National Economic Webinar
Live Stream
June 26
2 PM CDT
The 712 West Peachtree project is a 580,000 square-foot, 23-story, mixed-use office building. The ground level contains two-story retail spaces, an office lobby that flows into the adjacent 740 West Peachtree lobby, and a loading dock. Additionally, there are 8 levels of parking followed by 13 levels of office space. Levels 21 and 22 are utilized for mechanical and elevator equipment. One of the most unique features of the 712 West Peachtree project is the sky bridge on the 16th floor that connects to 740 West Peachtree.
When Portman Holdings envisioned a 23-story built-to-suit office tower in the heart of downtown Atlanta, they needed more than just a builder, they needed a partner. JE Dunn approached the 712 West Peachtree project with foresight and a collaborative spirit. The result was a landmark office tower delivered on time and on budget, despite dense urban logistics, pandemic disruptions, and crane coordination challenges.
One of the biggest challenges wasn’t the high-rise structure itself, but the tight location. With three other active construction sites occupying the same downtown block and six tower cranes operating in close proximity, coordination was paramount. JE Dunn began planning before mobilization, creating detailed logistics plans and presenting a phased construction schedule to Portman Holdings that accounted for crane movements, road closures, and shared access paths.
By transitioning from a luffer to a tower crane and maintaining constant communication with adjacent project teams, JE Dunn minimized interference and avoided costly delays. Daily huddles and joint planning sessions created a spirit of collaboration across project boundaries, enabling all teams to speak as one when interfacing with the City of Atlanta.
Before construction began, the team developed a site-specific Emergency Response Plan and ensured every worker participated in mandatory safety orientations. With a full-time safety manager on site and daily subcontractor safety meetings, the project experienced zero lost-time incidents, a significant achievement on such a complex urban jobsite.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, JE Dunn brought in a third-party health service to perform screenings, and access was limited to one entry point with mandatory temperature checks and questionnaires. Strict masking, social distancing, and enhanced sanitation were enforced daily. Thanks to these adaptive safety measures, the project maintained momentum and never lost a day of work due to COVID-19.
JE Dunn’s success on 712 West Peachtree was built on proactive project management. Weekly trade partner meetings were held to identify material delays before they became roadblocks. When concerns arose over Italian tile lead times, the team flagged the issue early, communicated openly with the client and architect, and identified alternative solutions, though ultimately, the tile arrived on time.
Innovative features like a 10-story communicating stair required inventive thinking to meet fire code requirements. JE Dunn worked with Portman Architects to design and install a three-sided smoke curtain, allowing the feature to remain functional while complying with safety standards.
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