The overall snapshot is that Atlanta’s economy is on a growth tract in terms of employment and corporate growth, and has definitely rebounded from the recession and its previous overbuilding. Economic growth and the current lack of speculative development are driving the improvement in the retail market. Rental rates, occupancy levels, absorption, leasing momentum and pricing are increasing. In addition, new retailers are entering or looking to enter the market. However, the retail market’s improvement varies across the metro region. Vacancy and Rental Rates Due to positive absorption and leasing momentum in both vacant and sublease space, the overall occupancy rate and average rental rate for Atlanta’s retail inventory have been increasing. According to CoStar’s third quarter retail market update, the overall vacancy rate is now down to 8.8 percent and the average rental rate is $12.78 per square foot. However, when you break it down by submarket and property types, rental rate and occupancy gains vary significantly. Quality shopping centers in strong submarkets and locations have experienced very strong gains, yet Class B and C centers and those located in certain submarkets are still lagging the overall market. The Buckhead, Central Atlanta, Central Perimeter and Georgia 400 submarkets are …
SAVANNAH, GA. — Johnson Development has been awarded the lease to develop a new Veteran’s Affairs (VA) medical facility in Savannah. The new 69,000-square-foot healthcare clinic will replace the existing 25-year-old VA clinic. Johnson Development will be breaking ground on the new clinic in the spring. New outpatient services that will be provided in the new facility include eye care, audiology, physical rehabilitation, prosthetics and a special women’s center. The anticipated completion date is summer 2016.
ATHENS, GA. — Landmark Properties has begun construction on The Mark, a 928-bed student housing project with 38,400 square feet of retail space and 41,000 square feet of Class A office space. Located adjacent to the campus of the University of Georgia at the intersection of Oconee and Broad streets in downtown Athens, The Mark will offer 14 different floor plans including studios, one-, two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom apartments. The Mark will provide students with an amenity package that includes a clubhouse, fitness facilities, a golf simulator, racquetball court, indoor basketball court, tanning beds, computer lab with private and group study rooms and an Internet café. A rooftop resident center will feature a large fitness center overlooking a two-tiered rooftop pool with cabanas, a Jumbotron, outdoor grilling areas and a stadium-view rooftop lounge. The top level will also feature a “VIP” floor with private rooftop patios and a select number of private hot tubs. A Landmark subsidiary, Landmark Construction, will serve as the project’s general contractor. Niles Bolton Associates is the architecture firm and Williams & Associates is the engineering firm.
FORT MILL, S.C. — DTZ has brokered the $14 million sale of a Class A, 255,168-square-foot distribution center located at 1092 Wilson Business Parkway in Fort Mill, a suburb of Charlotte. The distribution center is fully leased to Ross Stores Inc. Beacon Industrial LLC purchased the asset from an institutional investor. Rob Cochran and Jared Londry of DTZ’s capital markets team represented the seller in the transaction.
AUGUSTA, GA. — Waypoint Residential has acquired the Estates at Perimeter, a 240-unit, Class A apartment community located at 50 St. Andrews Drive in Augusta. Built in 2007, the property was 97 percent occupied at the time of sale. The community’s amenities include a saltwater swimming pool, 24-hour fitness center, business center, media room, playground and a newly decorated clubhouse. Waypoint plans to upgrade the units with new lighting packages, plantation blinds, ceiling fans and faux wood flooring in the kitchens and baths. In addition, amenities will be improved and a pet park will be added at the property. The Estates at Perimeter is Waypoint’s third acquisition in the state of Georgia. Waypoint also manages The Hamptons at East Cobb in Marietta and Village on the Green Apartments in Atlanta.
TAMPA, FLA. — Planet Home Lending has leased the entire third floor of Lincoln Center, an office building in Tampa’s Westshore district. The company is relocating its branch location from Clearwater with the 22,450-square-foot space. Pat Marzulli of Colliers International’s Tampa Bay office represented Planet Home Lending in the lease transaction. Pat McGuire and Katy Alderman of Redstone Asset Management Services LLC represented the landlord, St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co. Planet Home Lending is currently overseeing improvements to the space in Lincoln Tower. The organization is expected to complete renovations and move into the office space during the first quarter of 2015.
MIAMI — New York City-based Integra Real Estate Capital has arranged a $49 million, non-recourse loan for Fontainbleau Park Plaza, a 235,000-square-foot shopping center in Miami. The shopping center’s anchor tenants include Walmart Supercenter and LA Fitness. Russell Kimyagarov of Integra arranged the 10-year, interest-only loan on behalf of the borrower, a Miami-based ownership group.
ATLANTA — Noble Investment Group, in a joint venture with Simon Property Group, has broken ground on the AC Hotel Buckhead. The 166-room hotel will be located at the intersection of Peachtree and Wieuca roads in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood across from the Nordstrom at Phipps Plaza. This will be AC Hotels by Marriott’s first hotel in the Atlanta area. Upon completion in early 2016, the hotel will feature an AC Lounge, 2,500 square feet of meeting space, the AC Library, a fitness center and an indoor pool.
PALM COAST, FLA. — Atlanta-based Branch Properties LLC has begun construction on Phase I of Island Walk, a $40.8 million retail and restaurant redevelopment of the Palm Harbor shopping center in Palm Coast. Phase I includes the demolition of the buildings to the west of the existing Publix. The redevelopment will add 50,000 square feet of retail space to Palm Harbor. Phase I, which includes the majority of Island Walk’s small shop tenants, is expected to be complete in the spring. Phase II, which will include the redevelopment/expansion of the Publix and the addition of more small shop space, is slated to finish in the fall. Publix has signed a lease for the new 53,785-square-foot store, which is roughly 20 percent larger than the existing store. Phase III, which will include additional retail space to the east of the Publix, is slated to open in mid-2016. Palm Harbor’s tenant roster, including Publix, Starbucks Coffee, The UPS Store, Eyeglass Express, Coast Dental & Orthodontics and Salsa’s Mexican Restaurant, will remain open during the redevelopment. Branch Properties, along with Michael Collard Properties, purchased the 28.7-acre site for the future Island Walk in May 2014 from The Inland Real Estate Group.
COCONUT CREEK AND WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. — Northland Investment Corp. has acquired two apartment communities in Coconut Creek and West Palm Beach. The two properties include the 300-unit Cypress Shores in Coconut Creek and the 202-unit Village Place in West Palm Beach. Cypress Shores’ amenities include a pool and poolside Wi-Fi, picnic areas, a fitness center, tennis and sand volleyball courts, car wash bay and three lakes with fountains. At Village Place, the amenities include a computer lounge, area for barbeques and picnics, multipurpose court for sports and recreation, swimming pool, dog park and a fitness center. With these two transactions, Northland now owns and operates 20 properties spanning 5,600 apartment units in Florida.