GAINESVILLE, FLA. — Prudent Growth Partners LLC, a private equity firm based in Chapel Hill, N.C., has purchased SouthGate Centre, a 24,025-square-foot retail center in Gainesville. The undisclosed seller sold the property for approximately $5.2 million. Built in 1989 within 1.5 miles from the University of Florida, SouthGate Centre was leased to 13 lifestyle and service retailers at the time of sale.
ASCENSION PARISH, LA. AND SEOUL — Hyundai Steel Co., a South Korean steel manufacturer and part of automotive giant Hyundai Motor Group, has announced plans to develop a $5.8 billion steel manufacturing facility in southeast Louisiana’s Ascension Parish. The new steel plant is part of Hyundai’s announcement for $21 billion in U.S. investments between 2025 and 2028. Construction on the plant, which will be capable of producing 2.7 million metric tons of steel annually, is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026 in Ascension Parish. Hyundai Steel is targeting commercial production of automotive steel plates to begin at the mill in 2029. According to a statement issued by Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, the new facility is expected to create 1,400 new direct jobs with an average salary of $95,000. Louisiana Economic Development (LED) also estimates that the project will result in 4,100 indirect new jobs. A large portion of the steel manufactured at the mill will be transported to Hyundai vehicle manufacturing plants throughout the country. Hyundai Steel also plans to open up sales of its automotive steel plates to other auto manufacturers in the United States, Europe and Latin America, according to Seo Gang-Hyun, president and CEO …
By David Leopold, SVP, Head of Affordable Housing, Berkadia In today’s shifting real estate landscape, investors increasingly prioritize stability and long-term value. One sector that has consistently demonstrated stability is affordable housing — particularly Section 8 properties backed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). With guaranteed rental income and high demand, Section 8 housing has become an attractive investment vehicle for those looking to diversify their portfolios while contributing to the critical need for affordable housing. As part of this trend, in 2024 Berkadia financed $837 million and sold more than $172 million in Section 8 properties, including the sale and financing of Lauderhill Point, a Section 8 affordable housing community in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. This arrangement underpins the firm’s affordable housing expertise, employing production leaders with an average of 25 years in the sector. For investors exploring opportunities in affordable housing, success depends on understanding the unique benefits and requirements of Section 8 properties. Section 8 Housing as a Safe Haven The largest federal subsidized housing program in the United States, project-based Section 8 provides financial assistance to millions of households across the country, making it a steady source of demand that can give …
SAVANNAH, GA. — Charleston-based Woodfield Development has completed EmmaJames at Savannah Harbor, a 280-unit luxury apartment community located in the larger Savannah Harbor mixed-use development. The project team includes architectural firm Housing Studio, general contractor Samet Corp. and interior designer Cindy Munn of S. Wilkins. Situated at 101 Cay Plaza, the development offers a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom floorplans ranging in size from 682 square feet to 1,732 square feet. Additionally, the complex also features one- and two-bedroom townhomes that measure up to 2,064 square feet. Monthly rental prices for the property begin at $1,555. Amenities at the property include a rooftop pool deck, 24/7 fitness center, yoga studio, piano room, pet park and spa, business and coworking spaces, self-serve tap lounge and an outdoor lawn with grilling and fire pit areas.
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Nashville-based HCA Healthcare has broken ground on HCA Trident Medical Center, an 80,000-square-foot medical facility located in North Charleston. Designed by Baker Barrios Architects, the four-story building — which is an expansion of Trident Medical Center — will include clinical offices for HCA Healthcare’s cardiology, neurology and orthopedics departments, as well as a cardiac rehabilitation center and hospital administrative spaces. It is also designed to accommodate a 40,000-square-foot vertical expansion with two additional floors. Baker Barrios has designed approximately 20 projects for HCA Healthcare, one of the country’s largest healthcare providers.
