In March, the City of Alpharetta welcomed leadership from Georgia State University (GSU) for a lunch meeting, employer roundtable, and city tour focused on strengthening collaboration and envisioning future opportunities.
Georgia State University is one of the nation’s largest and most diverse universities with seven campuses throughout metro Atlanta. Since 2000, GSU has been an integral part of Alpharetta’s community with its Perimeter College campus located in the Brookside area. The Alpharetta campus offers Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees with more than 30 pathways in high-demand fields such as business administration, computer science, health science professions, biology, and engineering.
As part of the visit, GSU leaders joined several of North Fulton’s major employers for a roundtable discussion hosted by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce and North Fulton Economic Alliance. Employers shared current and emerging workforce needs, offering insight into the skills and programs most valuable to the region’s talent pipeline. The discussion underscored the strong alignment between GSU’s forward-thinking programs and the business community across Alpharetta and the broader North Fulton area.
The visit also included discussions about the future of the Brookside area with Mayor Jim Gilvin and City leadership, State Representative Chuck Martin, as well as representatives from True North 400 and Portman Holdings. Once known primarily as a traditional office park, Brookside is now undergoing a significant transformation. Brookside Reserve, a townhome and condominium community by The Providence Group, is currently under construction. In addition, Portman Holdings is preparing to develop Brookside Village, a mixed-use destination blending residential, office, and commercial space that is adjacent to the Alpharetta campus.
GSU is also planning to invest in improvements across its campuses, including the creation of new “campus quads” aligned with the university’s Strategic Plan focus on identity, placemaking, and belonging. These enhancements aim to enrich the student experience and strengthen the sense of community on each campus, including Alpharetta.
Conceptual renderings from Georgia State University, Portman Holdings, and The Providence Group are below.
Together, these projects are reshaping Brookside into a more vibrant and connected environment for students, employers, and residents.
With strong educational partners like Georgia State University and significant redevelopment underway in the Brookside district, Alpharetta is well‑positioned to continue growing its talent pipeline and supporting businesses that depend on a skilled workforce.