Renovated Atlanta Office Towers Outperform Older Assets as Amenity Upgrades Drive Leasing

Atlanta’s office market remains bifurcated as high-quality, renovated buildings capture significant tenant interest while older, un-updated inventory continues to struggle with negative absorption. In the first quarter of 2026, the region saw more than 2.5 million square feet of office leases closed; however, the metro area simultaneously experienced a net negative absorption of approximately 440,000 square feet, underscoring a trend where companies are specifically seeking workspace worth the return-to-office commute.

Several landmark assets, including Tower Square, Bank of America Plaza, and the Proscenium building, have leveraged extensive renovations to drive leasing success. Notably, the Proscenium building in Midtown secured a 105,000-square-foot lease from KPMG following its repositioning by owner Cousins Properties, while the 1375 Peachtree office building recently signed law firm Drew Eckl & Farnham to a 40,000-square-foot floor. Similarly, in West Midtown, the 15-acre Westside Paper development at 950 W. Marietta St. has signed 180,000 square feet of leases over the past 20 months by focusing on adaptive reuse and amenity-rich retail integration.