Sandy Springs OKs incentives for architecture firm

Sandy Springs has approved $96,100 in economic development incentives for an architecture firm relocating its headquarters to the city from Alpharetta. AJC FILE

Sandy Springs has approved $96,100 in economic development incentives for an architecture firm relocating its headquarters to the city from Alpharetta. AJC FILE

The Sandy Springs City Council has approved $96,100 in incentives for a design firm that promises to bring 75 jobs to town and pay nearly $2 million to build out its new offices.

The council waived the building permit fee and projected business occupational taxes for 2019 and 2020 for Dwell Design Studio, an architectural, planning, interior and environmental design firm relocating its headquarters from Alpharetta.

The company is negotiating to buy an existing, 23,000-square-foot office building at 1280 Hightower Trail, according to a staff report to the council. It plans to bring 75 jobs with an average wage of $81,821.

Dwell will pay $2.3 million for the building and spend $1.2 million on renovations and $750,000 on furniture, fixtures and equipment. It hopes to start construction in January and move in early to mid 2019.

Dwell meets the qualifications for a Tier II business incentive in terms of capital investment, number of jobs above the $75,000 average wage for Sandy Springs, and minimum seven-year commitment, staff said.