Although Northpark 500 has been around since 1989, the garden roof was newly waterproofed and a new greenroof system applied by American Hydrotech, with roofscape design by Roy Ahley & Associates in 2007. A fully landscaped roof garden with outdoor dining terraces and a walkway connection to the office tower is one of the many unique features at the 18-story 500 Northpark office tower. The 515,735 rentable-square-foot building features polished and flame-cut granite finishes with solid core, full-height Honduran mahogany doors. Northpark Town Center anticipates receing LEED certification in the second quarter of 2009.A restaurant, newsstand/sundries shop, dry cleaners, hair salon, florist, car detailing establishment and mail center are located within the building for the tenants’ convenience. Zoned HVAC, structural systems and operating systems have been designed to enhance technologically advanced office environments. The BOMA (Building Owners & Managers Association) -Atlanta awarded Northpark Town Center, including buildings 400 and 500, with the 2009 TOBY Award for Over 1 Million Square Feet Office Building of the Year. The Office Building of the Year (TOBY) awards program recognizes building quality and management excellence.

The 18-story building, built in 1989, is one of three buildings comprising Northpark Town Center, a mixed-use office complex located in Atlanta’s Central Perimeter business district. The $6 million rehabilitation project began in May 2006 with the demolition of the building?s original green roof. The building?s original 56,000 square-foot green roof and 60-mil bituminous-type peel-and-stick waterproofing were removed and replaced with a high-performance waterproofing membrane combined with lightweight, low profile, green roof technology — all part of a Garden Roof? Assembly supplied by American Hydrotech, Inc. Thompson Ventulett Stainback & Associates, Atlanta, served as architect for the project. The roof?s design, by Roy Ashley & Associates, Landscape Architects, Atlanta, addressed the need for top-notch watertight integrity and aesthetic allure by combining more than 59,000 square feet of Garden Roof Assembly in planters (precast separators) and 45,000 square feet of waterproofing and open joint pavers, all supplied by Hydrotech. Waterproof Contractors, Inc., installed the waterproofing membrane and intensive Garden Roof Assembly. This included Hydrotech?s Gardendrain?, a specially engineered panel designed to provide drainage, retention and aeration to create a harmonious balance of air and water in the substrate soil, as well as to accommodate the wide variety of plants, shrubs, and trees used in intensive green roof applications.We visited in mid August, 2007 with Atlanta Fox 5 crew and the recently planted trees, shrubs and grasses (May 2007) were growing nicely. The strong design geometry articulates well from a distance and is quite striking.