Business Briefs

Kaiser Permanente will expand its presence in Atlanta by opening a new information technology (IT) campus in Midtown. The new IT campus is expected to create approximately 900 high technology jobs by 2019 and an estimated total economic impact of more than $363.9 million. The new IT campus in Midtown will consist of 157,000 square feet and will anchor the building located at 1375 Peachtree St. This expansion brings Kaiser Permanente’s total presence in Georgia to more than 4,000 employees and physicians. Individuals interested in applying for a position with Kaiser Permanente should visit kp.org/jobs.

The number of independent bookstores in Atlanta continues to dwindle as Bound to Be Read Books in East Atlanta Village was expected to close its door early this month. Owner Jeff McCord has been trying to sell the store since 2013 and said a group of literature lovers had banded together last year to try and purchase the store, but were not able to get financing in order. Bound the Be Read opened 10 years and has since played host to hundreds of signings, book club meetings, poetry readings, fundraisers and had become a destination for book lovers from around the city.

Metro Atlanta has new access to ultra high speed Internet with last month’s launch of AT&T GigaPower. The network features speeds up to 1 gigabit per second. AT&T home and small business customers in Atlanta and surrounding cities in the metropolitan region, including Decatur and Sandy Springs, can sign up for the service now. AT&T’s announcement comes on the heels of Google announcing it will bring ultra high speed Internet to the metro area, while Comcast is also planning to upgrade its network. The cost of AT&T GigaPower isn’t cheap: $120 per month for standalone service. U-Verse customers will have options to bundle and will also get faster Wi-Fi. For more information, or to check availability, visit att.com/gigapower.

Southern Co. has announced it will open a research and development innovation center at Georgia Tech. The utility holding company will open a 6,000-square-foot “Energy Innovation Center” at Tech Square in Midtown, where employees will work on next-generation energy technologies and products.

The City of Atlanta Department of Procurement has launched ATL Procurement, a new website developed to simplify the vendor registration process and make it easier for anyone interested in doing business with the city to quickly identify contract opportunities online. For more, visit atlantaga.gov/procurement.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Georgia (SVdP) has opened the Lakewood SunTrust Community Outreach Center at 1700 Lakewood Ave. in southeast Atlanta. Through a generous donation from SunTrust, the center will help meet the needs of local residents by offering many resources, including job training, job search skills, and economic and financial strategies for greater success and self-sufficiency in the new facility’s Family Support Center. The Community Outreach Center will also feature a Thrift Store and donation center, in addition to a Client Choice Food Pantry, which provides clients the opportunity to shop for their own food much like they would in a grocery store.

The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that developers want to build a 165,000-square-foot office building on North Avenue between Boulevard and Glen Iris Drive. The building, called 525 North, would be built of glass and terracotta stone as a nod to the mixed-use Ponce City Market just down the street. There would be belowgrade retail to match the elevation of the hill as well as a rooftop terrace.

On-demand delivery service Postmates has launched in Atlanta allowing customers to order in from any store or restaurant for delivery in under an hour. This means breakfast from Highland Bakery, Smokebelly BBQ without leaving home, groceries from Whole Foods at the touch of a button, prescriptions from the pharmacy delivered in minutes, you get the idea. The initial delivery zone covers Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, Emory University, Morningside-Lenox Park, Westside, Virginia-Highland, Druid Hills, Edgewood and Little Five Points. Deliveries start at $5 and customers pay for everything within the app – including tip – so you never have to run out and get cash. Download the app for iPhone or Android.

alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet has opened its 16th retail location in the Buckhead Atlanta development. The new store carries the brand’s complete offering, including gowns, shoes, handbags, accessories as well as hand-selected special products.

The Atlanta regional office of American Jewish Committee will honor Eliot M. Arnovitz, President and CEO of M&P Shopping Centers, with its prestigious Selig Distinguished Service Award. It will be presented on May 4 at 6 pm at The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead. For more information about American Jewish Committee or to attend the event, visit AJCAtlanta.org/Selig2015.

DeskHub, a collaborative entrepreneurial workspace, has opened in Buckhead. At just 10,000 square-feet, the Atlanta location offers various amenities for those who need a workspace away from home. DeskHub is at 3565 Piedmont Road, Building 4, Suite 200. Visit DeskHub.com for more information.

May 1–10