ALPHARETTA, GA. — Institutional Property Advisors, a division of Marcus & Millichap representing institutional and major private real estate investors, has brokered the $24.3 million sale of Old Alabama Square, a 103,268-square-foot shopping center located at 3005 Old Alabama Road in Alpharetta, a northern suburb of Atlanta. Fresh Market and Walgreens have anchored the shopping center since it opened in 2000. Lori Schneider of IPA represented the seller, a private investor, in the transaction. The buyer was Philips Edison Grocery Center REIT II Inc. Michael Fasano of Marcus & Millichap’s Atlanta office assisted in the transaction.
Georgia
Atlanta’s healthy multifamily market exhibits strong fundamentals, such as rising rental rates, and continued job creation. Last year alone, the city added more than 100,000 jobs and 2015 seems to be on track to surpass 2014 based on weekly announcements of companies moving to Atlanta. A decent amount of multifamily inventory hit the for-sale market in the first quarter of 2015, and those deals are now in the process of closing. We are seeing a lull in the number of listings across the market early in the second quarter. As owners attempt to capitalize on top-line collection, an increase in listings is expected in the latter portion of the second quarter in conjunction with the spring leasing months coming to an end. As most know, commercial real estate has peaks and valleys, with our last peak in 2007 and the valley landing somewhere in 2010. From 2010 to early 2015, investors were presented with a great opportunity to capitalize quickly from the rising rental rates even without implementing any value-add platforms. This quick rise in rental rates coupled with historically low interest rates has been the catalyst for the surge in trades. That said, as the REO bucket has all …
ATLANTA — Cushman & Wakefield has arranged the $13.5 million refinancing of 109 of the 155 apartment units at ATLofts at Atlantic Station in Atlanta. Mike Ryan, Telly Fathaly, Brian Linnihan and Jeff Walker of Cushman & Wakefield’s Atlanta office arranged the loan through GE Capital on behalf of the undisclosed owner, which will use the funding to refinance existing debt on the property, as well as purchase additional units at ATLofts. Atlantic Station is 1.4 million-square-foot mixed-use development in Midtown Atlanta that features Class A office towers, retail space, restaurants, entertainment venues, student housing, apartment residences, condominiums and a hotel.
DULUTH, GA. — Pike Nurseries, a popular garden and lawn retailer, has relocated its corporate headquarters to Duluth Office Center, an office building located at 3555 Koger Blvd. in Duluth, an eastern suburb of Atlanta in Gwinnett County. The garden chain will lease 9,000 square feet that will serve as its support center for its 15 stores in metro Atlanta, growing facility in Marietta, Ga., and its store in Charlotte, N.C. Pike’s former corporate headquarters was in the Park Summit building located at 2675 Breckinridge Blvd. in Duluth. Bennett Gottlieb and John Thornton of CBRE represented Pike Nurseries in the lease transaction. Stream Realty Partners represented the undisclosed landlord.
MCDONOUGH, GA. — Compass Self Storage, a member of the Amsdell family of companies, has purchased a 72,000-square-foot self storage facility at 2140 Jodeco Road in McDonough, a southern suburb of Atlanta. Compass Self Storage will continue to operate the property, which features drive up access, indoor climate controlled units, digital surveillance, electronic access, online payments, outdoor parking and a line of moving and packing supplies. The facility is the eighth Compass Self Storage location in the metro Atlanta area and the sixth store that Compass has opened under the Compass flag in 2015.
CBRE Arranges $78M Construction Loan for Whole Foods-Anchored Center in Metro Atlanta
by John Nelson
KENNESAW, GA. — CBRE Capital Markets has secured $78 million in acquisition and construction financing for Kennesaw Marketplace, a 288,000-square-foot retail shopping center located in Kennesaw, a northern suburb of Atlanta. Located at the intersection of Barrett Parkway and Georgia Highway 41, Kennesaw Marketplace will bring Whole Foods, Academy Sports and a mix of national and local tenants to the area. Construction is expected to commence immediately and will be completed by the third quarter of 2016. Jeffrey Ackemann, Jonathan Rice and Robert LaChapelle of CBRE’s Atlanta office arranged the three-year, non-recourse loan through Heitman Real Estate on behalf of a joint venture between Fuqua Development and Batson-Cook Development.
