ATLANTA — Shadowbox Studios, a TV and movie studio operator formerly known as Blackhall Studios, is underway on expanding its studio campus in Atlanta from nine soundstages to 31. The 1.2 million-square-foot expansion project will grow the locally based company’s footprint to total 2 million square feet. The move follows a $500 million financing commitment from Silver Lake, a private equity investor with more than $88 billion in assets under management. Silver Lake will partner with existing investor Commonwealth Asset Management, which remains the majority shareholder of Shadowbox Studios. The capital injection will also be used to fund Shadowbox’s studio developments underway in London and Los Angeles. Deutsche Bank, EY and Sidley Austin represented Shadowbox in the financing transaction with Silver Lake. Farrer & Co. and King & Spalding also provided legal counsel. Latham & Watkins represented Silver Lake. The existing Atlanta studios for Shadowbox Studios served as filming locations for movies such as Jumanji: The Next Level, Jungle Cruise and Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The construction timeline for the expansion project was not disclosed.
Georgia
KENNESAW AND NORCROSS, GA. — JLL Capital Markets has brokered the $28.1 million sale of a three-property light industrial and flex portfolio in metro Atlanta totaling 172,881 square feet. Matt Wirth, Ralph Smalley, Jim Freeman and Max Coffin of JLL represented the seller, Deerfield Beach, Fla-based Geneva Group, in the transaction. Miami-based Adler Real Estate Partners was the buyer. The properties included a 46,808-square-foot facility at 1965 Vaughn Road in Norcross, a 61,073-square-foot light industrial building at 4955 Avalon Ridge Parkway in Norcross and a 65,000-square-foot flex property at 1155 Roberts Blvd. in Kennesaw. Completed between 1992 and 1996, the Norcross buildings feature 22-foot clear heights, 27 dock-high doors, four drive-in doors and approximately 3.5 years of weighted average remaining lease term. The Kennesaw asset was built in 1991 and houses two unnamed, globally recognized tenants with over six years of weighted average remaining lease term.
Wood Partners, CP Capital Break Ground on 310-Unit Alta North Apartments in Cumming, Georgia
by John Nelson
CUMMING, GA. — A joint venture between Wood Partners and CP Capital US (formerly HQ Capital Real Estate) has broken ground on Alta North, a 310-unit apartment community in the Atlanta suburb of Cumming. The site will be located at the intersection of Ga. Highway 400 and Settingdown Circle, about 45 miles north of Atlanta. Alta North will feature one- and two-bedroom apartments with wood-style plank flooring, stainless steel appliances, microwave hoods, undermounted single bowl sinks, tile backsplashes, in-home washer and dryers and granite countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms. Community amenities will include a resort-style swimming pool with a tanning ledge, multiple grilling stations and fire pits, pet park and spa, 24/7 fitness center, social gathering areas and rentable coworking office spaces, as well as 15,000 square feet of commercial space.
ECI, Phoenix Capital Begin Construction on $101M Apartment Community in Roswell, Georgia
by John Nelson
ROSWELL, GA. — A joint venture between ECI Group and Phoenix Capital has broken ground on Averly East Village, a $101 million luxury apartment and townhome community in the Atlanta suburb of Roswell. The developers expect to deliver the property in late 2024. Truist Financial provided construction financing for the project, which Rule Joy Trammell Rubio Architects designed. The multifamily project is part of a mixed-use redevelopment of East Village Shopping Center, and Ardent Cos. will continue to own the retail component. Amenities will include a pool with a sun shelf, pool deck with cabanas, two outdoor kitchens, clubroom, synthetic turf dog park and dog spa, two-story fitness center, outdoor gym, coffee lounge with individual work spaces and secure bicycle storage. At full buildout Averly East Village will include one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and townhomes, as well as 75,000 square feet of retail space and a large central green space.
