ATLANTA — CBRE has arranged a $171.4 million loan for the refinancing of an eight-property portfolio of grocery-anchored shopping centers in the Southeast. The portfolio totals nearly 1.2 million square feet and was 96.6 percent leased at the time of financing to 194 tenants, including Kroger, Publix and Whole Foods Market. PGIM provided the loan to the borrowers, Branch Properties and Corebridge Real Estate Investors (formerly AIG Global Real Estate). Richard Henry, Mike Ryan, Brian Linnihan and Taylor Crowder of CBRE arranged the loan, which refinanced the mortgages for shopping centers in Bradenton, Sarasota, Melbourne and Palm Coast, Fla.; Atlanta and Gainesville, Ga.; Lexington, Ky.; and Memphis and Knoxville, Tenn.
Georgia
Georgia Department of Agriculture Signs 11,129 SF Lease at New Life Sciences Tower in Atlanta
by John Nelson
ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA), via the Georgia State Properties Commission, has signed an 11,129-square-foot lease at Science Square Labs in Atlanta. The 13-story, 368,258-square-foot life sciences building is an anchor of Georgia Tech’s Science Square innovation district, a mixed-use development that spans 18 acres near campus and will include retail space and The Grace Residences apartment tower. Trammell Crow Co. delivered Science Square Labs, the first speculative life sciences building in the city’s history, in April 2024. The GDA will occupy pre-built lab and office space on the building’s 11th floor. Eric Ross, Jessica Doyle and Graham Little of CBRE represented the landlord in the lease negotiations, while Erik Weiss and Kari Downing with Savills represented the tenant. The organization joins national life sciences incubator Portal Innovations, which leased 33,000 square feet at Science Square Labs this past summer.
TUCKER, GA. — Baltimore-based Greenberg Gibbons has entered the Georgia market with its $17.3 million purchase of Northlake Square, an 82,578-square-foot shopping center in Tucker. Built in 1988 at the intersection of Lavista Road and I-285 in metro Atlanta, the shopping center was 98 percent leased at the time of sale to tenants including longtime anchors Aldi and Best Buy. Greenberg Gibbons purchased Northlake Square via Greenberg Gibbons Real Estate Income Fund I, an investment vehicle whose other acquisitions include shopping centers in Tennessee, Florida, the Carolinas and Maryland.
Toro Development Obtains Construction Financing for $560M Mixed-Use Medley Development in Metro Atlanta
by John Nelson
JOHNS CREEK, GA. — Toro Development Co. has obtained construction financing for Medley, a $560 million planned mixed-use development in Johns Creek, an affluent northern suburb of Atlanta. The developer plans to break ground on the 43-acre project in December, with an anticipated opening in late 2026. The financing includes an undisclosed amount of equity from Ascentris, a Denver-based real estate private equity firm, and a $158 million construction loan from Mexico City-based Banco Inbursa. At full build-out, Medley will feature 150,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space; a 175-room boutique hotel; 110,000 square feet of lifestyle offices; 750 multifamily residences and 133 townhomes; and an activated 25,000-square-foot plaza. Toro Development purchased a former suburban office park on Medley’s site in March for $44 million.
SAVANNAH, GA. — Mesa West Capital has provided a $50 million loan for the refinancing of Thompson Savannah, a 193-room upscale hotel in Savannah that opened in August 2021. The hotel sits on the southern bank of the Savannah River at 201 Port St. The borrower, a joint venture led by co-developers Regent Partners and Mariner Group, are using the five-year, non-recourse financing to take out the original construction loan. Hyatt Hotels operates Thompson Savannah, which features a signature restaurant, bakery, two bars, pool with private cabanas, fitness and wellness center and 11,000 square feet of meeting space. Russell Frahm, Pamir Niaz and Jacob Rosen led Mesa West Capital’s New York-based origination team for the financing. Jared Kelso, Steve Michels and Lauren Greenberg of Berkadia’s Hotel and Hospitality Group in New York arranged the financing on behalf of Regent and Mariner, which developed the hotel in partnership with Cadre.
ROSWELL, GA. — Sterling Organization has sold Roswell Village Shopping Center, a retail center located in Roswell, roughly 25 miles north of Atlanta. Denver-based Revesco Properties purchased the center for an undisclosed price. Tenants at the property, which was 94 percent leased at the time of sale, include Ross Dress for Less, Marshalls and Crunch Fitness. Sterling originally acquired the center in 2014 for $10.6 million when the center’s occupancy rate was 31 percent. Jim Hamilton of JLL brokered the sale on behalf of West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Sterling.
ATLANTA — The Flying Biscuit Café, an Atlanta-based breakfast and brunch restaurant chain, plans to open 15 new locations in 2025. Founded in 1993, Flying Biscuit Café currently operates 35 locations, with a strong presence in Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Florida and the Carolinas. In 2025, the company will open restaurants in new markets, including Spartanburg, S.C.; Huntsville, Ala.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Tallahassee, Fla.; and Jonesboro, Ark. The Flying Biscuit Café opened five restaurants in 2024, which brought more than 150 jobs to local communities in Charleston and throughout Texas.
ATLANTA — Newmark has arranged the $140 million recapitalization for Corso Atlanta, a 203-unit upscale seniors housing community located at 3200 Howell Mill Road in the city’s West Paces Ferry area. Newmark’s Healthcare & Alternative Real Estate Assets group secured the 10-year Freddie Mac senior loan, which features five years of interest-only payments, and secured a preferred equity investment from Kayne Anderson Real Estate Debt. Sarah Anderson, Chad Lavender, Ryan Maconachy, Mills Poynor and Ben McElroy of Newmark facilitated the recapitalization on behalf of the borrower, Galerie Living. Corso Atlanta features independent living, assisted living and memory care residences, along with high-end amenities including chef-led dining options, a heated swimming pool, fitness center, full-service salon, multiple outdoor spaces, a theater, floral shop and a gift boutique.
Berkadia Secures Equity for Recapitalization of Two Multifamily Communities in Georgia, North Carolina
by John Nelson
AUGUSTA, GA. AND KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — Berkadia JV Equity & Structured Capital has arranged joint venture equity for the recapitalization of two multifamily properties in Georgia and North Carolina totaling 566 units. The sponsor is The Sterling Group and the properties include Argento at Riverwatch, a 296-unit community in Augusta, and Argento at Kellswater Bridge, a 270-unit property in Kannapolis. The joint venture equity partner and financing amount were not disclosed. Cody Kirkpatrick, Noam Franklin and Chinmay Bhatt led the Berkadia JV Equity & Structured Capital team in the recapitalization.
ATHENS, GA. — Cove Capital Investments, a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) sponsor company, has completed the purchase of an industrial property located in Athens, roughly 70 miles northeast of Atlanta. Situated within the 35-acre General Time mixed-use development, the property totals 113,157 square feet. Originally built in 1990, the asset was redeveloped between 2018 and 2021. The property was acquired as part of Cove Capital’s growing portfolio of debt-free DST real estate assets for 1031 exchange and direct-cash investors, according to Dwight Kay, managing member and founding partner of Cove Capital Investments. The seller and sales price were not disclosed.