KENNESAW, GA. — The RADCO Cos. has acquired Estates at Ridenour, a 255-unit Class A apartment community in Kennesaw, a northern suburb of Atlanta, for $35.3 million. RADCO financed the acquisition with private capital and debt from Freddie Mac. The Atlanta-based multifamily investment firm purchased the asset from a limited liability company based in South Carolina. The apartment units average 1,077 square feet and are situated in one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans, as well as two-story townhomes. Community amenities include a resort-style pool with grilling areas, fitness facility, clubroom and a business center with Wi-Fi. Multi Housing Advisors brokered the transaction. RADCO will invest $2.6 million to upgrade Estates at Ridenour. The company’s renovation plan includes exterior improvements, expanding the property’s amenity package and unit upgrades. Additionally, Estates at Ridenour will be rebranded as Ashford Ridenour. The property is located on a 13.1-acre lot off the intersection of Barrett and Cobb parkways, nearly two miles from I-75 and three miles from Kennesaw State University. The property is also two-and-a-half miles from Town Center at Cobb, a nearly 1.3 million-square-foot regional mall, and across the street from Kennesaw Marketplace, a new Whole Foods-anchored mixed-use development under construction.
Westbridge, Martin Family to Bring Office/Retail Space to West Midtown Atlanta in Adaptive Reuse
by John Nelson
ATLANTA — Westbridge Partners and the Martin family — also known as the Midtown West Associates/Brickworks — have formed a partnership to retrofit the last buildings of the historic Miller Union Stockyards in Atlanta’s West Midtown neighborhood. The Martin family has owned the three-acre property located at the corner of 10th Street and Brady Avenue for more than 50 years. The tract includes two former meat-packing buildings constructed in the early 1900s. Westbridge and the Martin family will transform the historic property into 130,000 square feet of office and retail space known collectively as Stockyards Atlanta. The Martin family has redeveloped several historic properties in West Midtown, including The Brickworks at 1000 Marietta St. Cushman & Wakefield will lease the office space on behalf of the owners, which are hoping to attract tech firms, entrepreneurs and startup companies coming out of nearby Georgia Tech. Construction is expected to begin in the fourth quarter, with a targeted opening date of summer 2016. Atlanta-based ai3 is the architect for Stockyards Atlanta.
ATLANTA — ARA Newmark has brokered the $72.5 million sale of Inman Quarter, a new mixed-use development in Atlanta’s Inman Park neighborhood. Still under construction, the development will include 200 apartment units, a 575-space parking garage and 38,957 square feet of retail space. The asset was 80 percent pre-leased at the time of sale. TriBridge Residential and Coro Realty Advisors purchased the property from a development partnership between Atlanta-based JPX Works, South City Partners and ELV Associates. John Weber and Dan Phelan of ARA Newmark represented the development partnership in the transaction, which was structured as a pre-sale contract with targeted leasing and rent parameters agreed upon by both the buyer and seller.
Sanctuary Residential Breaks Ground on $33M Student Housing Project Near Georgia State University
by John Nelson
ATLANTA — Sanctuary Residential has begun construction on 200 Edgewood, a $33 million student housing development located across the street from Georgia State University (GSU) in downtown Atlanta’s MLK Landmark district. According to Sanctuary Residential, the mixed-use urban infill property will be the closest student housing to GSU, including the school’s dormitories. 200 Edgewood will be situated on 1.2 acres near the Grady/Children’s Hospital Medical Complex and the new Sweet Auburn Curb Market streetcar station. The 144-unit, 254-bed community is designed to appeal to GSU students, as well as medical interns, nurses and doctors. The property’s amenity package will include a clubhouse, fitness center, meeting/study areas, central courtyard, 110 parking spaces and 12,000 square feet of commercial space. Sanctuary Residential plans to deliver 200 Edgewood by July 2016. The design team includes architect Gary Coursey & Associates, engineer Eberly & Associates and general contractor Shell McElroy. Asset Campus Housing will manage the property upon completion.