SAVANNAH, GA. — Multi Housing Advisors (MHA) has brokered the $18.2 million sale of Clover Village at Vernon Marsh and Clover Village at White Bluff, two apartment properties in Savannah that total 298 units. Robert Stickel of MHA represented the seller, Clover Group, in the sale. McDowell Properties purchased both properties. The adjacent developments are located along White Bluff Road at the intersection of Abercorn Street and Harry Truman Parkway. The Vernon Marsh asset was built in 1986 and the White Bluff project was built in 1985.
WOODSTOCK, GA. — Transwestern’s Southeast investment services group has arranged the $13 million sale of East Cherokee Village Shoppes, a Publix-anchored shopping center located at 6236 Holly Springs Parkway in Woodstock, a northern suburb of Atlanta. New Orleans-based PMAT Cos. acquired the 128,667-square-foot property for roughly $101 per square foot from a private seller. The asset was developed in 2003. Fred Victor and Kevin Markwordt of Transwestern represented the seller in the transaction.
SAVANNAH, GA. — Colliers International’s Savannah office has brokered the $7.9 million sale of the iconic Realty Building in historic downtown Savannah. Built in 1921, the 10-story, 55,560-square-foot building is located at 24 Drayton St. The mixed-use property features ground-floor retail space leased to Rivers & Glen Trading Co. and Ameris Bank, as well as office space throughout the remainder of the building. The Realty Building was 95 percent leased at the time of sale. Ashley Smith of Colliers represented the seller, SCG II-Drayton LLC, in the transaction. Smith also leased the building on behalf of the previous owner. The buyer, 24 Drayton Street Properties LLC, was self-represented.
ATLANTA — Birmingham-based Graham Commercial Properties (GCP) has purchased a 209,780-square-foot distribution center located at 1040 Southern Road in Atlanta for $7.1 million. The 10-acre development has rail access to the Norfolk Southern railroad system, which was a deciding factor for the current tenant, M & W Distribution Services. The industrial facility is GCP’s first acquisition in Georgia. GCP is a recently formed real estate holding and management company and sister firm of Graham & Co. LLC.
PEACHTREE CORNERS, GA. — Avison Young has brokered the $9.4 million sale of a 221,000-square-foot industrial facility located at 5850 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. in Peachtree Corners, a northeastern suburb of Atlanta. Chip Watson and Brent Weitnauer of Avison Young’s Atlanta office represented the seller, Makim Holdings, in the transaction. The buyer, Gwinnett County Schools, plans to convert the facility and surrounding 20 acres of land into a new high school.
DECATUR, GA. — The Boulder Group has arranged the $3.6 million sale of a 10,125-square-foot CVS/pharmacy located at 4037 Glenwood Road in Decatur, a suburb of Atlanta. Originally built in 1999, the asset has 21 years remaining on a recently extended lease, which features five five-year renewal option periods with 5 percent rental escalations in each period. Randy Blankstein and Jimmy Goodman of The Boulder Group represented the seller, a real estate institution based in Atlanta’s East Cobb district, in the transaction. The buyer was a high net worth family trust.
MABLETON AND CONYERS, GA. — BayView Advisors has arranged the $9.2 million sale of a two-property portfolio of Pak-It-Inn self storage facilities in the Atlanta suburbs of Mableton and Conyers. The portfolio includes 155 climate controlled units, 727 non-climate controlled units and one retail unit. Jay Crotty and Thomas Doyle of BayView Advisors represented the seller, Pak-It-Inn Self Storage Inc., and the buyer in the transaction.
Economic indicators that support the retail market in Atlanta, like unemployment and the addition of non-farm payroll jobs, show positive signs that the sector has recovered from the economic downturn. Unemployment dropped to 6.1 percent in July 2015, compared with 7.6 percent a year earlier, and companies are showing no signs of slowing down on the hiring process. Non-farm payroll jobs in July reached 2.58 million, an increase of 85,000 jobs, or 3.4 percent, from a year ago. Atlanta’s vacancy rate continues to fall, dropping from 8.1 percent earlier this year to 7.9 percent in the second quarter, according to CoStar. While space is hard to come by, the good news is that some developments are popping up. In fact, during the second quarter, 12 buildings were completed totaling 208,524 square feet. Mixed-use projects featuring multifamily units are still active, particularly when a grocery store anchor is involved. Fuqua Development is building a six-acre project on Piedmont Road near Cheshire Bridge Road that will feature 300 apartment units, as well as 34,000 square feet of retail space. Sprouts Farmers Market will anchor the retail space with a 26,000-square-foot store. Fuqua Development also broke ground on Kennesaw Marketplace in June. Academy …
ATLANTA — American Realty Capital Healthcare Trust III LLC (ARC), a healthcare REIT, has purchased Renaissance on Peachtree, a 229-unit independent living and assisted living community in Atlanta’s Buckhead district, for $78.6 million. Lisa Widmier and Matthew Whitlock of CBRE Capital Markets’ National Senior Housing team represented the seller, a joint venture between The Carlyle Group and Formation Development Group, in the transaction. The seniors housing community was 94 percent occupied at the time of sale.
ATLANTA — Hillwood, a Dallas-based Perot company and real estate developer and investor, has opened a new office in Atlanta. The company has hired Todd Parker as senior vice president and market leader to oversee the firm’s industrial business in the Southeast region. Parker, who will be based in Atlanta, brings more than 14 years of experience in the office and industrial real estate sectors. Before joining Hillwood, Parker served as vice president and regional director at The Rockefeller Group. “We are excited to welcome Todd Parker to the Hillwood team. His experience will enable us to develop, acquire and joint venture significantly more properties in the region,” said Tal Hicks, president of Hillwood Investment Properties. “We see significant opportunities for growth in the Southeast region. Todd will be a great asset as we continue to increase our presence in this market.”