Jewish Federation Considers Relocation

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

By next spring, the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta hopes to pull up stakes in Midtown Atlanta and move to Sandy Springs.

The Federation’s new home would be “The Dupree,” a six-story, 149,000-square foot office building purchased earlier this year by philanthropists David and Helen Zalik, which sits on seven acres at the intersection of Dupree and Powers Ferry roads.

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An email to Jewish groups sent Wednesday afternoon by the Federation stated: “We are excited to share with you that the Federation board has authorized us to move forward in negotiating favorable lease terms to move our office space to The Dupree.”

The Federation’s address for the past 30 years has been 1440 Spring St. NW, at the intersection of Spring and 18th St. NW. That property is known as the Selig Center, named for real estate developer Steve Selig, who gifted the land and building to the Federation in 1994.

The Federation email, which was shared with the AJT by sources outside of the Federation, stated that the flagship agency of Jewish Atlanta “expects to stay in our current office space at least for the next several months, with any anticipated move likely happening during the fourth quarter of our fiscal year (April to June 2025).”

Several issues remain outstanding, beyond negotiating lease terms at The Dupree.

One issue concerns the fate of the Federation’s current home, about which the email said: “There have been absolutely no decisions made around what will happen with our existing building, nor do we expect any such decisions in the immediate future.”

Based on previous estimates of its worth, a sale of the three-acre site could net in excess of $25 million.

The Federation’s presence at The Dupree could attract other Jewish organizations to become tenants, occupying a portion of the building. A survey of Atlanta’s major Jewish organizations found at least one willing to go on the record with its potential interest.

“The Dupree is an exciting opportunity, and David Zalik is a visionary who is really doing a mitzvah for Jewish community organizations. We would love to be part of the project and have been exploring ideas,” said Jeffrey Gopen, president and CEO of Jewish HomeLife.

At least two other Jewish organizations expressed to the AJT strong interest in utilizing space at The Dupree, while several others reported either not being interested at present or not having had conversations about the project.

The purchase of The Dupree by the Zaliks for $12 million initially was reported in late May by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, which cited the Zalik’s philanthropic endeavors, but made no mention of the building’s potential Jewish future. Zalik told the Business Chronicle that he intended to move the Zalik Foundation and the Zalik family offices to The Dupree.

An overview of the project recently sent to potential Jewish tenants began: “The Vision: The Dupree will serve as a vibrant center of Jewish life and activity in Sandy Springs. Visitors and tenants will find Jewish community, learning, connection, and collaboration through curated spaces, programs, and amenities.

“The Zaliks purchased the property with the intent to help create a Center for Jewish Life in Sandy Springs, the details of which are a work in progress,” the overview said. “Once the building is seasoned, stabilized, and repositioned, the Zaliks would be open to donating the property to a new 501(c)(3) that would own and operate The Dupree for the benefit of the Jewish community.”

The Federation’s presence at The Dupree could attract other Jewish organizations to become tenants, occupying a portion of the building. A survey of Atlanta’s major Jewish organizations found at least one willing to go on the record with its potential interest.

The Dupree building overview suggested that the building “could include office space for Jewish non-profit organizations and pro-Israel organizations,” with “Rental rates and tenant amenities offered at a discount to, or otherwise unavailable, in the commercial marketplace.”

The co-working space — “think WeWork … to meet and work,” the overview said — would have areas designated “for quiet, focused work” and communal spaces “for collaboration and schmoozing.”

The building would be available to local and national organizations to rent space for meetings, program, and retreats, taking advantage of “state-of-the-art” audio/visual capabilities, an on-site catering kitchen, and an on-site support team.

A statement provided to the AJT by the Zalik Foundation said that the Zaliks “are thrilled” to have purchased The Dupree, which “they will help enhance to be a world class center for commercial and philanthropic activity. The Zaliks are thrilled the Federation is considering joining us at The Dupree, where plans include the intention to develop a conference and meeting facility to support commercial, philanthropic, and community programming.”

Left unclear is the impact of a Federation move on the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum and its Joseph and Ida Pearle Cuba Community Archives and Genealogy Center. The Breman Museum opened inside the Selig Center in the summer of 1996, funded in large measure by a gift from William Breman to the Federation.

The Federation email said: “The Breman Museum will continue to operate out of the current building for the foreseeable future while any future plans are being determined, and we are committed to ensuring that whatever the future holds, it will provide them with ample time and opportunity to do what is best for their organization.”

In a statement issued after the AJT reported the potential Federation move, Leslie Gordon, executive director of the Breman Museum, issued the following statement:

“The Breman has always enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship with the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta as one of their partner institutions. The Federation may not remain in the current physical space, but The Breman is thriving here.

“We continue to present Jewish history, culture, and the arts to a broad audience from the Midtown location. We are growing our archive, continuing to present new exhibitions, hosting tours, creating music programs, and working with a broad community to share our Jewish stories.

“We have known for several years that The Breman will eventually need a larger space, and in anticipation, have been working for the last two — with both national and local partners, designers, and leaders — to envision our next evolution.We are excited about the next chapter for The Breman as we move closer and closer to our goal of becoming a true cultural center. We look forward to welcoming all as we continue pursuing excellent programming from our current location.”

Other, smaller Jewish organizations also maintain offices in the Spring Street building.

David Zalik is cofounder and CEO of financial technology company GreenSky. Goldman Sachs bought GreenSky in a transaction worth about $2.2 billion in 2022; Zalik joined the bank as a partner. His net worth is estimated at $2.01 billion.

In July 2018, the Atlanta Business Chronicle put a $25 million tag on the Federation’s current home.

The same month, the Federation’s then-CEO and president, Eric Robbins said: “We are committed to staying here,” citing growth in the Jewish community in the Midtown area, and in such neighborhoods as Grant Park, Inman Park, and Morningside. “We are committed to the highest and best use of this facility for the Jewish community.”

The Federation announced in March 2024 that Robbins would be leaving at the end of June, having served for seven years at the helm of the agency. Robbins was unavailable for comment on this story.

Over the past several years, the Federation had been exploring renovation or rebuilding of its current home.

There was talk of tearing down the current building and constructing on that site a new home for the Federation and the Breman Museum, that also would include a senior residence component, offices for other Jewish organizations, and perhaps theaters for films or music performances.

In July 2019, artist renderings of one vision for a renovated facility were displayed at the Federation’s annual meeting.

Another issue concerns the optics of the Federation leaving the city of Atlanta for the suburbs.

On this matter, the Federation email said: “Is Federation sending a message that they no longer care about Midtown/Intown? What will the Intown presence look like? Federation remains unwavering in our commitment to ensuring a significant presence for Jewish life in Midtown and other Intown areas. We fund, in whole or part, significant programming throughout the Intown community, most of which does not happen at the Selig Center, and everything will continue.

“For example, as part of our annual support, Federation invests in three Intown Moishe Houses, Young Leadership programming in various venues, PJ Library, OneTable, 18Doors, other Interfaith initiatives, Innovation and Gather Grants, synagogue support and much more. Further, we remain committed to partnering and visioning what additional opportunities could look like Intown as we think about the future of the current Federation building, the future of The Breman Museum, and what other cultural, social, and recreational possibilities exist. These conversations are ongoing, and we look forward to updating you further when we have news to share,” the Federation email said.

Originally published at https://www.atlantajewishtimes.com on July 18, 2024.