In Midtown Atlanta, a new generation is discovering Colony Square for the first time. They are meeting dates at the “secret bar,” laughing with friends at comedy nights, playing drag bingo under the stars, and gathering with their community. To them, Colony Square is a hotspot that’s showing up all over Instagram. In reality, Colony Square could be twice their age and has long been an office destination; it was just hiding in plain sight, as one twentysomething recently put it.
In 2015, North American Properties acquired Colony Square with bold plans to tear down the old office atrium and food court, double the amount of open space, and introduce resort-level hospitality, entertainment, and dining to the property. Prior to the redevelopment, the 50-year-old Colony Square encompassed 700,000 square feet (65,031 sq m) of office space and 140,000 square feet (13,006 sq m) of retail.