LOUISVILLE, KY. — Papa John’s International Inc. has announced it will open a new global headquarters in metro Atlanta by summer 2021. The Louisville, Ky.-based pizza chain is in the process of picking an office space and expects to have a location finalized by the end of this year. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s office says the move is expected to bring 200 jobs to the area. Papa John’s will move its menu innovation; marketing; customer experience; human resources; diversity, equity and inclusion; communications; and development departments to Georgia. IT, supply chain and legal teams will remain in Louisville. The Louisville Courier-Journal reports that Papa John’s will keep its corporate headquarters in Louisville as well as a majority of its 750 jobs in Kentucky.
ATLANTA — JLL has negotiated the $7.9 million sale of a 1.1-acre site in Atlanta’s Midtown district. The purchase price represents the highest price per square foot ($167) in the neighborhood, described as south of North Avenue (SoNo). The buyer, Woodfield Development, plans to build a 284-unit apartment community at the site, located at 505 Courtland St. NE. The property is expected to also include 18,000 square feet of amenity space. The Isle of Palms, S.C.-based developer plans to break ground this month. Scott Cullen and Mark Lindenbaum of JLL represented the seller, Drapac Capital Partners, in the land sale.
ATLANTA — Piedmont Office Realty Trust, a metro Atlanta-based office REIT, has signed financial tech firm Deluxe Corp. to a 172,000-square-foot office lease at Glenridge Highlands II in Atlanta. The 20-story office tower is located at 5565 Glenridge Connector in Atlanta’s Central Perimeter submarket. Deluxe plans to bring approximately 700 jobs to metro Atlanta with more to come in the near future. The company plans to invest approximately $12 million to construct, build-out and furnish the space at Glenridge Highlands II. Piedmont Office Realty Trust owns the 424,000-square-office building, as well as the adjacent Glenridge Highlands I, and is planning to develop a new 250,000-square-foot office tower on the campus.
ATLANTA — North American Properties (NAP) is planning to open Politan Row, a 42,000-square-foot food hall, at its Colony Square mixed-use development in Midtown Atlanta. The interior of Politan Row will span 20,000 square feet, while the outdoor area will total 22,000 square feet. New Orleans-based Politan Group will operate the food hall, which is expected to open in spring 2021. Colony Square is located near the intersection of Peachtree and 14th streets, three miles north of downtown Atlanta. Colony Square at full buildout will include 912,000 square feet of Class A office space leased to tenants including Whole Foods Market and law firm Jones Day; 160,000 square feet of retail and restaurants housing tenants such as IPIC, Starbucks, Holeman & Finch Public House and Chick-fil-A; the 466-room W-Atlanta Midtown hotel; outdoor gathering spaces and 262 luxury residences.
NORCROSS, GA. — Berkadia has provided a $37.7 million Freddie Mac refinancing loan for The Reserve at Gwinnett, a 370-unit apartment community in Norcross. The 10-year loan features a fixed interest rate. Corby Chaffin and Michael Weinberg of Berkadia originated the financing on behalf of the owner, Broadtree Residential Inc. The Reserve at Gwinnett was built in 1999 and comprises 14 residential buildings offering one- through three-bedroom floor plans. Units range in size from 959 to 1,555 square feet. Communal amenities include a fitness center, clubhouse, business center, pool, grilling area, dog park and tennis courts. The asset is situated at 1780 Graves Road, 17 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.
LILBURN, GA. — Marcus & Millichap has negotiated the $2.3 million sale of a 13,375-square-foot retail property in Lilburn. CVS/pharmacy anchors the three-tenant asset, which was also leased to Lee Nails and Domino’s Pizza at the time of sale. The property is situated at 5575 Lawrenceville Highway, 18 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta. Zach Taylor of Marcus & Millichap’s Taylor McMinn Retail Group represented the seller, the Schwaighoffer Brothers, in the transaction. The buyer was Atlanta-based M&P Shopping Centers. “We generated seven offers in the first few days on the market,” says Taylor. “This activity was a clear illustration of the renewed desirability that essential tenants like drug stores currently demand.”
MONROE, GA. — MAB American Management has signed retailers Planet Fitness and Petsense to leases at Monroe Pavilion, a 350,000-square-foot shopping center underway in Monroe. Retail Specialists is handling the leasing assignment of the $80 million development. Located in Walton County about 45 miles east of Atlanta, Monroe Pavilion’s tenant roster will include Publix, Ross Dress for Less, Ulta Beauty, Marshalls, Rack Room Shoes and Five Below. Planet Fitness is set to lease 16,120 square feet, and Petsense will occupy 6,000 square feet. MAB plans to deliver the shopping center in summer 2021.
DOUGLASVILLE, GA. — Cushman & Wakefield has arranged $46.9 million in construction financing for Sweetwater Vista, a planned 300-unit multifamily complex in Douglasville. The borrower, Vista Realty Partners, is developing the property to include nine three- and four-story buildings. The asset will be situated on Riverside Parkway, 15 miles west of downtown Atlanta. Communal amenities will include a fitness center, pool, clubhouse, grilling area and a resident lounge. Michael Ryan, Brian Linnihan, Richard Henry and Blake Cohen of Cushman & Wakefield arranged preferred equity through Nationwide Insurance Co. and senior financing through Synovus Bank. Flournoy Construction is the general contractor, and Niles Bolton Associates is the architect. Vista Realty Partners expects to open the community in late 2021.
STONE MOUNTAIN, GA. — Atlanta-based Seefried Industrial Properties has delivered a 640,000-square-foot industrial facility in Stone Mountain. Developed on a build-to-suit basis for Amazon, the four-story distribution center stands 70 feet tall and features Amazon Robotics technology. The property is situated at 2255 W. Park Place Blvd., 19 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta. The Seattle-based e-commerce giant expects to house 1,000 employees at the site. The Conlan Co. was the general contractor, Eberly & Associates was the civil engineer and Macgregor Associates was the architect. Seefried has now built more than 35 industrial facilities for Amazon, including Georgia facilities in Macon and near Augusta.
ATLANTA — John Calvin “Jack” Portman III, chairman and CEO of Atlanta-based Portman Architects, has died at age 71 due to natural causes. Portman is the son of famous Atlanta architect John Calvin Portman Jr. Portman III started at then-John Portman & Associates in 1973. Portman III took over leadership of Portman Architects following the death of his father in 2017. Portman III earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Georgia Tech and a Master of Architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. He is survived by his five children; his mother, Jan Portman; four siblings; and five grandchildren. Currently, Portman Architects has six ongoing projects in Midtown Atlanta, Near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and in Salt Lake City.