Rebirth of a Historic 2-Million Square Foot Urban Landmark

Located at the end of an urban walking path along a former rail line in Atlanta, the facility dates back to the 1920s and served as a warehouse, a store and corporate offices in the 1980s before remaining vacant until renovation and reopening in 2014 to create an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind guest experience.

Challenge: Breathe Life into a Massive Building Unused for 30 Years

To bring a historic building back to life as a vibrant urban landmark with offices, restaurants, stores, residences and event space, the developer had an immensely tall order to fill in terms of restoration, cleaning and maintenance. The expansive complex featured reclaimed wood floors, exposed brick and up-cycled iron details, and the window seven had their original glass panes, which had to be restored for energy efficiency.

The property owner/developer knew he needed a reliable partner to pull this off, so he brought in ABM from nearly day one.

About the building

• 10 stories
• 550,000 sq. ft. of Class A loft office space
• 300,000 sq. ft. of retail
• 40,500 sq. ft. of educational space
• 33,000 sq. ft. of open space and landscaping
• 260 apartments
• Event and rooftop entertainment areas
• $300 million in rehab
• National Register of Historic Places
• LEED-Gold certification

Solution: A Partner Committed to Every Detail

ABM’s Special Services division helped the property owner/developer thoroughly, starting with a walkthrough when the building was still just a hollowed-out shell. ABM identified priority projects from renovation to opening to ongoing maintenance, and then got to work.

Multi-Use Takes a Multi-Talented Partner:

This iconic property must maintain its brand, so everything must be kept clean, beautiful, welcoming, safe, sustainable and functional. ABM provides green cleaning, day porter, trash removal, pressure washing, graffiti removal, periodic deep cleaning, painting, and other interior and exterior services.

Ongoing Support and Maintenance:

ABM’s Janitorial division now provides ongoing support for anything related to maintenance. ABM’s Special Services remain at the ready when needed for advice or projects. When it is needed, our team is there. To be available for immediate needs, ABM’s AccountDirector has an office onsite.

Teamwork, Branding and Customer Experience:

Many ABM teams are public facing, so emphasis is placed on building a team that cares about service excellence and serves as an extension of the brand and its collaborative “we’re all here for the same reason” culture. Both ABM and clients interview applicants for job expertise and excellent social and communication skills to serve as ambassadors who greet and direct visitors. The ABM team even wears vintage-look uniforms to reflect the landmark property’s history. No detail is overlooked.

"We believe in a hands-on, eyes-open, proactive service with a partnership." 
- Cecilia Cordero, ABM Account Director

Initial Priority Projects

• Flooring and hard surfaces restoration; concrete cleanup, sealing and grout restoration
• Pressure washing:concrete, brick, parking lot, beams
• Graffiti removal; painting interiors and some exterior
• Window washing
• Carpet extraction and repair
• Restroom countertop polishing and acid washing; minor plumbing repairs
• Parking lot striping

Results: History Reborn into Urban Chic

ABM’s customized services fit both the broad and specific needs of this unique space, exceeding customer expectations and enabling the facility to thrive in a competitive market.

By working closely with ABM from the ground up, the property owner/developer received a dedicated team of janitorial, electrical, energy, HVAC and mechanical, parking and landscape professionals who ensured tenant and guest satisfaction and helped maximize their commercial real estate asset. Meanwhile, the project managers only had to handle one vendor for all these services, and as a national provider, ABM’s services are widely accessible – and available at the best prices.

ABM’s frontline people were the key to the building’s ongoing success, and they have become integral to the culture at this renovated and reinvigorated landmark – bringing in and retaining tenants by creating the environment they seek.

As a result of the property owner/developer’s collaborations with ABM and other vendors, this historic renovation was awarded LEED Gold certification through the U.S. Green BuildingCouncil in 2016.

ABM Commercial Real Estate Services

• 4+ BillionSquare feet of buildings cleaned daily
• 40,000Skilled and hardworking employees
• 945+Buildings implementingABM GreenCare®
• 100+Years of service experience

About ABM

ABM (NYSE: ABM) is a leading provider of facility services in the United States and various international locations. ABM’s comprehensive capabilities include janitorial, electrical & lighting, energy solutions, facilities engineering, HVAC & mechanical, landscape & turf, mission critical solutions and parking, provided through stand-alone or integrated solutions. ABM provides custom facility solutions in urban, suburban and rural areas to properties of all sizes - from schools and commercial buildings to hospitals, data centers, manufacturing plants and airports.ABM Industries Incorporated, which operates through its subsidiaries, was founded in 1909. For more information, visit ABM.com.