ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Anthem, Inc. (NYSE: ANTM), one of the nation’s leading health benefits companies, announced today that its local affiliate has entered into a build-to-suit agreement with Portman Holdings for the custom development of an approximately 352,000 square-foot building located in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, which is already home to Anthem’s Innovation Studio. The 21-story state-of-the-art structure will be a hub for approximately 3,000 multi-disciplinary IT professionals dedicated to creating new capabilities that will enhance the consumer health care experience, help improve quality of care, and lower health care costs. Construction is planned to begin in January 2018 with an expected completion in two years.
“We are thrilled to announce this collaboration with Portman Holdings in the construction of this ultramodern building that is designed to inspire cooperation and creativity and enable us to work smarter in an effort to transform health care through modernization, digitization, and innovation with the ultimate goal of delivering a better, more personalized experience for members of Anthem’s affiliated health plans,” said Tom Miller, Anthem senior vice president and chief information officer.
“This new investment is a critical part of the Tech Square expansion and delivers on the commitment we announced last year to grow our IT footprint in Atlanta and the state,” said Jeff Fusile, president of Anthem’s affiliated Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plan in Georgia. “When this building opens in 2020, it will join the City’s dynamic line-up of technology companies, enabling us to tap into the area’s highly skilled talent pipeline.”
“When we announced last year that Anthem would create 1,800 jobs in Atlanta, it unquestionably solidified our status as a leading city for technology innovation and talent,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “We are committed to closely collaborating with Anthem to ensure the company has access to a trained workforce driving success right here in Atlanta.”
Located in Midtown Atlanta at the corner of 4th and West Peachtree streets, the Anthem Technology Center will be situated in a highly concentrated area that has become known as an innovation hotbed—Tech Square—with research facilities, incubators, technology start-ups, the Georgia Institute of Technology campus, and the neighboring 645,000 square-foot mixed-use Coda building currently under construction.
“I would like to congratulate Anthem on their exciting decision to expand their footprint in Midtown and in Tech Square, one of our city’s hubs of innovation,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “I am pleased that Anthem will create new, well-paying jobs and make another significant capital investment in our city. Major investments by Fortune 500 companies like Anthem continue to demonstrate that Atlanta is a destination for growing businesses, offering them access to highly skilled professionals, leading academic research facilities and a forward-thinking business community focused on innovation.”
The architectural firm, John Portman & Associates, designed the building and provided Anthem the opportunity to create spaces that support its progressive and collaborative work style. More than 14,000 square-feet of terrace area will allow for an inviting green space, bringing the outside in, to support health and wellness. As part of the LEED- and Fitwel-certified design, Anthem placed an emphasis on energy and water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and active design standards.
“Portman Holdings is excited to collaborate with Anthem to create a dynamic and collaborative work space,” said Ambrish Baisiwala, chief executive officer of Portman Holdings, the Atlanta-based global real estate company known for well-designed urban developments. “Located in Technology Square and adjoining CODA, this new development speaks to the draw of Technology Square in bringing together talent, technology, innovation and commerce.”
Anthem was represented in the lease transaction by David DiPietro, Kelly Givens and Liron Nelik from Savills-Studley, and Travis Garland of Portman Management Company negotiated on behalf of the landlord.
About Anthem, Inc.
Anthem is working to transform health care with trusted and caring solutions. Our health plan companies deliver quality products and services that give their members access to the care they need. With over 74 million people served by its affiliated companies, including more than 40 million within its family of health plans, Anthem is one of the nation’s leading health benefits companies. For more information about Anthem’s family of companies, please visit www.antheminc.com/companies.