BRUNSWICK, GA. — ARK Homes For Rent has completed Walker Point, a 237-unit build-to-rent (BTR) residential community located at 1101 Walker Point Way in Brunswick, about 70 miles south of Savannah. Situated on 25 acres, the property features townhomes ranging up to 1,800 square feet that come in two-, three- and four-bedroom floorplans. Amenities include a clubhouse, fitness center, yoga room, swimming pool, outdoor lounge with grilling and dining areas and a dog park. Walker Point is now available for lease, with monthly rental rates beginning at $1,649. ARK Homes held a ribbon cutting on Friday, March 21.
CORNELIA, GA. — Cushman & Wakefield has arranged the sale of Habersham Village, a 146,544-square-foot shopping center located in Cornelia, about 25 miles northeast of Gainesville, Ga. Morrison Group acquired the property for an undisclosed price. Habersham Village was recently redeveloped to accommodate four anchor tenants, including T.J. Maxx, Michaels, Planet Fitness and Bealls. Margaret Jones and Lane Breedlove of Cushman & Wakefield represented the seller, an affiliate of Atlanta-based Vanguard Associates, Inc., in the transaction.
SANFORD, FLA. — HLI Partners and Whitley Capital have partnered to develop a 116,000-square-foot industrial facility at the corner of West Airport Boulevard and McCracken Road in Logisticenter at Sanford. The project is a build-to-suit development for game distributer PHD Games, which signed a 10-year lease for the facility and will occupy 81,330 square feet. HLI Partners will market the remaining 34,600 square feet of available space. The new facility will house PHD Games and its sister company, Coqui Hobby, as a consolidation of its two existing locations. The facility is scheduled for occupancy in the second quarter of 2026. Additionally, HLI will lease both of PHD Game’s current properties at 623 Trestle Point (20,716 square feet) in Sanford and 390 S. Ronald Reagan Blvd. (21,881 square feet) in Longwood, Fla.
WILSON, N.C. AND NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), has broken ground on a $2 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Wilson, about 50 miles east of Raleigh. The project is part of a larger, $55 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing, research-and-development (R&D) and technology initiatives that the global pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer health products provider is planning over the next four years. “Today’s announcements accelerate our nearly 140-year legacy as an American innovation engine tackling the world’s toughest healthcare challenges,” says Joaquin Duato, chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson. “Our increased U.S. investment begins with the ground-breaking of a high-tech facility in North Carolina that will not only add U.S.-based jobs but manufacture cutting-edge medicines to treat patients in America and around the world.” The new manufacturing facility will span approximately 500,000 square feet and will create 5,000 construction jobs, as well as 500 specialized positions for employees and contractors, including process technicians, laboratory analysts, engineers and microbiologists. Upon completion, Johnson & Johnson plans to produce medicines for people with cancer, immune-mediated and neurological diseases at the Wilson plant. The company estimates that the facility will have an economic impact of $3 billion in North …
Southeast Real Estate Business recently caught up with John McCrary, director of investment sales in Berkadia’s Birmingham office, to discuss trends in the local apartment market. McCrary, who specializes in investment sales in Alabama, east Tennessee and southern Mississippi, says that Birmingham’s occupancy will likely take a hit as new deliveries hit the market in the first half of the year, but there’s optimism that renters will be able to absorb those availabilities in short order. “With approximately 800 units expected to be delivered at the beginning of 2025, vacancy rates are likely to rise throughout the year,” says McCrary. “However, the slowdown in construction starts should help absorb existing units and eventually reduce the elevated vacancy rate.” The following is an edited interview: Southeast Real Estate Business: What major local or macro-economic trends are affecting the multifamily market in Birmingham? John McCrary: The interest rate environment is a key factor influencing multifamily dispositions, both in the Southeast and nationwide. Fluctuations in interest rates impact borrowing costs for developers and investors, thereby affecting the supply and demand for multifamily properties. Over the past year, Birmingham has seen strong multifamily demand, but it hasn’t kept pace with the influx of new …
