BIRMINGHAM, ALA. — Maryland-based Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE: FRT) has acquired The Summit, an 870,000-square-foot, open-air shopping center in Birmingham, for $508 million. Purchased from the original developer, locally based Bayer Properties, the 100-acre property is the most visited retail destination in Alabama, drawing nearly 9 million annual visits, according to Federal Realty. As reported by the Birmingham Business Journal, Bayer sold its property management and leasing portfolio to Dallas-based Centennial in 2022, though the company’s original underlying real estate assets were not part of that sale. The acquisition is expected to be funded on a long-term basis with a combination of net sale proceeds, free cash flow and funds from Federal Realty’s recently issued convertible notes. Situated at the intersection of I-459 and U.S. Highway 280, The Summit opened in 1997 with initial retailers like Barnes & Noble and Parisian (which later transitioned into a flagship store for Belk), expanding in phases through 2009. The Summit now features more than 110 tenants, including Apple, Trader Joe’s, RH, Nordstrom Rack, Alo Yoga, Sephora and North Italia, with over 30 tenants operating their only Alabama location at the center. At the time of sale, The Summit was 92 percent occupied. In …
