ATLANTA - Julie Silva moved to Atlanta after graduating from the Savannah College of Art and Design two years ago. She didn't expect her alma mater to follow.

Ms. Silva will be one of the first students attending SCAD's new Atlanta campus when it opens for classes next week.

The timing couldn't have been better, she said.

"I was already in an admission process with another school and decided since I knew the standard of excellence of the college I should stay in the SCAD family," said the 23-year-old, who will pursue a master of fine arts degree in art history. "I already know some of the professors who will be teaching this quarter and had the chance to visit the facilities during an open house."

Hoping to tap into the Atlanta market, the school announced late last year that it was opening a campus in the city's Midtown area. An estimated 700 SCAD graduates work in the Atlanta area.

"They're the ones who really motivated our move," SCAD President Paula Wallace said Wednesday while showing off the building to the campus's new business and community neighbors.

For an undisclosed amount, the school is leasing a 300,000-square-foot building that housed Internet company iXL during the dot.com boom of the late '90s.

The company had extensively renovated the building, leaving behind quirky, modern interior spaces and technology upgrades in the meeting rooms and work areas.

SCAD officials had to make only minor changes to transform it into a functioning school.

Existing conference rooms will be used for lecture rooms or student project critiques. A multipurpose room will function as a student lounge with dining facilities and as a large meeting hall.

The school also entered into a long-term lease to convert a former Fairfield Inn hotel next to the class building into housing for 300 students.

Reach Vicky Eckenrode at (404) 589-8424 or vicky.eckenrode@morris.com.