From Office Towers to Cultural Spaces: The New Identity of Sandy Springs

From Office Towers to Cultural Spaces: The New Identity of Sandy Springs

For decades, the skyline of Sandy Springs has been defined by glass, steel, and corporate ambition. Few structures represent that identity more clearly than the iconic King & Queen towers, rising above the Perimeter area as recognizable landmarks of North Atlanta.

But Sandy Springs is becoming more than a destination for business.

Today, the city is developing a broader identity built around arts, entertainment, public spaces, dining, walkability, and community life. At the center of that transformation is City Springs, a 14-acre mixed-use district that has helped establish a new civic and cultural heart for the city.

The evolution reflects a larger question for Sandy Springs: What does a modern suburban city look like when its identity extends beyond the office?

A Skyline Built Around Business

Sandy Springs' modern development is closely connected to the growth of the Perimeter business district.

The King & Queen towers are part of the Concourse office campus, a 63-acre development that helped drive the emergence of Perimeter Center as a major commercial hub. The Queen tower was completed in 1988, followed by the King in 1991. Their distinctive crowns quickly made them among the most recognizable buildings in the northern Atlanta metropolitan area.

The towers symbolize an era when Sandy Springs' growth was strongly associated with corporate offices, major highways, and commercial development.

That legacy remains important. Perimeter Center continues to function as a major employment and business district, and the King & Queen towers remain one of Sandy Springs' defining architectural landmarks.

But the city's development story is no longer limited to office space.

Building a Downtown of Its Own

One of the most significant changes came with the creation of City Springs.

In 2012, Sandy Springs adopted a master plan intended to establish a downtown district and create a central gathering place for residents. After years of planning and construction, City Springs officially opened in May 2018.

City Springs now brings together City Hall, the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, City Green, restaurants, fitness studios, residential apartments, and the Conference Center at City Springs.

The idea was about more than constructing another development. City Springs was designed to give Sandy Springs something that a collection of office towers alone cannot provide: a place for people to gather.

The district's master plan calls for a walkable street network, a mixture of retail, dining and housing, and connected green spaces. The city's 2022 update also incorporated priorities involving land use, transportation, economic development, and placemaking.

The Growing Role of Arts & Public Space

Sandy Springs has continued expanding its cultural offerings through venues and programs dedicated to the arts. The Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center provides a major venue for performances, while the Abernathy Arts Center supports visual arts education and programming. Public art and community events further contribute to the city's cultural landscape.

At the same time, Sandy Springs continues planning for its next phase of growth. The city’s current comprehensive planning efforts are examining future development, transportation, recreation, parks, and public spaces.

A New Chapter for Sandy Springs

The King & Queen towers will remain an important part of Sandy Springs’ architectural identity, but they are now part of a much larger story.

The city is evolving from a place primarily recognized for corporate offices and major highways into a community where architecture, business, culture, entertainment, and public life increasingly intersect.

For Sandy Springs, the future may not simply be about building taller or developing more office space. It may be about creating better places to live, work, gather, and experience the city.

And that could ultimately become the defining feature of Sandy Springs’ next chapter.