Wonder what will happen to the large space Harkin Health now occupies in downtown Decatur. From the Atlanta Business Chronicle…
Harken Health, a insurance startup launched by UnitedHealth Group Inc. that offered patients care with almost no co-pays, is closing its doors in Chicago and Atlanta, its two core markets.
The Chicago Tribune reports on the shutdown of Harken, which follows moves by the insurer to scale back operations and a loss of $64 million last year.
The article also notes that Harken will offer care through the end of the year.
Photo courtesy of Google
Dang…It sat vacant for quite a while after Ruby Tuesday shuttered. Hopefully a new tenant shows up sooner rather than later. Same for the Cook’s Warehouse/Sherlock’s space.
I heard from an agent that it sat empty due to the fact that Ruby Tuesday’s was on the hook for the lease for a few years, so the owner had little motivation. A Dekalb business owner who looked at the space told me they inquired about subdividing but the owner was not interested.
Maybe this is no longer the case. Maybe Harken signed a 10 year lease obligation. Time will tell.
On a quasi-related note, the 17-steps location also does not have a for-lease sign.
This may be wishful thinking taking over my subconscious and generating fake memories but I’m almost positive the Downtown Development Authority worked a deal where they took over the Ruby Tuesday lease so they could then sublet to new tenants. Don’t know if Harken sublet from them or ultimately established their own lease. Let’s hope the former so there’ll be immediate incentive to find a new tenant.
I believe that DDA was willing to sublease from Ruby Tuesday (who was barely into a long-term lease when they decided to pull out) if they could have worked out a deal to get retail or retail and a restaurant (or a caterer) in there. They weren’t successful but were able to walk away. Then Harken moved in.
The building on the corner of Ponce and Clairemont sat vacant for a long time because of a long term lease by a bank that was merged (First Union with Wachovia maybe). The landlord wasn’t terribly motivated to find another tenant. For whatever reason, neither was the bank. After that lease expired Children’s Healthcare moved in.
FWIW, I noticed the Cook’s Warehouse space does not have a “For Rent” sign. I think it did when the store initially closed.
Hey great news! Maybe we can find a nice mid-scale FSR with faux Tiffany lamps and a salad bar.
Thank god this trend of boutique HMOs is dying! I would take a salad bar over dead office space any day!
Harken was NOT a boutique HMO. It originally started out an an insurance plan serving patients on the exchange, i.e. Obamacare. It was a different model of providing health care but was definitely not “boutique.”
I really hope they put in a new mattress store.
Some things should not even be joked about.
Agree, but it did make me laugh out loud (and then shudder at the thought…)
I would like to see an international food court.
yes! Like EATS!
I used to frequent an amazing Asian food court in Palo Alto. It really markets to all walks of life when you can walk up to a counter and pay $6-$7 for a decent amount of food. Not everyone wants sit-down service or has the time for it.
It would be nice if COD could offer a financial incentive for the next tenant. Given the prior vacancy of 3 years, makes financial sense.
The writing was on the wall after they ditched the Obamacare.
Maybe we’ll get lucky and a cellular provider or clothing boutique will open there. We don’t have enough of those in the area.
Where’s the innovation in retail establishments?
We need some new ideas…
I’m sure Decatur would like:
Frozen Yogurt Growler Shoppe
Beard Care Day Spa
Bumper Sticker Emporium
Trader Jon’s
I’m willing to license a franchise to anyone willing to take on the financial risk to get these ideas executed!