BUFORD, GA. — Seefried Industrial Properties and Clarion Partners plan to develop Buford North Distribution Center, a 969,620-square-foot logistics park in the Atlanta suburb of Buford. The speculative project will include three buildings located along I-985 in Hall County. All three buildings will include 185-foot concrete truck courts, 36-foot clear heights and ESFR sprinklers. Seefried and Clarion recently purchased an 80-acre site about 40 miles northeast of Atlanta near I-85. The first facility is slated to break ground in August and full completion is anticipated for the fourth quarter of 2023. The project team includes civil engineer Eberly & Associates and architect Atlas Architecture. Joseph Kriss, Tripp Ausband and Doug Smith of Seefried will oversee leasing efforts.
Gray Television Inks Deal with NBCUniversal for 43-Acre Studio Campus in Metro Atlanta
by John Nelson
DORAVILLE, GA. — Gray Television Inc. has entered into an operations agreement with NBCUniversal Media LLC to lease and operate a new studio campus spanning 43 acres in metro Atlanta. The Assembly Studios facilities will be situated within Gray’s Assembly Atlanta project, a 135-acre mixed-use development in Doraville that once housed GM’s Assembly plant. NBCUniversal’s lease with Gray will include a suite of facilities needed to support TV and film production. The new facilities will include multiple soundstages, production office space, warehouses and mill space, as well as parking and other necessary amenities. Adjacent to the Assembly Studios complex is Third Rail Studios, a movie and TV production facility spanning seven acres that opened in 2016 and that Gray acquired in September 2021. NBCUniversal will manage all studios onsite, including Gray’s own studio facilities and Third Rail Studios. Construction began on roadways and infrastructure throughout Assembly Studios last summer, and construction began on studio buildings for Gray’s Swirl Films late last year. Construction on NBCUniversal’s facilities is expected to begin this summer. At that time, Gray expects over 1,200 individuals will be employed in construction jobs onsite and that the Assembly Studios complex will be completed in the second half …
DULUTH, GA. — Skyline Seven Real Estate has arranged the sale of Howell Crossing, a metro Atlanta shopping center located at the intersection of Pleasant Hill Road and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Duluth. The property traded for $11 million. Planet Fitness and Taco Mac anchor the 68,682-square-foot property, which was built in 1996. Skyline Seven arranged the sale between two undisclosed private parties.
Marcus & Millichap Brokers $9.1M Acquisition of Plantation Village Retail/Office Property in Macon, Georgia
by Amy Works
MACON, GA. — Marcus & Millichap has arranged the purchase of Plantation Village, a retail and office property located at 6255 Zebulon Road in Macon. A limited liability company acquired the 18-suite property from an undisclosed seller for $9.1 million. Jared Kaye and Sonny Molly of Marcus & Millichap represented the buyer in the deal. Built in 2005 on 7.9 acres, Plantation Village features 52,228 square feet of retail and office space. Current tenants include Moe’s Southwest Grill, Goodwill, Great Clips and T-Mobile.
AUGUSTA, GA. — Matthews Real Estate Investment Services has facilitated the sale of Village Plaza, a shopping center in Augusta. The property traded for $20.5 million. The names of the seller and buyer were not released. Located at 270 Bobby Jones Expressway, Village Plaza features 208,269 square feet of retail space. Current tenants include Gold’s Gym, GNC, Bealls Outlet and Tractor Supply Co. The property is shadow anchored by Walmart. Johnny Blue Craig of Matthews Real Estate Investment Services represented the seller in the deal.
GAINESVILLE, GA. — Farming and construction machinery producer Kubota North America Corp. has unveiled plans for a $140 million expansion of its 280-acre research and development (R&D) center in Gainesville, approximately 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. The center opened in April of this year and currently includes engineering offices, workshops and testing labs, alongside outdoor tracks for testing turf, utility vehicles, tractors and construction equipment. Construction of the expansion is scheduled to begin later this year and will include the development of a building dedicated to broadening production and loader capacity to meet growing market demands, while freeing up space at the company’s existing facility in nearby Jackson County. “Through further investments like these, our supply chain continues to evolve to better meet the needs of our sister-company partners and Kubota dealers,” says Brian Arnold, president of Kubota Manufacturing of America. “With this expansion our production capacity will almost double and, at the same time, we will improve our quality and efficiency through innovations in welding and painting technologies.” The project is slated for completion in 2024, bringing with it more than 500 new manufacturing jobs at the facility. Kubota North America employs more than 3,000 team members across its manufacturing, …