As of September 11, the first three floors of Georgia Tech's two newest campus towers in Midtown Atlanta were open, while both towers were planned to open for the fall 2026 semester. The university has scheduled an official ribbon-cutting for next Friday, September 18, to mark the milestone. George Tower is identified at 55 5th Street NW, between Fifth and Sixth streets. The Scheller Tower and George Tower are part of Phase 3 of Tech Square, though lower floors of the complex had already been in use for campus activity since early this year.
The ribbon-cutting caps a project that, as reported by Urbanize Atlanta, is not yet fully operational after years of construction between two towers totaling 416,500 square feet. The 14-story Scheller Tower houses MBA and Executive Education programs for the Scheller College of Business, while the 18-story George Tower is home to the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, according to architecture firm EskewDumezRipple. Scheller Tower takes its name from Ernest and Roberta Scheller Jr., while George Tower honors Penny and Bill George, the firm notes.
One of the more visible new additions sits right at street level: Kaldi's Coffee opened on the main lobby floor of the complex in January. The chain also has a location inside the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons, per Georgia Tech ISyE. The lobby also includes 11 active-learning classrooms and a cantilevered monumental staircase, the school's facilities page notes.
A Street-Level Social Hub Called The Porch
The complex was designed by lead architecture firm EskewDumezRipple alongside architect of record Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio, and it features a street-level social hub named The Porch along 5th Street, complete with large kinetic glass doors that open to connect the lobby with an outdoor courtyard, according to the design firm. The concept, the firm says, pays homage to traditional Southern architecture and is meant to foster public engagement along the street.
Built by Turner Construction Company, the project targeted LEED Platinum certification through features like rainwater and condensation reclamation, per the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission. The Georgia Peach program evaluates state-funded facilities on their energy and water conservation performance.
Replacing Parking Lots Across From The Biltmore
The towers broke ground in October 2022 with an estimated cost of approximately $200 million, replacing a block of former surface parking lots and outdated commercial buildings across from the historic Biltmore Hotel, according to SaportaReport. The outlet describes the project as the third phase of Tech Square and discusses the long-term relay of Georgia Tech's expansion.
The project also includes a 27-space surface parking lot surrounded by landscaping.
Part Of A Broader Midtown Expansion
Tech Square Phase 3 arrives amid a wider push by Georgia Tech to grow its footprint across Midtown Atlanta. In April, The Coca-Cola Company agreed to sell its 333 North Avenue office and training facility to Georgia Tech, with plans to repurpose it into additional classroom and research space near Tech Tower, as Hoodline previously reported.
Beyond Tech Square, Georgia Tech has continued expanding its footprint across Midtown Atlanta. The university completed Phase 1 of its 18-acre Science Square life-sciences district in April 2024, according to the Georgia Tech News Center. Science Square focuses on biotech innovation.
The roots of this expansion stretch back decades. Tech Square was part of an effort aimed at bridging the main campus with Midtown Atlanta's commercial core. That initiative was spearheaded by former Georgia Tech President Wayne Clough, according to the university.
With the first three floors open and both towers planned to open for fall 2026, Georgia Tech's Tech Square footprint stands as the product of a decades-long relay rather than a single sprint, uniting business and engineering programs under one roof directly adjacent to Midtown's startup corridor. The planned fall opening will mark another milestone for Phase 3, even as the university's broader Midtown expansion continues elsewhere.
