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Local Voices

Avalon will be First "Fiberhood" in Georgia

North American Properties - Atlanta (NAP), developer of Avalon, is partnering with Hotwire Communications to build Georgia’s first “fiberhood”— an ultra-high-speed fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) broadband network. Avalon is a $600 million, 2.4 million-square-foot resort-inspired mixed-use development in Alpharetta, Ga., a northern suburb of Atlanta.

As the first to bring fiber optic technology with gigabit Internet service to Georgia, NAP is building a custom FTTP network throughout the community. Fiber connection speeds are more than 100 times faster than services currently available in the Atlanta region. Hotwire, a leading provider of fiber optic telecommunications services, will offer 1 gigabit (Gbps) speeds to every resident, hotel guest, retail shop, restaurant and office worker at Avalon.

Unprecedented Internet speeds will make Avalon a technology and innovation destination, affording businesses the opportunity to "future-proof" operations. Nationwide, communities that offer gigabit Internet connections are seeing a boom in economic development. Since the announcement that Google Fiber was going to Kansas City, an onslaught of startups has flocked to the area, giving it the nickname“Silicon Prairie.” Google Fiber's recent announcement, in Austin, prompted AT&T to announce their own "GigaPower" FTTP program.

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“There couldn’t be a more fitting place to be home to Georgia’s first ‘fiberhood’ than Alpharetta, the Technology City of the South,” said Mark Toro, managing partner of NAP. “Gigabit service is a catalyst for economic development, and it’s crucial for future-proofing development in Metro Atlanta. With bandwidth requirements growing at more than 30 percent per year, this is the way to get ahead...and stay ahead.”

"This is a game-changer for Alpharetta," said Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle. "Nowhere else in Georgia can you get gigabit service to your home and nowhere else but Alpharetta can a business take advantage of this cost-effective way to future-proof their operations."

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Property values in fiber-powered communities are higher than developments that lack advanced fiber utilities. FTTP is also a prime new housing amenity because it allows people to watch TV online without buffering, instantly download movies and music, enjoy crystal clear HDTV, upload and download large files and work in the "cloud” at unprecedented speeds.

“We are excited about the limitless possibilities our future-proof network can bring to Avalon,” said Kristin Johnson, president of Hotwire Communications. “We will provide our customers with the most advanced technology available today and a level of customer service that will surpass anything anyone has ever experienced in the Atlanta market.” In August, Hotwire was named to the Fiber to the Home top 100 list by Broadband Communities magazine.

Phase one of Avalon, opening in October 2014, will be comprised of 250 luxury rental homes, 101 single-family homes, 400,000 square feet of retail and restaurants and 108,000 square feet of loft office space. Phase two calls for a boutique hotel over retail, a full-service hotel, 100,000 square feet of additional retail and more than 600,000 square feet of additional office space.

Construction is underway at Avalon and NAP will begin welcoming businesses and residents to the “fiberhood” in October 2014.

About Avalon: 
Avalon is a new experience in the timeless art of living well. In the heart of Alpharetta, this sustainably-designed, 86-acre development with more than 500,000 square feet of retail, a 12-screen theater, boutique and full-service hotels, Class A office, single-family residences and luxury rental homes infuses resort-level hospitality throughout a walkable, seamlessly connected community of shopping, dining, entertainment, living, and working. It’s more than just another place to go, it’s a place to be—a hub of local art and activity that delivers the luxury of the modern South. At 2.4 million square feet and more than $600 million, Avalon is one of the largest projects currently underway in the United States. You can find more updates on Avalon at its websiteFacebook pageInstagram orTwitter profile.

About North American Properties: 
Founded in 1954, North American Properties is a privately-held, multi-regional real estate operating company that has acquired, developed and managed more than $4.5 billion of retail, multifamily, mixed use and office properties across the United States. Headquartered in Cincinnati, with offices in Atlanta, Dallas and Fort Myers, Fla., the company has developed 19 million square feet of retail and 13,000 apartment units in 13 states. Currently, North American Properties has eight projects totaling more than $480 million of development in five states. In metro Atlanta, North American Properties owns Atlantic Station, Avalon and BOHO4W. For more information, please visithttp://www.naproperties.com.

About Hotwire Communications: 
The Hotwire ownership has been providing telecommunications services since 1985 and Hotwire has been providing fiber based telecommunications services since 2005. Through its Fision Home, Work, Stay and U brands it provides advanced, customized, fiber optic telecommunications services for residential, commercial, hospitality and campus environments. Hotwire Communications is a privately held debt free company. Hotwire operates in 10 states in the Eastern United States with over 450 employees in 7 regional operating offices.

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