KENNESAW, GA. — Varner Developers has submitted plans to the City of Kennesaw for a $65 million mixed-use project located at the current site of Kennesaw Crossing, a shopping center located roughly 27 miles northwest of Atlanta in Kennesaw. The proposed project would include a 140-room hotel, two single-story retail buildings totaling 22,000 square feet, three multifamily buildings with a total of 274 units, two office condominium buildings totaling 9,750 square feet and the positioning of future pedestrian connectivity to the Noonday Trail and other planned pedestrian infrastructure. If approved, Kennesaw Crossing would be completely demolished to make way for the new development. Applications are scheduled to be heard and considered by the mayor and city council for final action on Monday, June 18.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — Cushman & Wakefield has brokered the $47.8 million sale of One Imeson Distribution Center, a two-story, 1.7 million-square-foot industrial building located within Jacksonville’s Imeson Industrial Park. The property includes a 12.3-acre container storage area, as well as a 24.2-acre site that can accommodate an expansion or future build-to-suit development. Mike Davis, Karl Johnston, Tyler Newman, Rick Brugge and Michael Lerner of Cushman & Wakefield arranged the transaction on behalf of the seller, GIV Imeson LLC. Arsenault Holdings LLC acquired the asset. One Imeson includes 1.5 million square feet of industrial space and 248,317 square feet of office space. The building was 74 percent leased at the time of sale to tenants such as Bacardi, General Dynamics, Komyo America (Honda), Venus Swimware, the Jacksonville Supervisor of Elections and Samsonite. The property was constructed in 1974 and was last renovated in 2015. Improvements included an entire new roofing system, new chillers, lighting upgrades and various cosmetic improvements.
LOUISVILLE, KY. — Louisville-based Brown-Forman Corp. has opened Old Forester Distilling Co. at 119 W. Main St. on Louisville’s famed Whiskey Row. The 70,000-square-foot distillery represents a $45 million investment and is housed in the same building that the brand called home in the early 1900s. The distillery features a 44-foot-tall copper column still, designed and constructed by Vendome Copper & Brass Works. The new distillery will add production capacity of approximately 100,000 gallons annually and will be open for tours seven days a week, with tastings available in the Old Forester Tasting Room. Old Forester Distilling joins 10 other distilleries as an official member of the Kentucky Bourbon Trails tour. In addition to Old Forester, Brown-Forman Corp. produces Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, el Jimador and Woodford Reserve.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Alliant Credit Union has provided a $26 million loan for the refinancing of a 120,000-square-foot office building in Charlotte’s Arysley submarket. According to the Charlotte Business Journal, the property, known as One Silver Crescent, opened in February and is fully leased to Jeld-Wen, a window and door manufacturer. The name of the borrower was not disclosed.
ATLANTA — PCCP LLC has acquired Cumberland Center II, a 419,000-square-foot office building located at 3100 Cumberland Blvd. in Atlanta’s Cumberland/Galleria submarket. The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports the 17-story tower sold for $68 million. The name of the seller was not disclosed. Constructed in 1989, the building is currently 94 percent leased but 67 percent occupied following the departure of HD Supply to a new build-to-suit office building within the submarket. The seller has invested more than $5.4 million in capital improvements since 2007, including a renovated conference center and café. Cumberland Center II is situated adjacent to a Courtyard Marriott hotel and the 1.4 million-square-foot Cumberland Mall, and less than a mile from Cobb Galleria. In addition, the property is located less than two miles from SunTrust Park, home ballpark of the Atlanta Braves.
ODESSA, FLA. — Lantower Residential has acquired Lantower Asturia, a 322-unit apartment community located at 15175 Integra Junction in the Tampa Bay community of Odessa, for $57.7 million. Constructed in 2017, the property was originally known as Integra Junction and was rebranded upon acquisition. Lantower Asturia is located within Asturia, Hines’ 300-acre, master-planned mixed-use community. The apartment community offers a mix of one- to three-bedroom units and features granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, crown molding, USB outlets, wood-style floors, tile backsplash, and screened balconies or patios. Community amenities include a saltwater pool, outdoor lounge area with fire pits and grills, package lockers, fitness center with a CrossFit box and spin bikes and a virtual PGA golf simulator. Patrick Dufour of ARA Newmark arranged the transaction on behalf of the seller, Panther Residential. The acquisition brings Lantower Residential’s portfolio to 19 multifamily properties totaling 6,260 units.
ALEXANDRIA, VA. — Walker & Dunlop has arranged $40.4 million in financing for the recapitalization of The Mark Apartments, a 227-unit apartment community in Alexandria, roughly eight miles south of Washington, D.C. Jamie Butler of Walker & Dunlop arranged fixed-rate senior debt through Freddie Mac and joint venture equity through RSE Capital Partners on behalf of the borrowers, Northpoint Realty Partners and Persimmon Capital Partners. The financing replaced the existing construction debt. Northpoint and Persimmon recently completed a redevelopment program, transforming the property from an outdated hotel to a multifamily community. The Mark Apartments includes a mix of studio to three-bedroom units and features a pool, outdoor grilling and dining terrace, fitness center, resident’s lounge, dedicated work spaces and laundry facilities.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Retail developer Madison Marquette and Houston-based developer PMRG have closed on their previously announced merger. News of merger discussions was originally announced at the end of May. “Our growth strategy is to be responsive to client demand for expanded investment and property services and for broader expertise in more markets. Merging operations with PMRG meets that demand,” says Amer Hammour, chairman of Madison Marquette. “Our combined capabilities also make us uniquely qualified to meet shifting market demand for mixed-use development, management and investment expertise.” Leadership of both firms will remain in place. While the operating platforms are in transition and until the combined company reveals its new name, the two companies will retain their individual brands. The combined company will be headquartered in Washington, D.C., with a major presence in Houston.
KENNESAW, GA. — Avison Young has brokered the $9 million sale of 3075 Chastain Meadows Parkway, a 130,250-square-foot warehouse in the northwest Atlanta suburb of Kennesaw. Brent Weitnauer, Chip Watson and Ben Parker of Avison Young arranged the transaction on behalf of the seller, Suzuki. Exeter 3075 Chastain Meadows LLC, an affiliate of Exeter Property Group, acquired the asset. The building has the capability to expand by an additional 2.9 acres.
AVENTURA, FLA. — Aventura Mall Venture, a partnership between Turnberry Associates and Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG), has received $1.75 billion in financing for Aventura Mall in Aventura, a city in South Florida’s Miami-Dade County. JPMorgan Chase Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley Bank provided the financing. According to multiple news outlets, the loan will be used to pay off a $1.2 billion CMBS loan that Turnberry and Simon secured in 2013, and a $214 million loan that mall owners took out in 2016 to fund a 315,000-square-foot expansion. The new three-level wing includes experiential additions to the Arts Aventura Mall program, a 93-foot-tall Aventura Slide Tower, the first Topshop Topman in Florida, Zara, Under Armour, Treats Food Hall and new dining options offering indoor and outdoor seating. The nearly 3 million-square-foot Aventura Mall is home to more than 300 tenants, including Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Anthropologie, H&M, Urban Outfitters and a 24-screen AMC movie theater. Jack Kessler, Rebecca Livingston Lando, Bruce Booken, Jason D’Amico, George Cass, Rebecca Trinkler and Haley Ayure of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC provided legal representation for Turnberry and Simon. “This transaction is important because it enables Aventura Mall to …