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WeWork Decatur set to open in October

Business Decatur

WeWork Decatur set to open in October

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The courtyard outside of the WeWork space at 120 West Trinity Place in downtown Decatur.
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By Cathi Harris, contributor

Decatur, GA — The opening of the Decatur location of the shared-workspace company WeWork is in its final stages and expects to be open for clients in October.

The business has received all final building inspections and expects to receive its final certificate of occupancy in a matter of days, Angela Threadgill, the city’s director of planning and economic development, said Friday.

“We were all wondering when this was actually going to come to fruition, and we are happy to say it is coming very soon,” Threadgill told members of the city’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) at their regular meeting. “They are putting their final interior design touches on the space.”

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WeWork has leased 35,000 square feet of office space to anchor the new mixed-use development at 121 West Trinity Place, the site of the former Callaway building. 

The fate of this particular location had been an issue of concern following the cancellation of the company’s initial public offering in September of 2019 and the resignation of its chief executive, Adam Neummann.

Information on the company’s website indicates that prospective WeWorkers can schedule a safe, “professionally distanced,” tour. Hot desk memberships will go for $310 per month, while private, lockable office space is available for $610 per month.

A flyer in the window of the WeWork space in downtown Decatur. Photo by Dan Whisenhunt

In other developments at the site, all phases of the AMLI Decatur apartments have received their certificates of occupancy. And a local location of Highland Yoga has opened on the ground floor facing S. McDonough Drive.

“Highland Yoga opened last Saturday and lease negotiations are underway for the remainder of the commercial space,” Threadgill said.

In other news:

– The DDA and the city are sponsoring an initial Fab Friday outdoor event next Friday, Sept. 17. Conceived as “DineOut Decatur meets Storefront Saturday,” the city will close E. Court Square to vehicle traffic so that people can come to dine outside and shop at participating businesses.

“This will be a pilot event,” Threadgill told the DDA board. “If people come and wear masks and maintain distance, we will consider that a successful event. And we will plan to hold them in October and November.”

Several participating restaurants have partnered with downtown retail businesses to offer complimentary deals–spend a certain amount at a retail establishment and get a gift card to spend at a nearby restaurant, added Downtown Program Manager Shirley Baylis. “Today [participating business] will get their graphic to promote on social media. We hope we can do this safely and successfully.”

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– The Modera Decatur development on the old Bank of America site downtown has received its land disturbance permits and expects to begin construction soon. They expect to open in the summer of 2022. The mixed-use development will consist of 194 apartments and street-level retail businesses and restaurants, facing Clairemont, Church and Commerce Streets.

– The Publix grocery store that is part of the Toll Brothers’ mixed-use project at the corner of Arcadia and East Ponce de Leon Avenue is scheduled to open in the spring—May or June of 2021, Threadgill said. The construction timeline for the apartment complex portion of that development is about eight months behind the commercial section, she said. Those are expected to be complete around February of 2022 if there are no weather-related delays. The developer has also agreed to fund $250,000 in public art on the exterior of the project.

“There will be a mural commissioned to cover the retaining wall,” Threadgill said. “As this will be the new eastern gateway to the City of Decatur, it is a great opportunity to have a wonderful piece of art indicative of Decatur spirit.”

There will also be sculptures around the development and a pocket park added behind the grocery store.

– The city has resumed citizen roundtables as part of its strategic planning process to develop the city’s 10-year strategic plan. The roundtables are meeting remotely during the public health emergency.

“We have close to 70 groups participating in these discussions,” Threadgill said. “We are in our third and final phase of roundtables.”

After the roundtables, the city will sponsor a series of public group discussions featuring subject-matter experts who will give presentations on issues that were raised during the roundtable discussions. “These will be a series of public academies around topics that have come up in roundtables – ones that we have not come to agreement on and need more in-depth public discussion.”

More information about the city’s strategic planning process can be found on the Decatur 2030 website.

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