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Here’s some news heard around the world: This month, Ford Motor Company announced it is opening the Ford Atlanta Research and Innovation Center (FARIC) at 8West on Atlanta’s Upper West Side to advance the company’s digital transformation in areas such as software-led connected vehicles, artificial intelligence and university research. Transwestern’s Stephen Clifton and Zach Wooton provide agency leasing for the asset and represented The Atlantic Companies in the deal with Ford. See the local coverage here.

The 8West office property was completed in 2020 and is the first office project that The Atlantic Companies has developed in 15 years. The Transwestern duo, which had several longstanding relationships with the development team, was engaged to lease the asset during predevelopment and land acquisition in 2018. Today the property is approximately 50% leased.

The 24,000-square-foot FARIC space is designed to surpass standard ADA compliance with a thoughtful, accessible layout that supports inclusion, flexibility and innovation. An open, accessible floor plan includes individual focus space, sit/stand desks, soft seating, and phone booth-style space where employees can take calls or work independently. Meeting spaces extend beyond traditional conference rooms to an open collaboration space with a learning stair for large group meetings equipped with technology to incorporate virtual participants; a garage space for hands-on problem-solving; and living-room-style seating for more casual brainstorms or catch-ups.

FARIC joins a network of Ford research and development facilities in Tel Aviv and Palo Alto dedicated to pioneering the future of transportation with automated, connected and electrified vehicles. Ford chose Atlanta for its newest innovation center because it is one of the most diverse tech talent markets in the U.S. and enables the company to develop a pipeline of software experts with a variety of backgrounds, as the company aims to increase Black, Hispanic and female representation in the field.