Enhancing Tenant Experience at Ponce City Market with IoT

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Enterprise Asset Management Systems (EAM)
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Public Cloud

Applicable Industries

Buildings
Retail

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development
Sales & Marketing

Use Cases

Building Automation & Control
Smart City Operations

The Challenge

Jamestown, a leading real estate investment and management company, faced a significant challenge in communicating and connecting with the thousands of tenants and daily visitors at their landmark Ponce City Market (PCM) destination in Atlanta, GA. The property, a mixed-use asset, was home to diverse tenants, making it difficult to establish common experiences across varying sectors and groups. The Jamestown team had to manually communicate with their various tenants and public guests, which was a cumbersome process. They also sought to promote their local retailers and restaurants to the general population beyond their website, social channels, and earned and paid media programming. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the need for increased landlord-to-tenant communication to keep occupants updated on the latest health and safety regulations.

About The Customer

Jamestown is a leading real estate investment and management company. They own the Ponce City Market (PCM) asset, a mixed-use property that combines 259 residential flats with approximately 550,000 square feet of Class A loft office space and 300,000 square feet of retail and restaurants. The property was originally constructed in 1926 as the Sears, Roebuck, and Co. warehouse and distribution facility. It preserves its historic nature while boasting modern facilities. The property is home to diverse tenants, including retail shops and offices that add to the life, color, and culture of PCM and its surrounding neighborhoods. The residents of the Flats apartments in the upper floors of the east and west wings are just a few steps or an elevator ride away from workplaces, shopping, the Central Food Hall, and direct access to the Atlanta BeltLine.

The Solution

Jamestown partnered with HqO to engage with their diverse community through the Workplace Experience App. The app served as a modern toolset to unify and scale the property’s experiences, fostering a sense of community and enhancing their innovative offerings and programming. The app was also used to transform PCM into an iconic innovation hub and community center. A significant part of this initiative involved a collaboration with HqO Marketplace technology partner Ritual, a contactless payment and ordering platform. This partnership helped automate on-site food delivery, maintaining social distancing. Jamestown also worked with Marketplace partners MappedIn and Minnow to enhance mobile food offerings, including mapping out a system for curbside pick-up across the property and piloting contact-free pickup pods. All digital amenities and offerings were made available through their white-labeled tenant app, serving as a focal point for the PCM property.

Operational Impact

The implementation of the HqO Workplace Experience App significantly improved Jamestown's communication with their tenants and visitors. The app served as a one-stop solution for all important information, eliminating the need for tenants to keep track of multiple avenues for updates. The app also helped promote local retailers and restaurants, supporting the local community. The collaboration with Ritual allowed for contactless payment and ordering, ensuring safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The app also facilitated the integration of the Southern Dairies Annex, an office property across the street, into the PCM community. Jamestown was able to share important building updates, offer in-app specials, and promote a new Food Hall Expansion area through the app. The implementation of the app has set a model example for other property teams while delighting their customers through unique experiences.

Quantitative Benefit