Luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz enhanced its presence in Metro Atlanta by leasing 60K SF at the Northyards complex for a new research and development center.

The firm leased Buildings 200 and 300 at 384 Northyards Blvd. for what it has dubbed an Atlanta technology center, a Mercedes-Benz spokesperson told Bisnow in an email.

Mercedes-Benz North America CEO Jason Hoff said in a press release that selecting the site for the center “is a major milestone in establishing our unified North American headquarters, a $34 million investment in the region.”

The automaker will renovate the space with plans to open its R&D center in summer 2026.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp had announced in May that the luxury automaker planned to open a multimillion-dollar R&D hub in Metro Atlanta. The news came as Mercedes-Benz announced it was shifting up to 500 jobs to its headquarters in Sandy Springs, north of Atlanta.

About a third of those 500 jobs are tech-related roles previously based in Michigan and California, according to Automotive News. The automaker also announced it was shuttering its Financial Services USA headquarters in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and moving 400 jobs to Atlanta, The Detroit News reported.

The automaker operates six U.S. R&D centers, with three in California. Mercedes-Benz research focuses on powertrain development, vehicle certification, in-car user experience and autonomous driving technology.

Some 160 Mercedes-Benz employees will work at the Northyards facility when it opens. The center will include technical teams from other locations and some local hires, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reported.

Will Porter and Aileen Almassy of Partners Real Estate brokered the deal for the landlord, MetLife, Porter confirmed to Bisnow.

Automotive News also reported that Mercedes-Benz has been eyeing several billion dollars in cost cuts, including possible labor reductions, over the next few years as it prepares for a harsher business climate.