in size at 450,000 square feet and spans about 20 floors, including 360-degree viewing angles of Truist Park and the Atlanta skyline.
The newly named Galleria on the Park is the largest employee company center in Cobb County and since 2020 has signed over 100 new tenant leases spanning approximately 1 million square feet. This includes 10, new, full-floor or larger corporate or regional HQ relocations, in addition to approximately 927,000 square feet of renewal leases. These numbers bring the occupancy level at Galleria on the Park to 93 percent (as of Q4 2024) from a low of 79 percent at the height of the pandemic. Key tenants include GE Vernova, One Digital, Racetrac, Aflac, Freeman Mathis and Gary, First Key Homes, Cobb Travel and Tourism, and UKG, to name a few. From a leasing and transformation standpoint, it has been the most successful office complex in Atlanta since 2020.
Another part of Galleria’s appeal is its accommodations for businesses of all sizes. It offers turnkey office suites for smaller users that are pre-built and ready for immediate occupancy. This helps avoid the time and effort it takes to design high-quality office space. “The smaller clients place emphasis on being able to leverage collaboration spaces outside of their leased premises, and Galleria on the Park gives them incredible conference and boardroom space on top of all the other amenities,” Valente said. “We believe that tenant priorities have changed. Companies and executives are hyper focused on employee engagement and return to the office. There is heightened awareness about the quality and scale of amenities, unique atmospheres, and energizing common areas. While businesses may lease less space as compared to pre-COVID, they are prepared to pay a material premium for unique office environments that help them foster collaboration. That is what Galleria on the Park delivers.”
Focus. Engage. Repeat.
Several years ago, Piedmont launched a tenant-focused engagement mobile app offering exclusive experiences, conveniences, and service to its tenants. Events and activities include farmers markets, food trucks, boutique pop-ups, happy hours, and philanthropic participation — all of which bring additional excitement to the workplace.
In a complex that includes a six-acre park located at the heart of the campus, the Galleria’s meet-and-mingle landscape offers what Piedmont calls an 18-hour environment of work, play, and relaxation. This past year, Galleria on the Park held its first Christkindl Market (German-style Christmas market); held over a span of four weekends and welcoming more than 35,000 guests to enjoy traditional German fare, local artisan goods, photos with Santa, and more.
“This was the first event of this size open to the public and it was a huge success,” Valente said. “At any given time, the park is full of activity. The beautifully landscaped and vibrant gardens offer both tenants and the community a space to enjoy. The park is the heartbeat of Galleria on the Park. It’s a place to enjoy nature, attend exciting weekly events, connect over lunch, relax during morning yoga, collaborate with your team during an outdoor meeting or meet friends for evening cocktails at C&S.”
One of the main draws is Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta. In 2024, the sports, dining, and entertainment venue drew more than 9 million visitors. Just a 10-minute walk from the Galleria, The Battery builds upon its on-campus amenities. Galleria offers private shuttles that take clients to Truist Park, The Battery and the nearby Akers Mill Retail. Additional on-site amenities include Amazon Lockers, Grab and Go Micro Markets, helipad, and Cumberland bikeshare allowing users to access over 38 scenic miles of multi-use Chattahoochee trails from the Bob Callan Trailhead.
Smith and Valente said Piedmont is focused on expanding the mixed-use environment, which could include additional restaurants, upscale multi-family, a boutique hotel, and multiple additional office towers. The team has been intentional with curating the right retail mix for the complex and surrounding community.
“Despite strong retail leasing demand, we have been very intentional and discerning in curating the optimal experience for our customers and visitors,” Valente said. “Given the broader economic environment in the U.S., ground-up construction is tough to make financially viable, but we have been actively working on the project’s masterplan to continue to build upon the unique offering and environment we are creating. Our goal is to provide the premier workplace environment in Atlanta and that means we will never stop striving for improvement.”
“We have found that people seek experience, service, and that sense of place,” Smith said. “You can find it all uniquely delivered across our asset portfolio. Today, our clients are focused on leasing space in environments that invigorate their employees to come to work and this model supports their efforts in attracting and retaining talent. Galleria on the Park is the future of office because it incorporates food and beverage, retail, hotel, and housing in a unique, dense, walkable, suburban setting we call a ‘hub-urb.’ We know that office buildings in these environments give the workforce a setting they need to fuel creativity, build culture, foster collaboration, and communicate most effectively.”
