VIA INVEST ATLANTA
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A PARTNER IN THE PROCESS
LIVE. WORK. PLAY.
David enjoys finding a gap, a need or something missing in the world and assembling the idea, team and capital to address it. It’s how he built Atlanta Tech Village in 2013, creating a college- campus-like environment where entrepreneurs could come together to work, brainstorm, socialize and innovate – long before the idea of co-working became mainstream. “The vision for South Downtown is to replicate the same experience we created at Atlanta Tech Village and scale it across an entire district,” explains David. “We are revitalizing Atlanta’s founding neighborhood, in the same location where the rail line came to an end, for a new generation of founders.” David’s plan encompasses 10 city blocks, 56 unique buildings, 11 parking lots and 16 acres surrounding Atlanta’s Hotel Row and Broad Street. Phase 1 of the multi-phase, multi-decade project includes restoring and modernizing the historic buildings to create innovative work spaces for startups, which will be completed just in time for the FIFA World Cup 26™. Subsequent phases will involve constructing new buildings on top of parking lots to accommodate retail, restaurants, bars and housing – lots and lots of housing. “We want South Downtown to become a living laboratory for startups with a 24/7 community vibe where people can live, work and play,” says David. “Every great city has a downtown where people want to linger and hang out. Atlanta has been challenged for a long time, and I’m excited to help bring it back to life.”
David says Invest Atlanta has helped to facilitate his South Downtown vision, sharing resources and information on the tools and financial support available as the district begins to take shape. Invest Atlanta is also providing essential funding for other large-scale projects that will further re-energize Downtown, like Centennial Yards, Atlanta Civic Center, The Stitch, Atlanta Underground and 2 Peachtree – all of which are within a one-mile radius of each other. In fact, the South Downtown startup district sits adjacent to Centennial Yards, highlighting a unique juxtaposition between Atlanta’s past and future. “We see our restoration of South Downtown with all its history, stories and architecture as a great complement to the shiny new entertainment district that’s being built next door at Centennial Yards,” says David. “Invest Atlanta has been instrumental in making all this happen.” As the city’s economic and community development authority, Invest Atlanta’s mission is to strategically invest in projects that create jobs, support business growth, add affordable housing, revitalize neighborhoods and generate economic impact. David’s vision for South Downtown checks every box. According to David, all the investment and creativity pouring into Downtown, along with the city’s can-do attitude, smart, motivated people and strong university network, is setting Atlanta up to be a global destination. “Entrepreneurship is about trying to invent the future and grow in a way that might not have been done before,” he says. “Atlanta has always been the little town that could. We have a history of punching above our weight class, and now we’re poised to become a true, world-class city.”
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