In early January Mercedes-Benz USA announced that it will relocate its US corporate headquarters to Atlanta, Georgia, in a move designed to better serve its growing customer base and strengthen the company’s position for long-term, sustainable growth. MBUSA executives and staff will relocate from its primary facility in Montvale, New Jersey, to a temporary facility in Atlanta’s Perimeter Center on an interim basis. Mercedes plans to begin relocating employees to Atlanta starting in July 2015. The company will construct a new, state-of-the-art headquarters expected to be completed in early 2017. Word from commercial real estate sources are that Mercedes has several sites under consideration near Sandy Springs and along the GA 400 corridor in North Fulton County. The move will affect approximately 1,000 employees now living in New Jersey, and will be phased to help minimize any disruption to business operations.
As Mercedes USA CEO Steve Cannon explains, there are a number of good reasons for the company’s relocation to Atlanta.
“Atlanta is a premier city which places us closer to our ever-growing Southeast customer base, our port in Brunswick, Georgia, and to Mercedes-Benz US International, our Alabama manufacturing facility, which accounts for half of the vehicles we sell here in the US,” Cannon said in a statement. “For our employees, Atlanta offers a strong quality of life, terrific schools and wonderful cultural and recreational opportunities.”
North Atlanta Specialty Broker, Robert Whitfield of Advantage Realtors said he has already received inquiries from several Mercedes employees who are trying to become familiar with North Atlanta’s better neighborhood options in which to establish new roots. Most families priorities are excellent schools, a reasonable commute, and nicer neighborhoods offering newer homes and good recreational amenities like pools, tennis, and even golf.
Based on the locations under consideration for Mercedes new headquarters, Marietta’s affluent East Cobb community would be an excellent location for relocating Mercedes employees to consider. East Cobb offers easy access and close proximity to the Sandy Springs and GA 400 corridor areas, along with East Cobb’s top public schools, high home value retention and excellent quality of life. Other good neighborhood options are Roswell, Alpharetta, and Milton in North Fulton. Sandy Springs and Dunwoody are other possible options, though families with children should know both have somewhat weaker public school systems and feeders than East Cobb and North Fulton communities.
Mercedes expects to provide additional detail on its relocation plans by the end of January.
Mercedes employees needing more information and unmatched relocation assistance are welcome to contact Robert Whitfield at 678-585-9691.